The Emergence of a Positive Gerontology: From Disengagement to Social Involvement

TLDR

The latter part of the 20th century marked a shift from decline‑centric to positive, multidimensional perspectives on aging. The article aims to identify key contributors and trace the origins and overlapping themes of successful aging, productive aging, and civic engagement as exemplars of positive gerontology. It reviews Rowe and Kahn’s successful aging model linking social engagement, health, and functioning; Butler’s productive aging framework emphasizing older adults’ volunteer, paid, and caregiving roles; and civic engagement initiatives that promote community involvement and mutual benefits. These concepts collectively advance gerontology by informing policy, advocacy, and theory development.

Abstract

The latter part of the 20th century was a period characterized by a fundamental transition in scholarship on activity and the aging process. Theory emphasizing the inevitable decline of human capacity was gradually replaced with concepts stressing positive, multidimensional views of aging. In this article, we highlight the key contributors and trace the origins and overlapping themes of successful aging, productive aging, and civic engagement in later life: 3 examples of scholarship representing a "positive" gerontology. Rowe and Kahn's model of successful aging highlights the interplay between social engagement with life, health, and functioning for a positive aging experience. Productive aging, led by Robert Butler, recognizes the previously underappreciated participation of older adults in activities such as volunteering, paid work, and caregiving, and generates interest in the individual and societal barriers to and benefits of participation. Civic engagement in later life raises public awareness about the need to involve older adults in the community, creates opportunities for participation, and generates further interest in the mutual benefit of participation for community beneficiaries and participants. Successful aging, productive aging, and civic engagement represent important contributions to the field of gerontology through applications to policy, advocacy, and theory development.