ENHANCING SOCIAL INCLUSION OF ELDERLY PEOPLE
Abstract
The noticeable acceleration of demographic aging in today’s world generates new societal challenges, necessitating a rethinking of biased attitudes toward older persons. In Ukraine, according to demographic projections, by 2050 people aged 60 and over will constitute one-third of the population. At present, in Ukraine, the stage of life after retirement age is neither perceived as desirable nor as a positively anticipated period. Therefore, it is essential for Ukrainian society to shift the socio-cultural trajectory from a negative perception of old age toward a new narrative that recognizes older people as active social agents. It is important to emphasize the need for a rethinking of the retirement period. As the proportion of older people in the population continues to grow, the search for ways to minimize ageism becomes increasingly relevant. What matters is not a uniform perception of later life, but an understanding of the specific needs of older individuals in the context of the “third” and “fourth” ages. For effective social policy, it is crucial to take into account the heterogeneity of aging, recognizing that retirees at the age of 60–65 differ significantly from those over 80 years old. This differentiation allows for the selection of relevant pathways of social inclusion. The optimization of the retirement period contributes to the formation of positive societal patterns of perceiving old age, whereby individuals of retirement age are regarded as active social agents rather than associated with being a burden. In the Ukrainian context, the implementation of effective support programs for pensioners is highly relevant. The article analyzes successful cases of enhancing the inclusion of older persons, particularly through improving access to service networks for the elderly, expanding opportunities for social communication and digitalization, and promoting healthy lifestyles, which could be adapted in Ukraine. The article outlines priority steps for maximizing the effectiveness of social policy targeting the needs of older people, with the overarching aim of shaping a new societal narrative on aging.
References
Ageing and health (2022) World health organization URL: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ageing-and-health
Ageing in the Twenty-First Century: A Celebration and A Challenge (2012) UNFPA URL: https://www.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/Ageing%20report.pdf
Global AgeWatch Index 2015 Insight report HelpAge International URL: https://fiapam.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/helpage-indice-global-envejecimiento-2015.pdf
Scharf T, Keating N. (2012) From exclusion to inclusion in old age: a global challenge. URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt9qgnhj
Börsch-Supan A., Kneip Th., Litwin H., Myck M., Weber G. (2015) Ageing in Europe - Supporting Policies for an Inclusive Society URL: https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110444414/html
Warburton J, Ng SH, Shardlow SM. (2013) Social inclusion in an ageing world: introduction to the special issue. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X12000980
Sen K., Prybutok V., Prybutok G. (2020) Determinants of social inclusion and their effect on the wellbeing of older adults Innovation in Aging, Volume 4, р. 319 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igaa057.1021
Nyqvist, Fr. Nygård, M., Näsman, M., Häkkinen, E. (2021) Exclusion from civic engagement of a diverse older population: features, experiences, and policy implications. URL: https://research.abo.fi/en/projects/exclusion-from-civic-engagement-of-a-diverse-older-population-fea
Life expectancy at birth - region / global. URL: https://data.who.int/countries/804
World population prospects: the 2015 revision: key findings and advance tables. URL: https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/3921803?v=pdf
Інформація щодо розподілу чисельності пенсіонерів за способами виплати пенсій. Пенсійний фонд України. URL: https://www.pfu.gov.ua/2173261-informatsiya-shhodo-rozpodilu-chyselnosti-pensioneriv-za-sposobamy-vyplaty-pensij-stanom-na-1-lypnya-2025-roku/
Джуган Р.І. (2020) Концептуалізація поняття «успішне старіння» у соціогуманітарних науках та соціології Вісник Львівського університету. Серія соціологічна. № 14. URL: http://publications.lnu.edu.ua/bulletins/index.php/sociology/article/view/11285/11598
UN Decade of Healthy Ageing 2021–2030 World health organization. URL: https://www.who.int/initiatives/decade-of-healthy-ageing
