"We are not focusing on the human and social dimension of aging."

"The short answer is no. The more positive answer is that, although we're not there yet, we are making progress on certain issues. I think we need to differentiate between whether we are prepared as individuals, as a society, and whether the institutions are prepared."

With respect to institutions, I don't think they're adequate . Perhaps we're implementing a series of technological advances without questioning whether they're necessary or not, but, paradoxically, it seems that more social or sociological issues are being neglected, and this is the biggest complaint we must make. I wouldn't worry so much about the 65-year threshold as the entry into old age, because nowadays it's actually a "young age," and if we continue to use it, it's because it grants us preferential treatment from the welfare state. For me, the concern is that we're not focusing on the human and social dimension of aging.

As individuals, we still have many problems. We remain a very ageist society , with a very negative and erroneous view of what old age means, and that's why thinking about turning 65 feels terribly burdensome and negative to us.

"I think we have extrapolated from what old age was forty years ago and, although it has changed a lot compared to now, we still have in our minds that idea that old age, and especially for women, implies being that lady from the village who dressed in black, at the door of her house... It is paradoxical how we have been able to advance in our perception with respect to other stages of life, but we have not changed this one."

We continue to be a very ageist society, with a very negative and erroneous conception of what old age means, and that is why thinking about 65 years old feels terribly burdensome and negative to us.

On the other hand, media manipulation plays a significant role in this negative view that blames old age for all the issues left unresolved in other stages of life. This isn't true. Even so, despite the many social prejudices we still hold and the fear of aging, our perception of this stage of life changes as we approach older ages. "I just don't feel my age," of course, because we have this idea that old age is something else entirely.

Stereotypes about older people

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"The greatest increase in life expectancy has occurred in older age groups, and, although there are many nuances and inequalities, it is a healthy life expectancy. That is to say, most of the older population, even the very elderly, are not disabled and are not necessarily highly dependent. But of course, if we have the idea that we are going to live longer, but in a state of extreme frailty, it is understandable to feel apprehension. But the reality is that in our society we are seeing an elderly population with better health conditions , and, without forgetting that great inequalities exist, economic and social conditions have also improved."

In Spain, older people are the most active participants in volunteering and community support activities, for example. They are also very vocal and lead many neighborhood associations and community organizations that are now lacking generational succession. Understanding that there are different experiences of aging, we can speak of a more active and participatory old age , which has nothing to do with certain stereotypes that are circulated. We have a new generation of older people who have faced many socio-historical and political events throughout their lives, and this is reflected in how they experience this stage of life. But if you were very vocal, active, and participatory in your younger years, perhaps there will be some circumstance that forces you to change, but it's not age itself that matters.

"We are currently at a point where intergenerational conflict is being greatly exacerbated, and we are shifting the blame onto age groups for issues that are actually the fault of the system. This justifies the lack of promotion of older people's participation in activities led by younger people, because it is assumed that there is a difference and that there will be no space for them to meet; and this is not true."

We don't allow older people to participate because we don't seek out those collaborative spaces . But what's more, we're creating new participatory communities, through social media, for example, that aren't taking older people into account in their design or development; at the same time, we're further discriminating against people who live in rural areas or who don't have access to these participatory channels.

"Yes, it's a bit like the idea of 'stand here and don't bother anyone.' It's somewhat what happens when we talk about children's participation, for example. In many matters, people under 18 and over 65 find themselves with a certain lack of protection of their rights , and we also take away their leading role even in their own spaces. In the case of older people, it's even more serious, because we're talking about people who managed to overcome that stage, who have been the protagonists of their lives for many years, and suddenly they're told, 'No, now you'd better go knit, do aquagym , join a cooking club and make tortillas...'"

We are unable to create new spaces for participation because we start from these stereotypes about what old age is and we pigeonhole older people into places where they can be contained.

We are reductionist when it comes to considering what activities older people can do, offering them opportunities to participate in activities without asking them which ones they would like to participate in . We are unable to create new spaces for participation because we start from these stereotypes about what old age is and we pigeonhole them into places where they can be contained.

