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Purpose Ageing is a complex phenomenon that should be studied in a multidisciplinary approach examining the biological, psychological, and social determinants in it. There is a lack of understanding of how social factors contribute to a better and healthier way of ageing. Based on previous studies social factors have a more essential role in ageing successfully. These factors have a significant influence on mental and physical health as well. The present review aims to collect the most researched social factors related to successful ageing and to examine the associations revealed between social factors and successful ageing. Materials/Methods We conducted a systematic review by the guidelines of the PRISMA statements. We examined the studies included by using a qualitative synthesis to identify the most important social factors and their role in successful ageing. Results In total, 18 original articles published in English between 2015 and 2020 were included in the review. The examined social factors related to successful ageing can be classified into four categories: Social engagement/participation, Social support, Social integration/network, and Socio-demographic/Socioeconomic factors. Social factors are modifiable and protective determinants, they could eliminate the negative effects of psychological factors while modifying the effects of physical determinants of ageing at the same time. Conclusions Our results have implications for future studies, as successful ageing should be examined in a multidimensional way. They should provide further evidence for the mediating/moderating importance of social factors which also have relevance in practice. Social factors could provide a quality life for years to come.

The reablement approach is becoming a popular social and health-care model in many Western countries, providing support strategies for older people experiencing impairment. Reablement programmes have been criticised for a lack of theories, explicating the understanding of the problem that it is intended to address,i.e. ageing and impairment in old age. We need to discuss the inherent theories in intervention programmes to question taken-for-granted assumptions about not only what works, but also how these assumptions affect the sociocultural models of ageing. Theories on successful ageing have been suggested as underpinning reablement. This article aims to present and discuss theories of successful ageing compared to key principles, components and outcomes in reablement. A medical and epidemiological, a psychological and a sociocultural theoretical approach to successful ageing are included. Contemporary reablement programmes mirror medical and psychological theories of successful ageing, including models of ageing that are associated with continuity, optimisation, selection, individuality and goal orientation. Most reablement programmes do not address sociocultural perspectives on ageing. As older people experience impairment in a pertinent liminality within and between the sociocultural values of the third and fourth age, it is important for reablement programmes and practice to consider the theoretical assumptions and underpinning theories of ageing and how to help older people balance between optimising capacity and accepting losses in their everyday life.

With the decline of the joint family system, middle class older adults in urban India are increasingly relying on the Self-Care approach as later-life care arrangements. In particular, these older adults are relying on the market for their everyday physical and emotional care needs. Applying the North American Successful Ageing model and the political economy and consumer culture of ageing framework, the present study highlights how the market is creating a new imagination of growing old in urban India. Additionally, through qualitative interviews, the study demonstrates how perceptions regarding the ageing body among middle class older adults in urban India are gradually transforming. Finally, the study indicates how with changing filial and intergenerational ties, familial care is being replaced by the market.

Older adults 75 and above are a fast-growing segment of the population. However, few studies have investigated what it means to age successfully from their perspective. This group of older adults face challenges that might characteristically differ from younger older adults. Therefore, the aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the perspectives of older adults aged 75 and above regarding what it means to age successfully and to summarise the findings through a narrative synthesis. We also aimed to provide a snapshot of inhibitors and facilitators to achieve successful ageing. A systematic review of the 75+ older adults’ perspectives was conducted across PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science and PsycINFO. Qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods original peer-reviewed studies were included. After reviewing 4,661 articles, 15 articles met the inclusion criteria and 15 themes were identified. They ranged from biomedical components such as physical functioning to psychosocial components such as relationships, reflections on life and past experiences, preparations for death and environmental factors. The findings revealed that as people age, their definition of successful ageing changes, expanding the current conceptualisation of successful ageing by including additional factors that can act as facilitators and/or inhibitors, such as death and environmental factors. The findings also highlight the need for further research on theory development by considering age-related differences and the perspectives of under-studied populations.

This scoping review will aim to inform a deeper understanding of the varied experiences of ageing in place for older adults in Australia and New Zealand. The review will evaluate older adults’ experiences of ageing in place as well as their understanding of and expectations of ageing in place. The review will also look at how ageing in place affects older adults’ mental health, life satisfaction, wellbeing, and overall ability to adapt well to ageing. This protocol will follow the process outlined by the Joanna Briggs Institute Methods Manual for Scoping Reviews as well as guidelines published by Arksey and O’Malley. Findings will be reported using the guidelines provided in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). The search will include three electronic databases: CINAL, PsychINFO and Medline. Reference list searching will be conducted to reduce the possibility of missed literature. Papers will be restricted to those published in English that have been peer reviewed. Grey literature will not be included. The authors will extract themes and concepts to establish where the current literature stands and to identify research gaps and directions for future research and policy.

