Successful Aging

1. Successful Aging © Paul T. P. Wong

2. Introduction Different dimensions of aging: Chronological, biological, cultural, experiential, psychological, and spiritual Successful aging means different things to different people Too much emphasis on the medical model and physical components

3. Introduction (cont’d) Increasing recognition of the importance of meaning and spirituality Most of the findings support the importance of controllable and internal factors Successful aging is 80% attitude and 20% everything else

4. Rowe and Kahn in“Successful Aging”: Low risk of disease and disability High mental and physical function Active engagement with life

5. George Vailliant in "Aging Well: Surprising Guideposts to aHappier Life from the Landmark Harvard Study of Adult Development" “Successful aging means giving to others joyously whenever one is able, receiving from others gratefully whenever one needs it, and being greedy enough to develop one's own self in between."

6. Mark Novak in “Successful Aging” "There is no secret, no magic formula. A good old age doesn’t come about from some special talent or as a secret gift. It comes about when, given a basic income, reasonable health, good self-esteem and a little energy, a person sets out to discover a meaningful life for him- or herself." (p. 273)

7. Timothy Moody(http://dallaslibrary.org/ss/03-01.htm) Successful aging involves the ability to complete our lifetime with a balance of inner resources as well as material ones. This would include: Recognizing and enjoying the contributions we have made Continuing intellectual and spiritual growth Maintaining good health and increased physical vigor Passing on a legacy of love, courage, and compassion

8. Paul T. P. Wong We have aged successfully, if we feel satisfied that we have become what we were meant to be, accomplished most of our life tasks, contributed to society and future generations, and kept our faith in spite of difficulties and disappointments. Therefore, successful aging is attainable by anyone, regardless of their physical conditions.

9. Becca Levy on the importance of positive attitudes Ageism or negative stereotype has negative effects Positive attitudes towards aging have positive effects Self-descriptions of life as hopeful and worthy Don’t dwell on negative changes

10. Becca Levy on the importance of positive attitudes (cont’d) Overall physical health and longevity Better memory and sharper hearing Better mental health

11. Contributions from John Rowe and Robert Kahn Debunk the myth that aging has to be accompanied by illness and loss of cognitive functions The influence of genetics shrinks, while social and your lifestyle and attitude become more important

12. Contributions from John Rowe and Robert Kahn (cont’d) An inactive non-smoker has worse health than a smoker who exercises regularly Strong social ties are even more important in preventing illness than genetic background The elderly are one of the country's great underutilized productive resources

13. Contributions from George Vaillant The world’s longest continuous study of aging and health College education is a better predictor of health and happiness than money, social prestige, etc. Uncontrollable factors, such as genetics, parents social class, family cohesion, are not longer important by age 70 Controllable factors become more important. These include engage in altruistic behavior, stay physically healthy, pursue education, stay creative and playful, and use mature or adaptive coping

14. Paul T. P. Wong’s existential/spiritual model of aging The imperative of meeting the existential and spiritual needs of seniors when people live longer People begin to turn inward as they grow older Personal meaning is the hidden dimension of successful aging Positive meaning and purpose not only add years to one’s life, but also add life to one’s years

15. Paul T. P. Wong’s existential/spiritual model of aging (cont’d) Without a clear sense of meaning and purpose in the face of physical decline, longevity may be an unbearable burden Need to maintain a positive attitude in the face of loss, illness and death Death acceptance is related to physical and mental health

16. Paul T. P. Wong on coping and successful aging The imperative of building up inner resources in order to cope with multiple losses Problem-focused coping becomes less relevant because most difficulties confronting the old-old are beyond their control Existential and transformative coping become increasingly important for the elderly

17. Wong and Reker’s Ontario Successful Aging Project 200 were from Community and 200 from Institutions Participants were classified as either Successful or Unsuccessful based on ratings on mental, physical health and adjustment Successful and Unsuccessful did not differ in terms of sex or income Successful agers had more resources than Unsuccessful agers

18. Successful agers score higher in the following outcome measures: Health outcomes as measured by a nurse Physical symptoms as reported by participants Psychopathology Depression Perceived well-being

19. Successful agers scored higher in the following resources: Social resources (social contacts and martial status) Cognitive resources (college education and intelligence) Spiritual resources (religious activity and personal meaning) Psychological resources (optimism, commitment, self-reliance) Healthy lifestyle (no smoking, no drinking, more exercises, etc.)

20. Significant predictors of physical health outcomes Perceived control Perceived income Commitment to personal projects Social contacts Intelligence

21. Significant predictors of mental health outcomes Personal meaning Social contacts Religious activity Marital status

22. Successful agers employed the following types of coping more often: Situational coping (Problem-focused) Existential coping (Meaning and Acceptance) Religious coping (Beliefs and Activities) Self-Restructuring (Cognitive and Behavioral) Social support (Instrumental and Emotional support)

23. The ten commandments for successful aging: Cultivate adequate resources (both internal and external) Embrace religion or spirituality Commit to personal projects Pursue college education 5. Develop your cognitive capacities

24. The ten commandments for successful aging: (cont’d) 6. Get married & stay connected Maintain optimism and zeal for living Pursue a healthy lifestyle 9. Be reflective and flexible in coping 10. Expand yourself in every way (Turn inward, upward, forward and outward)