Successful Aging From the Perspective of Family Caregivers

Most models of successful aging have been limited to what researchers perceived to be its domains of rather than what elderly individuals and their caregivers have to say about their experiences. Sixty-five family caregivers recruited through geriatric care management agencies and support groups were interviewed to determine whether successful aging models accurately reflected their perspectives on aging. An open-ended question about successful aging was used along with a list of its 20 common characteristics, as identified in the literature, to compare the relevance of domains associated with different successful aging models. Caregivers identified domains in all major models, but new domains also emerged (e.g., quality of life, positive attitude, financial well-being). It was concluded that current models of successful aging may need to be expanded to include these additional domains and that quality of life may be a more inclusive and useful indicator of well-being than the concept of successful aging.