This study aimed to determine the impact of community sense, depression and interpersonal needs on attitude towards ageing among older adults. This is a cross-sectional and correlational study. From December 2018 to June 2019, 211 community-dwelling older adults from a mid-sized city in Korea participated in the study. The results showed a significant interpersonal needs path from depression and community sense to attitude towards ageing. When interpersonal needs were mediated, the indirect effect of both depression and community sense on attitude towards ageing was significant. Interpersonal needs had a significant mediating effect on the relationships between attitude towards ageing and community sense and depression. The results of this study showed the effects of socio-psychological factors on attitude towards ageing, which is a known indicator of successful ageing and quality of life improvement in older adults. Based on this study, we suggest that the development of programs to promote successful ageing should include strategies to improve community sense, interpersonal needs fulfilment and interventions to reduce depression.

The purpose of this study is to explore the lived experiences of older adults who have been performing Korean traditional dance as volunteers. Thirteen volunteer dancers participated in in-depth in...

As populations age, it is critical to understand how psycho-social wellbeing supports successful ageing. The health sector is increasingly asking how best to improve social connection and affective state because of their positive influence on overall health. Choral participation has been proposed as a particularly effective way to improve socio-emotional wellbeing, due to benefits of music exposure, social opportunities, and the act of singing. It may be, however, that improvements in wellbeing are also dependent on individual attitudes towards participation, including preference, motivation, and exercising agency. There is a need for studies that account for the influence of choice and preference as they may predict benefits for wellbeing. Findings are presented here from a quasi-experimental study exploring whether choral participation yields greater benefits for wellbeing in the long term (seven months) than does participation in an exercise group that shares some of the nonspecific characteristics of choirs such as social interaction and exposure to music. Emotional wellbeing increased for both groups, while there was a small but significant decrease in mental wellbeing for both groups between the first and second time points; no other statistically significant changes were observed. Analysis of qualitative data indicated that members of choirs found the act of singing to be intrinsically rewarding, while members of exercise groups relied instead on the benefits of social interaction to keep them committed to an exercise regime; however, themes such as the importance of social connection, confidence, improved mental and emotional state, and overall improved wellbeing were common to both groups. Effects on the wellbeing of the members of the two kinds of group did not differ significantly despite differences in their self-reported motivation for joining and participating. No changes were observed in measures of social connection or empathy across the length of the study.

Due to the increase in the older population in Europe and associated rise in the absolute number of persons with Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), it is becoming increasingly important to find ways to promote healthy ageing, which is defined as the process of developing and maintaining the functional ability that enables well-being in older age. Older persons with NCDs can have complex care needs due to the increased risk of frailty, multimorbidity, and polypharmacy. However, current health systems in Europe often provide fragmented care for older people with NCDs; many receive disjointed care from numerous specialists or via different levels of care. In the current article, we discuss barriers and challenges in implementing integrated care models in European settings for older NCD patients. Specifically, we discuss the need for greater use of case managers in the care and treatment persons with complex care needs as well as the lack of training and education in healthcare professionals on topics related to multimorbidity, frailty, and polypharmacy. We discuss the limitations that arise from the current focus on disease-specific guidelines and care models that do not take comorbid conditions into account, and the lack of good quality evidence that evaluates the effectiveness of integrated care interventions, especially in European health settings. We highlight the importance of evaluating and monitoring mental health in conjunction with somatic symptoms in NCD patients and discuss the integral role of information and communication technology in healthcare to streamline integrated care processes and help to achieve better outcomes for patients.

The promotion of successful ageing (SA) has become a strategy. But there has been little examination of the dimensions that are associated with SA from an integrative perspective that takes into account potential particularities among indigenous older adults. This study explores the predictors of SA for a sample of 800 older Chilean adults. The results show that demographic, health and psychosocial variables are associated with SA, with resilience being of particular note. The findings of this study underline the importance of assessing SA, using multidimensional approaches and emphasising heterogeneity and the particularities of indigenous cultural contexts.

The notion of successful ageing has been one of the most successful but also one of the most controversial concepts of ageing research over the last 60 years. Attempts to uncover the secret of successful ageing have often resembled something like a quest for the Golden Fleece. And that quest continues within contemporary gerontology—so far with no end in sight. As shown in this introductory chapter, human history is full of strivings to live a youthful life without end. Still, controversies over successful ageing continue. In the following chapters of the book various conceptual models are analysed, and strategies and interventions for successful ageing discussed.

