How can policies promote healthy and happy aging among the oldest old (85+) and centenarians?

The focus of the paper lies on the importance of taking into consideration the uniqueness of the oldest old (85+) and centenarians and their specific needs when designing public policies on active ageing. There is a necessity not only to think about young old individuals, but also about people 85+ and centenarians’ health, cognitive and psychosocial conditions with regard to policy making, as this age group is continuously increasing in many countries.

The paper draws on 257 face to face in home interviews conducted in 2010 in the Basque Country, Spain. The sample consisted of two groups: young old individuals group of those aged between 65 and 74 (n=155) and the oldest old group of those aged 85+, including centenarians (n=102). Cognitive, Health, Emotional, Leisure and Psychosocial domains were evaluated. The paper discusses age-related differences focusing on the exceptionality of the oldest old and on how this exceptionality can inform better policy-making on active ageing for all age-groups across the life span.