El envejecimiento activo y su incidencia en la experiencia de ocio

Abstract

Active aging is understood as «the process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security in order to improve the quality of life as people age» (WHO, 2002:79) sees aging as a positive experience a longer life together with continuing opportunities for health, participation and security. This concept is based both on the recognition of human rights of older people, as in the United Nations principles of participation, health and safety. In the context of active aging, leisure understood from a humanistic perspective as a «satisfactory experience facilitated by a mental state that allows you to enjoy something that others might not enjoy» (Cuenca, 1995:55), appears as an element aging key to a positive experience from three points of view leisure as a fundamental human right, as an integral experience as personal experience that results in different ways or «styles» of experiences. It has been written and reflected on the determinants of active aging since in 2002 the WHO identified six determinants to which there are two additional, cross-cutting (gender and culture). However, a company dubbed «leisure» and in a life cycle stage in which leisure and recreation is of particular importance, little has been done on the role of leisure as a determinant of active aging. Its benefits for humans make this phenomenon in a very important element in the set of determinants that promote healthy aging. Leisure is not only a right of older people, but a personal experience. This involves recognizing that the elderly are not a homogeneous group, not all seniors have the same lifestyle, and consequently not the same style of entertainment.