Successful AgingSuccessful Aging

© Paul T. P. Wong© Paul T. P. Wong

IntroductionIntroduction Different dimensions of aging: Different dimensions of aging: Chronological, biological, cultural, Chronological, biological, cultural, experiential, psychological, and spiritualexperiential, psychological, and spiritual

Successful aging means different things Successful aging means different things to different peopleto different people

Too much emphasis on the medical model Too much emphasis on the medical model and physical componentsand physical components

Introduction (cont’d)Introduction (cont’d)

Increasing recognition of the Increasing recognition of the importance of meaning and spirituality importance of meaning and spirituality

Most of the findings support the Most of the findings support the importance of controllable and internal importance of controllable and internal factorsfactors

Successful aging is 80% attitude and Successful aging is 80% attitude and 20% everything else20% everything else

Rowe and Kahn Rowe and Kahn inin

““Successful AgingSuccessful Aging”:”: Low risk of disease and disabilityLow risk of disease and disability

High mental and physical functionHigh mental and physical function

Active engagement with lifeActive engagement with life

George VailliantGeorge Vailliant in in ""Aging Well: Surprising Guideposts to aAging Well: Surprising Guideposts to a Happier Life from the Happier Life from the

Landmark Harvard Study of Adult Development"Landmark Harvard Study of Adult Development"

““Successful aging means giving to others Successful aging means giving to others joyously whenever one is able, receiving joyously whenever one is able, receiving from others gratefully whenever one needs from others gratefully whenever one needs it, and being greedy enough to develop one's it, and being greedy enough to develop one's own self in between."own self in between."

Mark NovakMark Novak in “Successful in “Successful Aging”Aging”

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

Timothy MoodyTimothy Moody ((http://dallaslibrary.org/ss/03-01.htmhttp://dallaslibrary.org/ss/03-01.htm))

Successful aging involves the ability to complete our Successful aging involves the ability to complete our lifetime with a balance of inner resources as well as lifetime with a balance of inner resources as well as material ones. This would include:material ones. This would include:

RecognizingRecognizing and enjoying the contributions we and enjoying the contributions we have made have made ContinuingContinuing intellectual and spiritual growth intellectual and spiritual growth MaintainingMaintaining good health and increased physical good health and increased physical vigorvigor Passing onPassing on a legacy of love, courage, and a legacy of love, courage, and compassioncompassion

Paul T. P. WongPaul T. P. Wong

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

Becca Levy on the importance Becca Levy on the importance

of positive attitudesof positive attitudes Ageism or negative stereotype has negative Ageism or negative stereotype has negative effectseffects

Positive attitudes towards aging have positive Positive attitudes towards aging have positive effectseffects

Self-descriptions of life as hopeful and worthySelf-descriptions of life as hopeful and worthy

Don’t dwell on negative changesDon’t dwell on negative changes

Becca Levy on the importance of positive attitudes (cont’d)Becca Levy on the importance of positive attitudes (cont’d)

Overall physical health and Overall physical health and longevitylongevity

Better memory and sharper Better memory and sharper hearinghearing

Better mental health Better mental health

Contributions from John Rowe Contributions from John Rowe

and Robert Kahnand Robert Kahn Debunk the myth that aging has to be Debunk the myth that aging has to be accompanied by illness and loss of accompanied by illness and loss of cognitive functionscognitive functions

The influence of genetics shrinks, while The influence of genetics shrinks, while social and your lifestyle and attitude social and your lifestyle and attitude become more importantbecome more important

Contributions from John Rowe and Robert Kahn (cont’d)Contributions from John Rowe and Robert Kahn (cont’d)

An inactive non-smoker has worse An inactive non-smoker has worse health than a smoker who exercises health than a smoker who exercises regularly Strong social ties are even regularly Strong social ties are even more important in preventing illness more important in preventing illness than genetic backgroundthan genetic background

The elderly are one of the country's The elderly are one of the country's great underutilized productive resources great underutilized productive resources

Contributions from George VaillantContributions from George Vaillant The world’s longest continuous study of aging and healthThe world’s longest continuous study of aging and health

College education is a better predictor of health and College education is a better predictor of health and happiness than money, social prestige, etc. happiness than money, social prestige, etc.

