Abstract

In addressing the problem of the social sustainability of the ageing population in terms of a stress on the pension and health care systems in Italy, the article asks whether aged people can be a resource. In trying to answer this question, drawing on current literature, the article points out that while individually they can do very little indeed in respect to the stress on the pension system, they can instead effectively impact the sustainability of the health system by conducting a healthy and active life. In this light, the article directs its attention to law proposals to the Italian Parliament aimed at targeting healthy ageing and involving aged people in different kinds of socially useful activities. The article argues that, if implemented, the effects of these proposals could in fact impinge on the sustainability of ageing health care and affect the life quality of aged people. However, in acknowledging this potential outcome, the article dwells upon the constraints and the limited reliability the involvement of aged people is subject to due to health conditioning.