When Active Aging Is Not a Choice: Rethinking Productivity in Later Life

This letter examines whether active aging reflects genuine choice or economic necessity. Responding to a recent bibliometric analysis, we argue that participation and productivity cannot be interpreted independently of older adults’ material conditions. We distinguish chosen activity, compelled activity, and survival aging to clarify how similar forms of engagement may reflect different degrees of autonomy. Evidence from Indonesia, where many older adults work informally with limited pension protection, illustrates these tensions. We suggest that gerontological social work should assess later-life activity alongside income security, social protection, and the realistic possibility of reducing or ending work.