The beauty of this strategy is that it is good for everyone: from citizens of all
ages as ageing individuals, in terms of maximizing their potential and quality of life, through to society as a whole, by getting the best from human capital, extending community participation and solidarity, avoiding intergenerational conflicts and creating a fairer, more inclusive society. Also, unusually, it is a strategy that makes sound economic sense, by responding to the economic challenges of ageing and extending employment, and, at the same time, it improves quality of life. Enhancing quality
of life through an active ageing strategy, therefore, can further economic
sustainability. There is a good economic case for doing the right thing in
moral terms. Furthermore, it shifts the focus of policy away from older people, as a separate group who have aged, to all of us, who are ageing constantly. We share a collective interest in this process and in extending the quality of our own lives. Therefore, this strategy speaks directly to the ideal of a society for all ages — we are all part of the same project. Also, it emphasizes the coincidence of interests between citizens, government and all
other major institutions, which is very rare indeed. Of course, policymakers must beware of being too coercive and of seeing active ageing in crude, instrumental terms as just a way of postponing pension payments and getting cheap labour from volunteers. If these risks can be avoided, the social and economic benefits will be enormous.