ACTIVE AGEING IN THE EU 27: HOW TO OVERCOME DIGITAL (LANGUAGE) DIVIDE

Čanji, Evelin; Marošević, Katarina; Papa, Dubravka

doi:10.25234/dosd/39220

Child and Family in Contemporary Society, Vol. 3 No. 1, 2026.

Review article

ACTIVE AGEING IN THE EU 27: HOW TO OVERCOME DIGITAL (LANGUAGE) DIVIDE

Evelin Čanji orcid.org/0009-0007-9788-3135
Katarina Marošević orcid.org/0000-0002-8727-130X ; Faculty of Law, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, S. Radica 13, 31 000 Osijek, Croatia
Dubravka Papa orcid.org/0009-0004-5577-0886 ; Faculty of Law, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, S. Radica 13, 31 000 Osijek, Croatia

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APA 6th Edition

Čanji, E., Marošević, K. & Papa, D. (2026). ACTIVE AGEING IN THE EU 27: HOW TO OVERCOME DIGITAL (LANGUAGE) DIVIDE. Dijete i obitelj u suvremenom društvu, 3 (1), 9-32. https://doi.org/10.25234/dosd/39220

MLA 8th Edition

Čanji, Evelin, et al. "ACTIVE AGEING IN THE EU 27: HOW TO OVERCOME DIGITAL (LANGUAGE) DIVIDE." Dijete i obitelj u suvremenom društvu, vol. 3, no. 1, 2026, pp. 9-32. https://doi.org/10.25234/dosd/39220. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

Chicago 17th Edition

Čanji, Evelin, Katarina Marošević and Dubravka Papa. "ACTIVE AGEING IN THE EU 27: HOW TO OVERCOME DIGITAL (LANGUAGE) DIVIDE." Dijete i obitelj u suvremenom društvu 3, no. 1 (2026): 9-32. https://doi.org/10.25234/dosd/39220

Harvard

Čanji, E., Marošević, K., and Papa, D. (2026). 'ACTIVE AGEING IN THE EU 27: HOW TO OVERCOME DIGITAL (LANGUAGE) DIVIDE', Dijete i obitelj u suvremenom društvu, 3(1), pp. 9-32. https://doi.org/10.25234/dosd/39220

Vancouver

Čanji E, Marošević K, Papa D. ACTIVE AGEING IN THE EU 27: HOW TO OVERCOME DIGITAL (LANGUAGE) DIVIDE. Dijete i obitelj u suvremenom društvu [Internet]. 2026 [cited 2026 July 25];3(1):9-32. https://doi.org/10.25234/dosd/39220

IEEE

E. Čanji, K. Marošević and D. Papa, "ACTIVE AGEING IN THE EU 27: HOW TO OVERCOME DIGITAL (LANGUAGE) DIVIDE", Dijete i obitelj u suvremenom društvu, vol.3, no. 1, pp. 9-32, 2026. [Online]. https://doi.org/10.25234/dosd/39220

Abstract

Contemporary European societies are facing a growing ratio of older people within the overall demographic structure of the European Union, a trend affecting societal changes in aspects of personal, family and social life with shifts in individual needs related to healthcare and social welfare services, transformations in cultural and social participation, and significant transitions in family structures. In order to maintain quality of life, older people can remain engaged, healthy and socially connected through active ageing, while fostering intergenerational relationships. However, in light of contemporary social and technological developments, such outcomes are difficult to achieve without digital literacy. Access to digital technologies and skills required to use them have become key prerequisites for sustaining active ageing. Beyond their instrumental value, digital technologies represent a major civilisational achievement and a significant source of opportunities for both individuals and societies. The aim of this paper is twofold: (a) to analyse population ageing in Croatia in comparison with other EU27 countries, and to examine the Active Ageing Index (AAI) across the EU27 using the most recent available data (AAI 2018); and (b) to provide a theoretical analysis of the economic and social challenges associated with active ageing, with particular emphasis on the digital (linguistic) divide as a key contemporary challenge for older people. Rather than treating digital and linguistic exclusion as an additional or peripheral issue, the paper conceptualises it as a cross-cutting structural factor that shapes participation, inclusion, and policy outcomes in the context of active ageing. The analysis is situated within the broader framework of the Sustainable Development Goals.