Positive Ageing: to What Extent can Current Models of Wellbeing Categorise the Life Events Perceived as Positive by Olde
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Positive Ageing: to What Extent can Current Models of Wellbeing Categorise the Life Events Perceived as Positive by Older Adults? Alison Killen 1
& Ann
Macaskill 2
Accepted: 29 January 2020/ # The Author(s) 2020
Abstract Life expectancy is increasing globally, which makes understanding what contributes to well-being in older adults crucial for social and economic reasons. This is the first study to categorize positive life events in community dwelling older adults, to explore their fit with psychological well-being models. Volunteers self-defined as well (N = 88), completed diaries identifying three positive events daily for 14 days. Diary entries combated negative stereotypes of ageing by describing older adults with active lives contributing to society. Of nine themes identified through thematic analysis of over 3500 events; seven supported existing well-being models, being activities delivering positive affect and life satisfaction (hedonic model) and demonstrating competence, autonomy, relatedness, self-acceptance, purpose in life, and personal growth (eudemonic models). However, two well-supported new dimensions were also identified within the themes ‘interaction with the physical environment’ and ‘personal well-being’. These new dimensions were labelled ‘life-affirmation and ‘mindfulness’. This suggests the existence of additional considerations related to well-being specifically for older populations, which may indicate a need to broaden the existing models. Keywords Subjective well-being . Hedonic well-being . Eudemonic well-being .
Mindfulness . Life-affirmation . Age-related models
* Alison Killen [email protected] Ann Macaskill [email protected]
1
Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Campus for Ageing & Vitality, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 5PL, UK
2
Centre for Behavioural Science and Applied Psychology, Sheffield Hallam University, Unit 8 Science Park, Sheffield S1 2WB, UK
International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology
1 Introduction Life expectancy has increased globally; with the result that population ageing is a global phenomenon with challenges for the future provision of health and social care (Bone et al. 2018). While currently, one-in-six of the population in the United Kingdom are older than 65 years, it is estimated that by 2040, this figure will be one-in-four (UK Office of National Statistics 2019). Similar patterns are evident in much of Europe, Australia and North America with many governments increasing retirement age in response and expressing concerns about growing health care costs. Understanding what contributes to well-being in the older population is becoming a priority, particularly as older adults are being encouraged or expected to work for longer. Most predominant models of ageing present old age as a time of loss, with multiple declines in functional abilities and independence (Stirling 2010). Low self-esteem commonly arises, (Stessman et al. 2014), and there is an increase in levels of depression (Corcoran e
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