From a biological perspective, ageing is generally considered as a downhill phase of life, with a progressive decline in physiological functionality and an increase in the chances of chronic diseases and death. The onset of this phase of life does not start with birth because the early phase of life is a constructive phase of growth, development, maturation, and reproduction. Ageing sets in and happens progressively, exponentially, and intrinsically in the period of survival beyond the naturally evolved essential lifespan of a species. Ageing can be defined as a progressive shrinkage of the homeodynamic space having the fundamental characteristics of stress tolerance, damage control, and constant remodelling. Biologically successful ageing thus implies maintaining, recovering, or even enhancing those abilities that support survival and health in the framework of homeodynamic space.

The concept of successful ageing has instigated the imagination of laypeople, policy stakeholders, and researchers because it offers an alternative to gloomy stereotypes of decline, disability, and dependence commonly associated with old age. Successful ageing proposes an opportunity to transition smoothly from middle-life into old age, with none of the negative stereotypes commonly associated with old age. However, this opportunity comes at a price. This chapter aims to describe and illustrate the ageist features inherited in the concept of successful ageing and its negative, unintended consequences on older people and society at large. The chapter also describes how other- and self-directed ageism may prevent people from ageing successfully. Recommendations for concept refinement and policy are discussed.

Individual strategies are necessary for successful ageing. Three of the models discussed in the previous chapter—the pragmatic, hedonic, and eudaimonic models—put particular emphasis on individuals’ striving to reach their desired endpoints: to be fit, autonomous and engaged; to be happy; or to be wise, respectively. Nevertheless, the primary responsibility for successful ageing lies mainly in the hands of the individual, although external factors may be in place to support the individual’s effort to age successfully. At present, ageing research has focused to a large extent on individual strategies and resources for successful to the individual level. The main results from ageing research are discussed in this chapter.

BACKGROUND Physical activity (PA) is important for healthy ageing. Nonetheless, recommended PA guidelines from the World Health Organization are not met by many older adults. To increase PA, influencing factors have been investigated. But it is still unknown how the onset or disappearance of pain within an individual is associated with different PA intensities in older men and women. METHOD We used longitudinal data from the nationwide representative German Ageing Survey, waves 2014 and 2017 (analytical sample, n = 6194, 45% women). PA was assessed with questions on low, moderate, and vigorous PA per week and converted into metabolic equivalent of task (MET) values. Pain was dichotomized from a 5-point scale into no pain versus some pain. The association between the onset or disappearance of pain from 2014 to 2017 on total, vigorous, moderate, and low PA was investigated using sex stratified asymmetric fixed effects models. RESULTS The onset of pain in older men (s = 977.84, P = 0.041), and the disappearance of pain in older women (s = 1531.69, P = 0.025), were associated with increased total PA. The results for men were driven by increases in vigorous (s = 592.62, P = 0.035) PA, while the change in women was driven by low (s = 242.16, P = 0.020) and moderate (s = 496.48, P = 0.034) PA intensities. However, the observed differences between men and women were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION The divergent associations between the onset and disappearance of pain and PA, driven by different PA intensities in men and women, suggest the existence of factors such as PA intensity influencing the association.

Background The strategy of successful ageing is an important means to deal with the challenges of the current ageing society. This paper aims to explore the effects of different intensities of physical activity on the successful ageing of the elderly. Methods Our data were from wave 4 of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS), involving 9026 residents aged 60 years and older. The intensity of physical activity was divided into three levels: vigorous, moderate and mild. The concept of successful ageing adopted a four-dimensional model of life satisfaction added to the theoretical model of Rowe and Kahn’s. Propensity score matching (PSM) with controlling nine confounding factors were used to analyse the effects of different intensities of physical activity. Results The percentage of successful ageing was 1.88% among all subjects. Among them, 30.26, 29.57 and 29.40% of the elderly often participated in vigorous, moderate and mild physical activity, respectively. The results of PSM showed that participation in moderate activity increased the probability of successful ageing of the elderly by 0.76–0.78% (P P > 0.05). Moderate physical activity had statistically significant effects on four components of successful aging, including major disease, physical function, life satisfaction, and social participation (P Conclusion Moderate-intensity physical activity was most beneficial to the successful ageing of the elderly and should be promoted in the elderly population.

