toward optimal wellness at each stage of life by their own efforts. People have more options than to be sick or healthy. They do not have to be sick to improve wellness. This is an especially important outlook for aging as a process—people can have an array of illnesses as they age yet still enjoy wellness and a good quality of life.
Feinberg’s (2001) work added another layer of richness to the analysis of how “the self,” as a unifying perpetually created process of the brain, is a lifelong process. He shed importance on the intricate, fluid, lifelong nature in which the holistic nature of mind–body unity are demonstrated throughout the life span. Mental wellness is important, but it is not intended to be ignorant of the fact that frailties, problems, and dependencies may exist for some aging individuals. However, there exists a need to focus on the strengths of aging persons throughout their development.
Older adults are generally challenged to create a positive sense of their lives as a whole. The feeling that life has had order and meaning is expected to result in happiness (ego-integrity) (Erikson, 1986). Older adults must adjust to decreasing physical strength and health. Thus, older adults might be confronted with life situations that are characterized by not being in perfect health, serious illness, and dependency on other people’s help. Moreover, older adults also have to adjust to the death of their spouses; this task arises more frequently for women than for men. After having lived with their spouses for several decades, widowhood might force older individuals to adjust to emotional states of loneliness, moving to smaller places, and learning about business matters. Having an optimistic outlook on life can help older adults cope with and compensate for these adjustments in healthy ways and continue on their path to successful aging. Guided Practice Exercise 3.2 will help counseling professionals identify factors integral to successful aging. These factors can be integrated into the therapeutic sessions to promote and improve the quality of life for older clients.
Guided Practice Exercise 3.2
Interview an older woman and investigate her perception of successful aging. Compare her responses to those factors identified in the chapter. What similarities and differences have been identified? What do you feel constitutes successful aging?
Positive Aging Characteristics
Many of today’s older adults lead active, productive lives. For example, 83.6% of persons 65 and older in 2014 had completed high school or higher education, and 26.3% of these older adults earned a bachelor’s degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau, 2014). The majority of adults over 65 continue to work, volunteer for humanitarian causes, serve in public office, travel, and remain otherwise active (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009).
Typically, people who have aged successfully have the following characteristics:
In general, they have managed to avoid serious debilitating diseases and disability.
They function well physically, live independently, and engage in most normal activities of daily living.
They have maintained cognitive function and are actively engaged in mentally challenging and stimulating activities and in social and productive pursuits.
They are resilient and able to cope reasonably well with physical, social, and emotional changes.
They feel a sense of control over circumstances in their lives. (Lachman, 2005)
The best way to experience a productive, full, and satisfying old age is to lead a productive, full, and satisfying life prior to old age. Establishing these qualities early on in life creates habits and beliefs that will continue into older adulthood. Tips for successful aging are shown in Table 3.1.
A number of attributes are vital to successful aging (Walker, 2001). Individuals who are oriented toward the future age successfully. This attribute is defined as the ability to anticipate, to plan, and to hope. Additionally, gratitude, forgiveness, and optimism are important and are described as the need to see the glass as half full, not half empty. Empathy is another key factor in successful aging, which is the ability to imagine the world from someone else’s viewpoint. Finally, reaching out to others and having the desire to do things with people are important attributes (Walker, 2001). Individuals who possess a long-term perspective and engage in positive lifestyle behaviors increase their potential for successful aging.
Resiliency
Resilient people share some common qualities that can be cultivated to master any crisis. They stay connected with others, which improves their well-being and quality of life. Resilient people are optimistic and have a sunny outlook on life. They are often spiritual or actively involved in religious faith and know how to overcome negative thinking and difficult times. Resilient people enjoy themselves like children do. They wonder about things, experiment, and laugh. They also give back to others, and the benefit they receive is as great as the support that they are providing. People who help others live longer.
Table 3.1
Source: Walker, L. A. (2001, September 16). We can control how we age. Parade, pp. 4–5.
Resilient people pick their battles and focus on things over which they have some influence and avoid spending time on things they can’t control. They stay healthy by following a good diet and engaging in regular physical activity that tends to buffer stress. Exercise helps to repair neurons in brain areas that are particularly susceptible to stress. Resilient people convert misfortune into good luck and gain strength from adversity. They see negative events as opportunities to better themselves (Howard, 2009). Research conducted by Fry and Keyes (2010) emphasizes resilience. Successful aging and personality addresses the potential to maximize an individual’s potential given particular personality traits or, conversely, the ability of an individual to modify pliable traits that are not compatible with successful aging.
Case Illustration 3.1 is an example of an older woman who demonstrates resiliency. She is actively engaged in life, financially prepared to manage her expenses, engages in healthy behaviors, and displays optimism.
Case Illustration 3.1
Mrs. Lesser is a retired attorney who is 85 years old. She is living comfortably in a retirement community and travels extensively. Her investments, assets, and pensions are more than adequate to meet her personal financial obligations. She plays golf during the summer and swims indoors during the winter. She runs a small business making flowers, eats a well-balanced diet, and has no medical problems. She takes a multivitamin, calcium supplement, vitamin C capsule, fish oil supplement, and vitamin D3. She attributes her excellent cognitive skills and mental health to her work, healthy diet, active engagement with family and friends, and providing companionship to members of her church who need emotional support. She also believes that the decisions individuals make earlier in life can either help or hinder them later on. Therefore, making healthy lifestyle choices, managing her finances, and staying focused on what is important in life has enabled her to age comfortably.
Healthy Lifestyle
Much of what we call aging results from lack of exercise, smoking, other addictions, poor nutrition, falls, and stress. The challenge is to distinguish the late-life conditions that are truly unavoidable from those caused by disuse and lack of movement. However, this distinction is often lost in mainstream elders’ health care, and age denial keeps many who are under 60 from realistically assessing their chances of reaching 80 intact.
Increased susceptibility to
