The perspectives of successful ageing among older adults aged 75+: a systematic review with a narrative synthesis of mixed studies

Abstract

Older adults 75 and above are a fast-growing segment of the population. However, few studies have investigated what it means to age successfully from their perspective. This group of older adults face challenges that might characteristically differ from younger older adults. Therefore, the aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the perspectives of older adults aged 75 and above regarding what it means to age successfully and to summarise the findings through a narrative synthesis. We also aimed to provide a snapshot of inhibitors and facilitators to achieve successful ageing. A systematic review of the 75+ older adults’ perspectives was conducted across PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science and PsycINFO. Qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods original peer-reviewed studies were included. After reviewing 4,661 articles, 15 articles met the inclusion criteria and 15 themes were identified. They ranged from biomedical components such as physical functioning to psychosocial components such as relationships, reflections on life and past experiences, preparations for death and environmental factors. The findings revealed that as people age, their definition of successful ageing changes, expanding the current conceptualisation of successful ageing by including additional factors that can act as facilitators and/or inhibitors, such as death and environmental factors. The findings also highlight the need for further research on theory development by considering age-related differences and the perspectives of under-studied populations.

Political and Psychosocial Antecedents of Self-Rated Successful Aging among Young-Old and Old-Old Adults

“…Autonomy, one of the most important human needs, de ned by Ryan and Deci as the experience of choice 30 , is associated with many positive outcomes, such as satisfaction with life and well-being 31 . Research has shown that older people consider autonomy to be an essential criterion of SA 22 . In our study, autonomy is de ned as subjective evaluation of independence and freedom of choice 32 .…”

“…These groups of elderly adults, referred to as Young-Old (Y-O) and Old-Old (O-O), are also distinguished in research on good aging 21 . Recently, researchers have been paying more attention than before to the 75 + age group, noticing its speci city in the context of self-rated SA 12,22 . Still, the number of empirical studies on these issues is very limited, especially those that aim at comparing Y-O and O-O groups.…”

Association of dietary and nutritional factors with cognitive decline, dementia, and depressive symptomatology in older individuals according to a neurogenesis-centred biological susceptibility to brain ageing

“…With life expectancy continuing to rise, the impact of these conditions will only become more burdensome. Therefore, to identify more effective healthy brain ageing strategies and interventions [ 2 , 3 ], we need to deepen our understanding of the factors that promote or hinder these ageing-related brain conditions.…”

The need to change: Is there a critical role of midlife adaptation in mental health later in life?

“…To answer this question, lifespan psychologists, neuroscientists, and epidemiologists have identified resilience factors that may promote successful aging ( Carstensen, 2006 ; Park and Reuter-Lorenz, 2009 ; Brassen et al, 2012 ; Mather, 2016 ; Heckhausen et al, 2019 ). The concept of successful aging is hereby often equated with emotional health ( Badache et al, 2023 ), although it has undergone different interpretations since its introduction in the early 1960s ( Havighurst, 1961 ). There are three well-known psychobiological models of successful aging.…”