abstract: '``Productive aging{''''} puts forward the fundamental view that the

  capacity of older adults must be better developed and utilized in

  activities that make economic contributions to society-working,

  caregiving, volunteering. It is suggested that productive engagement can

  lead to multiple positive ends: offsetting fiscal strains of a larger

  older population, contributing to the betterment of families and civil

  society, and maintaining the health and economic security of older

  adults. Advocates claim that outdated social structures and

  discriminatory behaviors limit participation of older adults in these

  important social roles as well as prevent the optimization of outcomes

  for older adults, families, and society. We ask two important questions:

  (a) How can we shape policies and programs to optimally engage the

  growing resources of an aging population for the sake of society and

  older adults themselves? and (b) How can policies pertaining to

  productive engagement reduce health and economic disparities? We answer

  these questions by first describing the current state of engagement in

  each of the three productive activities and summarize some current

  policies and programs that affect engagement. Next we highlight

  challenges that cross-cut productive engagement. Finally, we provide

  policy recommendations to address these challenges.'
affiliation: 'Gonzales, E (Corresponding Author), Boston Univ, Sch Social Work, 264
  Bay State Rd, Boston, MA 02215 USA.

  Gonzales, Ernest, Boston Univ, Sch Social Work, Boston, MA 02215 USA.

  Matz-Costa, Christina, Boston Coll, Grad Sch Social Work, Chestnut Hill, MA 02167
  USA.

  Morrow-Howell, Nancy, Washington Univ, Brown Sch Social Work, Friedman Ctr Aging,
  St Louis, MO USA.'
author: Gonzales, Ernest and Matz-Costa, Christina and Morrow-Howell, Nancy
author-email: geg@bu.edu
author_list:
- family: Gonzales
  given: Ernest
- family: Matz-Costa
  given: Christina
- family: Morrow-Howell
  given: Nancy
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1093/geront/gnu176
eissn: 1758-5341
files: []
issn: 0016-9013
journal: GERONTOLOGIST
keywords: 'Productive aging; Employment; Caregiving; Volunteering; Disparities;

  Social policy'
keywords-plus: 'LIFE-COURSE; RACIAL DISPARITIES; HEALTH; DISADVANTAGE; BENEFITS; WOMEN;

  WORK; TIME; RACE'
language: English
month: APR
note: 'White House Conference on Aging (WHCoA) - Creating an Aging Policy

  Vision for the Decade Ahead, Washington, DC, JUL 13, 2015'
number: 2, SI
number-of-cited-references: '67'
orcid-numbers: Matz-Costa, Christina/0000-0003-4069-1240
pages: 252-261
papis_id: c5915850dcb6cb39def36cbaf62f53fe
ref: Gonzales2015increasingopportunit
researcherid-numbers: 'Matz, Christina/AAO-1992-2021

  '
times-cited: '127'
title: 'Increasing Opportunities for the Productive Engagement of Older Adults: A
  Response to Population Aging'
type: article
unique-id: WOS:000354740400009
usage-count-last-180-days: '8'
usage-count-since-2013: '48'
volume: '55'
web-of-science-categories: Gerontology
year: '2015'