WHO Active Ageing Model Of Care – Definition, Determinants And Policy Considerations

The WHO Model of Active Ageing – Determinants and Pillars

Discuss about the WHO Active Ageing Model of Care.

According to World Health Organization (WHO), active ageing is defined as the optimization of participation, health opportunities and security that is intended to enhance the quality of life when people age. It allows the people to realise their potential for physical, mental and social well-being throughout their life. Active ageing also encompasses their participation in the society and provide them with adequate security, protection and care that they need. Active ageing is aimed at extending the quality of life and healthy life expectancy for the people who age. The important tenants in the process of active ageing are intergenerational solidarity and interdependence. As the population age, they are at an increased risk for developing disease and so, there is an urgency to reduce the burden of chronic diseases. So, there is “find it and fix it” model called active ageing model of care that address the ageing population health needs (Beard & Bloom, 2015). Therefore, in the WHO active ageing framework, the primary goal is the maintenance of autonomy and independence of active ageing and representation of older people in policy, legislation and society.

The social capital is the formation of relationship networks among people who live and work to enable and make the society function effectively (Bulmer, 2015). According to Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), social capital is defined as formation of networks that have shared values, norms and understanding that facilitate co-operation among the formed groups (Helliwell, Huang & Wang, 2014). The social capital has emerged as an area of great interest which makes a positive contribution to health outcomes in the diverse social concerns like community, health, education and safety. This concept has interested the social analysis, policy makers and researchers in the application of policy development and research in the health and social policy and programs. The embedding of community building, social capital and government approach into policy making helps to find solutions to the problems faced in the local issues. The social capital data can be implied to identify a range of policy questions in the area of health and social policy making. It can be applied in the context of policy making in the allocation of resources, targeting and program evaluation and strategies. Social capital plays an important role in the shaping of community confidence and adaptability that can be efficiently applied in the building of social capital among the communities focusing on policy making. For example, in Australia, there is network building that is facilitated by Welink by Queensland University of Technology facilitating social capital in women empowerment.

Policy Considerations for Active Ageing

According to WHO, the active aging depends on a variety of determinants that encompasses individuals, their families and nations. This helps to design the policies and programs that would be effective in improving the quality of life and health of the older people. The WHO model of Active Ageing (2002) comprises of the six factors like heath, component, psychological, cognitive performance, biobehavioral component, social relationship and personality (Boudiny, 2013). The model of Active Ageing is based on three pillars like participation, security and health. The proposed model given by WHO focuses on the key aspects of active ageing; like autonomy, interdependence and quality of life of the older people. It is a broad concept that encompasses one’s perceived ability to cope, control and make personal decisions about one’s life, independence to perform one’s daily activities and one’s perception of position in life in context to value system and culture (Moulaert & Biggs, 2013). As active ageing takes place, the quality of life of the older people is determined by their ability to maintain independence, autonomy and healthy life expectancy which is determined by how people can live without any disabilities. In the model of care, active aging is an outcome of the various physical and social determinants that helps to identify the people who are at more risk and those who are in favour of active ageing.

The policy framework for active ageing is greatly guided by the United Nations Principles for Older People like participation, independence, self-fulfilment, care and dignity (Lassen & Moreira, 2014). The policy making requires action in the priority areas of participation, health and security that are considered to be the three pillars for policy framework or determinants of active ageing. The older people are represented based on health like burden of disease, excess disabilities, premature mortality and risk factors associated with disease. The older people are at risk for chronic diseases and there is functional decline with low protective factors. They need care having equal access to healthcare services that addresses their needs and fulfil their rights. The older people are also presented in participation comprising of health, employment and education that support their full participation. Moreover, they require security in terms of physical, financial and mental security and rights of the older people. They are also represented in a way where the older people face age discrimination and poor recognition of the diversity of the older people. Therefore, policy considerations are required that address the three pillars that act as determinants of active ageing and resents the older people.

Limitations of the WHO Active Ageing Model

The WHO model of active ageing is an important approach to policy framework and program designing. It has laid a framework to address the key areas where the policy considerations are required. It has intended to inform discussion and formulations of action plan that promote active and healthy ageing. The model has conceptualised and rationalised the active ageing process emphasizing on the three key pillars that represent older people like health, security and participation (Oliver, Foot & Humphries, 2014). Moreover, the model helps to understand the determinants of active ageing through evidence-based approach. It has explained how these determinants have influenced and affected the health and process of active ageing. The physical environment, behavioural and personal determinants, social and health services, economic and social determinants are the determinants of active ageing that influences the quality of life of the older people undergoing active ageing (Foster & Walker, 2014). They have also showed that culture and gender are the cross-cutting determinants that influence the major determinants of active ageing and appropriateness of policy making affecting both old men and women.

