Abstract

GUTIERREZ CUELLAR, Paola Carmina. What Aging? The public problem of old aged in Mexico City. Iztapalapa. Rev. cienc. soc. humanid. [online]. 2019, vol.40, n.87, pp.143-174.  Epub Nov 20, 2019. ISSN 2007-9176.  https://doi.org/10.28928/ri/872019/aot1/gutierrezcuellarp.

The objective of this research is to find the vision of old age that is built from public policies and programs of elderly. The case of Mexico City is taken because it is the state unit with the greatest progress in public attention to old aged. A qualitative and documentary methodology is used to review the documents of the public programs developed by the government of Mexico City, as well as the main results in the application and impact of the policy. The main results indicate that the construction of the public problem and its treatment mainly consider old age as a stage where only poverty and limited access to resources are experienced. On the other hand, we find that there is still a tension between two dominant paradigms: a vision of passive aging that deserves attention of a more assistance nature, and the other view of active and healthy aging that implies a rights perspective.

Keywords : perceptions of old age; social programs; alimentary pension; rights of the elderly; aid policies.