Chapter II. Active Ageing: a framework for the global
strategy for the prevention of falls in older age
The WHO's Active Ageing policy offers a
coherent framework on which to develop a
strategy for the prevention of falls in older
age worldwide.
a) What is 'Active Ageing'?
Active Ageing is the process of optimizing
opportunities for health, participation and
security in order to enhance quality of life
as people age.
Active Ageing depends on a variety of
influences or determinants that surround
individuals, families and communities as
expressed in Figure 1 below. They include
gender and culture, which are cross-cutting,
and six additional groups of complementary
and interrelated determinants:
1. access to health and social services,
2. behavioural,
3. physical environment,
4. personal,
5. social, and
6. economic.