George K. Zarifis Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Faculty of Philosophy Project Number: 502217-LLP-1-2009-1-PT-GRUNDTVIG-GMP Being aged, being active,

George K. ZarifisAristotle University of ThessalonikiFaculty of Philosophy

Project Number: 502217-LLP-1-2009-1-PT-GRUNDTVIG-GMP

Being aged, being active, and Being aged, being active, and being at riskbeing at risk

Who is a disadvantaged senior?Who is a disadvantaged senior?



Source: Cedefop (2010)Adaptation from De Lange et al., 2006.

Representation of possible definitions of the concept Representation of possible definitions of the concept ‘ageing’ and indicators‘ageing’ and indicators

The definition





The proportion of the The proportion of the population aged population aged 50-64 years 50-64 years

in all 27 EU members, has in all 27 EU members, has grown from 16,8% in 1998 to grown from 16,8% in 1998 to

18,6% in 200818,6% in 2008..

Some facts



The share of The share of people aged 65 people aged 65 years or overyears or over in the total in the total population is projected to population is projected to

increase from 17.1% to 30.0% increase from 17.1% to 30.0% and the number is projected and the number is projected to rise from 84.6 million in to rise from 84.6 million in 2008 to 2008 to 151.5 million in 151.5 million in

20602060..



The number of people aged The number of people aged 80 years or over80 years or over is is

projected to almost triple projected to almost triple from 21.8 million in 2008 to from 21.8 million in 2008 to

61.4 million in 206061.4 million in 2060..



Whereas in Whereas in 20082008 in the EU27 in the EU27 there are there are 4 persons of 4 persons of

working age working age (15-64 years (15-64 years old) old) for every person aged for every person aged 65 years or over65 years or over, in , in 20602060 the ratio is expected to be the ratio is expected to be 2 2

to 1to 1..



Projected total population change over the projection Projected total population change over the projection period 2008-2060 (2008=100) for the EU Member States, period 2008-2060 (2008=100) for the EU Member States,

Norway and SwitzerlandNorway and SwitzerlandSource: Eurostat, EUROPOP2008 /Convergence scenario



The disadvantaged senior

Many researchers have acknowledged Many researchers have acknowledged that that as people age, they become as people age, they become

increasingly marginalisedincreasingly marginalised by society by society in economic, social, political and cultural in economic, social, political and cultural

terms.terms.

BUT NOT ALL OLDER ADULTS BUT NOT ALL OLDER ADULTS ARE MARGINALISED OR ARE MARGINALISED OR

“DISADVANTAGED”“DISADVANTAGED”



On average, the elderly face a higher On average, the elderly face a higher risk of poverty than the overall risk of poverty than the overall

population. population. 28% of single people over 28% of single people over the age of 65 are at risk of povertythe age of 65 are at risk of poverty. .

In some countries the prevalence of In some countries the prevalence of poverty amongst single people over the poverty amongst single people over the

age of 65 is shockingly high (Estonia age of 65 is shockingly high (Estonia 79%, Bulgaria 68%, Cyprus67%).79%, Bulgaria 68%, Cyprus67%).Source: Eurostat (2008)

http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/tgm/refreshTableAction.do?tab=table&plugin=1&pcode=tsdsc240&language=en

Factor #1: Risk of Poverty




Source: Eurostat (2008)http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/tgm/refreshTableAction.do?tab=table&plugin=1&pcode=tsdsc240&language=en




Not surprisingly, Not surprisingly, as people get as people get older, fewer consider their older, fewer consider their

health to be goodhealth to be good, though there , though there continues to be a tendency for more continues to be a tendency for more

women to report bad health than women to report bad health than men. men.

Source: Eurostat (2008)

Factor #2: Health Condition



Source: Eurostat, Health Interview Surveys, 1996-2003

Self-perceived health status of women and men aged 65-74 (2004)Self-perceived health status of women and men aged 65-74 (2004)



Overall there is a marked tendency for Overall there is a marked tendency for more people aged 65-74 and women more people aged 65-74 and women

in particular, to perceive their in particular, to perceive their health as being badhealth as being bad. .

