They're not doing bad for their age: ageing, leisure and active living.

Abstract

The article focuses on the life of elderly people. The majority of older people are fit and well, live independently and are actively engaged in their community. However, the time has come to view ageing in a more constructive way and in so doing liberate people in their last 10, 20 or 30 years of life from the negative effects of the labels--ageing, aged and old. In addition to personal characteristics, the positive ageing experience is also influenced by the way older people themselves interact with and negotiate the many forces in relationships, stereotypes and prejudices, economic conditions, social and cultural expectations, living arrangements and job opportunities. The evidence suggests that these forces take on greater significance with age because related inequalities experienced in earlier life tend to be accentuated in the later years , particularly for women.