Successful aging and
mental health
South African government Older Persons Act 13
o Maintain and promote security/safety of older
o Maintain rights
o Emphasis on care
o Regulate registration and information on residential facilities for older persons
o Combat abuse
Successful Aging
o Refers to freedom from disease
o Maintaining high cognitive capability
o Active engagement in social + productive activities
Rowe- Kahn Model
1. Methodological issues: inconsistency across conceptualisation of measures
2. Adaptations and extensions: adapting criteria
3. Objective and subjective meaning: successful aging assessed by means of objective
measures and neglects experience
4. Overemphasis on biomedical factors: aging refers to normal decline in biological or
cognitive factors. Successful aging refers to minimal function loss
5. Personal choice: overemphasis on lifestyle =/agency/choice
Attitudes towards aging
o Ageism is a form of prejudice and refers to discrimination based on chronological age
o Indicates prejudice against middle age
o “old people are all alike”
o “little to offer to society” and “behave like children”
o Implicit rather than explicit (assuming bad memory)
o Social stereotypes create self-stereotypes where thoughts about aging are
influenced
o Fear aging process
o Materialism plays a pivotal role in attitudes towards aging
o Negative attitudes about olde people found in children
Personality characteristics for successful aging
1. Strong Sense of meaning: a positive interpretation of one’s existence and value in life
2. Sense of mastery: global sense of control over life circumstances
3. Emotional stability: consistency and predictability in reactions and ability to
withstand setbacks
4. Flexibility: adjustability to change + willingness to compromise
5. Goal-directedness: attain a specific goal and finding ways to achieve goals
Compiled, Revised and Sold by Bronwyn de Sousa. DO NOT SHARE!!!
, 6. Conscientiousness: self-discipline
7. Extraversion: outgoing and confident approach to life
8. Low hostility level: not being aggressive or antagonistic
9. Resilience: capacity of an individual to adjust successfully + thrive on trauma
LOCUS OF CONTROL
o Ability to influence the course and outcome of life experiences
o Internal = I AND ME
o External = THEM AND OTHERS
o Aspect of control referred as a mastery
o Self-efficacy refers to a sense of mastery in specific tasks
o Old people less internal locus of control
Key element in life cycle = move from being dependent to independent
TYPES OF DEPENDENCY
1. Physical or medical dependency
• Degree to which physical health enables functioning independently
• Growing body = obesity/cognitive decline/loss of muscle mass
• Older people should perform instrumental activities
• Shopping, cooking, housekeeping etc.
• High dependency = facilities
2. Psychological dependency
• Cognitive abilities and emotional functioning
• Maintaining well-being
• Alzheimer’s disease or emotional disorders = no independence
3. Social dependency
• Capacity to maintain satisfying interpersonal relationships and to obtain
needed social support
• Making decisions about social interaction
• Elderly keep friendships and strong relationships
4. Financial dependency
• Inability to meet needs consistently with minimal or no financial
assistance
• Linked with poverty and blocked from self-fulfilment
Compiled, Revised and Sold by Bronwyn de Sousa. DO NOT SHARE!!!
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller bbds2204. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $2.76. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.