Master athletes are genuine examples of successful ageing thanks to their capacity of maintaining a high level of sports performance during their entire life. Within the last decade many studies have focused on the evolution of performance in many sports with ageing, as well as on the training modalities to reach such performance. On the contrary, there is a paucity of data on the nutritional habits of master athletes and the question of whether they need to adapt their nutrition to the ageing process remains unsolved. This is within this context of the optimisation of nutrition for master athletes that this review stands. The aim is to identify the potential nutritional challenges encountered by master athletes and how to handle them through adapted nutritional strategies. Given the lack of data specific to master athletes, studies including master athletes are considered as a priority, though we also make inferences based on nutrition for young adults and perturbations induced by ageing in non-athletic populations. The first part of this opinion paper tackles the first challenge faced by master athletes which is the gradual reduction in energy intake with ageing. The second challenge is the anabolic resistance and the need for increased protein intake. The third nutritional challenge we present is the episodes of metabolic crisis master athletes may face throughout life. Finally, we gather the main nutritional recommendations for master athletes and suggest the next stage of research.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to analyse the process of successful ageing in older persons who state their belonging to a native Chilean ethnic group. There has recently been a notable increase in interest regarding analysis of the cultural processes and variables associated with successful ageing. However, there is a lack of studies analysing successful ageing in native ethnic groups; that is, ethnic communities living in their natural environmental surroundings. Methods: A cross-sectional research design was used. The sample was composed by 232 indigenous Aymara persons aged over 60 years who live in the far north of Chile. Data were collected using a questionnaire made up of validated measurement scales for successful ageing, community support, quality of life, religiousness/spirituality, and health. Results: The results suggest that indigenous persons age successfully, particularly in the context of physical functionality. Successful ageing is positively related with community integration, social support from informal systems (social groups), quality of life, and religiousness (forgiveness). In contrast, successful ageing is negatively related with depression. Conclusions: Cultural practices and an active lifestyle are ethnic cultural resources enabling persons to successfully cope with ageing. The results suggest that interventions would benefit from incorporating actions within a context of community integration. Particular attention to preventing deterioration in mental health would help to foster a successful ageing process.

Aim Based on the concept of successful ageing and research reports on the benefits of maintaining sexual activity in mid- to late life, the purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between global life satisfaction and sexual satisfaction in adults older than 60 years. The study also analyzed the relationship between various forms of sexual activity (genital and non-genital) and both types of satisfaction. Methods Thirty-three men and 50 women (N =83) were interviewed by using two structuralized questionnaires. Global life satisfaction was measured with Diener's Satisfaction with Life Scale, whereas sexual satisfaction and preferences regarding various intimate behaviours (i.e. kissing, cuddling, touching partner's intimate body parts, penetration, and masturbation) were assessed with a questionnaire devised for the purpose of the study. Statistical analyses were conducted to verify the relationships among the variables, group differences, and the statistical significance of sexual satisfaction as a predictor of global life satisfaction. Results Most of the interviewed subjects have had engaged in sexual activity in the last 1-6 months before the study (60%). Participants declared that they mostly engage in subtle forms of sexual activity rather than having intercourse. The level of sexual activity of older adults was positively associated with both sexual and global life satisfaction, but different forms of intimacy had a different impact on satisfaction. Gender was not correlated with the level of sexual and global life satisfaction. Conclusions Sexual satisfaction was a good predictor of global life satisfaction in older adults in our study. The participants appeared less concerned with the frequency of their intimate activities and more with engaging in the type of behaviour they were able to enjoy, which shows that they were adapting to the ageing process and potential health issues.

Objective: With the number and proportion of older adults increasing worldwide, successful ageing (SA) has become a global goal. This study aimedto examine the association of subjective age, health and socio-demographic factors with the biomedical and psychosocial dimensions of SA.Materials and Methods: A total of 61 adults, aged ?50 (mean age 67.1±9.4) years, living in nursing homes or in the community, were asked toanswer a series of questions. A biomedical model of SA was measured by Rowe and Kahn’s criteria (i.e. being free of disease and disability, havinghigh physical and cognitive functioning and being actively engaged in life). A psychological well-being scale was used as an indicator of successfulpsychosocial ageing.Results: Our analysis revealed that being married and younger by chronological age, having a high educational level, having a younger subjectiveage and having better subjective health are correlated with both the biomedical and psychosocial dimensions of SA. Neither gender nor the numberof children was correlated with these dimensions.Conclusion: The biomedical and psychosocial dimensions of SA are associated with similar socio-demographic factors along with subjective healthand age. These findings suggest that subjective age and health status, which are changeable and relatively under the control of the individuals, areimportant to promote SA. Future research in this field can measure SA by creating an index that includes components of Rowe and Kahn’s modeland psychosocial indicators of SA.

