Developmental Psych Assignment Sem 4

Name- Sakina Mahableshwarwala
Class- SYBA
Div- B
Roll No- 254
Subject- Developmental Psychology (Paper 3)
Semester- IV
Year- 2023-2024
Phone No- 8879490111
Email ID- [email protected]
Successful Ageing
Old age is the range of ages for persons nearing and surpassing life expectancy. People of old
age are also referred to as: old people, elderly, elders, seniors, senior citizens, or older adults. Old
age is not a definite biological stage: the chronological age denoted as "old age" varies culturally
and historically. Old people often have limited regenerative abilities and are more susceptible to
illness and injury than younger adults. They face social problems related to
retirement, loneliness, and ageism.
Successful ageing has been receiving much attention in recent years due to the longevity,
growing elderly population and high risk for having various physical and mental health
problems. Successful ageing is a state of health (physical and psychological) and vitality
throughout one’s life span. It simply denotes health and well-being in latter decades of life. It has
been so significant that the year 1999 was called as “Year of the Older Persons” by the World
Health Organization. Advancement in medicines and technological usage in health have led to
increase in life expectancy, thus leading to a greater surge in the older population in both
developed and developing countries.
What does it mean to age successfully?

The term successful ageing first came to limelight after the book ‘Successful Ageing’ was
published by Rowe and Kahn in 1987. Rowe and Kahn further popularized this term and
enumerated three components of successful ageing: (a) avoiding disease and disability, (b)
maintaining high cognitive and physical functioning, and (c) engagement with life. The
following components can be considered to be the building blocks of successful ageing:
 Physical component: Physical component includes absence of physical illness, disability

and independent in carrying out physical functions. Physical well-being can be
understood as maintaining good physical health and being independent for activities of
daily life.
 Psychological component: It refers to capacity to engage in different mental activities,
feeling happy, absence of cognitive and psychological problems. This also includes
acceptance of self, personal growth, purpose or meaning in life, positive relations with
others, environmental mastery and autonomy.
 Social component: includes social acceptance, social actualization, social contribution,
social coherence and social integration. It indicates being able to lead a meaningful social
life by being actively involved in it and contributing towards it.
Subjective experience of happiness or well-being is regarded as crucial for successful ageing.

High subjective well-being is considered beneficial as it enhances our ability to cope and deal
with challenges. One’s physical and mental well-being are also found to be affected by
resilience. Resilience buffers and protects against traumas, losses, deprivation, and threats. It has
been seen that people with higher education have a better sense of well-being during old age.
Higher education leading to better job opportunities and in turn resulting in increased income,
enables elderly to have better access to resources and hence have better chances of successful
ageing. Marital status and good social support also play an important role in predicting
successful ageing.
Cognitive functioning refers to higher mental processes including attention, executive function,
speed of processing, language, learning, memory function. Higher cognitive functioning is
another crucial component for successful ageing. Better cognitive abilities such as planning,
problem solving and memory can help us to deal with our day-to-day challenges and enable us to
function independently. Better cognition could enhance our confidence, self-esteem and well-
being. On the other hand, cognitive impairment can affect our physical and psychological well-
being.
Health is usually considered as wealth. Better health is associated with happiness and ageing
successfully. Ageing can attract a host of physical and mental health problems such as arthritis,
hypertension, hearing problems, anxiety and depression. Presence of physical or psychological
problems could adversely affect our wellbeing and psychosocial functioning including quality of
life. On the other hand, absence of disease and disability enables us to function independently
and enhances our subjective experience of successful ageing.
The role of personality cannot be denied in the process of successful ageing. Several personality
characteristics have been found to be positively related to well-being and longevity. The big five
personality traits: openness to experience, agreeableness, extraversion, conscientiousness and
neuroticism are found to be associated with environmental mastery, purpose in life and self-
acceptance. Having a meaning or purpose in life makes one’s life objective and significant. It
also helps in understanding the negative or stressful events in more positive way.
There are several intentional and effortful activities that we do in our life in order to make our
life more productive and healthy. Indulging in a variety of such activities is useful such as
drawing and painting, gardening, reading, stitching, cooking or learning new skills, engaging in
physical activities, making effort to enhance quality relationship, donating and helping people,
spending time with nature and so on. For example, leisure or social activities involve some form
of physical, mental or social stimulation which in turn improves our physical and psychosocial
well-being. Similarly, engaging in behavior’s such as having good eating habits, exercising or
doing some physical activity, getting health checkups regularly, avoiding smoking and alcohol,
maintaining a regular routine and sleeping well, reduce the chances of physical health problems.
Active participation in regular physical activities such as walking and yoga, eating a balanced
diet, self monitoring of one’s own health, following a healthy lifestyle, engaging in social
relations, having a positive attitude towards self and others, doing things that gives happiness,
staying mentally active by doing activities such as reading newspaper, solving quizzes, learning
new skills, improving knowledge about latest technology.
Quality social support is considered important for successful ageing. Our social ties, relationship
and related support are known to enhance our well-being. It is basically network of people such
as friends, relatives, neighbors or significant others who are accessible or available for support
and help. Having quality support system is associated with healthy and successful ageing. High
quality social support is known to enhance our coping to deal with the stress as well as illness
through perceived support and assistance.
Successful ageing is a multi-dimensional concept that includes physical, social and psychological
well being. It is essential to keep a check of your own health and well being in order to keep
yourself happy, healthy and prosperous in the long run.
CITATIONS-
Old age - Wikipedia
Definitions of successful ageing: A brief review of a multidimensional concept - PMC (nih.gov)

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Name- Sakina Mahableshwarwala

Roll No- 254

Subject- Developmental Psychology (Paper 3)

Phone No- 8879490111

Email ID- [email protected]

What does it mean to age successfully?

 Physical component: Physical component includes absence of physical illness, disability

Subjective experience of happiness or well-being is regarded as crucial for successful ageing.

Old age - Wikipedia

Definitions of successful ageing: A brief review of a multidimensional concept - PMC (nih.gov)

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