Part 2 book “Economic foundations for creative ageing policy” has contents: Aims and challenges of the creative ageing policy, principles, governance, and coproduction of the creative ageing policy, organizational forms and management for the building of creative capital of older people.
CHAPTER Aims and Challenges of the Creative Ageing Policy This chapter tries to describe the aims and challenges of the creative ageing policy This book suggests that the creative ageing policy may be defined briefly as a process of engaging older adults in creative activity, which aims to shift from highlighting their problems to indicating their potential (capital) This process is based on the stages of policy cycle as well as includes strategies, programs, and projects that mix art with LLL, community integration and rehabilitation, therapeutic activities to improve physical and psychosocial conditions, the building of awareness, promotion of the experience of older people, and the transfer of their heritage to the younger or future generations It needs to be highlighted that the creative ageing policy puts emphasis on creating opportunities, technological innovations (mainly gerontechnologies), and social innovations for all older adults This means a wide interest in the creativity of not only those who have had careers as entrepreneurs, managers, employees, workers, or artists in cultural and creative industries The creative ageing policy supports a creative approach to leisure time in old age, regardless of whether it is a professional or amateur activity A proposed definition more or less directly shows, at least, main goals of the creative ageing policy However, the discourse on aims and challenges of this policy idea is much wider and full of tensions © The Author(s) 2017 A Klimczuk, Economic Foundations for Creative Ageing Policy, Volume II, DOI 10.1057/978-1-137-53523-8_6 167 168 A KLIMCZUK AIMS OF THE CREATIVE AGEING POLICY The notion of “policy” refers to a wide range of divergent issues In literature we may find examples when “policy” means, among others, activities or the commitment of the government related to some areas of social or economic system; expression of the desired state of order or “general aims” (used in this book interchangeably with terms “goals” and “objectives”) of activities; a set of proposals; decisions taken by the government; the process of formal authorization; ideology, strategy, or program of action (normative models); theory (descriptive models); and the outputs and outcomes of decision-making process.1 The most important challenge in this context is to identify intentions of those who formulate the policy This process should not be confused with the analysis of intentions from already undertaken interventions and their effects Gene D. Cohen described some general aims of the creative ageing policy already in 1992.2 Cohen in the context of the future directions for gerontological research suggested that there is need for, among others, (1) fostering creative capacities of older adults by the use of new health promotion techniques and creating new and targeted solutions to recognize and enhance the creative potential of older people; (2) developing new types of mental health interventions such as techniques for reducing depression, anxiety, and alcohol abuse as well as high-technology innovations; (3) differentiating of organizations and facilities used to support the creativity of older adults through the individualized and person-centered support, modifications of medical training adjusted to these new settings, and use of patient-friendly environments; (4) adapting ageing services to the growing diversity of populations; and (5) establishing new ways of supporting ill people in the context of ethical dilemmas related to the longevity This list of the initial aims may be extended by arguments of Joyce Hickson and Warren Housley from 1997 They paid more attention to the need for the development of new methodologies for the teaching of creative thinking and promoting the generation of new ideas with the use of techniques related to hobbies, games, puzzles, exercises, biofeedback, hypnosis, role-playing, and meditation.3 Although these goals were proposed many years before the institutionalization of the creative ageing movement took place in the USA, we may risk statement that they are still actual and used as arguments in the ongoing debates General sets of aims for the creative ageing policy have also been later proposed by practitioners and researchers associated with the NCCA.4 On AIMS AND CHALLENGES OF THE CREATIVE AGEING POLICY 169 the one hand, the discussion of aims was related to establishing solutions that will allow changes in the image of older adults by underlining their creative capital Such solutions should concentrate on LLL, bridging cultural and communication differences, community integration and rehabilitation, therapeutic activities, awareness building, the promotion of the older adults’ experience, the transfer of heritage through intergenerational programs On the other hand, the debate was also oriented on the practical side of the development of creative ageing programs and organizations.5 Solutions postulated in this respect include calls for establishing networks of teaching artists, training programs for them, and formulating techniques that may be used during projects that combine arts and health At the global level, some basic assumptions that may be seen as goals of