Objectives For community-dwelling older adults with hospitalisation experience, it is necessary to be strategic when promoting successful ageing. This study aimed to investigate whether components of successful ageing (i.e., diseases and complications, functions and engagement with life) differ according to hospitalisation experience in community-dwelling older adults. Methods A secondary data analysis with the Korean national survey was performed. Using propensity score matching, 1812 older adults with hospitalisation experience were matched to 1812 older adults without hospitalisation experience. Sampling weight of the survey was considered for all statistical analyses. Results The hospitalisation experienced group had more chronic illnesses, malnourishment, impairment in physical function, and depressive symptoms, and less activity in terms of working and social activities. There were no differences in cognitive function or religious activities. Conclusions Older adults with hospitalisation experience were less likely to experience successful ageing. To facilitate successful ageing of community-dwelling older adults with hospitalisation experience, nursing interventions for effective transitional care to encourage the use of community resources and participation in social activities are needed.

Despite rapid increase of people aged 80 and over, concepts of successful ageing (SA) are primarily examined for people below that age. Therefore, successful ageing was examined in a population-based representative sample of N = 1863 people aged 80 to 102 (NRW80+) with 11% living in institutionalized settings. In this survey on quality of life and well-being, multiple linear and logistic regression models were used to calculate the distribution of successful agers. According to Rowe and Kahn’s objective definition, 9% of the sample aged successfully, but one-third (33%) still met four to five SA criteria. This is in line with the theoretical a priori criterion of 10% in a normal distribution of a sample, while 80% age normally and 10% pathologically. However, averages of life satisfaction, affective well-being, positive ageing experience and valuation of life were high. The majority of the oldest old (65%) are successful agers in their own subjective perception, which is not in line with objective measurements. Moreover, 11% of objectively measured successful agers do not meet subjective criteria. These empirical findings reveal a remarkable discrepancy between objective and subjective criteria of SA. Future research on concepts that define successful ageing for the oldest old should consider more holistic markers of success, e.g., outcomes of productive social engagement. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10433-021-00609-7.

Successful ageing is one of the most influential concepts in gerontology. Characterisations of successful ageing have generally promoted the importance of individual effort and the maintenance of h ...

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic presents serious challenges across the world. Among these challenges are the possible negative implications for the mental health and well-being of older persons that ongoing social distancing measures may cause. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, a growing body of literature explored the associations between grandchild caregiving, loneliness and social isolation. We summarize the existing literature on this topic. An association between the provision of grandchild care and reduced feelings of loneliness was found in cross-sectional studies; however, a longitudinal study identified possible gender differences in the impact of grandchild care on feelings of loneliness, with the commencement of grandchild care linked to grandfathers feeling lonelier. At the conclusion of the summary, we highlight the need for further research in this field. Further research is of particular relevance given the drastic changes to the way families and older people interact socially, brought about by the COVID-19 global pandemic.Die COVID-19-Pandemie stellt die Welt vor große Herausforderungen. Zu diesen Herausforderungen zählen die möglichen negativen Auswirkungen auf die psychische Gesundheit und das Wohlbefinden älterer Menschen die durch die anhaltenden sozialen Distanzierungsmaßnahmen verursacht werden können. Vor der COVID-19-Pandemie befasste sich eine zunehmende Zahl von Studien mit der Assoziation zwischen der Enkelkinderbetreuung sowie Einsamkeit und sozialer Isolation. Wir fassen die vorhandene Literatur zu diesem Thema zusammen. In Querschnittsstudien wurde festgestellt, dass die Enkelkinderbetreuung mit einer geminderten Einsamkeit bei den Großeltern assoziiert ist. Andererseits hat eine Längsschnittstudie mögliche geschlechtsspezifische Unterschiede in den Auswirkungen der Enkelkinderbetreuung auf das Gefühl der Einsamkeit identifiziert, wobei sich Großväter bei Beginn der Enkelkinderbetreuung einsamer fühlen. Am Ende unserer Zusammenfassung unterstreichen wir die Notwendigkeit weiterer Forschung auf diesem Gebiet, vor allem vor dem Hintergrund dieser Pandemie. Weitere Forschung ist angesichts der drastischen Veränderungen auf die Art und Weise wie Familien und ältere Menschen sozial interagieren von besonderer Bedeutung.

Background: This study examines if education, income, and loneliness are associated with physical functioning and optimism in an ageing population in Germany. Furthermore, time trends of physical functioning and optimism as well as of associations with social inequality and loneliness are analyzed. Methods: The German Ageing Survey (DEAS), a longitudinal population-based survey of individuals aged 40 years and older, was used (four waves between 2008 and 2017, total sample size N = 23,572). Physical functioning and optimism were introduced as indicators of ageing well. Educational level, net equivalent income, and loneliness were used as predictors in linear mixed models for longitudinal data. Results: Time trends show that physical functioning decreases over time, while optimism slightly increases. Education and income are positively associated with physical functioning, while higher loneliness correlates with lower physical functioning. Higher optimism was associated with higher income and particularly with lower loneliness. Income and notable educational inequalities in physical functioning increase over time. Time trends of the associations with optimism show decreasing income inequalities and increasing disparities in loneliness. Conclusions: Increasing educational inequalities in physical functioning and a strong association of loneliness with optimism provide information for further interventions. Targeted health promotion among the aged and addressing maladaptive social cognition are options to tackle these issues. Key areas for action on healthy ageing include, for instance, the alignment of health systems to the needs of older populations or the creation of age-friendly environments.