In Belgium, Germany, Ireland, the In Belgium, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and Sweden, under 10 % of Netherlands and Sweden, under 10 % of both women and men reported being in both women and men reported being in

bad health. Moreover, in all these bad health. Moreover, in all these countries, together with Denmark and countries, together with Denmark and the UK, around 60% or more of women the UK, around 60% or more of women and men considered their health to be and men considered their health to be

good. good.



Recent research findings in Europe show Recent research findings in Europe show that if willing to work past retirement that if willing to work past retirement

age (65+), most people would prefer the age (65+), most people would prefer the following working conditions: following working conditions:

•maximum maximum one hour commuting time one hour commuting time to work,to work,

•same or same or higher remunerationhigher remuneration for for work, work,

•and work involving and work involving low responsibilitylow responsibility. .

Factor #3: Employment Opportunities



Respondents’ willingness to work after reaching the age Respondents’ willingness to work after reaching the age of of 65 (in %)65 (in %)

Source: Cedefop (2010)Adaptation from Remr & Kotνkovα, 2007.



Internal motivation becomes more Internal motivation becomes more important in unemployment. important in unemployment. Motivation Motivation

and willingness to work are and willingness to work are relatively fragile at old agerelatively fragile at old age. When . When

older people lose their job, they tend to older people lose their job, they tend to find a new one with far greater difficulty find a new one with far greater difficulty

and stay unemployed longer.and stay unemployed longer.



People with People with formal formal qualificationsqualifications, , andand people in the people in the higher socio-higher socio-

economic groupseconomic groups, are more likely , are more likely to to stay in work stay in work than the than the

unqualified and those in routine and unqualified and those in routine and semi-routine jobs.semi-routine jobs.



Older people –older women Older people –older women especially– who wish toespecially– who wish to remain in remain in

the workforcethe workforce need access to need access to learning in order to be able to learning in order to be able to

participate in the labour market or participate in the labour market or change their career (mainly for change their career (mainly for

those below pension age). those below pension age).



Older worker policies: employability solutionsOlder worker policies: employability solutionsSource: Cedefop (2010)



Source: Cedefop (2009)



Needless to say that Needless to say that a high proportion a high proportion of people at that age group and of people at that age group and

especially over 64 is largely especially over 64 is largely invisibleinvisible, but not statistically irrelevant, , but not statistically irrelevant, as many senior citizens in Europe, either as many senior citizens in Europe, either participate in informal learning activities, participate in informal learning activities, or they simply do not participate in any or they simply do not participate in any education or learning activity at all, due education or learning activity at all, due

to lack of access or other factors that are to lack of access or other factors that are as yet unidentified. as yet unidentified.

RemarkRemark



This definition is crucial as it This definition is crucial as it essentially relates to the essentially relates to the main main barriers that are preventing barriers that are preventing

seniors’ access seniors’ access to education and to education and learning in its various forms.learning in its various forms.



Following this principle, older adults Following this principle, older adults should have should have equal rightsequal rights and access to and access to education, with positive measures put in education, with positive measures put in

place to ensure equality of provision. place to ensure equality of provision. Furthermore, education purely for the Furthermore, education purely for the

sake of sake of enjoymentenjoyment should also be should also be encouraged in later life.encouraged in later life.



It is in this respect that It is in this respect that we need to we need to make a clear distinction among make a clear distinction among those seniors who make that those seniors who make that

conscious decision to access and conscious decision to access and participate in learning activities and participate in learning activities and those who do notthose who do not, in order to identify , in order to identify the ones benefiting from learning and the ones benefiting from learning and the ones who don’t and therefore may the ones who don’t and therefore may

be considered disadvantaged.be considered disadvantaged.

The identifiersThe identifiers



The The possible agents and factors possible agents and factors involved in broad areas of adult life involved in broad areas of adult life (health, educational attainment and (health, educational attainment and learning, social and living conditions, learning, social and living conditions,

employment and economic conditions), employment and economic conditions), the importance of other the importance of other possiblepossible

catalystscatalysts, and of course the , and of course the significance of self-efficacysignificance of self-efficacy, set the , set the

basis for mapping the identifiers for basis for mapping the identifiers for disadvantaged senior citizensdisadvantaged senior citizens



1. 1. Low or no qualification Low or no qualification (that is (that is linked to low educational attainment linked to low educational attainment or illiteracy in some cases). or illiteracy in some cases). 2. A 2. A health condition health condition that may that may impede or obstruct seniors’ access impede or obstruct seniors’ access to learning facilities (e.g. museums, to learning facilities (e.g. museums, libraries, ICT).libraries, ICT).



