Rapporti ISTISAN 09/49 ISTITUTO SUPERIORE DI SANITÀ Ageing ...

Rapporti ISTISAN 09/49
to the entrance of people in the stage of the old age require: a) the necessity of redefining one’s
own marital relationships, as privileged love relationship; b) the consideration of one’s own
personal identity in relation to one’s social-family role and the mastery become passive after it
had been active before ageing. According to the theory of engagement and activity, retirement
from work represents a risk factor, if there is no compensation with other activities or interests.
The theory of the role on the contrary postulates that risk factors are linked to the loss of social
role and to the adoption of stereotyped roles. According to these theories, the coping strategies
which better adapt themselves to a better old age (Fonzi, 2008) are those linked to the
possibility of escaping automatisms, and those that implement situations in which a flexible
thought is developed. Once again there is the participation into a social and productive life
which allows the cultivation of educational and cultural interests and the participation into the
life of one’s own community. The possibility of being creative in some cases helps the
emergence of a new self-consciousness, a better self-evaluation and a more positive attitude
towards problems and the future (Cesa-Bianchi & Antonietti, 2003).
2.16.2. Resources
Some factors of protection for the active ageing are introduced (e.g. physical activity,
volunteer service, social relationships, family relationships, etc.) in the following paragraphs.
2.16.2.1. Physical activity
The literature in this field shows a long list of positive effects that the participation into
regular physical activities has on physical health. If we consider the psychological sphere,
physical activity has an influence at a cognitive level and on the mood, as regards the social
aspects, a social and cultural integration can be noticed, as well as the making of new
friendships and the possibility of intergeneration exchanges. Physical activity positively relates
to cognitive efficiency, with the levels of fluid intelligence and with memory (Lochbaum et al.,
2002; Fratiglioni et al., 2004; Podewils & Guallar, 2006; Kramer et al., 2006; Sing-Manoux et
al., 2005). Vance (Vance et al. 2005) suggests the hypothesis that physical activity positively
influences cognitive activity through the increase of social contacts, which would have a
stimulating effect on the brain and reduce depression. In the field of health psychology, different
theoretical approaches have been developed to explain the variables influencing the adoption of
behaviours promoting health and preventing diseases. On identifying variables which define
health behaviours in the elderly, many studies have used physical activity as starting point for a
better understanding of the complexity of this subject. The participation of the elderly into
physical activity is described below from the point of view of different theories. According to
the level of analysis adopted, the involvement into healthy activities like sports is explained by
different variables. For adopting healthy behaviours and participating into physical exercise
programmes decisive factors are: generalised self-efficiency, health locus of control, and
optimism. According to the social-cognitive theory of Bandura (Bandura, 1996), our behaviour
is influenced by the perceived self-efficiency, result expectations and personal objectives. In the
behaviours identified as fundamental for health, the first two aspects result to be crucial;
expectations are important above all in the stage of formulating intentions. Generalised selfefficiency
mediates the stress effects on wellbeing (Lightsey, 1996) and has got a role in
keeping the mood at good levels. A positive relation exists between the idea of self-efficiency
and the participation into physical and social activities (Perkins et al., 2008). Generalized selfefficiency
however determines the degree of care the elderly take of their health. This theory
shows that people adopt proactive behaviours of protection and promotion of health.
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