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Active Aging programs
This module aims to familiarise yourself with searching, assessing, determining appropriateness and publishing programs related to active ageing. Choose how you'd like to engage with the content:
Tip: All formats cover the same content. Choose the one that best fits your learning style!
What is Active Aging?
“The process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation and safety in order to improve the quality of life of people who are aging” (World Health Organization, 2002)
Active aging programs. General information
- They are developed in several countries
- There are varied but effective proposals: allowing the participants to choose the proposal that best suits their interests or needs, encouraging greater involvement and continuity in the programs.
- Organisers
- Organizations / Institutions: IMSERSO (Spain)
- Research centres: Centre for Research in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure of the University of Porto (Portugal)
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There are many other examples aroung the world about organizers. If you want more information you can read the complementary information
Please, watch the video:
Active Aging Canada is celebrating 20 years of promoting healthy active aging (3´45´´).
https://youtu.be/y6jPMJmBhf8
Active aging programs. Characteristics
There are four main groups related to active aging programs that will be developed below:
- Types of activities (Indoor and outdoors activities)
- Sporting activities (only sport): Ex: Hiking
- Combined activities (not only sport): Ex: visiting museums (sport and cultural activities)
- Participants (In both cases, the social skills of the participants are worked on)
- Individual activities
- Group activities: The number of participants depends on the skills to be developed, the degree of supervision needed and the specificity of the training.
- Characteristics of the sessions - Recommendations:
- Minimum duration: 20 minutes
- Minimum quantity: 2 sessions per week
- Maintaining over time even if they are not related to sports
- Materials - It can be used:
- Immediate environment (everyday objects)
- Open air (parks)
- Specific equipment
- New technologies (training without leaving the home and supervision)
Examples of programs
| Adaptation of the Otago Exercise Program | Vacation Program for Seniors | |
|---|---|---|
| Types of activities | Indoor and outdoor sporting activities | Combined activities: sport and culture. Usually outdoor activities |
| Participants | Group-based | Group |
| Session details |
Duration: 20 minutes Frequency: 3 sessions per week Total duration: 8 weeks |
No predetermined schedule Flexible duration and frequency |
| Materials | Specific material and technological system for recording results | Depends on the activity |
Active aging programs. Benefits
Personal development
Psychological, cognitive, physical and social development, independently or simultaneously
Social inclusion
Allow to develop social skills and intergenerational links
The benefits vary according to the characteristics present as set out above
Please, watch the video: Active ageing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1b7mzIMtb8Y
Conclusions
- The programs have the same main purpose
- Different proposals to achieve the purpose
- Characteristics to be taken into account when choosing a program
- Select a program according to Individual needs
- They bring different benefits which vary according to the skills they work on
Staying active serves to be independent and have a good aging
Activities should be offered that meet the needs of the elderly people, leisure activities and that they like
The type of activities that can be done are those that have been wanting to do for a long time, attend to personal talents and volunteer
This period allows older persons to be flexible, socialize and most importantly, enjoy life
Discussion time!
What aspects of the elderly´s quality of life would you improve or promote?
Last modified: Saturday, 18 October 2025, 10:10 PM