WHEN CONTEXT GETS UNDER THE SKIN: HOW ATTITUDES SHAPE CONTEXTUAL IMPACT ON AGING WELL IN LATE LIFE
2024

How Attitudes Affect Aging Well in Late Life

publication

Author Information

Author(s): Schilling Oliver, Slaug Björn, Sabatini et al., Zimmermann & Demirer, Kaspar et al.

Primary Institution: Oxford University Press US

Hypothesis

Subjective attitudes shape the conditions for aging well more than objective context.

Conclusion

The study suggests that older adults' attitudes significantly influence their ability to age well despite challenging circumstances.

Supporting Evidence

  • Sabatini et al. found that attitudes to aging mediate the effects of poor mental health on aging well.
  • Slaug et al. showed that perceptions of housing affect active aging.
  • Zimmermann & Demirer demonstrated that social cohesion mediates the impact of neighborhood deprivation on health.
  • Kaspar et al. proposed a model of successful aging that includes perceptions of opportunity structures.

Takeaway

Older people can age better if they have a positive attitude, even when things are tough around them.

Participant Demographics

Older adults from Australia and Sweden, and very old samples from Germany.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1093/geroni/igae098.0280

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