What successful aging means to us? It is very much subjective issue, isn’t it? Since I came to Finland or may be before then I have been thinking this matter in my deep bottom of heart. Seen my mother’s death shocked and shake me this way. Rowe and Khan’s multi-dimensional model with three characteristics of successful aging, low probability of disease and disease-related disability, high cognitive and physical functioning, and active engagement with life introduced more bio-medical approach compared the previous major social theories such as disengagement theory, activity theory, and continuity theory. But actually successful aging should be considered with many other various elements included in it: dimensions such as mental and cognitive health, psychological well-being and life satisfaction, happiness, social relationships, support, activity and productivity, personal growth, sense of purpose, self-acceptance, coping, spirituality, neighborhood and financial circumstances and security. It is really subjective and also cultural. The prevailing cultural conceptions are also varying on age group such as old (65-74), older old (75-84) or oldest old (85+). Especially the number of oldest old group has been increasing last 10 years and continues to grow. For those aged people the definition of disability itself might need to be rethinking, too.
Including me many people has one or several chronic disease health conditions but keep living with adjusting that condition anyway, so if the condition is not serious and we don’t have severe bad disability the low possibility of illness is not first priority for the successful aging for us, I think. How about the loneliness from isolating family or society? It may hurt people. But some people may say they would enjoy their privacy and independency without bothering from anybody.
Here in Finland, independency, which spiritually mainly but also physically, is valuable to the most people. The older live alone or with spouse after their children grown up (usually after the children graduate from the high school). It is similar to the United State. But the difference from the United States is that the parents support their children financially until they become independent (have a job) and help their grand children as after school caregiver or sickness caregiver unless they live close to them. It looks they enjoy being sandwich generation here in Finland. May be it happens because as follows;
1. the social health care system cover almost all medical expense
2. enough pension to everybody allow them to stay at home till the health condition get very worth
3. they can move to the shelter accommodation
Well I will keep observing their life…
