Positive Aging in the Context of Precarity: Conclusions and Implications

This chapter comprises the research conclusions and implications for practice and policyPolicy . The chapter argues that positive aging Positive aging can exist in precarious contexts, because precarityPrecarity models how middle-aged individuals imagine old age and how they enact preparations for old agePreparations for old age . The research conclusions are framed by the discussion of how individuals manage to age happily within the new culture of risk. However, the fact that people instinctively find “ways to survive” precarityPrecarity , does not mean that they do not need help. On the contrary, the point is made that middle-aged precarious individuals require assistance both at individual and policyPolicy level to ensure their healthHealth and well-beingWell-being in old age. Implications for practice and policyPolicy concerning positive agingPositive aging and healthHealth are outlined. Counseling recommendations include ideas on how to avoid the “mind traps” of precarityPrecarity as well as develop flexibility, confidence and foster positive thinking patterns concerning old age. At policyPolicy level, interventions comprise fighting ageism on the job market, developing a “healthHealth for all” policyPolicy and promoting novel mass media images of agingAging . Last, but not least, the chapter outlines future research directions and discusses the potential theoretical integration of precarityPrecarity and agingAging in the successful agingSuccessful aging paradigm.