Introduction
Aging has become a global phenomenon in recent years [1]. Iran is the second country in the world in terms of the growth in the aged population. Providing care for the growing aged population is one of the most important challenges in Iran [3]. In this regard, different countries use “active aging” to manage the negative consequences of population aging [7]. An essential but often overlooked element in proper planning for this purpose is the time spent identifying barriers [11]. It is necessary to examine the views of all beneficiaries, including experts, program executives, and seniors [8]. Since the formulation of the active aging program is based on the knowledge of barriers and facilitators from the perspective of the beneficiaries, this study aims to survey the perceptions of older people and experts about the factors that prevent and facilitate active aging in Iran.

Methods
This is a qualitative study using the conventional content analysis method that was conducted in 2022 on older people in Isfahan City and experts in the field of geriatrics affiliated to medical universities of Guilan, Tehran, Isfahan and Tabriz. Entry criteria for the elderly were: age over 60 years, ability to understand concepts and participate in interviews, no cognitive disease, no hearing and speech problems, no physical disabilities for self-care, no any mental disabilities, no hospitalization, and willingness to participate in the research. Inclusion criteria for experts were: being an expert in geriatrics, willingness to participate in the study, and having at least two years of work experience in geriatrics. In this regard, 41 participants (20 older adults and 21 experts) were selected using a purposive sampling method with maximum diversity. Data collection was done using semi-structured in-depth interviews (face-to-face, virtually using the TeamLink application, or through phone) and two focus group sessions. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim and entered into the MAXQDA 2020 software. Graneheim and Lundman’s approach was used to analyze the contents. 
The validity of the findings was investigated based on the credibility, dependability, confirmability, and transferability criteria. To determine credibility, there was a continuous engagement with the research subject and data. Corrective feedback from experts was used for the process of interviews and data analysis. The contents of the interviews, extracted codes, and sub-categories were shared with some participants (3 seniors and 3 experts) and those involved in qualitative research. To determine dependability, all the activities carried out, including the work steps and the type of obtained data, were carefully recorded. To determine confirmability, the content of some interviews, extracted codes, and categories were given to colleagues and two professors familiar with the qualitative analysis method, and they were asked to check the accuracy of the data coding process. To determine transferability, an attempt was made to provide the possibility of tracking and evaluating the applicability of the data for others by a clear, accurate, and purposeful description of the research process and steps and the characteristics of the study population.

Results
During data analysis, 612 codes, 120 categories, 24 sub-themes, and 8 main themes were extracted. There were 4 main themes for barriers to active aging, including individual, family, structural, and health system-related barriers. The individual barriers included the sub-themes of physical disability, psychological disorders, self-neglect, lack of knowledge, and communication problems. The family-related barriers included the sub-themes of mistreatment of the elderly and family transition. The structural barriers included the sub-themes of economic crisis, social challenges, environmental insecurity, and cultural problems. The health system-related barriers included the sub-themes of inefficient human resources, inappropriate response in providing services, and mismanagement.
The 4 main themes for the facilitators of active aging included the elderly’s existential capacity, the family capacity, the community capacity, and the health system capacity. The elderly’s existential capacity included the sub-themes of having leisure time, feeling of self-efficacy, source of experience, and tendency to collective activities. The family capacity included the sub-themes of family support and having empathy with the elderly. The community capacity included the sub-themes of potential social resources and traditions. The health system capacity included the sub-themes of “commitment of the health system to the health of the elderly” and “valid upstream documents”.

Conclusion
This study identified some barriers and facilitators of active aging in Iran. The health system-related barrier was reported as one of the barriers to active aging, which needs to receive attention and be addressed for active aging planning. The results of this study provide valuable information for the experts in geriatrics, researchers, and elderly care centers in Iran to identify the inhibiting factors and facilitators of active aging and develop intervention programs for its improvement. More studies are recommended to identify effective solutions to remove barriers and strengthen the facilitators of active aging in Iran.

Ethical Considerations
Compliance with ethical guidelines
The present study was approved by the Research Ethics Committees of Nursing, Rehabilitation, and Management schools of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (No.: IR.MUI.NUREMA.REC.1400.131).

Funding
The present study is part of the PhD dissertation of Shahla Ayoubi-Mahani, approved by Department of Community Health Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (Code: 3400354) and was supported by the Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.

Authors' contributions
Data collection: Shahla Ayoubi-Mahani; Report of the findings: Shahla Ayoubi-Mahani and Ziba Farajzadegan; Drafting the manuscript; Maryam Eghbali-Babadi; Final approval: All authors.

Conflicts of interest
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the Vice Chancellor for Research of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and all the participants for their valuable cooperation in this study. 

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