the creative ageing policy are included in the 2002 Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA) of the UN that promote the concepts of active ageing and “society for all ages.” The creativity in more or less direct way may be identified in the first issue “Active participation in society and development” of the first priority direction “Older persons and development.” Two objectives assumed here focus on fostering various forms of the capital of older adults and supporting their inclusion in decision-making processes.6 Suggested actions include, among others, the development of entities that will represent older adults in policymaking; the promotion of multigenerational activities; the provision of LLL and cultural programs; the promotion of solutions based on mutual self-help, intergenerational groups; and the development of age-friendly environments for volunteering, civic and cultural participation, and empowerment Moreover, the third issue “Rural development, migration and urbanization” includes an objective that recommends undertaking actions for the integration of older migrants that may be relevant when it comes to the emergence of multicultural societies.7 Suggested interventions cover actions such as the development of supportive networks and senior centers; the support for cohousing and intergenerational living if needed; and the limitation of linguistic and cultural barriers In the fourth issue “Access to knowledge, education and training” two objectives were included that suggest support for the equal opportunities for continuing education and training as well as usage of experience of older adults.8 Among proposed actions are the promotion of literacy and ICT skills; the support for older people who want to use their knowledge and expertise during retirement; focus on universal design of products and services; the provision of intergenerational programs for the exchange of knowledge and experience; and 170 A KLIMCZUK the promotion of coaching and mentoring programs to use the experience of seniors The potential link to creative ageing is also represented by the fourth issue “Images of ageing” in the third priority direction “Ensuring enabling and supportive environments.”9 There is only one objective related to this subject that recommends the promotion of all significant contributions of older adults in order to limit the negative stereotypes of ageing Suggested actions underline, for example, dissemination of best practices of diverse and creative individuals; reforms of the mass media to establish new images of older women and men as well as people with disabilities; and the support for educators who promote the creativity of older adults Summing up, we may say that the MIPAA suggests undertaking of interventions that will diminish all myths and socioeconomic barriers that stand before recognition of the creative potential of older adults Some expectations of the creative ageing policy at the global level are also available in recommendations of the World Economic Forum (WEF) The WEF shows that there are at least six arguments in favor of investments in older adults and seven opportunities of longevity.10 These premises may be interpreted as following eight potential aims of the creative ageing policy: the support of the productive activities of older adults by reforms of mandatory retirement and other disincentives as well as provision of more flexible opportunities for work, volunteering, and community contributions; the promotion of positive images of ageing; the support for the development of social skills that may be used in a servicebased economy; the promotion of ethical and humanitarian values such as dignity, fairness, and justice as well as a fundamental human rights such as health care; the development of social capital of older adults and intergenerational relationships; the reduction of unregulated markets of health services; the investment in creating age-friendly environments; and the promotion of the “silver markets” and a variety of intergenerational transfers An important feature of the described arguments of the WEF is that they underline both needs of the Global North and the Global South The literature also contains more general suggestions regarding the support for creative ageing at the global level Anthony Giddens, for example, suggests that there is a need to pay more attention to the dissemination of new lifestyles of older adults.11 He shows that lifestyle in postindustrial societies refers not only to consumption, but also to habits, aims, and aspirations used by individuals in their everyday life Thus, the selection of lifestyle may be seen as the “daily deepening of democracy” AIMS AND CHALLENGES OF THE CREATIVE AGEING POLICY 171 that has consequences not only for individuals but also for communities Population ageing according to Giddens is already related to the “youthing of society,” that is, changes in the lifestyles of older adults in a way that merges their habits with the practices of younger generations Some examples of this process or aim of public policies include undertaking new careers during the retirement; the use of flexible forms of employment; the use of medical treatments to hide signs of old age; popularization of LLL including the movement of U3A and volunteering; the emergence of new care models; the promotion of acceptance of longevity; the health promotion in order to eliminate and reduce harmful habits such as not wearing a seatbelt in the