Marginalised groups of older people remain neglected in positive health and ageing (PHA) agendas, whether they concern healthy or active ageing concepts. Questions exist around the meaning of such constructs and the factors that enable disadvantaged populations to achieve equitable later-life experiences. Focusing on two such groups in Ireland, this study investigates the constituent dimensions of PHA for older Irish Travellers and older people who have experienced homelessness and the role of life-course and structural determinants in constructing PHA trajectories for these groups. The study involves a qualitative, participatory voice-led methodology, with analysis based on 49 in-depth life-course interviews with people aged 50 years and over from the two populations. Five interconnected dimensions of PHA are identified and presented. Four determinants related to life-course experiences and structural factors are identified as contributing to these dimensions: social relations, material and accommodation circumstances, formal supports and systems, and critical transitions and resilience. While illustrating the validity of PHA agendas for these groups when understood through their lived experiences, the findings highlight the significant deprivations and risks to rights that must be accounted for to secure meaningful gains in PHA for the groups.

In Switzerland, as in many other European states, there is an increasing emphasis in public policy on promoting later retirement from the labour market. But this accelerating drive in Swiss policy-making to extend occupational activity does not mean that every worker is currently likely to retire late, nor does it imply that all those who do retire late do so voluntarily. This article uses a life-course approach, first to study the determinants of late retirement, and secondly to analyse whether the decision to postpone retirement is made voluntarily or involuntarily. Both objectives are addressed on the basis of data from the Swiss survey Vivre/Leben/Vivere. The results of logistic regression modelling indicate that, whereas self-employed and more highly educated individuals are more likely to retire late, people with access to private pension funds and workers who have benefited from periods of economic growth have a lower tendency to retire late. Regarding voluntariness, those who are more likely to opt for voluntary late retirement tend to be Swiss citizens, more highly educated, and also benefited from periods of economic expansion, while the self-employed, men and widowed individuals leaving the labour market late tend to do so involuntarily. In conclusion, the article discusses the absence of a social inequality debate in the design of active ageing policies.