Skip to main content

Well-being

  • Chapter
  • 80 Accesses

Abstract

It was concluded in Chapter 2 that many people at age 60 are vibrant, people at 70 can look forward to exciting things, and at 80, much in life can be pleasant. In brief, age should not be a deterrent to life satisfaction. Many studies of life satisfaction in later life have been carried out under various titles such as morale, successful aging, and happiness. Underlying these studies, even if implicitly, was the goal of determining what adjustments and changes could be made before old age, or during it, that can improve life. Despite these studies, specific prescriptions must remain a goal since the prescription can only be in individual terms.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Anonymous. What’s it like? The Johns Hopkins Magazine, Spring, 1968, 27–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Atchley, R. C. The social forces in later life. Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bankoff, E. A. Aged parents and their widowed daughters: a support relationship. Journal of Gerontology, 1983, 38, 226–230.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Berardo, F. M. Survivorship and social isolation: the case of the aged widower. Family Coordinator, 1970, 19, 11–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bixby, L. E. Retirement patterns in the United States: Research policy interaction. Social Security Bulletin, 1976, 39(8), 3–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Borges, M. A., & Dutton, L. J. Attitudes toward aging. The Gerontologist, 1976, 16, 220–224.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Butler, R. N., & Lewis, M. I. Aging and mental health. St. Louis: C. V. Mosby, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carey, R. G. The widowed: A year later. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 1977, 24, 125–131.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Comfort, A. Sexuality in later life. In J. E. Birren & R. B. Sloane (Eds.), Handbook of mental health and aging. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: 1980, pp. 885–892.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cumming, E., & Henry, W. Growing old: The process of disengagement. New York: Basic Books, 1961.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cutler, N. E. Age variations in the dimensionality of life satisfaction. Journal of Gerontology, 1979, 34, 573–578.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eisdorfer, C. Adaptation to loss of work. In F. M. Carp (Ed.), Retirement. New York: Academic Press, 1972.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ekerdt, D. J., Bosse, R., & LoCastro, J. S. Claims that retirement improves health. Journal of Gerontology, 1983, 38, 231–236.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Epstein, L. E., & Murray, J. H. Employment and retirement. In B. L. Neugarten (Ed.), Middle age and aging. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1968.

    Google Scholar 

  • Havighurst, R. J., Neugarten, B. L., & Tobin, S. S. Disengagement and patterns of aging. In B. L. Neugarten (Ed.), Middle age and aging. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1968, pp. 161–172.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacobson, D. Rejection of the retiree role: A study of female industrial workers in their late 50s. Home Relations, 1974, 21, 477–492.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kalish, R. A. Late adulthood: Perspectives on human development. Monterey, Calif.: Brooks/ Cole, 1975.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kausler, D. H. Experimental psychology and human aging. New York: Wiley, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kingson, E. R. The early retirement myth: Why men retire before age 62. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Govt. Printing Office, 1981. (A report by the Select Committee on Aging, U.S. House of Representatives; Comm. Pub. No. 97–298.)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawton, M. P. The Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale: a revision. Journal of Gerontology, 1975, 30, 85–89.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lieberman, L. R. Life satisfaction in the young and old. Psychological Reports, 1970, 27, 75–79.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lieberman, M.A., & Borman, L. D. Who helps widows: the role of kith and kin. National Reporter (of the National Research and Information Center, Evanston, 111.), 1981, 4(8), 2–4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lopata, H. Z. Self-identity in marriage and widowhood. Sociological Quarterly, 1973, 14, 407–418. (a)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lopata, H. Z. Widowhood in an American city. Cambridge, Mass.: Schenkman, 1973. (b)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lopata, H. Z. Women as widows. New York: Elsevier North Holland, 1979.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lowenthal, M. F., & Boler, D. Voluntary vs. involuntary social withdrawal. Journal of Gerontology, 1965, 20, 363–371.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lowenthal, M. F., & Haven, C. Interaction and adaptation: Intimacy as a critical variable. American Sociological Review, 1968, 33(1), 20–30.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maddox, G. L. Fact and artifact: Evidence bearing on disengagement theory from the Duke Geriatrics Project. Human Development, 1965, 8, 117–130.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maddox, G., & Eisdorfer, C. Some correlates of activity and morale among the elderly. Social Forces, 1962, 40, 254–260.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mussen, P., Honzik, M. P., & Eichorn, H. Early adult antecedents of life satisfaction at age 70. Journal of Gerontology, 1982, 37, 316–322.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Neugarten, B. L., Havighurst, R. J., & Tobin, S. S. The measurement of life satisfaction. Journal of Gerontology, 1961, 16, 134–143.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Neugarten, B. L., Havighurst, R. J., & Tobin, S. S. Personality and patterns of aging. In B. L. Neugarten (Ed.), Middle age and aging. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1968, pp. 173–177.

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmore, E. B. Differences in the retirement patterns of men and women. The Gerontologist, 1965, 1, 4–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Riley, M. W. & Foner, A. Aging and society (Vol. 1). New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 1968.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sheppard, H. L. Work and retirement. In R. H. Binstock & E. Shanas (Eds.), Handbook of aging and the social sciences. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1976.

    Google Scholar 

  • Streib, G. F. Morale of the retired. Social Problems, 1956, 3, 270–276.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Streib, G. F., & Schneider, C. J. Retirement in American society. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 1971.

    Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Bureau of the Census. Census of the population: Characteristics of the population. Part 1, Section 1, 1973.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ward, R. A. The aging experience. New York: Lippincott, 1979.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1984 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Botwinick, J. (1984). Well-being. In: Aging and Behavior. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-38517-3_5

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-38517-3_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-662-37707-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-38517-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics