Weight loss rather than weight gain has a detrimental effect on successful aging in older adults: A 4-year longitudinal study in China.

This study explored the effect of weight change on successful aging in older adults. A total of 1865 adults (≥65 years) were divided into the weight gain group (weight gain ≥5 %), the weight loss group (weight loss ≥5 %), and the weight stable group (weight change <5 %) according to weight changes over 4 years. Results showed that compared to the stable weight, the weight loss is associated with a lower rate of successful aging (OR=0.64, 95 % CI: 0.49-0.83), and the association was found greater in women (OR=0.61, 95 % CI: 0.43-0.86) and young-old adults (OR=0.66, 95 % CI: 0.41-0.88) than their counterparts. However, no significant association was found between weight gain and successful aging. The findings suggest that weight loss rather than weight gain in older adults has a detrimental impact on successful aging, and this detrimental impact is greater in women and young-old adults.

Mild Cognitive Impairment, Religiosity, Spirituality and all-Cause Mortality Among Chinese Older Adults in Ethnic Minority Communities.

The relationship between mild cognitive impairment (MCI), religiosity and/or spirituality (R/S), and all-cause mortality among older adults has yet to be clarified. The current study aims to examine this relationship using a longitudinal cohort from ethnic minority communities in mainland China. The Cox proportional hazards regression modeling revealed that MCI predicted an increased risk of all-cause mortality, and high R/S buffered this association. Those findings suggest that a religious-spiritual integrated community intervention program may reduce the mortality risk in older adults with MCI in ethnically disadvantaged populations.

Expecting Relocation to a Nursing Home: Longitudinal Links with Functional Limitations, Self-Rated Health, and Life Satisfaction.

INTRODUCTION: Developing realistic expectations of future old age constitutes an adaptational process which facilitates the anticipation of and adjustment to challenges, such as relocation to a nursing home. Developing such expectations might minimize the negative impacts of relocation. This pre-registered study examined (1) to which extent lower levels and declines in health (i.e., functional limitations and self-rated health) and life satisfaction before relocation were associated with higher levels and increases in expectations to relocate and (2) to which extent higher expectations to relocate were associated with more positive changes in health and life satisfaction after relocation. METHODS: Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS; 2006-2018), we selected older adults (aged 65 years and older) who relocated to a nursing home. We used latent growth curve models to assess the longitudinal links between self-reported measures of health, life satisfaction, and expectations to relocate to a nursing home from up to 7 years before (n = 1,048) until up to 5 years after relocation (n = 307). RESULTS: As hypothesized, more functional limitations and lower self-rated health were related to higher expectations of relocation. Surprisingly, changes in expectations to relocate were not related to changes in health and life satisfaction before relocation. Moreover, expectations to relocate were not associated with changes in health and life satisfaction after relocation. CONCLUSION: The absence of a link between expectations to relocate to a nursing home with changes in health and well-being suggests that these expectations did not constitute adaptational processes before or after this transition.

Promoting Geropsychology: A Memorandum for Research, Policies, Education Programs, and Practices for Healthy Aging.

BACKGROUND: This viewpoint paper reports the state of the art at a global level on research, practice and assessment, policies, and training in the clinical psychology of aging and, more specifically, in geropsychology. The main sources of information were as follows: (1) the most recent reviews of the literature available in the scientific literature; (2) the resources on the internet referable to professional and academic associations dealing with the topic; and (3) the laws, policy initiatives, and funded programs that are aimed at the diffusion and applications of mental health in aging. METHODS: The present study aims to provide an updated and comprehensive memorandum highlighting the importance of prioritizing mental health in older adults. It seeks to promote health in general and disease prevention strategies, ensuring equitable access to mental health services integrated into primary care and designed for aging. This paper also aims to shed light on the slow development process and lack of consolidation in the adaptation of academic training at master's and doctoral levels in most developed countries, despite the long-declared importance of enhancing resources for the promotion of geropsychology. RESULTS: The results of the present study are patchy. Although the importance of enhancing resources for the promotion of geropsychology has long been declared, the development process seems very slow, and the adaptation of academic training at master's and doctoral levels in most developed countries-those that, for demographic reasons and attitudes, should be more sensitive to the issue, does not yet seem to have consolidated. CONCLUSIONS: Collaboration among diverse professionals is crucial for providing integrated and comprehensive care to older adults that addresses their physical, psychological, and social needs.

