Quality of life in older age: a psychological review of mental health dimensions
Abstract
Quality of life in older age is one of the most important indicators of well-being and psychological func- tioning in older adults. With the increase in life expectancy and the ageing of the population, attention to the psychological factors that influence the experience of this stage of life has increased significantly. This article analyses the scientific literature on quality of life in older age, with a special focus on the dimensions of mental health and psychological well-being. The literature review examines the role of depression, anxiety, emotional functioning, social support, and coping mechanisms in shaping quality of life. The findings show that perceptions, emotional well-being, and psychological resources have a stron- ger influence on the quality of life of older adults than their objective physical health. Mental well-being, a sense of meaning, and personal autonomy, together with social support, are consistently associated with higher levels of quality of life in older age. In this context, the article emphasizes the need to integrate psychological interventions within a biopsychosocial approach to the care of older adults.Parole chiave:
Quality of life, Older age, Mental health, Psychological well-beingDownloads
Riferimenti bibliografici
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World Health Organization. 1998. WHOQOL User Manual. Geneva: World Health Organization.
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Bowling, A. 2005. Ageing Well: Quality of Life in Old Age. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
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Diener, E., E. M. Suh, R. E. Lucas, and H. L. Smith. 1999. “Subjective Well-being: Three Decades of Progress.” Psychol. Bull. 125(2):276–302.
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Fiske, A., J. L. Wetherell, and M. Gatz. 2009. “Depression in Older Adults.” Annu. Rev. Clin. Psychol. 5:363–389.
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Steptoe, A., A. Deaton, and A. A. Stone. 2015. “Subjective Wellbeing, Health, and Ageing.” Lancet 385(9968):640–648.
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Ryff, C. D., and B. Singer. 2008. “Know Thyself and Become What You Are: A Eudaimonic Approach to Psychological Well-being.” J. Happiness Stud. 9:13–39.
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Baltes, P. B., and M. M. Baltes. 1990. Successful Aging: Perspectives from the Behavioral Sciences. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
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Holt-Lunstad, J., T. B. Smith, and J. B. Layton. 2010. “Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review.” PLoS Med. 7(7):e1000316.
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George, L. K. 2010. “Still Happy After All These Years: Research Frontiers on Subjective Well-being in Later Life.” J. Gerontol. B Psychol. Sci. Soc. Sci. 65B(3):331–339. Sonja Brahaj, Dorina Dervishi, Erina Hilaj
Riferimenti bibliografici
World Health Organization. 1998. WHOQOL User Manual. Geneva: World Health Organization.
Bowling, A. 2005. Ageing Well: Quality of Life in Old Age. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Diener, E., E. M. Suh, R. E. Lucas, and H. L. Smith. 1999. “Subjective Well-being: Three Decades of Progress.” Psychol. Bull. 125(2):276–302.
Fiske, A., J. L. Wetherell, and M. Gatz. 2009. “Depression in Older Adults.” Annu. Rev. Clin. Psychol. 5:363–389.
Steptoe, A., A. Deaton, and A. A. Stone. 2015. “Subjective Wellbeing, Health, and Ageing.” Lancet 385(9968):640–648.
Ryff, C. D., and B. Singer. 2008. “Know Thyself and Become What You Are: A Eudaimonic Approach to Psychological Well-being.” J. Happiness Stud. 9:13–39.
Baltes, P. B., and M. M. Baltes. 1990. Successful Aging: Perspectives from the Behavioral Sciences. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Holt-Lunstad, J., T. B. Smith, and J. B. Layton. 2010. “Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review.” PLoS Med. 7(7):e1000316.
George, L. K. 2010. “Still Happy After All These Years: Research Frontiers on Subjective Well-being in Later Life.” J. Gerontol. B Psychol. Sci. Soc. Sci. 65B(3):331–339. Sonja Brahaj, Dorina Dervishi, Erina Hilaj
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