Subjective well-being is a form of self-evaluation of life by referring to cognitive and affective aspects. This systematic review analyzes 13 international journals on factors influencing older adults' subjective well-being. The review planning uses the SPIDER formulation: Sample, Phenomenon of Interest, Design, Evaluation, and Research Type.…

To analyze the influence of different health status dimensions and quality of life (QoL) domains on older adults' subjective health, and to assess the role that residential satisfaction plays in these relationships. A QoL survey was conducted on a representative sample of the community-dwelling older adult population in Madrid province (Spain).…

China's oldest old population is estimated to quadruple by 2050. Yet, poverty rate for the oldest old has been the highest among all age groups in China. This paper investigates the relationship between economic stress, quality of life, and mortality among the oldest-old in China. Both objective economic hardships and perceived economic strain are…

It is commonly assumed that better living standards will boost subjective well-being. The post-apartheid South African government subscribes to this idea; its social policies aim to provide "a better life for all". Since the coming of democracy in 1994, the state has built over 3 million houses and supplied electricity and clean water to…

The aim of the study was to explore the relationship between subjective economic status and indicators of successful aging to life satisfaction trajectories among the elderly in Taiwan. Data were from the four waves of "Survey of Health and Living Status of the Elderly in Taiwan". Hierarchical linear modeling was conducted. Subjective…

Interview data from 400 middle-class elderly people indicate that those who were more satisfied with their dwellings were less favorably disposed to stimulating or novel environments, were happier with their lives, traveled less frequently, lived longer in their present residences, were homeowners, and reported fewer financial difficulties.…

Evaluated a causal model of life satisfaction by using four data sets with sample sizes ranging from 961-3,996. The proposed structural model fit the male and female samples and results were replicated across the four data sets. No systematic sex differences were found in terms of structural parameters. (Author/RC)

A study of Black retirees found that interpersonal relationships are of primary importance as a source of satisfaction during retirement, with the family playing a vital role. Economic conditions, health, and emotional concerns were cited most frequently as sources of dissatisfaction. (Author/MJL)

Investigates the effect of residence and race on life satisfaction among older persons living in rural and urban counties in the mid-South. Finds satisfaction highest among rural Blacks followed by urban Whites, rural Whites, and urban Blacks. Examines income and social contact as correlates of life satisfaction. (Author/KC)

A national survey examined the factors that are primarily responsible in determining an individual's overall quality of life. Using the critical incident technique, researchers surveyed a representative sample of 50- and 70-year-old adults in the United States in order to determine which of 15 factors they felt had negative and positive effects on…

Papers included are as follows: "An Overview" (Ross); "The Outlook for Social Security in the Wake of the 1983 Amendments" (Munnell); "The Economics of Aging: Doomsday or Shangrila?" (Schulz); "Retirement Incentives--the Carrot and the Stick. (Why No One Works beyond 65 Anymore)" (Quinn); "Inflation and…

Elderly women may suffer from economic problems, isolation, loneliness, poor housing, poor health care, and few viable alternatives to institutionalization. Although the total number of aged poor has declined by over 40% in the past 20 years, the number of aged women living alone and poor stayed almost unchanged. The separation and divorce rates…

After reviewing recent gerontological literature on satisfaction and happiness from the point of view of explanations by analysis of constituents, explanations by synthesis of correlates, and mixtures of these two types of explanations, the report describes results of a social survey of 392 Huron County (Ontario) rural residents over age 60. The…

Although the role of women in the American economy has come a long way in the years since 1950, women have made relatively little progress in quite a number of areas. In the years during and after World War II, women's employment has increased significantly, with married women being the ones who have entered the work force most rapidly. Despite…

Research synthesized from three studies of the Finnish labor market indicates that a rapidly changing working life in Finland (and the rest of Europe) sets many different challenges for the workforce. In Finland, the population is even more aged than in the other European Union (EU) member states, and the transition of older workers to retirement…