Ageism is a global challenge: UN (2021) World health organization. URL: https://www.who.int/news/item/18-03-2021-ageism-is-a-global-challenge-un
Diehl, M., Smyer, M. A., & Mehrotra, C. M. (2020). Optimizing aging: A call for a new narrative. American Psychologist, no. 75(4), pp. 577–589. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000598
Healthy life years by sex Eurostat. URL: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/HLTH_HLYE__custom_3490724/default/table?lang=en
Officer A, Thiyagarajan JA, Schneiders ML, Nash P, Fuente-Núñez V. (2020) Ageism, healthy life expectancy and population ageing: how are they related?. Public Health, Volume17 (issue 9). DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17093159
Life expectancy at birth. URL: https://data.who.int/countries/804
Staudinge U.M. The Positive Plasticity of Adult Development: Potential for the 21st Century (2020) American Psychologist. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000612
Diehl, M., Smyer, M. A., Mehrotra, C. M. (2020). Optimizing aging: A call for a new narrative. American Psychologist, no. 75(4), p. 577–589. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000598
Holmes TH, Rahe RH (1967). The Social Readjustment Rating Scale. J Psychosom Res, no. 11 (2). pp. 213—218 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3999(67)90010-4
Views on End-of-Life Medical Treatments (2013) Pew research centre. URL: https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2013/11/21/views-on-end-of-life-medical-treatments/
National programmes for age-friendly cities and communities: a guide (2023). URL: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240068698
Dreamlike Neighbourhood (2020) N Decade of Healthy Ageing. URL: https://www.decadeofhealthyageing.org/about/about-us/what-is-the-decade
Participatory Video VOICE Project (2020) UN Decade of Healthy Ageing. URL: https://www.decadeofhealthyageing.org/find-knowledge/innovation/implementation-projects/detail/participatory-video-voice-project
Individuals - internet activities Eurostat. URL: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ISOC_CI_AC_I__custom_3471522/default/table?lang=en
Internet purchases by individuals (2024) Eurostat. URL: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/isoc_ec_ib20__custom_17858858/default/table
Elderly Door-to-Door Transport (2025). URL: https://surl.lu/ifnscm
Pillemer K. A., Nolte J., Tillema Cope M. (2022) Promoting Climate Change Activism Among Older People Generations. URL: https://generations.asaging.org/promoting-climate-change-activism-older-people
Chen, P. W., et al. (2022). Productive Aging by Environmental Volunteerism: A Systematic Review. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, no. 98, Pages 1591-1608. URL: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34741895/
Persons performing physical activity outside working time by duration in a typical week Eurostat. URL: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc_hch07/default/table?lang=en
Participation in any cultural or sport activities in the last 12 months by sex, age and educational attainment level Eurostat. URL: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ILC_SCP01__custom_3465683/default/table?lang=en
Ageing and health (2022) World health organization. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ageing-and-health
Ageing in the Twenty-First Century: A Celebration and A Challenge (2012) UNFPA. Available at: https://www.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/Ageing%20report.pdf
Global AgeWatch Index 2015 Insight report HelpAge International. Available at: https://fiapam.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/helpage-indice-global-envejecimiento-2015.pdf
Scharf T, Keating N. (2012) From exclusion to inclusion in old age: a global challenge. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt9qgnhj
Börsch-Supan A., Kneip Th., Litwin H., Myck M., Weber G. (2015) Ageing in Europe - Supporting Policies for an Inclusive Society. Available at: https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110444414/html
Warburton J, Ng SH, Shardlow SM. (2013) Social inclusion in an ageing world: introduction to the special issue. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X12000980
Sen K., Prybutok V., Prybutok G. (2020) Determinants of social inclusion and their effect on the wellbeing of older adults Innovation in Aging. Volume 4, P.319, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igaa057.1021