The purpose of this thesis is to understand how we can help people to age better so that we can better make predictions and improve interventions. However, there is lack of consensus as to how to exactly define healthy ageing. To study this, we used a model of accelerated ageing, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. We studied how different lifestyles affect the likelihood of developing disease, and how genes interact with each other and the environment to determine if someone will develop disease. Moreover, how disease could be influenced, namely if we could influence behaviour by using brain training in people with a chronic condition. Considering this information together and separately we then examined how multiple measurements of health could be combined and if it was then predictive of successful ageing proxies.

Background and ObjectivesGiven their increasing prevalence with age, chronic health conditions (CHCs) are substantially affecting older workers and organizations. An important question is whether and how flexible work arrangements and organizational climates may help to reduce the work limitations experienced by older workers. Grounded on the Job Demand–Resource model, we hypothesize that access to flexible work arrangements (working-time flexibility, workplace flexibility, phased retirement) and supportive organizational climates (healthy ageing climate, psychological safety climate) are vital job resources that are associated with fewer health-related work limitations among older workers experiencing CHCs.Research Design and MethodsMultilevel data were collected among 5,419 older workers (60–65 years) in 624 organizations in the Netherlands. Perceived health-related work limitations of older workers diagnosed with arthritis (N = 2,330), cardiovascular disease (N = 720), and sleep disorders (N = 816) were analyzed.ResultsMultilevel ordered logistic regression analyses revealed that perceived access to flexible working hours and a psychologically safe organizational climate was associated with fewer health-related work limitations among older workers with CHCs.Discussion and ImplicationsFacilitating longer working lives is a key policy challenge within organizations, in particular if older workers are constraint by CHCs. This study shows that offering flexible working hours and ensuring a psychologically safe climate, where older workers with health issues are inclined to share their work needs and preferences, are likely to contribute to healthy ageing in the workplace.

Positive mental health is a prerequisite for a good quality of life across the whole lifespan. It is an overarching concept, which intersects with a number of related concepts, psychological wellbeing, successful ageing and quality of life. Good mental health is increasingly understood as a combination of an individual’s personality, environment and lifecourse; it is also dynamic. Older people consider it to be characterised by: a sense of wellbeing, capacity to make and sustain relationships, ability to meet the challenges which later life brings, and ability to contribute both economically and socially. Mental health is viewed as equally important as physical health. Research identifies the core dimensions of mental health, and its sister concepts, as: resilience, remaining active and involved, having a purpose or role, being able to engage in social relationships, independence, keeping fit, having an adequate income, autonomy and self-efficacy. Survey evidence consistently shows that more than 85 per cent of older people have ‘good’ quality of life. One of the challenges of assessing and measuring quality of life, and related constructs, is capturing the intersection between the subjective and the objective. The promotion of mental health is increasingly recognised as a legitimate goal of social policy.

This chapter focuses on the use of technology on older adult health promotion. During the ageing process, they experience changes in physical, cognitive, psychological, and social domains. Frailty is the most problematic expression of ageing and entails a high risk of adverse outcomes. In order to prevent it, healthcare professionals must intervene on health promotion. However, it's impossible to continuously monitor the health status of thousands of people. Technologies can bridge the gap between older people's home and the hospital. Especially those with sensors, allow healthcare professionals to continuously monitor the older people's health status and evaluate the health parameters to prioritize care and alert to necessary behavioral changes. The seniors become more aware and responsible for their health, increasing their literacy, autonomy, and well-being. They become more engaged in activities that promote successful ageing. In this chapter, the authors address one of many research projects that monitor the health parameters of older people in a community setting through wearable sensors.

Objectives: This study captured factors integral to healthy ageing in central Alaska. To date, conceptual models fail to meaningfully address how healthy ageing is impacted by location and context, particularly in remote or sparsely populated areas. The way “healthy”, or “successful”, ageing is defined in an extreme environment, and how that contrasts with global definitions of healthy ageing, has yet to be examined. Method: Residents of central Alaska aged 60 and older completed background demographics and several measures of personality and well-being and then engaged in a guided discussion. Results: Themes identified as important to healthy ageing were attitude/perspective, socialisation, sense of community, purpose and staying active, and independence. Challenges endorsed included service gaps, transportation, seasonality, cost of living, and isolation. Discussion: The current data parallels previous investigations of healthy ageing and provides a new understanding of the importance of resilience factors for those living in central Alaska.