"What does it mean to be active? The truth is, we've always associated the word 'activity' with the labor market, with productivity—in other words, with the capitalist market. Active aging , in a way, is like saying I should continue contributing to society , but not to society itself, rather to the system. That's why I personally don't like this idea of active aging. And why do we never talk about active youth? It seems that just because you're old, you need to justify that you're active, which means that you're producing, that you're contributing to the system, and that's why you still deserve to be there."

But if we turn to other issues and focus on the positive aspects, such as active aging in the sense of participating, exercising, etc., it also has a paternalistic connotation, because we should be active throughout our lives, not just because we are older . It seems we are demanding a certain level of activity from a seventy-year-old that we wouldn't demand from a fifty-year-old.

Active aging

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"Yes, we talk about active aging, but we aren't creating the social structures to make it happen as the WHO envisions . These issues should be addressed throughout our entire life cycle. What's happening? We aren't giving many fifty-year-olds the opportunities to be active and participate in the community, but when they reach 65, we tell them, 'Now you have to start learning.' And that woman might say, 'Hey, when I was fifty, you completely ignored me.'"

Why do we never talk about active youth? It seems that just because you're old, you need to justify that you're active, that you're producing, that you're contributing to the system, and that's why you still deserve to be there.

Longevity is something we should be considering from the very beginning of life. We are longer-lived societies, not only because of the higher proportion of elderly people, but also because we are going to live longer. But we aren't thinking about the latter. How are we going to live to 100 if we currently have enormous inequalities in early childhood regarding such basic issues as nutrition? All these inequalities that we are seeing in much earlier stages of life are going to hit us hard when we reach the point where "one in three people will be over 65..." What will aging be like for those people who are now delivery drivers , for example, who won't have access to decent pensions, who won't own their homes...? They will be completely deprived of what currently allows us to have a good old age. No, not everyone will have the same quality of old age. The inequalities that shape our lives come to a head in old age. People who now have difficult childhoods are going to have a much worse old age in terms of mental and physical health, finances, opportunities for participation...

Aging and proximity policies

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"Adequate, dignified, and well-maintained housing has a key effect on our quality of life throughout the entire life cycle. This is even more important for older people because we are much more dependent on our surroundings. We must understand housing as a space that protects us, but also taking into account our immediate environment . If I live in a fourth-floor walk-up and cannot go outside, my physical and mental health will suffer. Even people with disabilities have a longer life expectancy and a better quality of life when they remain in their own homes. Housing represents a fundamental sense of security, but it is also closely linked to our identity and our health."

The inequalities that mark our lives come to a head in old age. People who have difficult childhoods now will have a much worse old age in terms of mental and physical health, finances, opportunities for participation...

This supposed right to housing is indeed worse than before , because there are a number of problems related to housing vulnerability that haven't been resolved. We've gone from talking about housing rehabilitation or issues like insulation or energy efficiency, which is all well and good, but only if you have heating or other basic amenities. Furthermore, there are new vulnerabilities associated with payments : if I have heating but don't have the money to pay for it, we must also understand that as housing vulnerability. But this is getting worse. We have a segment of the population that has had poorer integration into the labor market and that will find itself in worse conditions. All those issues that you haven't been able to resolve throughout your working life are very unlikely to be addressed when you reach 65, given that you'll have the financial means to tackle them.

I believe that housing vulnerability is being neglected by all levels of government and organizations. Furthermore, some of the new housing that has been built has failed to consider, for example, the community dimension—that is, how we create social relationships within a community.

"Long-lived societies are, above all, much richer societies . This multigenerational contact, which we must find and foster, actually leads to greater creativity. There's a connection to learning, and not just because of the idea that 'you get wiser the older you get,' but because you clearly have a different perspective on life. They are richer societies from a social point of view , provided we know how to take advantage of the opportunities they offer."

And from an individual perspective, it allows us to realize that we can do so much more throughout our lives , and we don't have to be so static. We can have more experiences, learn so much more; in other words, the potential for knowledge, co-creation, and participation is much greater. The question is whether we need to reflect on how to create these spaces. A society is only as rich as the contributions of the people who live in it.