Factors that have a positive influence on elderly well-being A positive attitude and outlook on life Companionship Compassion Exercise Financial stability Getting attention and kind words from others Giving attention and kind words to others God Good cognitive health Good emotional health Good physical health Gratitude Hobbies Living in a healthy environment, adapted to to your needs and abilities Love Loving-Kindness Meditation, mindfulness, and mindsight Organic-based, nutrient loaded, natural foods Passion Personal autonomy Positive coping strategies (resourcefulness, reframing, flexible adaptive qualities, and openness to options and possibilities) Positive perceptions of your social support network Proactive and preemptive medical care Spirituality Staying physically, mentally, and socially active throughout your latter years Supportive social relationships with family and friends . . .
Factors that negatively affect well-being Chronic health problems Death or loss of a loved one Decline in ADL’s and IADL’s Depression Downward change in cognitive status Elderly physical, emotional, and financial abuse Emotional volatility Environmental disaster Having a negative disposition towards self and others Having negative coping strategies (ignoring or withdrawing, criticizing and blaming, yelling and cursing, lying, sabotaging, use of violence, inflexibility, overgeneralizing, destroying property, acting recklessly, self-harm, spending, eating or drinking excessively, catastrophizing) Junk food Loneliness Low levels of social engagement Lower life satisfaction Negative attitude and beliefs about aging No family or friends Overconsumption of alcohol and food, smoking, sedentary lifestyle Social barriers to aging well (inadequate health care, ageism and the accompanying stereotypes, racism, and other obstacles) Socioeconomic insufficiency Subjective decreased self-rating of mental health and well-being Toxic home environment Unhealthy negative emotions (apathy, anxiety, regret, rumination, and anger) . . .
Click on the following links for information and articles on aging well in each holistic domain