Asghar Zaidi

Government College University, Lahore | GCU · Vice Chancellor

-the Active Ageing (AA), as the process of health promotion, collaboration, andsecurity opportunities to increase the quality of life in old age, may be astrategy to prevent many of future challenges in countries like Iran with rapidpace of population ageing. The aim of this study was to measure the AAdimensions in Iran and examine their associatio...

Background: Iran is one of the fastest ageing countries in the world. The model of Active Ageing (AA) could be a strategy contributing in addressing the problem of population ageing in Iran. This study measured the status of AA in Iran and examined its associations with the health-related quality of life of older people. Methods: A quantitative...

People with disabilities encounter many financial expenses that those without disabilities do not incur. In this article, we provide estimates of the extra costs associated with living with a disability in the United States. Drawing on four nationally representative surveys, we estimate that a household containing an adult with a work disability re...

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected about 210 countries with more than 67 million confirmed cases and over 1.5 million deaths across the globe including Pakistan. Considering the population density, health care capacity, existing poverty and environmental factors with more than 420,000 infected people and about 8300 plus mortalities, community trans...

The policy discourse on active ageing and well-being at the European level tends to have a strong focus on the experiences of the ‘young old’. In this study the focus instead is on the oldest old (75 years and older). The theoretical framework is inspired by the Active Ageing Index and the Nordic welfare research tradition. Active ageing and well-b...

The rapid demographic transition heightens the urgency to develop a monitoring mechanism for policymakers to evaluate the impact of population ageing. The Active Ageing Index (AAI), developed for 28 European Union countries, has served as a global quantitative toolkit to benchmark the diverse experience of active ageing and older people’s potential...

Background The objective of this study is to estimate the additional income required of a household containing an older adult member living with a cognitive impairment (CI) consistent with dementia (CID). Methods Secondary analyses were provided of data from the Survey of Health Aging and Retirement in Europe incorporating data of adults’ age 65 y...

This paper extends the Active Aging Index (AAI) to China to measure active aging among men and women over the age of 55. The strength of the AAI approach lies in its selection of a dashboard of multidimensional indicators of active aging, which are then aggregated into composite measures. The analysis used here considers the differences between men...

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

Large differences in COVID‐19 death rates exist between countries and between regions of the same country. Some very low death rate countries such as Eastern Asia, Central Europe or the Balkans have a common feature of eating large quantities of fermented foods. Although biases exist when examining ecological studies, fermented vegetables or cabbag...

Objectives: This study constructed an Active Aging Index (AAI) for Vietnam and compares Vietnam’s AAI with those of China, Korea, Taiwan, and 28 countries in the European Union. Methods: A survey of 1,105 people aged 55 or above in three provinces from the northern, central, and southern parts of Vietnam was conducted. Active aging was measured us...

Active aging and its potential benefits

Purpose South Korea has shown ultra-low fertility since the 2000s despite a massive expansion of pro-natal policies. The purpose of this research is to analyse institutional and socio-cultural configurations surrounding Korea's pro-natal policy and provide implications as to why the comprehensive packages have not produced intended outcomes. Desig...

The world population is ageing as a consequence of demographic changes: the number of older persons will double from its current number of about one billion people to two billion by 2050. Iran is no exception in this respect as its population of older persons would reach approximately 29 million by 2050. This speed of ageing categorizes Iran as a f...

Objectives: Dementia research and services in Pakistan are limited. The following was explored in experiences of family caregivers of people with dementia in Pakistan: (a) to determine whether culture and religion play a role in caregiving; (b) to draw insights on how family caregivers cope, what barriers they face and what help they would be will...

It is widely accepted that people with disabilities incur additional expenditures on transport, heating, equipment and other items. In this article, we estimate the magnitude of these extra costs of living for adults with disabilities aged 50–65 across 15 countries of Europe using the Survey of Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) data....

Background- Iran is one of the fastest ageing countries in the world and is expected that it will face with major challenges in future, as it is yet unprepared to respond to the necessities of its older population. The model of Active Ageing could be a strategy that greatly contribute in addressing the problem of population ageing in Iran. This stu...

This report calculates for the first time the Active Ageing Index for China. It reviews data sources in China and assesses their potential relevance and applicability for developing the AAI for China that is comparable (as much as possible) to the AAI for EU countries. This research work is funded by the EU-China Social Protection Reform Project2,...