car, smoking, and diets leading to diabetes, obesity, or heart diseases; the promotion of physical activity; and the dissemination of activities to protect the environment and saving electricity Some potential aims of the creative ageing policy are hidden in general discussions about a new organization of time over the life course, including work and leisure time and identifying the creative class This discourse underlines, at least, four issues that need to be tackled by ageing policies The first issue, “retirement shock,” refers to the significant increase of free time during the transition to retirement.12 Some people think that during retirement, they will fulfill all their plans and expectations not achieved during the previous stages of life The creative ageing programs may provide opportunities to support them in the implementation of at least some of their aims by taking into account the economic constraints Such solutions are, for example, arts and health, volunteering programs as well as senior entrepreneurship projects The second issue refers to need to diminish stereotypes of seniors’ recreation and leisure time as “wasted time” or a “roleless roles” of retirees that are still present in some communities.13 Such images may lead to ageism and marginalization of senior citizens as non-working groups Thus, the creative ageing programs need to disseminate more patterns of active leisure and productivity The third issue refers to the future of work.14 New technologies such as ICTs and automation and robotics, on the one hand, lead to a disappearance of certain professions and jobs On the other hand, new technologies provide productivity gains, dematerialization of work, and influence on the dissemination of flexible jobs that require originality and creativity Thus, older workers may contribute longer to the economy in a less thorough manner Creative jobs for older adults are already available in various markets in forms of self-employment, telework, volunteering, and employment in the social economy entities Such jobs combine the 172 A KLIMCZUK work, consumption, and leisure time activities and provide opportunities for personal development and self-realization The last issue in this discourse is related to identifying the creative class.15 The creative ageing programs should limit the class division of older people described in terms of the creative class and the so-called service class As already described in volume one of this book, such model of social stratification may be unfair for most people as everyone is creative in his or her way Moreover, the discussion about the objectives of the creative ageing policy is ongoing at the national level The particular attention should be paid to the discourse in the USA that is moderated mainly by the NCCA and associated with conferences on creativity and ageing that are part of the White House Conferences on Aging (WHCOA) In 2005, discussions suggested that the creative ageing policy should focus on redefining the “senior moment” that refers to the promotion of new opportunities for older adults and rejecting the ageism and myths about ageing that is included in culture and language.16 People should feel that old age is their “moment” to achieve their desires and aspirations Moreover, it was suggested that the creative ageing paradigm should underline the longevity as a new opportunity to provide services and develop entities that will make it possible to use an almost unlimited cultural legacy of older adults In 2015, the debate additionally underlined the need for infrastructure to provide the creative ageing programs.17 Recommendations for the ageing policy from 2005 and 2015 were divided into three categories: arts and health care; LLL and community; and universal design and age-friendly community design.18 Aims included in the first field suggested, among others, that there is a need for identification and acknowledgement of entities that may add the arts to their practice or already use it in other areas than health and social care; the development of the Federal Interagency Task Force on the Arts and Human Development by the use of virtual and cross-sectoral mentoring; the development of national arts and culture research network and establishing cross-sectoral partnerships between arts organizations and research institutions; organization of a summit of social entrepreneurs related to technology and community service; focus on the investments in quantitative and qualitative research to recognize outcomes of the arts in health promotion; the development of an economic model for sustainability of arts and ageing field; the dissemination of the Cohen’s model of research about the creativity of older adults (described in volume one); creative caregiving training to combine the arts and care for culturally diverse AIMS AND CHALLENGES OF THE CREATIVE AGEING POLICY 173 groups; providing support for the use of the arts for representatives of the “sandwich generation” who provide care for their ageing parents; the evaluation and dissemination of existing programs and best practices for the arts and ageing sector to local and national authorities; the development of cost-effective arts and health programs; and the establishment of “ArtistCorps” in order to provide arts and ageing services in various facilities in communities and health care settings There is also a long list of potential aims of the ageing policy in the field of LLL and community.19 Among proposed