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The Active Ageing Index in its second phase

The Active Ageing Index, developed by the European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research, the European Commission and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, is a European ranking tool to show the participation of older people in employment, in social life and independent living in 27 EU Member States. The index allows policy makers to compare countries and to concentrate on untapped areas to improve active ageing policies. ESN member Sergio Murillo from Biscay Provincial Government, Spain, is involved in the expert group on the active ageing index.

Active ageing is referred by the index as “the situation where people continue to participate in the formal labour market, as well as engage in other unpaid productive activities (such as care provision to family members and volunteering), and live healthy, independent and secure lives as they age.” In order to reflect the different circumstances that influence active ageing, the index involves four different areas:

  • employment

  • participation in society

  • independent, healthy and secure living and

  • enabling environments for active ageing

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How the index works

The first three domains refer to the actual experiences of active ageing (employment, unpaid work/social participation, independent living), while the fourth one captures the capacity for active ageing as determined by individual characteristics and environmental factors. Across the four domains, there are 22 indicators which can be individually interpreted towards active ageing or contribute to the domain and the general active ageing index. With the ranking between countries, areas for possible improvement in different countries become visible. For example, Sweden ranks first in the overall active ageing index, but only leads in two of the domains, employment and capacity for active ageing. In the domain of social participation, Ireland, Italy and Luxembourg take the lead before Sweden. The index also shows differences between the domains within one country, for example Cyprus has a high score for employment of older people (second place) but is only on 20th place in independent living. In addition, the index shows how participation in employment, social participation and independent living influence the fourth domain, the capacity for active ageing. Moreover, the index takes gender into account (general active ageing scores are lower for women than for men), as well as the relation between GDP per capita and active ageing (a higher GDP per capita also tends to have better active ageing results).

The Active Ageing Index was developed during the 2012 Year on Active Ageing and Solidarity between the Generations. The second phase of the implementation and deployment of the index has started in October 2013 and will continue through the end of 2015. ESN member Sergio Murillo from Biscay stressed that the index is a useful instrument for comparing regions and countries, but also to monitor current policies: “We just approved an Active and Healthy Ageing Territory Strategy in our region that will be monitored with the Active Ageing Index, amongst other indicators.” For a deeper analysis or a monitoring over time, the data used for the construction of the indicators of the Active Ageing index is available online.