Anziani attivi in Europa tra morfogenesi dei legami e innovazione esistenziale

The paper is meant to frame the widespread phenomenon of active ageing in a sociological perspective that enhances the roles played by intergenerational relationships and social generativity in shaping identities and generate well-being. By analysing data concerning the 65-74 year old European population gathered through the 4th wave of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) we show these three different ways of experiencing, embodying and to give meaning to active aging. The cluster analysis and binomial logistic regression shed light on the different structural and cultural itineraries leading the young old to decline their “active ageing” according to the three above-mentioned ways and demonstrate that a) primary and secondary relations play a crucial role in enabling young old subjects (65-74 yrs) to give a sense to the transition they are experiencing and can therefore be defined generative; b) these generative relationships (at personal and family life level) give origin to forms of social generativity, thus excluding other forms of active ageing. To be socially generative means to operate outside one’s family for the wellbeing of the future generations through social activities and initiatives in third sector organisations , schools, neighbourhood and local communities. Generativity can thus be expressed through teaching, mentoring, voluntary work, philanthropy or political engagement.