recommendations were the support for activities to eliminate ageism in all public policies; the development of innovative cross-sectoral funding models; establishment of cooperation between all levels of the government to collect and map data and build the ecosystem; the promotion of outcomes research; the provision of programs supporting individual older artists and teaching artists; the investments in research focused on the benefits of combining LLL and the arts; the provision of incentives to arts organizations and agencies to develop a combination of LLL and arts education; investments in the accessibility of arts institutions; establishing a social marketing campaign to promote the creativity through the life course and cognitive fitness; and the development of partnerships between entities such as museums, libraries, universities, and community centers that are able to establish new innovative programs, mentorship programs, and best practices as well as disseminate existing models The third category of recommendations focused on universal and agefriendly design.20 Experts proposed establishing instruments and innovation funds for development of age-friendly housing and transportation including cohousing and multigenerational homes; starting a debate at all levels of the government about the use of design in establishing inclusive communities; developing a social campaign against ageism; providing training for designers, builders, and developers related to implementation and benefits of universal design; supporting adopting standardization programs by builders of homes to include universal design principles; promoting existing models of universal design; promoting the use of community centers instead of separated day care and senior centers; and establishing cross-sectoral training programs for entities representing trade associations, builders, architects, designers, and the housing industry Priorities discussed during the conferences of the NCCA make an impression of a broad range of policy options However, this approach is narrowed and focused mainly on the programs that combine the arts, 174 A KLIMCZUK culture, LLL, health, and design Thus, the creative ageing is not focusing on, for example, employment or social security as much as other policy ideas discussed in Chap However, commentators of the WHCOA 2005 underlined that there is a need for inclusion of more actions related to at least few topics.21 These are investment in human capital to support not only LLL for leisure but also for productive ageing; the development of silver markets and industries including entities run by older adults; the further promotion and studies on strategies and best practices to mobilize older volunteers; raising public awareness about the creativity in old age; and building advocacy network for the arts, health, and intergenerational programming Moreover, some other debates organized with the cooperation with the NCCA provided a few other interesting recommendations.22 They include the exchange of information between funders and leaders in the fields related to creative ageing; the organization of workshops that will provide skills and knowledge to support the development of complex research proposals related to arts and ageing sector that will include issues such as interdisciplinarity, randomization, and diversity of populations; and the formulation of international networks of cooperation regarding integration of the arts and the quality of life In the EU in recent years, supporting the creativity of older adults was combined, among others, with the general promotion of civic engagement, LLL, and bridging the digital divide.23 Suggested policy aims at the EU level included goals such as supporting local communities in the provision of ICT skills, including involvement in intergenerational programs and U3As; promoting learning opportunities and their benefits; funding R&D projects; and developing cross-sectoral and holistic policies with horizontal approach that combines training, employment, social inclusion, and health care These aims were to varying degrees further diffused and particularized at the national and regional levels For example, the social capital development strategy and the framework of long-term ageing policy in Poland underline supporting older adults and young people by providing training in the field of media competencies and digital literacy, funding for intergenerational programs focused on cultural heritage, volunteer programs, and activities of creative industries related to the silver economy.24 In 2014 and 2015 the team of the “Long Live Arts” project prepared sets of recommendations for the creative ageing movement in the EU These suggestions may be interpreted as aims for the policy The discussed AIMS AND CHALLENGES OF THE CREATIVE AGEING POLICY 175 issues were divided into three categories: research, practice, and policy.25 The aims included in the first underlined, among others, supporting older adults as “living cultural heritage” and using their knowledge, skills, and experience; promoting positive images of older people; sharing best practices in the use of the Internet, festivals, and public spaces; supporting the involvement of older adults in contemporary issues by the development of intellectually stimulating environments; promoting the arts as a tool to increase the quality of life of older people not only to resolve health problems; increasing accessibility and inclusiveness of cultural