Successful aging and its relationship with mindfulness, self-compassion factors, and subjective well-being in older adults.

OBJECTIVES: Aimed to test an association model for Successful Aging (SA), with mindfulness and self-compassion factors as predictor variables, and components of subjective well-being (SWB) as mediating variables in older adults. METHOD: This cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted using the Google Forms platform and printed questionnaires, applied in an interview format with older adult participants from the Brazilian states of Bahia and Sergipe. A total of 233 older adults participated, residing in the states of Bahia (34.8%) and Sergipe (65.2%), with a mean age of 69.2 years (SD = 7.33). RESULTS: The multiple linear regression (MLR) results indicated that SA was associated with mindfulness, the positive factor of self-compassion, and positive affect (PA). Subsequently, structural equation modeling (SEM) suggested that both mindfulness and self-compassion, which positively correlated with each other, were significantly and positively associated with PA, while PA was positively and significantly associated with SA. CONCLUSION: Mindfulness and the positive facet of self-compassion, mediated by PA, were indirectly associated with SA, while PA was significantly and more strongly associated with SA. Finally, mindfulness and the positive facet of self-compassion were positively correlated with each other.

Finding the Balance to Quiet the Striving: The Difference Between Successful Aging and Wise Aging.

This paper draws on wisdom and lifespan development research to propose a conception of "wise aging", which may become particularly relevant in very old age as people's capacities for successful aging decline. We propose that three types of balance distinguish wise aging from successful aging. First, wisdom balances one's own interest with a greater good, emphasizing self-transcendence and compassion. Second, wisdom balances control striving with acceptance of uncontrollability. Wise aging involves a realistic awareness of one's decreasing levels of control and one's interconnectedness to and dependence on other people. Third, wisdom acknowledges, regulates, and balances positive and negative affect. Wise aging involves the ability to appreciate and relish the joys of life, but also to accept and embrace more negative emotions and fully support others going through different times.

Changes in successful aging and its related indicators among community-dwelling older adults: The Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study (KFACS).

This study aims to determine the prevalence of successful aging (SA) and examine the association of changes in the indicators of SA and variations in SA status between 2016 and 2020. The study included 548 participants recruited for the Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study (KFACS). Compared to participants who achieved SA in 2016 (N = 393, 71.7%), the number of older adults with SA decreased by 7.8% in 2020. Among older adults preserving SA (SA→SA group, 54%), there were relatively small numbers of older adults who successfully maintained indicators, including chronic diseases (no→no, 9.5%), employment (yes→yes, 12.2%), and volunteer activities (yes→yes, 2.9%). Our findings suggest that interventions to strengthen the physical and psychological function of older adults are needed, and social support needs to be guaranteed to improve social engagement for older adults.

What Does It Mean to Successfully Age?: Multinational Study of Older Adults' Perceptions.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Successful aging is a mainstay of the gerontological literature, but it is not without criticism, including the often-limited way that it is studied and measured as well as the exclusion of older adults' voices in its formulation and understanding. This study sought to address these issues through a qualitative investigation across multiple countries. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This was a mixed-methods, cross-sectional, exploratory study using an online survey. Nations that received the survey included Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, and the Unites States. Participants aged 65 and older were asked to describe what successful aging means to them in an open-ended survey item. Summative content analysis was utilized to examine the responses. RESULTS: Successful aging was defined by 1,994 participants, and 6 themes along with 20 subthemes were found. In contrast to conception that successful aging is solely or predominantly related to the absence of disease and decline, the most prominent theme in this study was "active, independent, and engaged" as the hallmark of success. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Although health and health maintenance were present in other themes, these findings support a multidimensional definition of successful aging that promotes the perspectives of older people. Future research should seek to further investigate the ways in which person-in-environment factors influence definitions of successful aging, including culture, gender and gender identity, race and ethnicity, and socioeconomic background.

Impact of Death Anxiety on Psychological Well-Being and Successful Aging of Older Adults With Chronic Illness.

