La perspectiva de la longevidad: un tema para re-pensar y actuar

current generations are witness to an historical, unprecedented time, with the creation of new societies that are the result of ethnic, cultural and religious pluralism, the diversity of national identities, and the building of new age identities. today, scholars and social scientists are interested in longevity, both as a personal fact and in terms of its sociocultural perspective. significant changes across the lifespan and its extension reveal important effects, not only on the state and number of elderly people, but also on every social institution. accordingly, these changes announce the continuity and diversity of new situations in the future. while individuals and populations age, societies are affected by the characteristics and pace of aging. every culture, every time, and every historical age have their own aging patterns and create models of aging and old age. thus, gerontological research and practice in their multiple dimensions attempt to think and design new, more equitable, supportive, and less expensive strategies that should be accessible to a larger number of aging people. also, the efforts are aimed at developing the potential of the elderly so that they may remain active social agents. this implies working cooperatively in different areas towards a resignified identity for the elderly, their social inclusion, and a healthy and creative intergenerational coexistence.