ABSTRACT

This chapter integrates and summarizes our collective thinking on well-being among the old-old by answering five central questions: 1) What is old-old age?; 2) What is well-being in old-old persons?; 3) What affects well-being in old-old age?; 4) What theory, if any, is appropriate for old-old age?; 5) What interventions, if at all, are needed to enhance well-being in old-old age? It is hoped that our discourse will generate new research and directions toward well-being among old-old at the end stage of life.

INTRODUCTION

We began this volume with a road map to increase our knowledge on well-being among the oldest old. We designed this volume to include different views on well-being, the impact of experiences and trauma accumulated over the lifetime, mediating and moderating influences, and measurement issues.

At the end of this journey of inquiry, we are able to summarize and integrate our effort. As a scientific endeavor, this book both answers questions and raises others. The book aims to answer questions about the essence of well-being in very old age and the predictors of such status. Some findings repeat and are consistent across populations and studies, whereas some of the chapters present diverse and conflicting points of view. To integrate the results of the different chapters and focus the discussion, we concentrate on five questions that traverse the chapters:

1. What is old-old age?

2. What is well-being in old-old persons?

3. What affects well-being in old-old age?

4. What theory, if any, is appropriate for old-old age?

5. What interventions, if at all, are needed to enhance well-being in old-old age?