Role perceptions and willingness to engage among older adults in the context of active aging: a qualitative study in Dalian, China.

Abstract

Population aging presents profound societal challenges worldwide. Social participation is a core pillar of active aging and a key determinant of health and wellbeing in later life. However, a persistent gap remains between the theoretical recognition of older adults as social resources and their actual level of engagement. This study explored role perceptions, willingness for social engagement, and related influences among urban older adults in China, aiming to inform strategies that promote productive and active aging. A descriptive qualitative study, underpinned by a constructivist paradigm, was conducted in Dalian, a super-aged coastal city in China. Between March and June 2025, 22 community-dwelling young-old adults (aged 60-74 years) were recruited through purposive sampling. Data were collected via semi-structured, in-depth interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological method, with the support of NVivo 14.0 software. Four interconnected themes emerged, capturing the essence of participants' experiences: (1) tensions in identity and value-navigating self-perception, societal expectations, and the paradox of satisfaction; (2) heterogeneous readiness for engagement, with preferences rooted in life-course experiences; (3) a multi-level ecosystem of drivers and barriers spanning individual, family, organizational, socio-cultural, and institutional levels; and (4) participant-derived strategies for enabling engagement through coordinated action across government, community, market, and family. Older adults represent a willing yet heterogeneous social resource. Their engagement potential is constrained by tension between proactive self-perceptions and restrictive societal expectations, alongside multi-level systemic barriers. Translating willingness into sustained action requires targeted, multi-stakeholder interventions that align with their diverse readiness states and life-course-rooted preferences. Such efforts are essential for advancing healthy and active aging.