Both the successful aging and productive aging literatures
attach great importance to activity. In the successful aging
paradigm, activity contributes positively to both physical
health and psychological well being. In the productive aging
paradigm, older people make contributions to society through
certain types of activities, notably gainful employment,
community service volunteering, informal assistance usually
within their families, and political participation. Less
attention has been given to the relationships among various
forms of productive activity. Various forms of activity may be
complementary or competitive. In other words, participation in
one form of productive activity may open doors to other forms of
productive activity. On the other hand, under some circumstances
participation in one form of activity because of its time
demands may tend to crowd out participation in other activities.
From the healthy aging perspective, questions can be asked about
the implications of type of activity for well