Aging Well

Most adults want to live long, in good health, and with an overall sense of well being. Aging well describes this goal by promoting positive images and approaches to human aging. Aging well, as opposed to a difficult old age, is the outcome of personal lifestyle choices and behaviors in interaction with supportive physical, social, and cultural environments. Aging[Page 67] well results from exercising the choices that create a successful, healthy, and productive life. It is a dynamic process that involves the individual in interaction with his or her environment, and is affected by historical events of the time and cultural influences. In many ways, aging well is affected by the resiliency and adaptability of the aging individual. The individual and the environment are interactive, and the positive outcomes associated with aging well are a direct result of personal adaptations and negotiations that take place within this context.

As increasing numbers of people worldwide are living longer and are more active throughout the adult years, archaic views of old age as a time of burden, decay, and decline are quickly being replaced by more positive ideas that focus on active and engaged lifestyles that include choices as we age. Attaining a good old age, or aging well, is an important social goal for countries that are experiencing rapid increases in the percentage of older people in their population. The myths and negative stereotypes about older people that were so dominant during the 20th century are challenged by newer views that convey successful aging, active aging, productive aging, healthy aging, and aging well. These contemporary ideas are aimed at replacing past images of old people as burdens on society with views that focus on positive aging. It is important, however, to be realistic in the images of aging that are presented in the media and ideas that are reflected in social policies and programs because it is an equal disservice to older people to create exaggerated images. Aging well, as both a process and an outcome of personal behaviors coupled with positive environments, may be instrumental to creating a productive adjustment within communities to the enlarging older adult segment of the population.

As a dynamic process, aging well cannot be presented as a single description or prescription of how to live. People age differently within their personal life contexts according to individual characteristics and histories that they bring to older adulthood. A hallmark of the aging population is a great degree of both heterogeneity and diversity. Heterogeneity refers to variability within the individual as he or she ages, and diversity refers to the position of different groups in relation to one another within society. The two terms are often confused with one another when understanding issues related to the aging population, and both terms are relevant, particularly in reference to aging well. Even though aging is intensely personal, it is still of great public concern and responsibility. To facilitate and promote aging well among adults in different societies around the world, public commitment is needed for providing policies and environments that enhance lifestyle choices for successful, active, productive, and healthy aging, which collectively represent the ideal conditions for aging well.

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