Nyqvist, Fr. Nygård, M., Näsman, M., Häkkinen, E. (2021) Exclusion from civic engagement of a diverse older population: features, experiences, and policy implications.. Available at: https://research.abo.fi/en/projects/exclusion-from-civic-engagement-of-a-diverse-older-population-fea
Life expectancy at birth - region / global. Available at: https://data.who.int/countries/804
World population prospects: the 2015 revision: key findings and advance tables. Available at: https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/3921803?v=pdf
Informatsiia shchodo rozpodilu chyselnosti pensioneriv za sposobamy vyplaty pensii. [Information on the distribution of the number of pensioners by methods of pension payment] Pensiinyi fond Ukrainy. Available at: https://www.pfu.gov.ua/2173261-informatsiya-shhodo-rozpodilu-chyselnosti-pensioneriv-za-sposobamy-vyplaty-pensij-stanom-na-1-lypnya-2025-roku/ (in Ukrainian)
Dzhuhan R. I. (2020) Kontseptualizatsiia poniattia «uspishne starinnia» u sotsiohumanitarnykh naukakh ta sotsiolohii [Conceptualization of the concept of "successful aging" in social sciences, humanities and sociology] Visnyk Lvivskoho universytetu. Seriia sotsiolohichna, no. 14. Available at: http://publications.lnu.edu.ua/bulletins/index.php/sociology/article/view/11285/11598 (in Ukrainian)
UN Decade of Healthy Ageing 2021–2030 World health organization. Available at: https://www.who.int/initiatives/decade-of-healthy-ageing
Ageism is a global challenge: UN (2021) World health organization. Available at: https://www.who.int/news/item/18-03-2021-ageism-is-a-global-challenge-un
Diehl, M., Smyer, M. A., & Mehrotra, C. M. (2020). Optimizing aging: A call for a new narrative. American Psychologist, no. 75(4), pp. 577–589. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000598
Healthy life years by sex Eurostat. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/HLTH_HLYE__custom_3490724/default/table?lang=en
Officer A, Thiyagarajan JA, Schneiders ML, Nash P, de la Fuente-Núñez V. (2020) Ageism, healthy life expectancy and population ageing: how are they related?. Public Health, no. 17(9). DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17093159
Life expectancy at birth. Available at: https://data.who.int/countries/804
Staudinge U.M. The Positive Plasticity of Adult Development: Potential for the 21st Century (2020) American Psychologist DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000612
Diehl, M., Smyer, M. A., Mehrotra, C. M. (2020). Optimizing aging: A call for a new narrative. American Psychologist, no. 75(4), pp. 577–589. DOI: 10.1037/amp0000598
Holmes TH, Rahe RH (1967). The Social Readjustment Rating Scale. J Psychosom Res, no. 11 (2). pp. 213—218. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6059863/
Views on End-of-Life Medical Treatments (2013) Pew research centre. Available at: https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2013/11/21/views-on-end-of-life-medical-treatments/
National programmes for age-friendly cities and communities: a guide (2023). Available at: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240068698
Dreamlike Neighbourhood (2020) N Decade of Healthy Ageing. Available at: https://www.decadeofhealthyageing.org/about/about-us/what-is-the-decade
Participatory Video VOICE Project (2020) UN Decade of Healthy Ageing. Available at: https://www.decadeofhealthyageing.org/find-knowledge/innovation/implementation-projects/detail/participatory-video-voice-project
Individuals - internet activities Eurostat. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ISOC_CI_AC_I__custom_3471522/default/table?lang=en
Internet purchases by individuals (2024) Eurostat. Available at:https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/isoc_ec_ib20__custom_17858858/default/table
Elderly Door-to-Door Transport (2025). Available at: https://surl.lu/ifnscm
K. A. Pillemer, J. Nolte, M. Tillema Cope (2022) Promoting Climate Change Activism Among Older People Generations. Available at: https://generations.asaging.org/promoting-climate-change-activism-older-people
Chen, P. W., et al. (2022). Productive Aging by Environmental Volunteerism: A Systematic Review. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, no, 98, pp. 1591-1608. DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.1016/j.archger.2021.104563
Persons performing physical activity outside working time by duration in a typical week Eurostat. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc_hch07/default/table?lang=en
Participation in any cultural or sport activities in the last 12 months by sex, age and educational attainment level Eurostat. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ILC_SCP01__custom_3465683/default/table?lang=en
