Envejecimiento y cultura en América Latina y el Caribe. - Ts.ucr.ac.cr
Envejecimiento y cultura en América Latina y el Caribe. - Ts.ucr.ac.cr
Envejecimiento y cultura en América Latina y el Caribe. - Ts.ucr.ac.cr
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DESARROLLO DEL ENVEJECIMIENTO ACTIVO EN MÉXICO…<br />
Abstr<strong>ac</strong>t<br />
The concept of Active Ageing was defined by the WHO in 1999 as the<br />
process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation, and<br />
security in order to <strong>en</strong>hance quality of life as people age. Active ageing<br />
can be appro<strong>ac</strong>hed at three differ<strong>en</strong>t lev<strong>el</strong>s: (i) as a paradigm, (ii) as a<br />
political strategy, and (iii) as programs for community <strong>ac</strong>tions. It is<br />
ess<strong>en</strong>tial to take into consideration such paradigms in the dev<strong>el</strong>opm<strong>en</strong>t<br />
of national, state and municipal programs, because the paradigm<br />
determines the political strategy which is the operative base of programs<br />
and community <strong>ac</strong>tions. H<strong>en</strong>ce, Fes Zargoza ‐ Unam has dev<strong>el</strong>oped an<br />
att<strong>en</strong>tion mod<strong>el</strong> aimed at the promotion of gerontological nuclei based<br />
on the theoretical underpinnings of <strong>ac</strong>tive ageing and empowerm<strong>en</strong>t.<br />
Our methodological appro<strong>ac</strong>h can be typified as a form of <strong>ac</strong>tion<br />
research, and is aimed at the <strong>en</strong>forcem<strong>en</strong>t of s<strong>el</strong>f‐care, s<strong>el</strong>f‐direction, and<br />
social group bonding strategies (both formal and informal), our main<br />
objective being the attainm<strong>en</strong>t of high standards of w<strong>el</strong>l‐being, health,<br />
and life quality among the <strong>el</strong>derly. An important side product of our<br />
program has be<strong>en</strong> the <strong>en</strong>dorsem<strong>en</strong>t of Active Ageing as a State public<br />
policy by the State of Hidalgo in Mexico.<br />
Introducción<br />
E<br />
l concepto de <strong>en</strong>vejecimi<strong>en</strong>to <strong>ac</strong>tivo fue establecido por la Organiz<strong>ac</strong>ión<br />
Mundial de la Salud (OMS) <strong>en</strong> 1999, definiéndolo como<br />
“<strong>el</strong> proceso de optimiz<strong>ac</strong>ión de las oportunidades de salud, particip<strong>ac</strong>ión<br />
y seguridad con <strong>el</strong> fin de mejorar la calidad de vida a medida que las<br />
personas <strong>en</strong>vejec<strong>en</strong>”. El término <strong>ac</strong>tivo, se refiere a la particip<strong>ac</strong>ión continua<br />
de los adultos mayores <strong>en</strong> forma individual y colectiva, <strong>en</strong> los aspectos<br />
sociales, económicos, <strong>cultura</strong>les, espirituales y cívicos y no solam<strong>en</strong>te a la<br />
cap<strong>ac</strong>idad para estar físicam<strong>en</strong>te <strong>ac</strong>tivo o participar <strong>en</strong> la mano de obra.<br />
Este concepto <strong>en</strong> <strong>el</strong> plano operativo se refiere al empoderami<strong>en</strong>to de los<br />
adultos mayores <strong>en</strong> los aspectos biológicos, psicológicos y sociales <strong>en</strong> los<br />
que están inmersos. 1<br />
Entre los anteced<strong>en</strong>tes r<strong>el</strong>evantes d<strong>el</strong> <strong>en</strong>vejecimi<strong>en</strong>to <strong>ac</strong>tivo podemos<br />
señalar la teoría de la <strong>ac</strong>tividad, la cual establece que la particip<strong>ac</strong>ión social<br />
es imprescindible para <strong>el</strong> logro de un óptimo niv<strong>el</strong> de satisf<strong>ac</strong>ción con la<br />
propia vida. Este <strong>en</strong>foque surge <strong>en</strong> oposición a la teoría de la desvincul<strong>ac</strong>ión<br />
propuesta <strong>en</strong> 1961 por Cumming y H<strong>en</strong>ry (1961), qui<strong>en</strong>es señalaban<br />
1<br />
World Health Organization. (2002). Active aging: a policy framework. G<strong>en</strong>eva. Disponible <strong>en</strong>:<br />
www.who.int/hpr/ageing/publications.htm<br />
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