The purpose of this study is to examine successful aging among Spanish-speaking older adults in Costa Rica and in Spain using the proactive framework proposed by Kahana et al. (2014). More specifically, we hypothesized that older adults’ life satisfaction would be positively associated with the frequency and perceived level of social support, spirituality/having purpose in life, and the use of proactive physical, cognitive, and social self-care behaviors. Our results confirmed these hypotheses, not only for the overall group of participants, but also separately for older adults in Costa Rica and in Spain. The present study contributes to the literature of successful aging among older adults, by examining the protective factors associated with life satisfaction among Spanish speaking older adults in Costa Rica and in Spain. It identifies specific protective factors (spirituality/purpose in life, social support, and self-care) associated with the values and preferences held by participants in the study.
AtienzaF. L.PonsD.BalaguerI.García-MeritaM. L. (2000). Propiedades psicométricas de la Escala de Satisfacción Con La Vida en adolescentes. Psicothema, 12, 314–319.
2.
BélangerE.AhmedT.VafaeiA.CurcioC. L.PhillipsS. P.ZunzuneguiM. V. (2016). Sources of social support associated with health and quality of life: A cross-sectional study among Canadian and Latin American older adults. BMJ Open, 6, e011503–011510.doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2016-01150327354077
3.
BellónJ. A.DelgadoA.LunaJ.LardelliP. (1996). Validez Y fiabilidad del cuestionario de apoyo social funcional Duke-UNC-11. Atención Primaria, 18, 153–163.
4.
BhattaT.AngelJ. L.KahanaE.KahanaB. (2016). Valuation of life among Cuban Hispanics: Racial differences in perceived disability in later life. The Gerontologist, 56(3-1), 624–625.
5.
BaekY.MartinP.SieglerI. C.DaveyA.PoonL. W. (2016). Personality traits and successful aging: Findings from the Georgia centenarian study. International Journal of Aging & Human Development, 83(3), 207–227.doi:10.1177/009141501665240427298487
6.
BowlingA. (2007). Aspirations for older age in the 21st century: What is successful aging?The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 64(3), 263–297.doi:10.2190/L0K1-87W4-9R01-712717503689
7.
BroadheadW. E.GehlbachS. H.de GruyF.KaplanB. H. (1988). The Duke-UNC functional social support questionnaire: Measurement of social support in family medicine patients. Medical care, 26(7), 709–723.doi:10.1097/00005650-198807000-000063393031
8.
CalasantiT.KingN. (2020). Beyond successful aging 2.0: Inequalities, ageism, and the case for normalizing old ages. The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, gbaa, 037, 1–11.
9.
CowlishawS.NieleS.TeshuvaK.BrowningC.KendigH. A. L. (2013). Older adults’ spirituality and life satisfaction: a longitudinal test of social support and sense of coherence as mediating mechanisms. Ageing and Society, 33(7), 1243–1262.doi:10.1017/S0144686X12000633
10.
ErmoshkinaP.KahanaE.KahanaB.HanC. (2019). No longer in the driver’s seat: the impact of driving on identity as a disabled person. Innovation in Aging, 2(suppl_1), 829–830.
11.
Fernandez-BallesterosR.GarciaL. F.AbatcaD.BlancE.EfklidesA.MpraitouD.PatriciaS. (2010). The concept of ‘ageing well’ in ten Latin American and European countries. Ageing and Society, 30(1), 41–56.doi:10.1017/S0144686X09008587
12.
Fernández-BallesterosR.GarcíaL. F.AbarcaD.BlancL.EfklidesA.KornfeldR.LermaA. J.Mendoza-NuñezV. M.Mendoza-RuvalcabaN. M.OrosaT.PaúlC.PatriciaS. (2008). Lay concept of aging well: Cross-cultural comparisons. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 56(5), 950–952.doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2008.01654.x18454758
13.
FinneyS. J.DiStefanoC. (2013). Nonnormal and categorical data in structural equation modeling. InHancockG. R.MuellerR. O. (Eds.), A second course in structural equation modeling (2nd ed.,pp.439–492). Information Age.
14.
GalianaL.OliverA.SansóN.BenitoE. (2015). Validation of a new instrument for self-care in Spanish palliative care professionals nationwide. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 18, 1–9.doi:10.1017/SJP.2015.7126364786
15.
GoletT.BhattaT.LekhakN.KahanaE. (2016). The intersection of race and gender: Religiosity and psychological well-being in late life. The Gerontologist, 56(Suppl_3), 625.
16.
HiltonJ. M.ChildS. L. (2014). Spirituality and the successful aging of older Latinos. Counseling and Values, 59(1), 17–34.doi:10.1002/j.2161-007X.2014.00039.x
17.
HiltonJ. M.GonzalezC. A.SalehM.MaitozaR.Anngela-ColeL. (2012). Perceptions of successful aging among older Latinos, in cross-cultural context. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 27(3), 183–199.doi:10.1007/s10823-012-9171-422790484
18.
IMSERSO. (2017). Informe 2016. LAS personas mayores en España. Datos estadísticos estatales Y POR comunidades autónomas. Colección Personas Mayores. Instituto de Mayores y Servicios Sociales.
19.
JordanK. D.MastersK. S.HookerS. A.RuizJ. M.SmithT. W. (2014). An interpersonal approach to religiousness and spirituality: Implications for health and well-being. Journal of Personality, 82(5), 418–431.doi:10.1111/jopy.1207224102448
20.
KahanaE.KahanaB.KercherK. (2003). Emerging lifestyles and proactive options for successful ageing. Ageing International, 28(2), 155–180.doi:10.1007/s12126-003-1022-8
21.