Uncontrollable factors, such as genetics, parents social Uncontrollable factors, such as genetics, parents social class, family cohesion, are not longer important by age 70class, family cohesion, are not longer important by age 70 Controllable factors become more important. These Controllable factors become more important. These include engage in altruistic behavior, stay physically include engage in altruistic behavior, stay physically healthy, pursue education, stay creative and playful, and healthy, pursue education, stay creative and playful, and use mature or adaptive coping use mature or adaptive coping

Paul T. P. Wong’s Paul T. P. Wong’s existential/spiritual model of agingexistential/spiritual model of aging

The imperative of meeting the existential and The imperative of meeting the existential and spiritual needs of seniors when people live longerspiritual needs of seniors when people live longer

People begin to turn inward as they grow older People begin to turn inward as they grow older

Personal meaning is the hidden dimension of Personal meaning is the hidden dimension of successful aging successful aging

Positive meaning and purpose not only add Positive meaning and purpose not only add years to one’s life, but also add life to one’s years years to one’s life, but also add life to one’s years

Paul T. P. Wong’s existential/spiritual model of aging (cont’d)Paul T. P. Wong’s existential/spiritual model of aging (cont’d)

Without a clear sense of meaning and Without a clear sense of meaning and purpose in the face of physical decline, purpose in the face of physical decline, longevity may be an unbearable burdenlongevity may be an unbearable burden

Need to maintain a positive attitude in the Need to maintain a positive attitude in the face of loss, illness and deathface of loss, illness and death

Death acceptance is related to physical Death acceptance is related to physical and mental health and mental health

Paul T. P. Wong on coping and Paul T. P. Wong on coping and

successful agingsuccessful aging The imperative of building up inner resources The imperative of building up inner resources in order to cope with multiple losses in order to cope with multiple losses

Problem-focused coping becomes less Problem-focused coping becomes less relevant because most difficulties confronting relevant because most difficulties confronting the old-old are beyond their controlthe old-old are beyond their control

Existential and transformative coping Existential and transformative coping become increasingly important for the elderlybecome increasingly important for the elderly

Wong and Reker’s Ontario Wong and Reker’s Ontario

Successful Aging ProjectSuccessful Aging Project 200 were from Community and 200 from Institutions200 were from Community and 200 from Institutions

Participants were classified as either Successful or Participants were classified as either Successful or Unsuccessful based on ratings on mental, physical health Unsuccessful based on ratings on mental, physical health and adjustmentand adjustment

Successful and Unsuccessful did not differ in terms of Successful and Unsuccessful did not differ in terms of sex or incomesex or income

Successful agers had more resources than Unsuccessful Successful agers had more resources than Unsuccessful agers agers

Successful agers score higher in Successful agers score higher in the following outcome measures:the following outcome measures:

Health outcomes as measured by a nurseHealth outcomes as measured by a nurse

Physical symptoms as reported by participantsPhysical symptoms as reported by participants

PsychopathologyPsychopathology

DepressionDepression

Perceived well-beingPerceived well-being

Successful agers scored higher in Successful agers scored higher in the following resourcesthe following resources::

Social resources (social contacts and martial status)Social resources (social contacts and martial status)

Cognitive resources (college education and intelligence)Cognitive resources (college education and intelligence)

Spiritual resources (religious activity and personal Spiritual resources (religious activity and personal meaning)meaning)

Psychological resources (optimism, commitment, self-Psychological resources (optimism, commitment, self-reliance)reliance)

Healthy lifestyle (no smoking, no drinking, more Healthy lifestyle (no smoking, no drinking, more exercises, etc.)exercises, etc.)

Significant predictors of physical Significant predictors of physical health outcomeshealth outcomes

Perceived controlPerceived control Perceived incomePerceived income Commitment to personal projectsCommitment to personal projects Social contactsSocial contacts IntelligenceIntelligence

Significant predictors of mental Significant predictors of mental health outcomeshealth outcomes

Personal meaningPersonal meaning

Social contactsSocial contacts

Religious activityReligious activity

Marital statusMarital status

Successful agers employed the Successful agers employed the following types of coping more following types of coping more

oftenoften::

Situational coping (Problem-focused)Situational coping (Problem-focused)

Existential coping (Meaning and Acceptance)Existential coping (Meaning and Acceptance)

Religious coping (Beliefs and Activities)Religious coping (Beliefs and Activities)

Self-Restructuring (Cognitive and Behavioral)Self-Restructuring (Cognitive and Behavioral)

Social support (Instrumental and Emotional Social support (Instrumental and Emotional support)support)

The ten commandments The ten commandments for successful aging:for successful aging:

1.1. Cultivate adequate resources (both internal Cultivate adequate resources (both internal and external)and external)

2.2. Embrace religion or spiritualityEmbrace religion or spirituality

3.3. Commit to personal projectsCommit to personal projects

4.4. Pursue college education Pursue college education

5. Develop your cognitive capacities5. Develop your cognitive capacities

The ten commandments for successful aging: (cont’d)The ten commandments for successful aging: (cont’d)

6. Get married & stay connected6. Get married & stay connected

7.7. Maintain optimism and zeal for livingMaintain optimism and zeal for living

8.8. Pursue a healthy lifestyle Pursue a healthy lifestyle

9. Be reflective and flexible in coping9. Be reflective and flexible in coping

10. Expand yourself in every way (Turn 10. Expand yourself in every way (Turn inward, upward, forward and inward, upward, forward and outward)outward)