Active Ageing : Theory, policy and experiences Thibauld Moulaert Postdoctoral researcher at the Scientific Fund for Research (FNRS) Institute of Analysis of Change in Contemporary and Historical Societies (IACCHOS), Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL) Beyond the European Year for Active Ageing, Brussels, November 15th

Theoretical and political sources and dialogues of active ageing: looking backward to go forward Inspirations from Age Friendly cities in Quebec: environments as link between policy and the individual Forces and limits of active ageing Recommendations: towards a critical perspective on active ageing

1. Theoretical and political sources and dialogues of active ageing: looking backward to go forward AA as a « référentiel d’action publique » (Muller, 2006) AA at the cross road of policy and science

A) Scientific sources A francophone/anglophone perspective : –A personal lifecourse from Active ageing in employment to a « Plural active ageing » –Science as a fragmented territory – period –AA/VA in title, abstract and keywords –260 anglophone articles and 65 francophones articles

A personal lifecourse

Looking backward

Prof. Alan Walker, father of AA ? Article 2002 and its 7 principles –empowerment, transversality, lifecourse perspective, diversity of activities –A theoritical position to promote an EU perspective Vs US productive ageing –A time of « activation policy » (2002 but 1999) BUT historically… D’Souza in 1993 !! In practice… (Walker, 1999 ; 2009…)

D’Souza V., 1993, The Concept of Active Aging, Indian Journal of Social Work, vol.54, n°3, Jul, pp

Two distinct worlds Source des données : Viriot Durandal J. P., Moulaert T., Communication semi-plénière, AFS, Grenoble, juillet 2011 (Mise à jour au 30 octobre 2012, T Moulaert).

B) International organisations sources Methodology : texts analysis + 11 experts interviews Who used it first ? WHO ? UE ?... OECD 1998 Homogeneous discourses The 2002 momentum, the possibility of changes illustrated by OECD High level of bureaucracy and expertise versus absence of democracy ?

Orga.An.Titre OECD1998Maintaining Prosperity in an Ageing Society EC1999towards a Europe for all ages UN1999United Nations Principles for Older Persons OECD2000Reforms for an ageing society EC2002Increasing labour force participation and promoting active ageing WHO2002Active ageing. A policy framework WORLD NGO2002The development and rights of the elderly UN2002Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing EC2006Demographic future of Europe - from challenge to opportunity WHO2007Age-friendly cities WHO2008Older Persons in Emergencies: An Active Ageing Perspective UN2008Guide to the National Implementation of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing Age Platform2009How to promote Ageing Well in Europe: Instruments and tools available to local and regional actors ILO2009Employment and social protection in the new demographic context NGO Coalition2010Intergenerational Solidarity: the way forward. Proposals from the NGO Coalition for a 2012 European Year for Active Ageing and Intergenerational Solidarity

Jean Philippe Viriot Durandal Paris 5 – Sorbonne Thibauld Moulaert FNRS & Université Catholique de Louvain

The 2002 moment and the case of OECD ACTIVE AG(E)ING OrganisationYearoccurrencesoccu/10000x moins OECD ,144,86 EC ,931,90 UN ,492,24 OECD ,628,98 EC200262,961,88 UN200211,214,60 WHO ,571,00 World NGO FORUM ,727,74 EC200621,095,10 WHO ,002,78 UN200860,737,57 WHO ,672,08 Age Platform200992,092,66 ILO200950,3715,20 NGO Coalition ,254,44 Total2151,623,43

Some lessons from history for EU 1999 : a first EU comprehensive perspective… But reduced in « working longer » through European Strategy for Employment EY 2012 : a new comprehensive perspective but with 3 targets –« Forgetting » the collective EU memory of EU 1999 and based on WHO 2002 (AA = health, social participation and security) –Pression from civil society = … solidarity between generations –No specific financing (ex of reactions of civil society) –A question of images = AA as a « social marketing » or « packaging for ageing »

2. Inspirations from Age Friendly cities in Quebec: environments as link between policy and the individual Another origin : a public consultation From health to participation Based on exchanges and visits to Sherbrooke team of Prof. Suzanne Garon & Marie Beaulieu

First introduced in 2008 in the Report of the Public consultation on living condition of older people Le slogan adopté par l’OMS pour le vieillissement actif, « Bouger pour être en bonne santé », interpelle les personnes elles-mêmes en établissant un lien direct entre l’effort physique et la santé. (Rapport de la consultation, 2008, p.30)

Starting point : from AFC to VADA-QC In 2008, 7 pilot-project = VADA-QC Concrètement, une ville-amie des aînés adapte ses structures et ses services afin que les personnes âgées aux capacités et aux besoins divers puissent y accéder et y avoir leur place. (Guide VADA OMS, 2007, p.1)

In 2009, MADA-QC Selon l’OMS, « vieillir en restant actif » est le processus qui aide à optimiser les possibilités non seulement de participation, mais aussi de bonne santé et de sécurité afin d’accroître la qualité de vie pendant la vieillesse. (Favoriser vieillissement actif, 2009, p.11)

The rise of participation, the extension to MADA (+500 municipalities) In 2012, MADA-QC Le vieillissement actif, fil conducteur de cette démarche, consiste en une participation constante à la vie sociale, économique, culturelle, intellectuelle et civique. Non seulement des aînés actifs appuient-ils leur communauté, mais ils continuent également à se développer comme individus, maintiennent leur utilité ou leur sentiment d’utilité, acquièrent de nouvelles aptitudes, conservent un réseau social, brisent leur isolement et développent une image forte d’eux-mêmes. (Programme soutien, 2012, p.4)

From VADA-QC to a governmental plan En 2012, politique « Vieillir et vivre ensemble » La promotion du vieillissement actif au Québec vise à éliminer les discriminations basées sur l’âge, le genre, le revenu ou la culture d’appartenance. Le vieillissement actif fonde une solidarité et une équité entre les générations dans le but d’améliorer les conditions de vie, le bien-être et la santé des personnes aînées en général, particulièrement les personnes plus vulnérables. (Politique, 2012, p.42)

Inspiration from Quebec (1/2) The MFA, a « Ministery of active ageing »? Key points from VADA-QC –Close and longstanding cooperation between researchers in social sciences and government –Centration on « social participation » into VADA-QC: The importance of key actors –The bench = an example of consultation to action –Témiscamingue county = outside « big cities », example for less habited european regions –A political question, a tool for democracy Future ??

Inspiration from Quebec (2/2) Explicative factors and translation to EU ? –Personal convergences and positive vision of older people between researchers and Minister (a PHD Minister) –Socio-cultural reality : the importance of community action, the perspective of COLLECTIVE empowerment (vs individual empowerment). But the limit of « localism » –A particular lecture of AA = from health to participation –A locally and population based policy (bottom up) VS a European majoritary Top down policy –MOST IMPORTANT = importance of environnement to avoid the responsabilisation critic of AA

3. Forces and limits of active ageing A mobilizing notion for Policy AND for researcher Priority to social (even if health is not far) to avoid the responsabilisation critic Distance with the experience of older people (Clarke & Warren 2007; Bowling 2008 & 2009) Is active ageing really for everyone ? (Ranzijn, 2010 ; Raymond, Grenier, 2012) + Boudiny, 2012 = importance of engagement into life

Recommendations: towards a critical perspective on active ageing From « Ageing enterprise » (Estes, 1979) to « active ageing enterprise » ? From activity to engagement into life ? From « opportunity Vs illusion » to dialogue between researchers, between policy, researchers and older people, between EU

Coming meeting in Brussels…

Thanks for listening and welcome to questions