The social participation of older people in demographically challenged regions: the case study of Extremadura

Introduction. Social participation is an essential component of an active life in old age. It is even more relevant in ageing societies facing demographic and population challenges. Taking the Autonomous Community of Extremadura as a case study, an analysis was conducted on the social participation patterns of older people in the region. Differential aspects according to sex, age, and territorial habitat (urban/rural) were also explored. It is indeed crucial to understand and analyse the social participation of the region's senior population as well as its particularities because the region of Extremadura is undergoing various processes: depopulation, added to population ageing and feminisation. Only in this way will it be possible to adopt the necessary measures and social policies to ensure active, successful, and fulfilling ageing processes. Methodology. A quantitative methodology was applied based on CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interview) surveys of people aged over 54 years residing in Extremadura (n=1,401). The sampling was stratified by sex, age, and size of locality of residence, applying a proportional distribution according to the population weight of the two Extremadura provinces. The questionnaire was administered between October and November 2020, and the data was analysed using the SPSS statistical package. Both the survey and the data analysis were part of a larger regional R&D project entitled << Escenarios de Envejecimiento Activo en Extremadura: propuestas de intervenci & oacute;n>>, which is co-financed by the Regional Ministry of Economy, Science and Digital Agenda of the Regional Government of Extremadura, and the European Regional Development Fund. Results. Older people's social participation in Extremadura was found to vary according to the activity in question, differences also being marked by age, gender roles and area of residence (rural/urban). Discussion. The analysis confirms part of the existing literature. The findings showed that the variables with the most significant impact on the social participation of older people were age - which did not necessarily present a negative relationship with participation -, and gender - where gender roles influenced the type of participation. Finally, the rural-urban residence zone proved to have a minor effect, confirming the idea of the global city analysed in other studies. Conclusions. Among the conclusions, it is necessary to provide an analytical response to specific socio-cultural and socio-territorial realities when exploring the subject of older people's social participation. Given the differences found according to specific profiles, such a study should also integrate a combination of variables such as gender, age, and residential environment. The lack of this type of research can lead to the implementation of ineffective public policies or projects.