It also highlights the activity participation that is involved in the quality of life and active that explains participation referring to cultural, economic, social and civic affairs. According to Putnam et al., (2013) the active ageing is defined as an outcome of interest. The activity patterns are considered as intermediate outcome that leads to overall well-being or quality of life. According to Van Malderen, Mets & Gorus, (2013) the unidirectional linearity is shown in the framework that acts as a limitation in the ageing model. Moreover, the active participation is a broad concept that encompasses all the activities what old people do. Although, many of the conceptualizations are being favoured by the WHO Active Ageing framework like older people are more or less active where there is documented activities grouped into Low Activity as well as High Activity group. The WHO Active Ageing framework also supports that activity is determined by broad range of factors starting from personal to environmental (Morrow-Howell et al., 2014). Arguably, the effect of the activity profiles captured by the wide range of activities has not been considered in this model. The study conducted by Abdullah & Wolbring, (2013) shows that activity profiles affect the older age well-being and these are differentially related to the mental and physical outcomes. There is also a research gap in the activity engagement in the later life of the old people offering researchers a way to a more comprehensive study that how activities are related to healthy and active ageing.

Activity Profiles and Active Ageing

The way older people are represented in the WHO Active Ageing framework has a great impact on the health policy making and model of care. The challenges that the older people face regarding the double burden of disease, increased risk for disability, economics, participation, autonomy, independence and security pose a way to the policy framework that needs to address the challenges faced by the ageing population (Bauman et al., 2016). Moreover, the health policy response needs to address the three main determinants of active ageing like health, participation and security. The policy framework is greatly determined by the behavioural and environmental factors for chronic diseases, employment and education opportunities and security in terms of financial, social and physical security of the ageing population (Chan & Liang, 2013). The representation of the older people in the WHO Active Ageing model of care also has an impact on addressing the needs and rights of the older people with an emphasis on age discrimination. The policy framework is also affected by the considerations of the older people’s dignity, protection and care where they are not able to support or care for themselves.

The WHO Active Ageing model of care is the foundation for the policy framework that is intended to inform the discussion and action plans that are aimed at promoting active and healthy ageing. The policy framework is greatly determined by the determinants of active ageing having implications on the older people quality of life when they age. The three pillars like health, participation and security are the basis for policy approach. Moreover, the way in which the older people are represented greatly determines the policy making promoting wellness of the older people. It has both positive and negative aspects that determine the policy framework. However, this model of care is an important framework for the making of the policies that helps to promote active and quality ageing.

References

Abdullah, B., & Wolbring, G. (2013). Analysis of Newspaper Coverage of active aging through the lens of the 2002 World Health Organization active ageing report: a policy framework and the 2010 Toronto charter for physical activity: a global call for action. International journal of environmental research and public health, 10(12), 6799-6819.

Bauman, A., Merom, D., Bull, F. C., Buchner, D. M., & Singh, M. A. F. (2016). Updating the evidence for physical activity: summative reviews of the epidemiological evidence, prevalence, and interventions to promote “Active Aging”. The Gerontologist, 56(Suppl 2), S268-S280.

Beard, J. R., & Bloom, D. E. (2015). Towards a comprehensive public health response to population ageing. Lancet (London, England), 385(9968), 658-661.

Boudiny, K. (2013). ‘Active ageing’: from empty rhetoric to effective policy tool. Ageing and society, 33(06), 1077-1098.

Bulmer, M. (2015). The Uses of Social Research (Routledge Revivals): Social Investigation in Public Policy-Making. Routledge.

Chan, C. M. A., & Liang, J. S. E. (2013). Active aging: policy framework and applications to promote older adult participation in Hong Kong. Ageing International, 38(1), 28-42.

Foster, L., & Walker, A. (2014). Active and successful aging: A European policy perspective. The Gerontologist, gnu028.

Helliwell, J. F., Huang, H., & Wang, S. (2014). Social capital and well-being in times of crisis. Journal of Happiness Studies, 15(1), 145-162.

Lassen, A. J., & Moreira, T. (2014). Unmaking old age: Political and cognitive formats of active ageing. Journal of Aging Studies, 30, 33-46.

Morrow-Howell, N., Putnam, M., Lee, Y. S., Greenfield, J. C., Inoue, M., & Chen, H. (2014). An investigation of activity profiles of older adults. The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, gbu002.

Moulaert, T., & Biggs, S. (2013). International and European policy on work and retirement: Reinventing critical perspectives on active ageing and mature subjectivity. Human Relations, 66(1), 23-43.

Oliver, D., Foot, C., & Humphries, R. (2014). Making our health and care systems fit for an ageing population. London: The King’s Fund.

Van Malderen, L., Mets, T., & Gorus, E. (2013). Interventions to enhance the Quality of Life of older people in residential long-term care: a systematic review. Ageing research reviews, 12(1), 141-150.