The working environment as a platform for the promotion of active aging: An italian overview

European data confirm a gradual and constant aging of the population. The reduction of risk factors for chronic diseases and the improvement of health care have increased life expectancy in general. In January 2018, Italy recorded a mean age of 45.2 years (two tenths more than 2017). “The 2018 Ageing Report”, an economic paper of the European Community, predicts that the European Union would go from having 3.3 working-age people for every person aged over 65 years to only two working-age persons. If this happens, welfare systems would no longer be able to cope up with health and pensions. It is important to offer people the tools to get old better. The World Health Organization defines active aging as the process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security to enhance quality of life as people age. The working environment is the perfect platform for the promotion of policies aimed at maintaining the psychophysical abilities of the elderly worker. The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health recently proposed the Work Ability Model to understand and manage wellbeing in the workplace. This scheme suggests a multilevel action to guarantee the elderly worker an optimal stay in the workplace. An active aging promotion program and an adequate risk-assessment can reduce injury risk, increase productivity and health benefits for elderly workers.