Well-being as a Pathway to Reaching the Extremes of Human Lifespan
Year: 2017
Type: conference-abstract
Abstract: Genetics have been found to account for only a portion of the ability of long-lived individuals and their family members to remain in good health. Therefore other factors, such as psychosocial dimensions, may play a role in increased health spans and longevity. In particular, well-being has been associated with mental and physical health and social and environmental relationships. Higher well-being including lower stress levels and positive mood are associated with favorable biological processes, positive health outcomes, and reduced mortality. Therefore cohorts of long-lived individuals present a unique opportunity to study the association and interaction of well-being with longevity and other psychosocial variables. This symposium addresses several facets of well-being among long-lived individuals. In the Fordham Centenarian Study meaning in life and will to live had more significant effects on well-being than health factors. Among centenarians from two Portuguese Centenarian Studies, spontaneous recollection of the past was common and generally positive, however, some centenarians avoid reminiscing due to negative effects of this behavior on their well-being. Better scores on indices of successful aging were found among elders from an area of Sardinia noted for exceptional longevity. Furthermore, it was determined that social desirability was an important factor affecting indices of successful aging in this unique cohort. The New England Centenarian Study found that centenarian offspring have higher levels of purpose in life than the general population indicating that well-being may be an important factor throughout the life course rather than just at the end of life for individuals predisposed to longevity.
Source: Innovation in Aging
Authors: S.L. Andersen, D.S. Jopp, M. Ardelt
Institutions: University of Lausanne, University of Florida
Language: English
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,977
OpenAlex ID: W2733818554