Comorbidities due to aging and the COVID-19 pandemic together are expected to cause death anxiety among older adults. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of death anxiety and its impact on psychological well-being and successful aging of older adults with chronic illness. A cross-sectional correlational survey was conducted on 79 older adults with chronic illness, drawn with a stratified random sampling method. Self-report measures were used to assess death anxiety, psychological well-being, and successful aging. A high prevalence of death anxiety was reported among older adults. Psychological well-being and successful aging in these older adults were significantly and negatively associated with death anxiety. Further, death anxiety showed substantial predictive valence for psychological well-being and successful aging of older adults with chronic illness. Findings strongly advocate and call for timely intervention programs for chronically ill older adults to reduce their death anxiety for enhanced psychological well-being and promote successful aging.

'Successfully' Aging 'Alone'?: Unequal Global Opportunities and Rising Risks in Family-Based Models of Care Cross-Nationally.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: For the first time in human history, older adults will outnumber children and a substantial and growing proportion will live alone and lack one or more nuclear family tie. Such unprecedented shifts require a reevaluation of existing models of "successful aging", particularly in terms of long-term care policies. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This paper draws on country-level data from multiple publicly available sources (e.g., World Bank, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Our World in Data, and the World Values Survey) to examine cross-national patterns of development, health, demography, resources and policies, and cultural values in low-, middle-, and high-income countries. RESULTS: Although there exists substantial heterogeneity across countries, country-level patterns illustrate the economic privilege of living alone and the dominance of "successful aging" opportunities in high income countries. Cultural values about family reflect standard patterns of economic development, yet friendship emerges as a particularly consistent global value. At the country-level, living alone and health are associated in higher income countries with lower within-country inequality. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Aging "alone" is a risk factor in some contexts, yet a marker of privilege in others. Models of "successful aging" are largely unobtainable in lower income countries or high inequality countries, and therefore require a thorough incorporation of global realities, or final abandonment in favor of more nuanced structural perspectives. Long-term care policies that assume the presence of family will yield increasing risk over time across all global contexts and represent a key vulnerability in the future of healthy aging policy.

Factors Affecting Successful Aging of Older Adults and the Relationship Between Leisure Activities Duration and Successful Aging.

The study was conducted with older adults who lived in a nursing home and applied to the geriatric outpatient clinic of a university hospital between April and August 2022. The study sample was 516 older adults and the data were collected by using the Older Information Form and Successful Aging Scale (SAS). It was determined that the mean duration of daily leisure activities was 6.61 ± 3.69 hours, and their mean SAS score was 58.31 ± 15.21. A moderate positive correlation was found between the SAS scores of the older adults and the activities of shopping; whereas a low positive correlation was found between their SAS scores and activities of walking, visiting friends and relatives, growing flowers, listening to music, reading, hand knitting, spending time on social media, exercising, and puzzles (p < .05). The main results of our study revealed that planned leisure activities that older adults engage in would contribute to their successful aging.

Prevalence of successful aging in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Successful aging (SA) describes the multidimensional aspects of achieving optimal physical and mental health and social well-being combinations in old age. Recent years have seen increasing interest in understanding SA prevalence. This study systematically evaluates the current state of SA globally, defined as multidimensional outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To systematically evaluate the global prevalence of SA in older adults. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, China Biomedical Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, and Weipu Database from inception to February 14, 2024. Two researchers independently conducted literature screening, data extraction, and quality evaluation. Meta-analysis was performed using Stata 16.0. RESULTS: Thirty studies comprising 250,460 older adults were included. Meta-analysis showed the overall global prevalence of SA was 24.0 % [95 % CI (20.7 %, 27.3 %)]. Prevalence rates were 25.1 % in Asia, 21.5 % in Europe, 20.6 % in the Americas; 16.8 % in developed and 27.1 % in developing countries. Subgroup analyses indicated higher SA rates among male older adults, married/cohabiting, living in urban areas, and having higher education levels. CONCLUSIONS: The global prevalence of SA among older adults is low, with variations across age groups, regions, and education levels. Due to the limitations of the included studies, further high-quality research is needed to validate these findings.

Looking Back on Career, Looking Forward to Retirement: Antecedents of Subjective Career Evaluations and Their Impact on Retirement Adjustment.

