Life Course, Social Vulnerability, and Aging: A Conceptual Proposal from Community Neuropsychology

Abstract

Aging is shaped by the interaction of social, environmental, and neurocognitive conditions that generate differentiated trajectories across the life course. This article proposes a conceptual model that positions the life project as an articulating axis between social vulnerability, community opportunities, goal-directed behavior, and neurocognitive functioning in later life. It is proposed that building, sustaining, and reorienting life projects may foster participation, learning, cognitive stimulation, and executive functioning, constituting a potential pathway for promoting healthy aging. From a community neuropsychology perspective, the interaction between neurocognitive capacities and context is emphasized.