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How Kazakhstan's active longevity centers foster social connections among older adults
How Kazakhstan's active longevity centers foster social connections among older adults
We explain what it is and whether you can sign up your grandmas and grandpas for it.
The world’s population is aging rapidly. According to sociologists' forecasts, the number of older adults will reach 1.6 billion by 2050. Despite this trend, society shows little tolerance toward the older generation. Ageism, neglect, and intolerance are just a fraction of the issues elderly people face.
Becca Levy, a psychologist and researcher at Yale University, believes that the fear of aging arises when internal anxieties merge with social stigma. In the media, on social platforms, and in advertising campaigns, healthy representations of old age are virtually nonexistent—leaving people with nowhere to draw a positive vision of growing old.
The Voice Media explains how older Kazakhstanis are discovering active longevity centers, and why so little is known about them.
Becca Levy, a psychologist and researcher at Yale University, believes that the fear of aging arises when internal anxieties merge with social stigma. In the media, on social platforms, and in advertising campaigns, healthy representations of old age are virtually nonexistent—leaving people with nowhere to draw a positive vision of growing old.
The Voice Media explains how older Kazakhstanis are discovering active longevity centers, and why so little is known about them.
Active longevity centers in Kazakhstan are spaces where the older generation can not only stay physically active, but also develop new skills, maintain social ties, and improve their quality of life. These centers offer free programs—ranging from sports and fitness to cultural events and educational courses. Seniors get the opportunity to socialize, share their experience, learn modern technologies, and stay up to date with current trends.
For example, the Taldykorgan Active Longevity Center offers courses in financial and IT literacy, English, Kazakh, knitting, and sewing. Seniors have access to a gym, as well as classes in yoga, vocals, chess, checkers, and table tennis. The center’s administration has also arranged trips to a swimming pool. In the future, they plan to organize outdoor events and hikes, for which a 16-seater bus has already been acquired.
In Almaty, pensioners can consult gerontologists, psychologist-kinesiologists, and lawyers right at the center. They attend dance classes, are prescribed garden therapy, and learn memory-enhancement techniques. The capital's active longevity center has been caring for older adults since 2022. It is visited by over 10,000 seniors, with the oldest visitor being 92 years old. Classes in physical therapy (PT), yoga, qigong breathing exercises, aikune, kung fu, dancing, Nordic walking, and art therapy are specifically arranged for them.
Such centers exist in many cities across Kazakhstan. To find the one nearest to your apashkas and atashkas, we recommend searching "центр активного долголетия" (active longevity center) along with your city in search engines. Details about classes and schedules can be found at the center; visitors just need to bring their ID card and retirement card.
For example, the Taldykorgan Active Longevity Center offers courses in financial and IT literacy, English, Kazakh, knitting, and sewing. Seniors have access to a gym, as well as classes in yoga, vocals, chess, checkers, and table tennis. The center’s administration has also arranged trips to a swimming pool. In the future, they plan to organize outdoor events and hikes, for which a 16-seater bus has already been acquired.
In Almaty, pensioners can consult gerontologists, psychologist-kinesiologists, and lawyers right at the center. They attend dance classes, are prescribed garden therapy, and learn memory-enhancement techniques. The capital's active longevity center has been caring for older adults since 2022. It is visited by over 10,000 seniors, with the oldest visitor being 92 years old. Classes in physical therapy (PT), yoga, qigong breathing exercises, aikune, kung fu, dancing, Nordic walking, and art therapy are specifically arranged for them.
Such centers exist in many cities across Kazakhstan. To find the one nearest to your apashkas and atashkas, we recommend searching "центр активного долголетия" (active longevity center) along with your city in search engines. Details about classes and schedules can be found at the center; visitors just need to bring their ID card and retirement card.
Today, Kazakhstan is in the early stages of demographic aging. Approximately 1.5 million people over the age of 65 live in Kazakhstan, accounting for 7.8% of the total population. Crucially, support measures, specialized programs, and assistance for older adults remain concentrated in major cities, while their implementation in rural areas and small towns leaves significant cause for concern. At the same time, there is a fundamental issue: a lack of a systematic, comprehensive approach from state institutions to address the needs of retirees through a unified program operating directly on their behalf. As a result, current initiatives tend to be formal and fragmented.
The situation is further worsened by stereotypes and a general lack of interest in the status of older adults as a distinct vulnerable group. For instance, media headlines such as "Kazakhstani Old Folks Have Grown Happier and Wealthier Over the Last 10 Years" can still be found. "Old folks," "lonely," and "forgotten" are the typical epithets media outlets routinely use to describe this age bracket. The problem goes deeper: despite endless talk about the importance of giving attention to retirees, they are provided with virtually no social services to help them seamlessly adapt and realize their potential amid today's fast-paced global changes.
According to WHO data, older adults contribute to society as family members and community members, with many volunteering and continuing to work. Yet, they often face limited mobility, chronic pain, dementia, or other health challenges—and as people age, they are more likely to experience multiple conditions simultaneously. Social isolation and loneliness, affecting roughly a quarter of older adults, stand out as key risk factors for mental health disorders later in life.
The situation is further worsened by stereotypes and a general lack of interest in the status of older adults as a distinct vulnerable group. For instance, media headlines such as "Kazakhstani Old Folks Have Grown Happier and Wealthier Over the Last 10 Years" can still be found. "Old folks," "lonely," and "forgotten" are the typical epithets media outlets routinely use to describe this age bracket. The problem goes deeper: despite endless talk about the importance of giving attention to retirees, they are provided with virtually no social services to help them seamlessly adapt and realize their potential amid today's fast-paced global changes.
According to WHO data, older adults contribute to society as family members and community members, with many volunteering and continuing to work. Yet, they often face limited mobility, chronic pain, dementia, or other health challenges—and as people age, they are more likely to experience multiple conditions simultaneously. Social isolation and loneliness, affecting roughly a quarter of older adults, stand out as key risk factors for mental health disorders later in life.