Personal goals in later life: Opportunities and innovation for an aging society

Abstract

Purpose Longevity requires understanding how people project the future to the their later lifes1 and imposes the need to offer possibilities in the field of well-being, health, work, social participation, and education2. For developing countries like Brazil, ensuring the availability of these resources has been a challenge. This study aims to describe the life goals of older adults and discuss the opportunities and challenges for Gerontechnology in Brazilian society. Method This was a cross-sectional, exploratory study. Instruments used: Mini Mental State Examination, Pfeffer Functional Assessment Scale, interview for the collection of socioeconomic data, and identification of the life goals of older adults in the short (6 months), medium (1 year) and long term (10 years). The sample consisted of 150 participants comprising 106 women and 44 men with a mean age of 74 years. Of these, 47% were married, 87% retired, and 58% had up to 6 years of study without displaying cognitive or capacity impairments. Results & Discussion The life goals were especially related to social participation, family, health, education, work, economy and spirituality, as shown in the table below. Knowing the goals of the elderly points to the need to invest in new markets and technological innovations that support the demands of an aging society. Information and communication technologies, social media and virtual communities facilitate access to information and interaction with family and friends. The creation of digital education and refresher / professional training platforms can offer formal or voluntary work opportunities. In the field of health, telehealth services, remote monitoring, personal alarm systems, and assistive technology can aid in healthcare, drug adherence, and maintenance of functional capacity3. In the economic sector the new consumer profile has demanded greater opportunities for purchase and leisure in the old age. Despite all the benefits, the high financial cost for investment, the need to use the technology by elderly people, and the society's awareness of the aging of the population is still a challenge for Brazil. This calls for the creation of policies and services that ensure a productive and healthy old age. To see oneself as a subject of desire and power is a challenge to be faced in the personal and collective sphere and requires an effort by society to maintain the social roles and engagement of individuals of advanced age.