“老有所为”是我国积极应对人口老龄化的一项主动策略，又融入了深具地方特色的解读框架。在上海，处于“初老期”的老年人占比较高，他们具有良好的教育资源禀赋和健康状况，是未被挖掘的重要人力资源储备。上海60—69岁组的低龄老年人口规模约由1990年的115.1万增长为2020年的341.4万，占老年人比例超过60%。60—64岁老人中受教育程度为高中及以上的占比从1990年的9.6%增长为2020年的50%。上海市老年人的预期寿命和健康预期寿命都稳居全国领先位置，60岁男性老人的余寿从1990年的21.35岁增长为2020年的24.71岁，健康预期寿命则由18.55岁增长为21.61岁。但是，同一时期，上海就业老年人的规模从29.6万下降为19.7万，其比例从5.45%下降为3.46%，这也反映出老年人参与社会经济活动的多样性不足。尽管“老有所为”的观念深植人心，但在社会认知、权益保障和就业机会等方面仍面临困境，需要多措并举来推动这一理念的深化和实践。为此，促进“老有所为”观念在社会范围的广泛接受，建立健全法治保障系统，以及提高参与形式的多样性，构成了激活和开发老年人才资源，进而创造银发经济增量的有效举措。

“Productive engagement in later life” serves as a proactive approach to addressing the challenges of an aging population in China through strategies deeply rooted in the local context. Shanghai has a large population of the early-old aged who are well-educated and in good health. This group represents a considerable potential for the development of human resources. The population aged 60-69 has swelled from 1,151,000 in 1990 to 3,414,000 in 2020, accounting for more than 60% of elderly people. Back in 1990, only 9.6% of people aged 60-64 had received a high school education or beyond, but by 2020, this figure had soared to more than 50%. Both the life expectancy and healthy life expectancy of the elderly in Shanghai are in the leading position in the country. The remaining life expectancy of 60-year-old men has increased from 21.35 years in 1990 to 24.71 years in 2020, and the healthy life expectancy has increased from 18.55 years to 21.61 years in the meantime. However, the employment rate among the elderly has dropped from 5.45% to just 3.46%, with 296,000 working older adults in 1990 and 197,000 in 2020. Additionally, the range of their social engagement has been somewhat limited. Although the idea of “productive engagement in later life” is deeply rooted, it is still facing some difficulties in terms of social cognition, rights protection, job opportunities, and so on. Multiple measures should be taken to promote the deepening and practice of this concept. The promotion of the idea “productive engagement in later life” in the wide acceptance of the society, the establishment of a sound legal protection system, and the improvement of the diversity of participation forms constitute effective measures to activate and develop senior talent resources, and then create silver economic growth.