3. 3. Low degree of self esteem Low degree of self esteem (which is an overarching identifier (which is an overarching identifier although it must not be confused to although it must not be confused to perceived self-efficacy).perceived self-efficacy).4. 4. Low participation to public Low participation to public and social life and social life (occasionally due to (occasionally due to lack of a catalyst or “important lack of a catalyst or “important others” that may operate positively others” that may operate positively towards motivating seniors to towards motivating seniors to participate). participate).



5. 5. Low income Low income or pension.or pension.6. 6. Employment at risk Employment at risk or at the or at the verge of unemployment.verge of unemployment.7. Little or 7. Little or no knowledge of ICTno knowledge of ICT..



HEALTH

EDUCATION

FINANCES

CITIZENSHIP

DISADVANTAGED SENIORS

are those who have…

ACTIVITY

Low qualification

Low degree of self-esteem

Perceived self-efficacy





A h

ealth

co

nd

ition

that im

ped

es a

ccess

Low participation topublic and social life

Lo

w in

co

me

or

pen

sio

n




Employment at risk or

unemployment



All the above determinants show All the above determinants show that older adults, as people in other that older adults, as people in other

life stages or transitional phases, life stages or transitional phases, require change in work, social life, require change in work, social life,

and health. and health. Self-directed learning (SDL)Self-directed learning (SDL) is is

one way of negotiating these one way of negotiating these transitions. transitions.

The negotiationThe negotiation



The population even when we refer The population even when we refer to older adults or senior citizens to older adults or senior citizens varies considerably in traits as it varies considerably in traits as it reflects reflects diversitydiversity in age, gender, in age, gender,

race, education, and employment. race, education, and employment.

To keep in mindTo keep in mind



Self-directed learning begins with an Self-directed learning begins with an incentive to learn plus an incentive to learn plus an

interest, leading to accessing interest, leading to accessing resourcesresources; with systematic ; with systematic

attention in their learning, some attention in their learning, some projects may be completed whereas projects may be completed whereas

others could remain ongoingothers could remain ongoing



The short-term targetThe short-term target

We need to understand We need to understand the basis on which the basis on which older people make choices about older people make choices about

undertaking learningundertaking learning in both formal and in both formal and informal contexts in a changing world, to informal contexts in a changing world, to

identify what constitutes a successful identify what constitutes a successful learning experience and to assess what learning experience and to assess what

learning means learning means in the context of their own in the context of their own liveslives..



The long-term perspectiveThe long-term perspective

EducationEducation may facilitate may facilitate participation of disadvantaged participation of disadvantaged

seniors in democratic societies. This seniors in democratic societies. This calls for major changes in our calls for major changes in our

structures and not only in terms of structures and not only in terms of participation in educational participation in educational

provision, but also provision, but also in terms of in terms of providing opportunities through providing opportunities through

self-directed learningself-directed learning. .



There are evidently two There are evidently two important and intertwining important and intertwining

factors that relate to factors that relate to identifying seniors as being identifying seniors as being

disadvantaged: disadvantaged: accessaccess and and participationparticipation. .

The implicationThe implication



It is of relevant importance in delivering It is of relevant importance in delivering those two conditions (those two conditions (access as access as providing the opportunity and providing the opportunity and

participation as strengthening or participation as strengthening or increasing the motiveincreasing the motive) through ) through self-self-

directed learningdirected learning. . This will enable or empower that part of This will enable or empower that part of the European population to make their the European population to make their

way in and actively take part in a way in and actively take part in a productive way to life and economy.productive way to life and economy.



PromotePromoteActiveActive

Learning andLearning andAgeing ofAgeing of

Disadvantage SeniorDisadvantage Senior

http://projectpaladin.eu/

http://projectpaladin.eu/

Documents

George K. Zarifis Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Faculty of Philosophy Project Number: 502217-LLP-1-2009-1-PT-GRUNDTVIG-GMP Being aged, being active,