“What next now that you are sixty?” – Preliminary exploration of the self-reported aspirations of community-dwelling older persons in the Western Cape Province, South Africa within the active aging framework

ABSTRACT

Future aspirations of older persons should interest professionals involved in health promotion services in view of World Health Organization’s Active Aging Framework. With the South African government’s plan to raise life expectancy to 70 years by 2030, there is likelihood that life expectancy at 60 years will increase. Future aspirations give motivations for living, with short and long-term goals to work toward. As part of a larger study exploring the profile of members of 35 Service Centers for Older Persons in the Western Cape Province, selected using stratified random sampling, this manuscript reports on the qualitative responses relating to the self-determined future aspirations of the members. Thematic analysis was utilized to explore the aspirations of 625 members, aged 60–100 years. The aspirations were classified into two, namely aspirations with and without possible future-oriented behavior. Separate six and three themes were identified respectively in the first and second categories of aspirations. Being members of centers meant to provide programs to enhance their future, an awareness of the future aspirations of older persons should inform the services provided to encourage older persons identify something to live for.

KEYWORDS:

• Older persons
• aspirations
• active aging
• south africa

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge the research grant awarded by the South African Medical Research Council to carry out this study. We also acknowledge the officials of the Provincial Department of Social Development for granting access to the Service Centers for Older Persons, as well as the managers and members of the centers who participated in this study, and the research assistants who assisted with data collection.

Declaration of Interest

As authors, we declare that we have no conflict of interest in carrying out this study.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the South African Medical Research Council [2015/16].