Narratives of ageing are often negative, focusing on later life as a period defined by biological decline. A growing population of older adults (Masters athletes) participating in sports challenges these assumptions. Existing research demonstrates how Masters athletes transcend and challenge dominant discourses of ageing and resist enfeeblement. To do so requires negotiation with risk, pain, and injury. The examination of these processes developed within the sociology of sport during the 1990s. This literature explored risk-taking sub-cultures across different sports and between genders. An analysis of how older athletes manage risk has hither to not taken place. This article provides a case study of the Masters Highland Games, which expands this corpus of work to Masters athletes. Drawing upon in-depth interviews with 19 athletes aged between 40 and 75, two ideal types that describe approaches to risk-taking are proposed. Informed by the ideas of Giddens, these ideal types will demonstrate the variety of ways that resistance relates to risk, pain, and injury. This case study demonstrates that some Masters athletes share traits identified in research with younger athletes, such as the acceptance of their practice being inherently risky and the act of normalising pain. However, most Masters athletes exhibit a more problem-solving approach that adopts various strategies that manage the risks of ageing.

Subjective age (SA) is a core indicator of the individual ageing experience, with important consequences for successful ageing. The aim of the current study was to investigate the directions of the longitudinal associations between domains of SA and subjective wellbeing and physical functioning in the second half of life. We used three-wave survey data (2002, 2007 and 2017) spanning 15 years from the Norwegian Lifecourse, Ageing and Generation Study, including 6,292 persons born between 1922 and 1961. SA was measured with felt-age and ideal-age discrepancies, wellbeing with the Satisfaction of Life Scale and physical functioning with the Short-Form 12. Three-wave cross-lagged panel models were applied to assess the temporal relationships between the different domains of SA, life satisfaction and physical functioning, adjusted for age, gender and education. Findings indicated that wanting to be younger was negatively associated with life satisfaction and physical functioning over time. Felt-age discrepancies did not predict subsequent wellbeing or physical functioning. The results did not reveal any evidence for reversed effects, i.e. from functioning or life satisfaction to SA. Our findings support the psychological pathway from satisfaction with age(ing) to subjective wellbeing and physical functioning over time. Small ideal-age discrepancies reflect positive self-perceptions of ageing, which may help to accumulate psychological resources, guide behavioural regulation and support health. The Norwegian Lifecourse, Ageing and Generation (NorLAG) data collections (doi:10.187/12norlag3_1) have been financed by The Research Council of Norway, four ministries, The Norwegian Directorate of Health, The Norwegian State Housing Bank, Statistics Norway and NOVA, OsloMet. NorLAG data are part of the ACCESS Life Course infrastructure funded by the National Financing Initiative for Research Infrastructure at the Research Council of Norway (grant numbers 195403and 269920).

Highlights • The main reasons for participating in sport were for physical and mental health benefits; being in a social, supportive community; and being part of a team. Other reported reasons included opportunities for achievement, competition, and travel. • Playing sport may contribute to the experience of successful ageing for older adults. • Sports organizations could use the reasons for participating in sport and the positive contribution of sport to successful ageing in the development and implementation of participation strategies., Background Despite the known contribution of sport to health and well-being, sport participation declines in older age. However, for some people, sport continues to play an important role in older age and may contribute to improved health and well-being in older years. Although the health-related benefits of participating in sport are commonly reported, the reasons why some older adults continue to play sport are not well understood. This systematic review aimed to (1) identify studies from the literature that evaluated the reasons why older adults (aged 55 years and older) participate in sport and (2) synthesize and discuss the reasons for their participation reported in the literature. Methods Searches of the electronic databases Embase, Medline, PsycInfo, PubMed, and SPORTDiscus were performed. Studies were included that evaluated reasons for sport participation in adults aged 55 years and older because this is the age at which sport participation has been reported to begin declining. The studies included in this review used qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods designs, were peer reviewed, and were published in the English language before the search date (20 January 2019). Results A total of 1732 studies were identified. After exclusions, 30 studies were included in the review (16 qualitative, 10 quantitative, and 4 mixed methods). The review presents several features and findings from the studies, including a description and systematization of the reasons for participating in sport and the main reasons that participants gave for participating in sport (maintaining health, feeling and being part of a community, and taking advantage of opportunities to develop relationships). Other reasons included competing and attaining a feeling of achievement, taking advantage of opportunities for travel, and being part of a team. Sport was identified as contributing to the overall experience of successful ageing. There were few comparative differences for participating in sport, and there were only small differences between genders for the reasons given for participation. Generally, the quality of the studies was good; however, mixed methods studies lacked appropriate data analysis procedures. Conclusion Older adults play sport for a range of health-related and social reasons that can contribute to the experience of successful ageing. Strategies to increase sport participation by older adults should focus on promoting these aspects., Graphical abstract Image, graphical abstract

