'Age should never be a barrier to pursuing our passions': older adults' conceptualization of subjective well-being in Ethiopia

ObjectivesWhile several studies from the gerontology and lifespan development perspective address the well-being of older adults, studies that directly pertain to the subjective well-being (SWB) of older adults from a resource-poor context are lacking. This study was conducted to gain insights about older adults' conceptualization of their SWB in Ethiopia.MethodWe employed an exploratory qualitative approach to investigate older adults' perspectives of their well-being. Thirty-one participants, 20 men and 11 women, were purposively selected for the study. We used in-depth interviews and focus group discussions to collect data. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the data.ResultsThe analysis yielded six prominent themes: physical and mental health, family and social interactions, financial stability and security, optimism and autonomy, religious faith and practices, and the opportunity to work and contribute to the community.ConclusionThe study provided insights about older adults' conceptualization of well-being from a low-income country context. Older adults viewed their well-being holistically as a combination of physical, mental, family, social, financial, religious, and community dimensions. The findings point to a need for comprehensive and contextually-relevant psychosocial and economic interventions and rehabilitative plans to enhance older adults' well-being.