Last year, the Ministry for Active Ageing launched a National Strategic Policy for Active Ageing for the years 2023-2030. The urgent need for that policy was felt in so far as population ageing continues to transform Malta's demographic structure and is bound to surpass the 20% mark in the coming years. The wellbeing and quality of life of older people, a category to which I now belong, are expected to be built on three fundamentals: social inclusion, healthy ageing, and the need to address diversity and inequality.
Prior to that launch, Malta had been at the forefront of ageing policy and healthy ageing development. In 1968, the Maltese Government was the first to present an official motion before the United Nations 23rd General Assembly, urging member states to consider the phenomenon of ageing as a matter of international concern. Moreover, since the early 1970s, ageing policy has consistently been a top priority for the Maltese government, so Malta was one of the first countries whose government included a 'Junior Ministry for the Care of the Elderly' in 1987 and a Ministry wholly responsible for older persons and active ageing in November 2020.
Still, will such a concept and policy framework for active ageing be an occasion to celebrate the achievements of past actions on ageing? Or will it become just another occasion to reflect on "uneven progress" in advancing towards a society for all ages? The appeal of active ageing is that it uniquely combines the humanitarian, or individual, aspects of ageing with the developmental, or population, aspects of ageing.
The popularity of active ageing policies stems from their promises, first, to help overcome the obstacles of individual and population ageing and, second, to harness the potential of longevity for sustainable development. This potential in the form of the dividend of healthy longevity, or the second demographic dividend, has been a major enticement to active ageing. Hypothetically, the indefinite availability of the longevity dividend holds the opportunity for continued development of our society throughout the later stages of its demographic transition.
The way people age is determined by a variety of factors, including biological preconditions, social circumstances, attitudes towards ageing, and lifestyle. The manner in which an individual person ages may contribute to how long a person will live and how fit a person might be in the later stages of life. Current policies on ageing may perceive "old age" as a status rather than the result of a process. Some ageing policies may be aimed at providing services within this status rather than empowering older people to live independently. Here, a change of paradigm is needed. In order to gain the ability to remain active, an individual needs to invest in this process throughout their life. Appropriate societal structures, incentives, and awareness-raising would enable people to live an active lifestyle for as long as possible. Current societal and legal infrastructures may not fully provide those opportunities for active ageing.
Against this backdrop, this latest national strategic policy brief aims to suggest concrete policy measures that may be considered for supporting active ageing. The concept of active ageing aims to enhance the physical and mental well-being of individuals. Personal well-being may ultimately contribute to their ability to be less dependent on and more contributing to societal life. Applying the concept of active ageing will create an infrastructure that allows people to become responsible for their own process of active ageing.
While some may understand active ageing mainly in terms of labour market participation in the second half of life, it relates to a much broader concept. Active ageing is the process of optimising opportunities for health, participation, and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age. It allows people to realise their potential for physical, social, and mental well-being throughout their lives and to participate in society while providing them with adequate protection, security, and care when they need it.
This definition strongly associates well-being with individuals. However, the wellbeing of individuals is not only an individual luxury but has an ultimate societal dimension in terms of an increase in labour market participation and a decrease in health care expenditures, for instance.
Another aspect that must be profoundly explored is volunteering as a measure to promote social inclusion. Although it is never too late to become active in volunteering, people who are active throughout their lives are more likely to remain active when reaching retirement age. State-supported volunteering programmes may offer opportunities for societal engagement and political participation (e.g., in senior advisory boards or senior organisations), but they should not serve as an opportunity to replace regular employment.
The concept of active ageing aims to change the prevailing paradigm from policies that merely provide for older people to policies of empowerment. For this, a political and legal framework in which older people can take responsibility for their own quality of life and well-being has to be created. However, policies on active ageing should not discount the need to provide for frail older people.
We are still coming out of a society that believed youth is the most fruitful period in one's life, whereas old age was seen as less pleasant, as the old people are helpless, lonely, ill, frail, a burden to their relatives in case they have them, and also a burden to the employed, as they should show financial solidarity with them.
Today, however, there is greater awareness of the fact that the elderly have rich life experience and knowledge and are the guardians of customs, cultures, and traditions. Therefore, how to find a balance between problems and opportunities and how to use them well is a challenge for society today and tomorrow.
Dr Mark Said is a lawyer