Pakistan is a lower middle-income country, which to date has had very little research and policy making to address the challenge of dementia. This study aims to explore the perceptions of dementia in a group of Pakistani adults. A series of Focus Group Discussions were completed during 2017 with men and women in two metropolitan centres in Pakistan...

This chapter reports the work of Mobilising the Potential of Active Ageing in Europe (MOPACT) orientated towards the identification of policy strategies to promote active ageing. Two sets of evidence were adduced: the synthesis of the evidence generated by other MOPACT work packages and analysis and extension of the Active Ageing Index (AAI). This...

The Cambridge Handbook of Successful Aging - edited by Rocío Fernández-Ballesteros January 2019

Background and Objectives: The prevalence of dementia will increase in low and middle income countries like Pakistan. Specialist dementia services are rare in Pakistan. Public awareness of dementia is low, and norms about family care can lead to stigma. Religion plays a role in caregiving, but the interaction between dementia and Islam is less clea...

This report calculates for the first time the Active Ageing Index for China. It reviews data sources in China and assesses their potential relevance and applicability for developing the AAI for China that is comparable (as much as possible) to the AAI for EU countries. This research work is funded by the EU-China Social Protection Reform Project,...

This report provides a critical reflection on the review and monitoring process of the MIPAA policy framework for older persons, comparing its priority policy directions with the framework of indicators and the protocols used. The report recommends that a dashboard of indicators aligned with the key priorities of MIPAA and the adoption of the conce...

This report provides a critical reflection on the review and monitoring process of the MIPAA policy framework for older persons, comparing its priority policy directions with the framework of indicators and the protocols used. The report recommends that a dashboard of indicators aligned with the key priorities of MIPAA and the adoption of the conce...

Over the coming decades, the prevalence of dementia is expected to rise due to an aging population, and this public health challenge will be particularly challenging in lower and middle-income countries. Pakistan is a typical exemplar which to date has had very little research and policy making to address the challenge of dementia. This presentati...

Being uniquely positioned in terms of population growth and rapid ageing,the Asia-Pacific region is of high importance in ensuring that the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA) monitoring and implementation framework is accessible and attractive to member States, the majority of which are developing and have varied resources and re...

Being uniquely positioned in terms of population growth and rapid ageing, the Asia-Pacific region is of high importance in ensuring that the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA) monitoring and implementation framework is accessible and attractive to member States, the majority of which are developing and have varied resources and r...

Stigma around dementia acts as a barrier to timely diagnosis, treatment, and support. The public understanding of dementia has been improving in the UK due to initiatives like Dementia Friends and other national policies. Dementia is less well-recognised in many developing countries, even though the largest future projected increase in dementia is...

In Pakistan there is very little awareness of dementia and its symptoms, a lack of formal services and no government policy to support the growing problem. This leads to family caregivers of people with dementia (PwD) not recognising the symptoms, delaying seeking help and being burdened by the care. Furthermore, existing knowledge and attitudes of...

The central goal of this article is to review progress made in implementing the international policy frameworks on ageing, focusing on the Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing (VIPAA) and in more detail on the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA). The article offers a critical examination of the current approaches to monit...

p>The central goal of this article is to review progress made in implementing the international policy frameworks on ageing, focusing on the Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing (VIPAA) and in more detail on the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA). The article offers a critical examination of the current approaches to mon...

This book provides multinational evidence on active and healthy ageing. It generates authoritative new knowledge for mutual learning and policymaking in addressing challenges linked with population ageing. The authors discuss how to achieve better active ageing outcomes through appropriate policies including addressing life course determinants of a...

The aspiration of an active, healthy and engaged life is now a reality for many people in European countries because they have a life expectancy among the highest in the world. In 2012, the composite measure of the Active Ageing Index (AAI) was developed in the activities of the European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations. It...

 Central and Eastern Europe is a unique region in terms of its social, economic anddemographic trends, particularly because of legacy of the communist system andtransformation to a market system. The transition coincided with a rapiddemographic change in which younger generation was able to reorganise themselvesrelatively easily whereas older peop...

