626.3
Different Proposals for Measuring the Quality and Welfare of Older People in Europe through Composite Indexes

Tuesday, 12 July 2016: 14:45
Location: Hörsaal 12 (Juridicum)
Oral Presentation
Maria Jose GUERRERO, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Spain
Maria Jose DORADO RUBIN, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Spain
In this paper the analysis of the aging of European societies is consider as a key area of quality and social welfare. The analysis proposed is based in the methodology of European Foundation of Social Quality as it provides a framework that combines aspects of quality of life and quality of society model, which is an integrated vision that conceptualizes social quality as the confluence of individual and institutional strategies, individual welfare and social welfare. Thus, we propose that the way to grow old is crucial to the welfare of people and this is determined, in turn, by the social context in which it develops. This perspective of analysis is based on the use of social indicators; therefore, in the first part of this paper, we show a comparative analysis of a number of indicators in European countries that reflects on the one hand, the multidimensionality of this reality and, second, the differences between countries. The last part of the report, focuses on the analysis of some of the composite indexes which measure aging that in recent years have been designed and aimed, in most cases, to offer a single measure of the welfare of older people, trying to become tools for the design and development of appropriate policies and programs that improve the quality of life and welfare of the elderly. The ability to track trends over time and across countries provides an opportunity to improve public actions and therefore increase the quality of life of people in the short, medium and long term. This part is the most interesting of report because it exposes the main results of the comparative analysis carried out, becoming the first step towards the design and development of a composite index for measuring quality in aging in Europe, by the authors.