Older Adults Perspectives on Successful Aging

Question: Describe about the Older Adults Perspectives on Successful Aging? Answer: Introduction This paper reviews the article The Relationship between Attitudes to Aging and Physical and Mental Health in Older Adults (Judd et al., 2012). This research takes a sample of older adults and tries to investigate the how attitude towards aging effects mental as well as physical health in older adults. The aim of this research paper is to establish that positive attitude towards aging leads to good health, mental as well as physical in elderly people. The saying you are as old as you feel is not just a saying but is reality. Empirical Study on Positive Attitude Towards aging Research has shown that positive attitude promotes recovery from various disabilities. Positive attitude towards aging in elderly people has the effect of reducing the cardiovascular response to strain, it enhances self efficacy and also increases healthy behaviors. (Jeste, Reichstadt, Sengupta, Depp Palinkas, 2010) The article in question aims to promote healthy as well as successful aging. This research shows that elderly people with positive age stereotypes have the potential to recover fully from disabilities as compared to having negative age stereotypes. There is said to be direct relationship between positive attitude towards aging and well being I have conducted my research by interviewing 10 adults over the age of sixty. Participants belonged to retirement communities. Data was collected within the period May and November of 2014. The interview has been conducted by mailing the participants a questionnaire. The overall attitude towards aging in my research was positive. Maximum of the participants scored within positive range. The Participants showed very high satisfaction towards life. One of the prime purposes of my research was to find out whether attitude toward aging would make a contribution towards well being. Participants who had a partner reported more positive attitude towards aging as compared to those who were single. Those with good financial status showed more positive attitude towards aging, they also seemed to be more satisfied with life. As compared to retired and unemployed individuals employed individuals showed more positive attitude to aging. Thus we can say that older peoples attitude towards aging has a direct influence on their psychological well being. Earlier researches had shown that beliefs towards aging which are positive lead one to feel young whereas negative beliefs makes one feel older. In a nutshell people who feel old go through lower self esteem, lower satisfaction of life, and high strain at work as compared to those who feel younger. Conclusion This empirical research helps us in understanding individuals towards their own aging and influence of positive attitude to well being. The study also revealed that status of income has direct relation with good health and satisfaction of life. Since our society is aging promoting successful aging has become very important. Those who possess positive attitude towards aging may lead healthier life but it is dependent on several other factors also which we have discussed earlier. One of the ways in which successful aging may be promoted is by overcoming negative attitude towards aging by making changes at societal as well as individual level. References Jeste, D., Reichstadt, J., Sengupta, G., Depp, C., Palinkas, L. (2010). Older Adults Perspectives on Successful Aging: Qualitative Interviews. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry, 18(7), 567-575. Judd, F., Bryant, C., Bei, B., Gilson, K., Komiti, A., Jackson, H. (2012). The relationship between attitudes to aging and physical and mental health in older adults. International Psychogeriatrics, 24(10), 1674-1683.