OBJECTIVES: An individual's past, and reflections on it, may influence current and future well-being. Recent qualitative studies suggest retirees' recollections about their careers relate to well-being in retirement. We investigated associations between life course events and subjective career evaluations, gender differences in these associations, and their subsequent association with retirement adjustment. METHODS: We used data from three waves (2015, 2018, and 2023) of the (NIDI Pension Panel Study (NPPS), a longitudinal survey of Dutch older workers. Using a sample of 6,109 respondents, we used ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models to investigate associations between employment stability facilitators and inhibitors (e.g., promotion, demotion, unemployment) and personal shocks (e.g., divorce, widowhood) and subjective evaluations of satisfaction with the work and family domains of career between genders. Using a follow-up sample (N=4,106), we employed ordinal logistic regression models to investigate the impact of these baseline subjective evaluations on retirement adjustment at follow-up. RESULTS: Employment stability factors such as demotion and unemployment, and personal shocks such as poor psychological health were associated with subjective evaluations of the work and family career domains. Gender differences in these associations were found. Evaluations in both the work and family domains were associated with retirement adjustment at follow-up. DISCUSSION: Our results demonstrate the importance of life course events on older workers' evaluations of their careers and the long-term impact of subjective career evaluations. Further research is needed to evaluate the predictive utility of these evaluations for other outcomes in older adulthood.

Serious leisure and successful aging among elderly air volleyball players: examining the mediating role of social support and flow experience.

Introduction: Previous literature has demonstrated that engagement in serious leisure (SL) is associated with subjective well-being among older adults, while the relationship between successful aging (SA) and SL remains unexplored. This study aims to investigated the association between SL, social support (SS), flow experience (FE), and SA. Methods: A total of 435 older adults participating in air volleyball events were included in this study. Results: The findings revealed that: (i) SL directly and positively influences on SS, FE, and SA; (ii) SS is positively related to FE, and FE is positively associated with older adults'SA; (iii) Both SS and FE fully mediate the relationship between SL and SA, with SS partially explaining this mediation through FE. Discussion: This study builds upon prior research in this field and highlights the significance of SL for the SA among older adults. Future studies should further explore the underlying mechanisms linking serious sport experiences to successful elderly life.

Gerotranscendence, Hope, and Coherence in the Face of Life Adversity.

Background and Purpose: Older adults are living longer and becoming more diverse. The current study examined the relationship between traumatic life events, hope, coherence, and successful aging in Black and White older adults with at least one chronic health condition, and the influence of life events on gerotranscendence. Methods: Fifty older adults from two senior centers participated. Participants completed the Successful Aging Inventory, Life Events Checklist, Herth Hope Index, and Sense of Coherence Scale. Results: Significant correlations were found between successful aging and gerotranscendence (r = .290; p = .048) and hope (r = .585; p = <.001). Simple linear regression found that Successful Aging Index (SAI) scores significantly predicted gerotranscendence (R2 = .10, F(1, 46) = 5.157, p = .028) and Herth Hope Index scores (R2 = .36, F(1, 46) = 25.850, p <.001). Higher Sense of Coherence (SoC) and Gerotranscendence Scale scores among those with no firsthand trauma experience suggest that experiencing traumatic events firsthand may adversely affect the aging process. Implications: Therefore, exploration of trauma experiences, with mental health referrals as appropriate are clinical implications to consider.

[Efficiency of computerized cognitive training for prevention of cognitive impairments and stimulation of neuroplasticity.]

Computerized cognitive training (CCT) is a rapidly developing area of cognitive rehabilitation at the intersection of information technology and healthcare, the constantly updated results of which can be successfully translated into practical application in clinical medicine and in particular in gerontology. The basis of CCT, as a non-invasive method of influencing the functional activity of the brain and the processes of neuroplasticity, is software for stimulating cognitive functions in order to improve their productivity. The level of scientific and practical interest in CCP technology is growing rapidly. The article reports on the current state of research on the use of CCT aimed at correcting cognitive impairment. The purpose of this work is to systematize the available scientific data in this area, as well as to promote further integration of research in the field of information technology into clinical practice, in particular, to study the potential of CCT as a promising therapeutic tool in the paradigm of successful aging and prevention of the progression of cognitive impairment. This noninvasive intervention may improve global cognitive function in patients with clinically defined impairments and during normal aging in cognitively healthy older adults. However, new studies with fully comparable protocols are needed to evaluate in more detail the duration of the effect and the effectiveness of CCT in preventing cognitive decline in the long term.

