Does nursing have a contribution to make to the silver economy?

Abstract Aim To discuss the possible contribution of nurses to the Silver Economy. Background Older people constitute a growing sector of the population of developed countries and there is increasing interest in the concept of the Silver Economy which is the contribution older people can and do make to the general economies of their communities and countries. Sources of evidence We obtained a range of relevant documents from international organisations and related academic literature. Discussion There is a range of interrelated health promotion aspects of ageing related to physical health, mental health and cognitive health. Promoting activities related to these could have both direct and indirect impact on the economy in addition to improving the health and well‐being of older people. Conclusions Nurses have a responsibility to understand the health promotion related aspects of ageing and the contribution they can make to improving the health and well‐being of older people. Nurses could, specifically, promote activities amongst older people that will have an impact on health and on the economy. Implications for nursing Nurses need to integrate more health promotion related aspects of ageing into their practice and to be able to evaluate the health‐related improvements they make and also to evaluate and indicate the contribution this makes to the health of older people and to the economy.