Aging Successfully: A Four-Factor Model

The study was designed to validate a model for a successful aging process and examine the gender differences in the aging process. Three hundred twelve participants who were 65 or older completed a Taiwan Social Change Survey that measures four factors that define successful aging process: including physical, psychological, social support, and leisure activity. Structural equation modeling analysis shows in addition to the three supporting variables, leisure activities is a significant factor related to successful aging process. The findings of the study verified that the proposed model is well supported by the data and fits well for both female and male populations. The findings of the study also suggest that, for gerontological researchers, leisure activities of old people deserve their attention when helping the old generation age well.

[1]  Carolyn M. Aldwin,et al.  Health, Illness, and Optimal Aging: Biological and Psychosocial Perspectives , 2003 .

[2]  W. Strawbridge,et al.  Successful aging and well-being: self-rated compared with Rowe and Kahn. , 2002, The Gerontologist.

[3]  Ann Bowling,et al.  Enhancing later life: How older people perceive active ageing? , 2008, Aging & mental health.

[4]  J. Rowe,et al.  Successful aging. , 1998, Aging.

[5]  B. Fisher.  Successful aging and life satisfaction: A pilot study for conceptual clarification , 1992 .

[6]  M. Browne,et al.  Single Sample Cross-Validation Indices for Covariance Structures. , 1989, Multivariate behavioral research.

[7]  D. D. de Ridder,et al.  A review of successful aging models: proposing proactive coping as an important additional strategy. , 2007, Clinical psychology review.

[8]  D. Harman.  Free radical theory of aging. , 2003, Mutation research.

[9]  M. Cesari,et al.  The aging process and potential interventions to extend life expectancy , 2007, Clinical interventions in aging.

[10]  P. Bentler,et al.  Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis : Conventional criteria versus new alternatives , 1999 .

[11]  Dianne M. Finkelstein,et al.  A Beginner's Guide to Structural Equation Modeling , 2005, Technometrics.

[12]  J F Fries,et al.  Aging, natural death, and the compression of morbidity. , 1980, The New England journal of medicine.

[13]  M. Simon,et al.  Is Greater Social Support a Protective Factor against Elder Mistreatment? , 2008, Gerontology.

[14]  Paul B. Baltes,et al.  Successful aging: Perspectives from the behavioral sciences , 1990 .

[15]  A. Bowling,et al.  What is successful ageing and who should define it? , 2005, BMJ : British Medical Journal.

[16]  H. Kendig.  The social sciences and successful aging: Issues for Asia–Oceania , 2004 .

[17]  Power of AFIs to detect CFA model misfit: (518442013-419) , 2008 .

[18]  B. Ingersoll-Dayton,et al.  Psychological well-being Asian style: The perspective of Thai elders , 2001, Journal of cross-cultural gerontology.

[19]  J. Rowe,et al.  Human aging: usual and successful. , 1987, Science.

[20]  A. Kramer,et al.  Fitness Effects on the Cognitive Function of Older Adults , 2003, Psychological science.

[21]  Matthew E. Brashears,et al.  Social Isolation in America: Changes in Core Discussion Networks over Two Decades , 2006 .

[22]  M. Browne,et al.  Alternative Ways of Assessing Model Fit , 1992 .

[23]  J. VanSwearingen,et al.  Physical activity and functional status in community-dwelling older women: a 14-year prospective study. , 2003, Archives of internal medicine.

[24]  R. Schumacker,et al.  A beginner's guide to structural equation modeling, 2nd ed. , 2004 .

[25]  Tammie Lindquist,et al.  The boomers are coming: a total cost of care model of the impact of population aging on health care costs in the United States by Major Practice Category. , 2007, Health services research.

[26]  R. Kobau,et al.  Sad, blue, or depressed days, health behaviors and health-related quality of life, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 1995–2000 , 2004, Health and quality of life outcomes.

[27]  Sue E. Levkoff,et al.  Aging in good health : multidisciplinary perspectives , 2001 .

[28]  B. Tabachnick,et al.  Using multivariate statistics, 5th ed. , 2007 .

[29]  T. Fulmer,et al.  Successful aging. , 2002, The American journal of nursing.

[30]  E. Palmore,et al.  Ageism: Negative and Positive , 1999 .

[31]  Colin Depp,et al.  Correlates of self-rated successful aging among community-dwelling older adults. , 2006, The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry.

[32]  S. Lupien,et al.  Successful ageing: from cell to self. , 2004, Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences.

[33]  K. Anstey,et al.  The role of perceived control in explaining depressive symptoms associated with driving cessation in a longitudinal study. , 2007, The Gerontologist.

[34]  R. Schulz,et al.  A life span model of successful aging. , 1996, The American psychologist.

[35]  J. Kaye,et al.  Predictors of normal and successful aging among urban-dwelling elderly Brazilians. , 2009, The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences.

[36]  Lawrence A Palinkas,et al.  Building blocks of successful aging: a focus group study of older adults' perceived contributors to successful aging. , 2007, The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry.

[37]  Marti G. Parker,et al.  Leisure Activities and Quality of Life among the Oldest Old in Sweden , 2002 .

[38]  Annie Britton,et al.  Successful Aging: The Contribution of Early‐Life and Midlife Risk Factors , 2008, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

[39]  S. Kahng.  Overall Successful Aging: Its Factorial Structure and Predictive Factors , 2008 .

[40]  A. Bowling.  Lay perceptions of successful ageing: findings from a national survey of middle aged and older adults in Britain , 2007, European journal of ageing.

[41]  J. Manson,et al.  Physical activity, including walking, and cognitive function in older women. , 2004, JAMA.

[42]  I. Chi,et al.  Successful Aging among the Young-Old, Old-Old, and Oldest-Old Chinese , 2002, International journal of aging & human development.