institutions; developing cross-sectoral groups of practitioners that will include especially artists, caregivers, policymakers, and representatives of older adults in order to lobby outside of the field; gathering leading institutions as leaders of creative ageing programs; fostering better use of existing networks of older adults that include their families and friends; reviewing current financing and cost-sharing solutions and developing new financial models; developing new models of program evaluation; and promoting the knowledge about the barriers to cultural participation of older adults and techniques to diminish these limitations The recommendations included in the category of research may be interpreted as a set of following aims These are, for example, promoting the knowledge of neuropsychology; developing research projects based on social innovations and collaboration with NGOs and local networks; adapting international achievements to local conditions; studying patterns of engagement of older men; exploring models to measure outcomes of cultural participation of older adults; studying differences between groups characterized by various levels of social and cultural activities; supporting studies about the benefits of international collaboration; building an international database of research in the field of creative ageing; developing a research program focused on recognizing the efficiency of arts programs; promoting the arts as tools to improve the lives of patients who cannot be cured; and promoting the use of arts in the settings that are close to older people The last category of debates focused on improvements in public policies Suggested aims in this area included, for example, cocreating and codesigning of new services for ageing populations; developing various forms of public–private partnerships at the EU level with the engagement of existing networks and platforms; evaluating existing structures and procedures in order to adapt them to the needs of older adults; eliminating ageist attitudes among policymakers; developing horizontal relations 176 A KLIMCZUK between various policy fields; supporting the development of age-friendly cities and communities with underlining the cultural participation; supporting inclusion of preventive measures offered by the creative ageing to public policies; developing new forms of participation of older adults in all stages of policymaking; supporting the development of cultural and creative sectors as new markets for older consumers; and establishing training programs that will support art professionals, health specialists, and caregivers at the same time Moreover, at the beginning of 2016 the “Long Live Arts” program published a European Manifesto titled “Towards a Broader Framework for Cultural Participation by Older People.”26 Six brief principles have been defined that may be used in the development of further policies and programs These are: (1) create joint energy, that is, involving experts in the fields of culture and health care to cocreate creative ageing programs; (2) connect public and private fields that refers to improving cooperation between various entities by establishing public–private partnerships and coproduction of cultural programs for older adults; (3) involve Europe, that is, involvement of various platforms, networks, interest groups, media, and citizens in order to design and implement creative ageing policies; (4) update structures and procedures that refers to redesigning and adapting existing structures and procedures to current and future needs; (5) fight ageism that relates to raising awareness about ageing and promotion of positive images of old age; and (6) support knowledge exchange that refers to creation of new programs and reinforcement of existing ones At this point, we may risk statement that the recommendations developed in the EU differ in a few points from those developed in the USA Potential aims of the creative ageing policy focus here more on general cultural participation rather than only on engagement in the arts The focus on environments, public spaces, and the use of various forms of social capital is also slightly different Additional attention is also paid to the international collaboration and shaping new consumer markets Moreover, in the EU, some strategies oriented only at the supporting engagement of older adults in the arts have been developed For example, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland prepared document that includes the diagnosis of barriers and benefits of participation in the arts, SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis, threat mitigation measures, potential strategy for engagement of older people combined with specific objectives, performance indicators, and communications strategy.27 The main aim of the strategy was to increase the number ... Aging in 20 15: The Shape of Things to Come,” Public Policy and Aging Report 16, no (20 06): 24 27 ; Janice Blanchard, “As the AIMS AND CHALLENGES OF THE CREATIVE AGEING POLICY 22 23 24 25 26 187... for Cultural Participation by Older People,” Long Live Arts, accessed 188 A KLIMCZUK 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 March 15, 20 16, www.longlivearts.eu/upload/files/LONG %20 LIVE %20 ARTS %20 MANIFESTO(1).pdf... older adults In 20 15, the debate additionally underlined the need for infrastructure to provide the creative ageing programs.17 Recommendations for the ageing policy from 20 05 and 20 15 were divided