Perceptions of successful aging among Mexican older adults

Article Sidebar

PDF_English PDF_Inglés (Español (España))
Published: Nov 2, 2015
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5460/jbhsi.v7.2.52888

Main Article Content

Ana Cecilia Reyes-Uribe
University of Guadalajara, Business School, Tenured Professor.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore Mexican older adults’ perspectives on successful aging along with their views about whether they consider themselves successful agers and why. Using a grounded theory framework, individual interviews were conducted with 23 older adults aged 62-88 years in Zapopan, Mexico. Successful aging is a multidimensional concept that is influenced by numerous intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Overall, participants’ definition of successful aging includes acceptance and adaptation to life transitions and health conditions, strong involvement with family and friends, being close to God, the achievement of personal goals, and aging in place. Most participants considered themselves to be successful agers although some of them recognized that not in all aspects of their lives.

Article Details

How to Cite
Reyes-Uribe, A. C. (2015). Perceptions of successful aging among Mexican older adults. Journal of Behavior, Health & Social Issues, 7(2), 9–17. https://doi.org/10.5460/jbhsi.v7.2.52888

Citas en Dimensions Service

Author Biography

Ana Cecilia Reyes-Uribe, University of Guadalajara, Business School, Tenured Professor.

Name: Ana Cecilia Reyes Uribe. Degree: PhD in Human Ecology, University of Alberta, Canada. Affiliation: University of Guadalajara, Business School, Tenured Professor. Research Area: aging and subjective well-being. Distinctions: Fellowship Fundación Carolina, Grant Holder PROMEP Address: Anillo Periférico Norte 799, Núcleo los Belenes, Zapopan, Jalisco, México. C.P. 45180 Email: areyesu@cucea.udg.mx; http://www.cucea.udg.mx

References

Bengston, V.L., & Bonder, B. (2009). Theories of aging: a multidisciplinary review for occupational and physical therapists. In V.L. Bengston & B. Bonder (Eds.), Functional performance in older adults. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company.

Chapman, S.A. (2005). Theorizing about aging well: constructing a narrative. Canadian Journal on Aging, 24 (1), 9-18. Available via: http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/cja.2005.0004

Creswell, J.W. (2003). Research design: quantitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Thousand Oaks: Sage.

Dillaway, H.E., & Byrnes. M. (2009). Reconsidering successful aging: a call for renewed and expanded academic critiques and conceptualizations. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 28 (6), 702-722, available via: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0733464809333882

Fabrino, A.P., Heringer, F., & Correa, P.C. (2007). Definição de envelhecimento saudável na perspective de individuos idosos. Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica, 20 (1), 81-86, available via: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0102-79722007000100011

Franklin, N.C., & Tate, C.A.(2008). Lifestyle and successful aging: an overview. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 3 (1), 6-11, available via: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1559827608326125

Lewis, J.P. (2011). Successful aging through the eyes of Alaska native elders. What it means to be an elder in Bristol Bay, AK. The Gerontologist, 51 (4), 540-549, available via: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnr006

Menec, V.H. (2003). The relation between everyday activities and successful aging: a 6-year longitudinal study. Journals of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 58 (B), S74-S82, available via: http://10.1093/geronb/58.2.S74

Montes-Betancourt, B., & González-Marín, A. (2012). Envejecimiento de la población en México: perspectivas y retos desde los derechos humanos. México: Instituto Mexicano de Derechos Humanos y Democracia.

Phelan, E.A., Anderson, L.A., LaCroix, A.Z., & Larson, E.B. (2004).Older adults’ views of “successful aging” –How do they compare with researchers’ definitions?. Journal of American Geriatrics Society, 52, 211-216, available via: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2004.52056.x

Pruchno, R.A., Wilson-Genderson, M., Rose, M., & Cartwright, F. (2010).Successful aging. Early influences and contemporary characteristics. The Gerontologist, 50 (6), 821-833, available via: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnq041

Reichstadt, J., Sengupta, G., Depp, C.A., Palinkas, L.A., & Jeste, D.V. (2010). Older adults’ perspectives on successful aging: qualitative interviews. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 18 (7), 567-575, available via: http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/JGP.0b013e3181e040bb

Romo, R.D., Wallhagen, M.I., Yourman, L., Yeung, C.C., Eng, C., & Micco, G. et al. (2012). Perceptions of successful aging among diverse elderls with late-life disability.The Gerontologist, 52 (6), 1-11, available via: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/geront/gns160

Rossen, E.K., Knafl, K.A., & Flood, M. (2008). Older women’s perceptions of successful aging. Activities, Adaptation & Aging, 32 (2), 73-88, available via: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01924780802142644

Rowe, J.W., & Kahn, R.L. (1998). Successful Aging. New York: Random House.