The Active Ageing Index research project has aimed at providing a new tool for policy makers to enable them to devise evidence-informed strategies in dealing with the challenges of population ageing and its impacts on society. It is predicated on the insight that, in tackling issues associated with population ageing, the successful measures are tho...

In the context of emerging challenges and opportunities associated with population ageing, the study of inequality in active-ageing outcomes is critical to the design of appropriate and effective social policies. While there is much discussion about active ageing at the aggregate country level, little is known about inequality in active-ageing expe...

The potential of older people to contribute to societal progress is now widely accepted. The active ageing paradigm has encouraged policymakers to generate additional opportunities for older people, to be successful in their active and healthy experiences of ageing. The MOPACT project operationalised the concept of active ageing to generate evidenc...

Population ageing is a global challenge but many of the policy responses required are best implemented at the local level. The European Commission provided an operationalised definition of active ageing, in developing the Active Ageing Index, in the research led by Asghar Zaidi, during the 2012 European Year of Active Ageing and Solidarity between...

The active ageing framework moves policy thinking away from a one-sided concern with the affordability of age-related entitlements and the challenges posed by the increasing burden of a continually expanding older population. The wider platform of active ageing strategies emphasises that government policies designed to achieve participation in both...

Action Plan B3 of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP on AHA) focuses on the integrated care of chronic diseases. Area 5 (Care Pathways) was initiated using chronic respiratory diseases (CRD) as a model. The CRD action plan includes (i) AIRWAYS integrated care pathways (ICPs), (ii) the joint initiative between the...

We hypothesised that wellbeing is an outcome that can be used for these purposes, and that low wellbeing is a proxy for need. But can wellbeing in later life, in its broader sense, be measured? We have found that it is possible to measure wellbeing in later life, using a rich data source combined with state-of-the-art statistical techniques. This b...

The active and healthy ageing measure reported here is calculated for the 28 European Union countries, with a specific focus on the current generation of older people and by using the latest data from multiple surveys. It covers diverse aspects of active and healthy ageing, by measuring older people’s contribution with respect to not just employmen...

The Strategic Implementation Plan of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP on AHA) has proposed six Action Groups. After almost three years of activity, many achievements have been obtained through commitments or collaborative work of the Action Groups. However, they have often worked in silos and consequently synerg...

Action Plan B3 of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP on AHA) focuses on the integrated care of chronic diseases. Area 5 (Care Pathways) was initiated using chronic respiratory diseases as a model. The chronic respiratory disease action plan includes (1) AIRWAYS integrated care pathways (ICPs), (2) the joint initia...

The Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) initiative commenced during a World Health Organization workshop in 1999. The initial goals were (1) to propose a new allergic rhinitis classification, (2) to promote the concept of multi-morbidity in asthma and rhinitis and (3) to develop guidelines with all stakeholders that could be used glob...

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s13601-016-0116-9.].

Background This paper presents an analysis of the wellbeing of older persons in China and India, with a focus on the linkages between different features of housing and life satisfaction and self-rated health as elements of wellbeing. The motivation of the paper is drawn from the fact that housing is a critical aspect of living conditions in later l...

The debate on the impact of ageing on European societies is often concentrated on the potential economic impact on such things as public finances, pensions and labour markets. While we do share the view that the economic dimension is critical, there are also other important aspects to consider when discussing the issue of ageing societies. A large...

For many people all over Europe, there is an understanding and an expectation that in old age they will be taken care of by the state. High social security contributions throughout the three or four decades of a working life are rationalised by the prospect of a straightforward transition out of the labour force when the time comes. While this was...

To understand how to raise labor force participation of older workers, it is necessary to understand demand, supply, and institutional factors. Labor supply and retirement decisions of older workers are at the core of microeconomic research and many countries have recently reformed their pension systems to make early retirement financially less att...

Health is a multi-dimensional concept, capturing how people feel and function. The broad concept of Active and Healthy Ageing was proposed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as the process of optimizing opportunities for health to enhance quality of life as people age. It applies to both individuals and population groups. A universal Active and...

The value of evidence-based policy-making depends on the quality and robustness of the available data. Many conceptual and operational difficulties restrict the comparability of the data collected in large-scale international surveys and their usefulness as an evidence base. Taking the Active Ageing Index (AAI) as a case study, this article argues...

