Virpi Timonen critically examines the two most prevalent approaches to ageing in the field of gerontology – successful ageing and active ageing. Through a thorough analysis of these approaches to ageing, the author identifies the commonalities within these and other similar approaches (positive ageing, health ageing or productive ageing) and formulates her theory of model ageing. The theory of model ageing, which is first introduced as ‘a new theory of meso-level dynamics in ageing societies where particular sets of policy and marketing scripts are supposed to shape the lives of other people’ (p. 5), is then clearly articulated in ten postulates. These postulates elaborate the causes and consequences of modelling normative prescriptions on how to age well; the causes lie mostly in the self-interest of three groups (academics, policy makers and businesses) and the consequences in increasing individual responsibilities and inequalities in later life.
In the second chapter, Timonen charts the development of the concept of successful ageing, which ‘was initially an attempt to counter negative stereotypes and ageism by demonstrating that ageing well is possible’ (p. 14). Then, she elaborates the problems of successful ageing that have emerged over time: many opposing definitions, inappropriate broadness of the concept, a central assumption of individual control and easy commodification, amongst others. The next chapter introduces the concept of active ageing, which is basically successful ageing translated into the policy of the United Nations, the European Union and other international bodies. Active ageing is present in specific policy documents and recommendations and helps to formulate a ‘proper’ way of ageing. The concept has similar weaknesses to successful ageing – for instance, an emphasis on individual agency and the neglect of structural conditions.
The second part of the book capitalises on the in-depth evaluation of both successful and active ageing, and abstracts their essence into a theory by placing model ageing and anti-model ageing as two ideal types. Ageing according to the expectations of successful and active ageing represents model ageing, and ageing in contrast to these expectations characterises anti-model ageing. The author then conducts a thought experiment to theorise why some older adults adhere to model ageing even in an unrewarding context and why some deviate from it despite a supportive policy context, and finally, she ponders the types of individuals that comprise these two groups. As a result, the theory developed by Virpi Timonen is interpretive and consists of the set of ten postulates, which can be empirically tested in further stages. The theory of model ageing (which is more a critique of it) can be summarised as follows: (a) model ageing is constructed by social groups with their own interests; (b) model ageing assumes individual agency and does not account for structural constrains; and (c) the derived policies address mostly better-off older people, who already ‘age well’, and thus, model ageing increases the inequalities accumulated over the lifecourse (pp. 95–6).
Timonen has performed well in analysing a respectable number of resources and shown that she is an expert in this field. The structure of the book is clear and logical, and the text is written in a comprehensible manner. The main points are summarised at the end of each chapter and at the end of the book. Therefore, this monograph can be approached by various types of audiences due to the possibility of reading just a part of the text relevant for a given reader.
Although the author makes some strong arguments and relevant critiques, there are some weaknesses in the text. While Timonen analyses or at least mentions a list of approaches that characterise the process of ageing through either disengagement from activities or ongoing intensive social participation, she does not mention the theories of ageing compatible with her own thoughts, such as continuity theory, the lifecourse approach or the ecological model. I agree with Timonen that successful ageing and active ageing are the most influential concepts for both gerontological research and the life of older adults. However, rather than discarding such approaches, I would have preferred to see proposed changes in existing concepts and theories. Do we really need the new theory of model ageing, which serves mostly as a critique of existing theories? This ambitious choice may even strengthen the fragmentation of the research field, which Timonen herself criticises.
Overall, this book addresses the topic of ageing in a concise, well-structured and comprehensive way. The concepts of successful ageing and active ageing have been criticised repeatedly from several points of view. However, a book format enables Timonen to analyse the concepts in a more complex manner. Thus, my primary critical remarks concern the lack of strong recommendations for solutions to the challenge of population ageing or the omission of some important theoretical approaches in the field. Furthermore, the author insufficiently reflects upon her social democratic stance, which is just as contextual as the neoliberal grounding of the concept of successful ageing. Nevertheless, Timonen makes an important contribution suitable for a potentially broad readership and offers solid grounding for an alternative approach to ageing, which could be further developed by her or colleagues from the field of gerontology.
