Older Adults’ Advance Aging and Life Satisfaction Levels: Effects of Lifestyles and Health Capabilities

Abstract

Many studies in the literature have examined older adults’ past and current lifestyles in either positive or negative association with their life satisfaction levels. Health capabilities naturally decline with aging and can consequently be related to older adults’ life satisfaction levels. Thus, the present study sought to examine the effects of age difference, lifestyles, and health capabilities on older adults’ life satisfaction levels. A total of 290 older adults from three clinical research centers in the United States completed a self-administered questionnaire on their lifestyles and life satisfaction levels, and their health capability assessments were evaluated. There was a significant effect of advancing age on life satisfaction levels among older adults. Additionally, engagement in exercise or physical activity significantly influenced life satisfaction levels. However, there were no statistical effects of vital signs and functional assessments of health capabilities on life satisfaction among older adults. The findings suggest that advancing age itself is the strongest factor in older adults’ life satisfaction. Additionally, engagement in exercise and physical activity can enhance life satisfaction levels as a supplemental factor among older adults. These findings can be beneficial to optimize life satisfaction levels through appropriate programs to encourage positive lifestyles among older adults.

The Impact of Regular Exercise on Life Satisfaction, Self-Esteem, and Self-Efficacy in Older Adults

“…The analyses also revealed that life satisfaction, self-esteem, and self-efficacy scores increased with age among our participants. This finding is in agreement with previous research, which has shown that aging can have a positive impact on these three areas of well-being [ 31 , 32 , 33 ]. One possible explanation for this is that older adults have more experience in self-acceptance and coping with life’s challenges, which could allow them to develop a more positive outlook on life and a stronger sense of self-worth [ 30 ].…”

“…Regular physical exercise has also been shown to have a positive effect on life satisfaction, self-esteem, and self-efficacy. This suggests that regular exercise may further enhance these areas of well-being in older adults [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 ]. Such insights can prove valuable in designing interventions that promote the quality of life for them.…”

The Impact of Sustainable Exercise on Self-Efficacy and Life Satisfaction in Women before and after Menopause

“…In contrast, postmenopausal women who regularly exercised demonstrated significantly higher life satisfaction scores. This supports the broader literature base that corroborates the positive impact of exercise on life satisfaction during post-menopause [39,40]. Our findings reinforce the crucial role exercise plays in enhancing physical and psychological health at this stage, offering relief from conditions such as osteoporosis and heart disease, and from mental health challenges.…”

Exploring Lifestyle Activities as Possible Protective Factors for Life Satisfaction: A Cross-sectional Study

“…A systematic review reported that physical activity has a positive effect on life satisfaction [9], suggesting that any form of physical activity may have a positive impact on healthy aging [20]. Moreover, engaging in regular exercise or physical activity is signi cantly associated with increased life satisfaction among older adults [21]. However, the intensity of the physical activity may also affect life satisfaction.…”