Redefining the Successful Aging of veterans: A scoping review.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The aging experiences of military veterans provide critical insights into what successful aging is and means for later life contexts constrained by distinct health and social needs. Can veterans 'successfully' age when they are exposed to so many stressors with serious health and social consequences for later life? Veterans can offer valuable lessons for developing comprehensive approaches to refining successful aging, ensuring inclusivity of different older populations. Building on Rowe and Kahn's idea of successful aging, we utilize the complementary concept of 'active aging' to explore if there are unique factors, characteristics, and interventions that support active aging in veterans, compared to non-veteran populations. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A rapid review and evidence synthesis was conducted across 9 databases in medicine, psychology, anthropology, sociology, and public health to search for peer-reviewed articles and research reports. RESULTS: Findings suggest that programs linking health and social dimensions can support the active aging of veterans, namely interventions promoting active physical and cognitive lifestyle as well as social connectedness and engagement. Such programs and interventions help prevent and combat mental and physical health decline and increase quality of life and well-being. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Findings have implications for veteran and non-veteran populations more broadly, as people can actively age even when they have unique health and social needs.

How Does Successful Aging Apply To Black Women?: A Latent Class Analysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Although prior research has identified racial/ethnic and gender differences in successful aging (SA), heterogeneity within groups has been little examined. We consequently explore the variety of aging experiences among older Black women. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We used the 2010/2012 U.S. Health and Retirement Study, limiting analyses to Black women who completed the Psychosocial Leave-Behind Questionnaire (N = 1,186). We conducted latent class analysis (LCA) using indicators of physical health, psychological well-being, social support/strain, and social engagement. RESULTS: Six SA latent classes were identified and labeled according to their distinctive characteristics: infirm, isolated, taxed, independent, vivacious, and robust. The infirm class had uniformly poor health, while the isolated class was in poor physical health but also lacked social relations. Although both had average physical health and psychological well-being, the taxed class experienced high levels of social support and social strain compared to the high support (and unpartnered) independent class. The vivacious and robust classes exhibited high physical health and psychological well-being, high social support/low social strain, and high social engagement, but vivacious women (23% of respondents) were unpartnered and robust women (16% of respondents) were partnered. The robust class had the highest physical and psychological well-being, and best social relations across all classes. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Using nationally representative data, we reveal significant heterogeneity in Black women's aging experiences. Although many face difficult aging experiences, 39% of older Black women fit the SA framework well. Future work should recognize that Black women's aging experiences are not homogenous.

The Role of Life Satisfaction and Optimism for Successful Aging in Mid and Late Life.

Guided by the Rowe and Kahn model, the current study examined the longitudinal association of objective and subjective components of successful aging (SA) with individuals' life satisfaction and level of optimism across adulthood aiming to validate the related scanty existing research. Data were from waves 2 and 3 (2004-14) of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study. Using structural equation modeling, we examined (N = 2,040) whether subjective life satisfaction (wave 2) has any effect on a composite measure of SA (wave 3) while controlling for baseline sociodemographic and health factors. We also examined the mediation effects of optimism in the above associations. Findings revealed that life satisfaction has a significant positive effect on SA; also, this effect is bidirectional. Further, high optimism positively mediated the bidirectional association between life satisfaction and SA. This study identified life satisfaction and optimism as having potentially positive impacts on achieving SA in middle-aged and older adults.

Successful Aging in US Veterans with Mental Disorders: Results From the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence and correlates of successful aging in US veterans who screened positive for current major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and/or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). METHODS: In a nationally representative sample of 475 US military veterans (mean age=58.3, SD=14.7; range 24-92) who screened positive for MDD, GAD, and/or PTSD, multivariable logistic regression and relative importance analyses were conducted to identify independent correlates of successful aging. RESULTS: One-in-five (20.6%) veterans rated themselves as aging successfully. Resilience and gratitude were the strongest positive correlates of successful aging, accounting for 38.1% and 32.4% of the explained variance, respectively. Greater somatic symptoms were the strongest negative correlate, accounting for 11.2% of the explained variance. Higher gratitude moderated the negative association between somatic symptoms and successful aging. CONCLUSIONS: Positive psychiatry interventions targeting psychosocial factors such as resilience and gratitude may help promote successful aging among US veterans with mental disorders.