KahanaE.KahanaB.KercherK.KingC.LovegreenL.ChirayathH. (1999). Evaluating a model of successful aging for urban African American and White elderly. InWykleM. L.FordA. B. (Eds.), Serving minority elders in the 21st century (pp.287–322). Springer Publishing Company.
22.
KahanaE.KahanaB.LeeJ. E. (2014). Proactive approaches to successful aging: One clear path through the forest. Gerontology, 60(5), 466–474.doi:10.1159/00036022224924437
23.
KahanaE.KahanaB.ZhangJ. (2005). Motivational antecedents of preventive proactivity in late life: Linking future orientation and exercise. Motivation and Emotion, 29(4), 438–459.doi:10.1007/s11031-006-9012-218080009
24.
KahanaE.Kelley-MooreJ.KahanaB. (2012). Proactive aging: A longitudinal study of stress, resources, agency, and well-being in late life. Aging & Mental Health, 16(4), 438–451.doi:10.1080/13607863.2011.64451922299813
25.
LaditkaS. B.CorwinS. J.LaditkaJ. N.LiuR.TsengW.WuB.BeardR. L.SharkeyJ. R.IveyS. L. (2009). Attitudes about aging well among a diverse group of older Americans: Implications for promoting cognitive health. The Gerontologist, 49(S1), S30–S39.doi:10.1093/geront/gnp08419525215
26.
LitwinH. (2010). Social networks and well-being: A comparison of older people in Mediterranean and non-Mediterranean countries. The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 65(5), 599–608.doi:10.1093/geronb/gbp10420008485
27.
MarshH. W.HauK.-T.WenZ. (2004). In search of golden rules: Comment on hypothesis-testing approaches to setting cutoff values for fit indexes and dangers in overgeneralizing hu and bentler’s (1999) findings. Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 11(3), 320–341.doi:10.1207/s15328007sem1103_2
28.
MartinP.KellyN.KahanaB.KahanaE.WillcoxB. J.WillcoxD. C.PoonL. W. (2014). Defining successful aging: A tangible or elusive concept?The Gerontologist, 55(1), 14–25.doi:10.1093/geront/gnu04424840916
29.
MartinsonM.BerridgeC. (2015). Successful aging and its discontents: A systematic review of the social gerontology literature. The Gerontologist, 55(1), 58–69.doi:10.1093/geront/gnu03724814830
30.
Montoro-RodriguezJ.PinazoS. (2005). Evaluating social integration and psychological outcomes for older adults enrolled at a university intergenerational program. Journal of intergenerational relationships, 3(3), 65–81.doi:10.1300/J194v03n03_05
Pan American Health Organization [PAHO]. (2017). Health in the Americas+, 2017 edition. Summary: Regional Outlook and Country Profiles.ISBN: 978-92-75-11966-2.
33.
Pinazo HernandisS.Montoro-RodríguezJ. (2007). Aprendizaje a lo largo de la vida: Efectos de la participación en los programas universitarios para mayores sobre la salud. Revista De Psicología De La Salud, 19(1), 65–81.doi:10.21134/pssa.v19i1.964
34.
PinazoS.Montoro-RodriguezJ. (2003). An intergenerational program, “Nau Gran,” at the University of Valencia (Spain). Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, 1(2), 103–104.doi:10.1300/J194v01n02_10
35.
PruchnoR. A.Wilson-GendersonM.RoseM.CartwrightF. (2010). Successful aging: Early influences and contemporary characteristics. The Gerontologist, 50(6), 821–833.doi:10.1093/geront/gnq04120513694
36.
SánchezM.GonzálezC.RoblesR.AndradeP. (2012). Development and psychometric evaluation of a spirituality index for elders in Mexico. Psicología Iberoamericana, 20, 41–48.
37.
SchwarzerR.KnollN. (2007). Functional roles of social support within the stress and coping process: A theoretical and empirical overview. International Journal of Psychology, 42(4), 243–252.doi:10.1080/00207590701396641
38.
SicotteM.AlvaradoB. E.LeónE.-M.ZunzuneguiM.-V. (2008). Social networks and depressive symptoms among elderly women and men in havana, Cuba. Aging & Mental Health, 12(2), 193–201.doi:10.1080/1360786070161635818389399
39.
RomoR. D.WallhagenM. I.YourmanL.YeungC. C.EngC.MiccoG.Pérez-StableE. J.SmithA. K. (2013). Perceptions of successful aging among diverse elders with late-life disability. The Gerontologist, 53(6), 939–949.doi:10.1093/geront/gns16023231944
40.
SirvenN.DebrandT. (2012). Social capital and health of older Europeans: Causal pathways and health inequalities. Social Science & Medicine, 75(7), 1288–1295.doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.05.00922748478
41.
TeaterB.ChonodyJ. M. (2019). How do older adults define successful aging? A scoping review. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 91(4), 599–625.doi:10.1177/009141501987120731456410
42.
Valdivieso-MoraE.PeetC. L.Garnier-VillarrealM.Salazar-VillaneaM.JohnsonD. K. (2016). A systematic review of the relationship between familism and mental health outcomes in Latino population. Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 1632.doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.0163227826269
43.
WangJ.WangX. (2012). Structural equation modeling: Applications using Mplus. John Wiley & Sons.
44.
WareJ.KosinskiM.DeweyJ.GandekB. (2001). How to score and interpret single-item health status measures: A Manual for users of the SF-8 health survey. QualyMetric.
45.
YoungY.FanM.-Y.ParrishJ. M.FrickK. D. (2009). Validation of a novel successful aging construct. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 10(5), 314–322.doi:10.1016/j.jamda.2009.01.00319497543
46.
ZunzuneguiM.BélandF.OteroA. (2001). Support from children, living arrangements, self-rated health and depressive symptoms of older people in Spain. International Journal of Epidemiology, 30(5), 1090–1099.doi:10.1093/ije/30.5.109011689528
