The Level of Successful Aging and Influencing Factors of the Community Elderly

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to understand the level of successful aging and to analyze the factors that affect successful aging. METHODS: This study was a descriptive study. The data collection of this study using questionnaires was from October 1, 2017 to December 30, 2017, and the 169 elderly people living in Chungcheongnam-do were surveyed. RESULTS: The mean level of successful aging of the subjects was 3.57 (±0.58), which was higher than the median, it was significantly different among the presence of religion, participation in senior facility, regular exercise, pain, and subjective health status. Regression analysis showed that the factors that have the greatest influence on the successful aging of the subjects were the participation in senior facility (β=0.24, P<0.001), self-esteem support (β=0.20, P=0.024), emotional support (β=0.19, P=0.048), regular exercise (β=0.19, P=0.002), and pain (β=−0.14. P=0.029). The explanatory power of these variables on successful aging was 53% (F=20.37, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that emotional support and support for self-esteem were important in successful aging, and that pain, which was not considered in previous studies, was an important factor.