Stevens-Ratchford, R., & Diaz, T. (2003). Promoting successful aging through occupation. An examination of engagement in life. Activities, Adaptation & Aging, 27 (3-4), 19-37, available via: http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/J016v27n03_02

Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of qualitative research: techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory. Thousand Oaks: Sage.

Tate, R.B., Lah, L., & Cuddy, T.E. (2003). Definition of successful aging by elderly Canadian males:the Manitoba follow-up study. The Gerontologist, 43 (5), 735-744, available via: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/geront/43.5.735

Torres, S. (2006). Different ways of understanding the construct of successful aging: Iranian immigrants speak about what aging well means to them. Journal of Cross Cultural Gerontology, 21 (1), 1-23, available via: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10823-006-9017-z

Yun, R.J., & Lachman, M.E. (2006). Perceptions of aging in two cultures: Korean and American views on old age. Journal of Cross Cultural Gerontology, 21 (1), 55-70, available via: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10823-006-9018-y

Esta revista es de acceso libre inmediato a su contenido, bajo el principio de hacer disponible al público gratuitamente las investigaciones publicadas.

Los autores que publiquen en Journal of Behavior, Health and Social Issues (JBHSI) aceptan las siguientes condiciones:

  1. De acuerdo con la legislación de derechos de autor, en Journal of Behavior, Health and Social Issues (JBHSI) reconoce y respeta el derecho moral de los autores, así como la titularidad del derecho patrimonial, el cual será transferido —de forma no exclusiva— a la revista para su difusión en acceso abierto.
  2. La revista Journal of Behavior, Health and Social Issues (JBHSI) no realiza cargos a los autores por enviar y procesar artículos para su publicación.
  3. Todos los textos publicados por en Journal of Behavior, Health and Social Issues (JBHSI)

—sin excepción— se distribuyen amparados bajo la Licencia Creative Commons Atribución- NoComercial 4.0 Internacional, que permite a terceros utilizar lo publicado siempre que mencionen la autoría del trabajo y a la primera publicación en esta revista.

  1. Los autores pueden realizar otros acuerdos contractuales independientes y adicionales para la distribución no exclusiva de la versión del artículo publicado en Journal of Behavior, Health and Social Issues (JBHSI), por ejemplo incluirlo en un repositorio institucional o darlo a conocer en otros medios en papel o electrónicos, siempre que indique clara y explícitamente que el trabajo se publicó por primera vez en el Journal of Behavior, Health and Social Issues (JBHSI).
  2. Para todo lo anterior, los autores deben remitir el formato de carta de transmisión de derechos patrimoniales de la primera publicación debidamente requisitado y firmado, al momento de ser aceptado para su publicación el manuscrito en cuestión.

 

 

This is an open-access journal in terms of its content, under the premise of making published research available to the public for free.

The authors who publish on the Journal of Behavior, Health and Social Issues (JBHSI) accept the following terms:

  1. In accordance to the copyright law, the Journal of Behavior, Health and Social Issues (JBHSI) recognizes and respects the moral law of the authors, as well as the ownership right, which will be transferred –in a non-exclusive manner- to the journal for its open access diffusion.
  2. The Journal of Behavior, Health and Social Issues (JBHSI) does not charge the authors for sending and processing the papers for their publication.
  3. Every text published by the Journal of Behavior, Health and Social Issues (JBHSI) –with no exception- is distributed under protection of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license, which allows third parties to utilize what was published as long as they mention the authorship of the paper and the first publication in this journal.
  4. The authors can hold other contractual agreements, independent and additional to the non-exclusive distribution of the published version of the article in the Journal of Behavior, Health and Social Issues (JBHSI), such as including it in an institutional repository or promoting it through channels different from paper or electronic publications, as long as it indicates clearly and explicitly that the paper was first published in the Journal of Behavior, Health and Social Issues (JBHSI).
  5. For all the previous matters, the authors must refer the format of the letter of transference of patrimonial rights of the first publication, properly required and signed, at the moment of being approved for publication in the manuscript at issue.