Why active ageing? advances in health and social welfare during the 20th century brought in a golden age for humanity in terms of increased longevity, better health, and ways of sustaining a good quality of life through formal pensions, health and social care provisions. for example, someone born in london today could expect to live 30 years longer...

The report provides an analysis of the progress made in the period 2008 to 2012, as well as the remaining opportunities for improvement, in the four areas of active ageing – employment, social participation, independent living and capacity for active ageing – across 28 countries of the European Union. Overall, the message of the analytical report...

Note: MACVIALR (contre les maladies chroniques pour un vieillissement actif en Languedoc Roussillon), reference Site of the European Innovation Parternship on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP on AHA), EIP on AHA Reference Site Network, European Union Geriatric Medicine Society (EUGMS), International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG), G...

This study shows that, despite unprecedented economic progress, major disparities in the wellbeing of older persons in China persist. These include disparities between the elderly in urban and rural areas, between the elderly in wealthier Eastern coastal regions and the poorer Western and Central regions, and between elderly men and women. These di...

Although the CIS countries are connected together by the legacy of breaking away from the Soviet Union, they have had a distinctive transition course and are rather diverse in terms of the population ageing challenges and policy responses in place. The commonality is that a comprehensive national strategy on ageing is lacking, and many of necessary...

The population aging challenges facing the European Union countries have been articulated in two ways: the financial sustainability of public welfare systems and the adequacy of retirement incomes and social services. The ideas underlying social sustainability, though less clearly defined, encompass not just both of these challenges but also addres...

Having adequate material resources is central to the well-being of people in both developing and industrialised nations. In western industrialised nations, lack of income and an inability to afford the types of goods and services that most people in a society have access to or to participate in social activities that are taken for granted typically...

Die Welt altert – nicht nur in Deutschland gibt es stetig mehr alte Menschen, auch in anderen Teilen der Welt ist der wachsende Anteil der Alten an der Bevölkerung eine Her-ausforderung. In den Ländern des globalen Südens werden alte Menschen erst langsam als hilfsbedürftige Gruppe wahrgenommen, als von Armut betroffen oder als Opfer familialer Gew...

Compared to other world regions, the region under the auspices of the UN Economic Commission for Europe is undoubtedly the most diversified and most heterogeneous one. It currently spans over 56 countries in three continents - Europe, North America, and Asia - reflecting a great variety in political and socio-economic contexts as well as in demogra...

All advanced economies are experiencing rapid population ageing caused by the combination of an increase in longevity and a sharp drop in fertility rates. This phenomenon is reducing the share of the working-age population in many of these countries, and is thus likely to exert negative pressure on economic growth. The rising old-age dependency rat...

This paper presents plans to initiate a European network for dynamic microsimulation, one of whose tasks will be to facilitate and stimulate exchange of research ideas and researchers. Also, it aims to serve as a platform for researchers to bid for and generate funds to enhance the development and use of the dynamic microsimulation models, with a p...

The Spanish EU Presidency event "Conference on Active and Healthy Ageing", held at Logroño (La Rioja), 29-30 April 2010 celebrated the European Day of Solidarity between Generations on 29 April. Convened under the aegis of the European Community Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity – PROGRESS (2007-2013), the authors presented to the firs...

Poverty prevention remains a fundamental plank of EU pension policies pension policy in Eu countries strives to meet two fundamental objec-tives. the first is to facilitate provision of adequate levels of retirement incomes so as to ensure that people do not face a risk of falling into poverty in their old age. the second objective is the income re...

The ageing of populations is one of the main economic and social developments shaping the 21st century. Population ageing affects welfare states, as it creates the need for reforms of pension-, healthcare- and social care systems, which will have reverberations for European welfare states and their labour markets, and the health and well-being of E...

The combination of rising life expectancy and a declining fertility rate has led to a rising share of older persons in the populations of European and many other advanced economies. This demographic transition, referred to as population ageing, is undoubtedly one of the key economic and social developments shaping the 21st century in European count...

The analysis presented in this paper indicates that OECD member countries differ significantly in terms of the poverty rate of older retired persons. Making use of the OECD Income Distribution Database and a country-specific relative poverty line, the paper finds that almost 13 per cent of the older persons (aged above 65) living in OECD countries...