There is a growing need to implement and evaluate technological solutions that allow early detection of age-related adverse outcomes, like frailty, and enable assessment of lifestyle habits that can be maintained or improved to prevent such adverse outcomes. In this study, the sample is composed by older adults aged 65–80 years, recruited from the community, and who agreed to use an electronic device ACM Kronowise® 2.0. This electronic device allows a proactive and continuous monitoring of circadian health, physical activity, and sleep and eating habits. The participants used the ACM Kronowise® 2.0 during a period from seven to ten days. In the end, the participants were invited to share their experience and satisfaction with the device’s use and functionality and to express their awareness of healthy habits and usefulness of technologies in health. Data obtained can be used as a set of guidelines in the selection of suitable technological equipment for older adults. Understanding seniors’ perceptions about the use of technology are crucial to optimize design and application and improve educational strategies that may reduce caregiver burden. In our view, the implications of this study’ findings for clinical practice include the possibility to develop and validate tools to improve older’ people lifestyle and timely prevention of frailty progress.

Objectives: Reminiscence is considered an important aspect of successful ageing. Prominent reminiscence functions in old age are to pass on important experiences (Teach/Inform) and to prepare for d...

Jolanta Izabela Wiśniewska, Educational activity of seniors as a predictor of successful ageing, Interdisciplinary Contexts of Special Pedagogy, No. 22, Poznań 2018. Pp. 27–45. Adam Mickiewicz University Press. ISSN 2300-391X. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14746/ikps.2018.22.03 The article presents a paradigmatic change taking place in the theoretical approach to adult education. Against this background and in the context of contemporary conditions, the author points to the importance of learning from everyday experience and the role of educational activity in this process. The discussed issues were focused on the elderly.

One of the major aspects of successful ageing is active engagement in later life. Retirement and widowhood are two significant life transitions that may largely influence leisure engagement patterns among older adults. Limited findings exist regarding the impact of life transitions on leisure activity engagement due to the scarcity of longitudinal data with repeated measurement of older individuals’ leisure engagement. This study longitudinally examined changes in leisure activity engagement as influenced by retirement and widowhood using five waves of national panel data from the Health and Retirement Study and its supplementary Consumption and Activities Mail Survey. Multi-level modelling was conducted with retirement and widowhood status as time-varying variables. Socio-economic status, depressive symptoms, cognitive function, self-rated health and functional limitations were also included as time-varying and time-invariant covariates. Findings show that engagement in mental, physical, social and household activities significantly decreased during an eight-year period. Moreover, transition from working to retired status was associated with increased engagement in mental, social and household activities but decreased engagement in physical activities among men only. Transition from married to widowhood status was associated with decreased engagement in household activities among women only. Encouraging active leisure engagement among individuals who experience either or both life transitions may help maintain their health after transition.

There is considerable research regarding the adaption to functional decline associated with advanced (Stage IV) Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). This research has, however, primarily focused on physical and interventional strategies to manage disease progression and symptom burden, as opposed to the psychosocial strategies. To address this paucity, the current research explored the psychosocial strategies people with Stage IV COPD use to maintain quality of life towards the end of life. Eleven older people with Stage IV COPD living in regional Australia were interviewed to explore their experiences of ageing with COPD. The research used a theory-led analysis, informed by a Gadamerian hermeneutic phenomenological methodology, to examine participant data in relation to selection, optimisation and compensation theory (SOC). The participant stories reflected the use of selective strategies, from which a hierarchy of priority tasks emerged. Participants optimised their capacity to perform high priority tasks using a range of pragmatic and instinctive responses to ongoing change, which became more and more conscious and deliberate over time. Additionally, compensatory strategies more traditionally associated with COPD management were used to reduce the impact of symptoms. It is through the participant descriptions and perception of optimisation and compensation strategies and how they were implemented that the wider theme of 'mind over matter' emerged. The use of these strategies to adapt physically and psychosocially to COPD shows how the participants demonstrated resilience and used 'successful ageing' strategies to cope with ongoing functional decline.

This study analyses the phenomenon of hypermnesia and its relationship with variables associated with successful ageing such as age, sex, cognitive status and cognitive plasticity in older people. ...