In the decades ahead, China will have a very large older population, with many older adults who are relatively healthy and interested in being actively engaged in their communities. Contributions of older adults will be necessary for social and economic development of families, communities and society.
Peking University Press recently published a book in Chinese called Productive Aging in the World: Toward Evidence-Based Practice and Policy. The book is the result of a conference on productive aging in August 2011 at Peking University, co-organized by the Center for Social Development (CSD) at Washington University in St. Louis, Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Peking University in Beijing.
The 2011 conference was the second of its kind in China; the first also was organized by CSD at Shandong University in 2009.
The world is in the midst of a demographic revolution. Globally, those aged 60 and above will comprise 13.6 percent of the population by 2020, and 22.1 percent of the population by 2050. In the United States, these numbers will be even higher. As the aging population grows in China, the United States, and around the world, it will be necessary to develop programs that support active engagement in later life.
In its work on productive aging, the CSD seeks to advance global innovation and research to involve older adults in employment, volunteering, caregiving, education and other productive activities. CSD’s longstanding partnerships in China have made the Chinese conferences possible.
Michael Sherraden, PhD, director of the CSD and the Benjamin E. Youngdahl Professor of Social Development at the Brown School, has initiated conferences and developed resources for the work on productive aging over the past 15 years.
Nancy Morrow-Howell, PhD, director of the Harvey A. Friedman Center on Aging and faculty associate of CSD, has provided academic leadership and is co-editor of the book on aging.
For the 2011 conference, Morrow-Howell was joined by Ada Mui, PhD, professor of social work at Columbia University, and Du Peng, PhD, director and professor of the Gerontology Institute of Renmin University of China. Li Zou, CSD international director, organized the China conferences, arranged the book publications and engaged policy makers.
The English language version will be published by Taylor and Francis in the United Kingdom.