Successful Aging

Successful aging is a term coined in the mid 20th century to describe the health, vitality, and well-being of older humans—the so-called healthy elderly. Gradually gaining in popularity, its use has increased dramatically in the 21st century along with the rise in the number of elderly people. With improvements in medicine and public health, people are living longer throughout the world in developed and developing countries alike. The extension of human life expectancy means that more people will be living longer with disabilities and chronic diseases, thereby stressing the world's health care systems and economies. Therefore, strategies and approaches to maintaining and/or improving the health and well-being of elderly people will reap rewards for the individual [Page 1073]and the society in which that individual lives. ...