Engagement and Inclusion
Rethinking Active Aging: Experiences of Older Adults Aging Solo View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Jūratė Charenkova
With the globally aging population, the concept of “active aging” – optimizing opportunities for health, participation, and security to enhance the quality of life as people age – has gained significant attention in policy and research. However, remaining engaged and active – physically and socially – might pose unique challenges for older adults who age alone. Thus, the paper examines the lived experiences of 18 Lithuanian older adults – home social services users – who age solo in different rural and urban communities. Ecomaps and semi-structured interviews were employed to explore and visualize their social networks and mobility patterns. The preliminary results reveal that social interactions of Lithuanian older adults are mainly limited to long-lasting relationships (such as neighbors who moved in around the same time or friends from childhood or work), with relatively few “newer” social connections, such as social services workers and nurses. Structural barriers such as inaccessible community infrastructure and declining health further restrict research participants’ opportunities to engage in cultural or leisure activities. As a result, they often remain in their homes, missing opportunities for social interactions, with most outings caused by necessity, such as healthcare-related visits. Although results indicate many barriers to active aging, this paper does not treat aging solo as inherently isolating. Instead, it emphasizes the need for social policy interventions that improve urban accessibility and support aging populations in maintaining active social lives. Implications for aging in place, social policy, and future research are discussed further in the paper.
Voting Predicts a Lower Mortality Risk in Older Adults: A Longitudinal Study
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Sara Konrath
Longitudinal studies on civic engagement and health have focused on the long-term implications of volunteering on health outcomes, including mortality risk (Jenkinson et al., 2013; Okun et al., 2013). Yet it’s important to understand other forms of civic engagement, like voting. Longitudinal research on voting has examined how prior health predicts later voting behavior. We examine the opposite direction: whether voting behavior predicts a lower later mortality risk among older Americans. Using data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (N=3,885; 54% female), and objective Catalist voting records, we examine whether older adults who voted in the 2004 through 2012 presidential elections had a lower mortality risk in 2022. Controlling for previous health, well-being, and sociodemographic variables (including political affiliation), older adults who voted had a lower mortality risk up to 14 years later. Both in-person and remote voting were associated with reduced mortality risk. Voting has been promoted as a public health initiative to boost community health, and we find evidence that it may be associated with better health in voters themselves. This study contributes to understanding another social determinant of health and may have implications for designing policies to increase accessible voting.
Food (In)security and Social Cohesion Among Older Climate Migrants and Non-migrants in Togo View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Senjooti Roy
Climate-induced food insecurity among older adults, especially in low- and middle-income countries, is emerging as a significant global concern. This study examines the challenges related to food security among older adults in Togo, West Africa, who have migrated in search of better livelihoods and agricultural opportunities, compared to those who have been unable to migrate due to various constraints. Methods: A mixed-methods design was adopted. A total of ninety participants (aged 55-95 years) were recruited. Sixty individuals completed a survey, and thirty individuals participated in interviews. Descriptive analyses were performed on the survey data and thematic analysis was conducted on the qualitative data. There was little difference between migrants and non-migrants in overall food insecurity, with migration offering no additional benefits. Insights from qualitative analysis revealed loss of social cohesion in tandem with increased climate change impacts and food insecurity, with both migrants and non-migrants indicating that social cohesion was inextricably tied to environmental conditions and food security. The study sheds light on the pressing global issue of climate migration/non-migration with significant and unprecedented humanitarian impacts. It calls for greater attention to the challenges faced by older persons amidst the climate crisis in developing countries, especially among populations that have contributed the least to climate change but are impacted the most due to high dependence on natural resources and lack of adequate adaptation and mitigation measures.
Digital Inclusion and Creativity for Older Adults in a Polycrisis
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Bedirhan Tuna, Mohr Anja
In light of growing digital inequalities in our society, older adults, particularly those with cognitive impairments, are among the groups most affected by digital exclusion. Especially in the context of a polycrisis, which reflects overlapping and interdependent social and technological challenges, access to digital spaces becomes increasingly vital for participation and empowerment. However, older adults remain structurally underrepresented in digital transformation processes, often due to a lack of accessible formats and inclusive co-creation opportunities. To address these challenges, this mixed methods study, grounded in design-based research, investigates how the web-based drawing tool ‘ArtEater’ can foster both digital and creative competencies. ArtEater was co-developed in close collaboration with participants based on their experiences and feedback, and tested with three heterogeneous senior groups, including people living with dementia. First insights from the ongoing research show that low-threshold digital creative tools can enable empowering experiences, even for individuals with no prior digital knowledge. Some participants envisioned linking their digital drawings to service robots, illustrating intergenerational imagination and a desire to shape digital futures. These findings highlight that ageing must not only be framed through vulnerability but also through agency and contribution. ArtEater creates aesthetic and participatory learning spaces, making digital engagement accessible and meaningful for a diverse older population. Such approaches contribute to counteracting the digital divide and to strengthening intergenerational solidarity in times of complex crisis. ArtEater was initially funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and is now being further developed through a Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) project.
