The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly transformed the organization of work in Europe, making telework a widespread and persistent reality. However, the implications of telework on job insecurity - in its quantitative and qualitative dimensions - remain insufficiently understood, particularly for older workers who are often more vulnerable to labor market risks. Relying on data from the 2021 European Working Conditions Survey, this study investigates the impact of telework and its intensity on perceived job insecurity among senior workers, comparing them to younger cohorts. Drawing from organizational psychology and labour market theories, this research hypothesizes that telework can exert both protective and risk-enhancing effects on job insecurity, depending on contextual and individual-level factors. On one hand, reduced visibility and fewer opportunities for informal interaction (“out of sight, out of mind”) may increase insecurity, especially in terms of career prospects. On the other hand, perceived productivity and autonomy may enhance workers’ sense of control, mitigating the risk of job loss. The study further explores the moderating role of perceived external employability and relational resources (e.g., managerial support, peer support, and quality of the supervisor-subordinate relationship), testing their ability to buffer or mediate the relationship between telework and insecurity perceptions. We employ regression models and mediation/moderation analyses to assess these dynamics, while also testing for generational differences. This research contributes to the debate on the dual nature of telework, emphasizing generational differences and policy implications to inform age-sensitive employment policies to better safeguard vulnerable groups in an increasingly digital labor market in Europe.

The progressive ageing of the Italian population represents one of the most significant and complex demographic phenomena of our time, with far-reaching implications for welfare systems, social relations, and individual life experiences. Within this scenario, gender emerges as a crucial dimension for understanding the different ways in which men and women experience later life, both in terms of objective living conditions and subjective perceptions of well-being. Numerous studies highlight how life courses, professional careers, family roles, and support networks affect men and women differently, leading to divergent outcomes in health, autonomy, and overall quality of life.

This paper presents a comparative analysis conducted in three Italian regions, Emilia-Romagna, Puglia, and Abruzzo, which, while sharing a common national context, differ in their socio-economic structures, demographic dynamics, and local welfare arrangements. The study focused on a set of indicators of quality of life in old age: perceived health, access to social and healthcare services, availability and quality of socio-cultural opportunities, housing conditions, social and cultural participation, access to informal support networks, and levels of relational and family satisfaction. Special attention was paid to the gender dimension, based on the assumption that it constitutes a key element for interpreting cumulative inequalities that unfold across the life course.

The findings reveal a nuanced picture: in Emilia-Romagna, characterised by a more developed territorial welfare system and broader service provision, significant gender differences still emerge, particularly in the realm of social and cultural participation. In Puglia, the strong centrality of family translates into dense support networks, yet these are heavily shaped by women’s roles, with ambivalent consequences for the quality of life of older women, who are often overburdened with caregiving responsibilities. In Abruzzo, community bonds and territorial cohesion are valuable resources, but they do not always suffice to offset infrastructural and service gaps, especially in inland areas.

The analysis confirms that ageing cannot be regarded as a gender-neutral process and that territorial differences play a substantial role in shaping both individual and collective experiences. The contribution aims to foster a critical reflection on the need for public policies and local welfare strategies that are more gender-sensitive and capable of enhancing social and community resources, with the ultimate goal of promoting equity and well-being in later life.

Italy’s rapidly ageing population is reshaping the demographic and socio-economic scenario of the Country, intensifying concerns about the sustainability and equity of its pension system. This study investigates the heterogeneity of pension beneficiaries across Italian provinces, with a particular focus on gender disparities and territorial inequalities. Using integrated data from the Italian National Institute of Statistics (Istat) and the National Institute for Social Security (INPS), the analysis covers 44 provincial-level indicators for 2023, spanning demographic structure, pension income, and labor market variables, many of which are gender-specific. The methodological framework combines Exploratory Data Analysis, Principal Component Analysis, and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (Ward’s method) to identify latent patterns and group provinces with similar profiles. Five distinct clusters emerge: (1) vulnerable provinces with low pension incomes and high gender imbalance; (2) provinces facing population ageing and low pension incomes; (3) well-established provinces with higher incomes but pronounced gender gaps; (4) provinces with ageing populations and high pension incomes; and (5) affluent metropolitan areas with the highest pension benefits. The findings face the traditional North-South divide, revealing unexpected spatial patterns and highlighting provinces that, while geographically distant, share similar socio-economic characteristics. The study highlights the need for context-sensitive and gender-aware policy interventions. It also points to the value of integrating additional individual-level and socio-demographic data to further refine analyses. These insights are crucial for policymakers aiming to address inequalities among older adults and ensure the long-term sustainability and fairness of Italy’s welfare system.

This study addresses workforce aging with the aims of: A) assessing its legal implications in our system and exploring countermeasures; B) examining age management in employment contracts as a means of active aging, analyzing its effects on employer obligations and older workers' rights.

To establish policies influencing employment demographics, the analysis covers female and youth employment and migration. On the subject of active ageing in the workplace, it investigates work solutions—supported by business organization, engineering, medicine, and other fields—that preserve older workers' skills, health, and well-being, focusing on professional development, skill maintenance, and health protection through ICTH tools.

As noted with concern by multiple sources, the world's population is rapidly aging. Among the challenges posed by the aging population is that of sustainability: primarily economic sustainability. The aging population indeed puts pressure on welfare systems, with more people needing medical care and pensions, in a context where states are grappling with a reduction in public spending. Demographic aging presents social and economic challenges that intertwine with another crisis, that related to climate change and, more generally, sustainable development.
In this essay, we discuss the relationship between environmental sustainability and population aging, focusing on a point often overlooked in the public and political debate on environmental sustainability. We refer to the perception of older generations regarding the issue of adopting ethical sustainable consumption practices and the implications this has for the development of awareness campaigns.
Initially, we show how the issue of demographic aging touches on the programmatic points outlined in the United Nations 2030 Agenda. Subsequently, we discuss the relationship between age and the perception of environmental sustainability in Italy, based on the results of a questionnaire administered to a representative sample of the Italian population (65-84 y/o; N=6000≈). In particular, we will analyze how socio-demographic variables, as well as different media consumption and the value placed on the theme of generational solidarity, can influence the adoption of such ecologically sustainable behaviors. Finally, we offer a concluding reflection on effective communication and awareness practices regarding environmental sustainability among older generations.

A long-standing body of research has examined the marriage-health link, increasingly adopting a life course perspective that considers marital trajectories rather than static statuses. These trajectories encompass four interrelated components – order, transition, duration, and timing – each of which may independently influence health. This study advances existing research by simultaneously analyzing these components and their associations on various health outcomes across a large set of countries. We leverage large-scale retrospective survey data from 18 European countries, the UK, and the US to empirically investigate the association between order, transitions, duration, and timing of marital biography and health risks in mid and late adulthood. We account for selection based on innate health and socioeconomic status during childhood. We assess the risk of poor health in terms of self-rated health, limitations in daily activities, severe depressive symptoms, and biomarkers of inflammation (C-reactive protein). Findings from OLS and Ridge regressions indicate that the relationship between marital biography components and health is highly contingent on the health dimension considered, being stronger for mental health and weaker for physical health. Overall, order and timing emerge as the most influential components of marital biographies. In particular, early marriage is consistently associated with health risks across all dimensions.