In the eyes of older adults: Self-reported age and adjustment in African and European older adults

Abstract

To explore older adults’ perceptions of subjective age and adjustment to ageing and to analyse the correlational structure of the pre-categories in our study: subjective age, indicators of adjustment to ageing and of personal age perception. An exploratory, descriptive mixed-methods design was utilised. A purposive sampling method was used to select 154 older adults aged between 75 and 99 years from three different nationalities. Semi-structured interviews were performed, addressing two core areas: subjective age and adjustment to ageing. Data was subjected to content analysis. Representation of the correlational structure of the precategories in our study (subjective age and indicators of adjustment to ageing) were analysed by a Multiple Correspondence Analysis. Standardised instruments measured regular cognitive abilities. Five categories derived from interviews for subjective age: ‘adapted’, ‘disconnected’, ‘old’, ‘youthful’ and ‘tolerant’. A total of seven categories emerged as indicators of adjustment to ageing: ‘social networking’, ‘health’, ‘time perspective’, ‘spirituality’, ‘financial autonomy’, ‘professional activities’ and ‘fulfilment and leisure’. These results supported a model for each pre-category. Subjective age was explained by a two-factor model: ‘age-conscientious’ and ‘youthful’. A three-dimensional model formed by ‘reconciled’, ‘satisficers’ and ‘maximisers’ was indicated as a best-fit solution for adjustment to ageing. A three-dimensional overall model for PAP was formed by ‘age-cognisant’, ‘fulfilled’ and ‘satisficers’. The findings highlighted the underdeveloped potential of subjective age, adjustment to ageing and a personal age perception overall model for this population. Enhancing subjective age and adjustment to ageing might be an important target to improve older adults’ interventions’ outcomes.

Hierdie artikel het ten doel om ouer volwassenes se persepsies aangaande subjektiewe ouderdom en aanpassing by veroudering te ondersoek en om die korrelatiewe struktuur van die pre-kategorieë te ontleed: subjektiewe ouderdom, indikators van aanpassing by veroudering en persepsies oor persoonlike ouderdom. Die artikel gebruik ‘n eksploratiewe, deskriptiewe gemengdemetode-ontwerp. ‘n Doelgerigte steekproefmetode is gebruik om 154 ouer volwassenes tussen die ouderdom van 75 en 99 uit drie verskillende nasionaliteite te kies. Semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude is met hulle gevoer en dit het op twee kerngebiede gefokus: subjektiewe ouderdom en aanpassing by veroudering. Die data is aan ‘n inhoudsanalise onderwerp. Die representasie van die korrelatiewe struktuur van die pre-kategorieë in die studie (subjektiewe ouderdom en indikators van aanpassing by veroudering) is met behulp van ‘n veelvuldige-ooreenkoms-analise gedoen. Gestandaardiseerde instrumente het reguliere kognitiewe vermoëns gemeet. Vyf kategorieë vir subjektiewe ouderdom is uit die onderhoude afgelei: ‘aangepas’, ‘gediskonnekteer’, ‘oud’, ‘jeugdig’ en ‘verdraagsaam’. ‘n Totaal van sewe kategorieë het as indikators van aanpassing by veroudering na vore gekom: ‘sosiale netwerking’, ‘gesondheid’, ‘tydsperspektief’, ‘spiritualiteit’, ‘finansiële outonomiteit’, ‘professionele aktiwiteite’ en ‘vervulling en vrye tyd’. Die resultate ondersteun ‘n model vir elke pre-kategorie. Subjektiewe ouderdom is deur ‘n tweefaktor-model verduidelik: ‘ouderdomsbewustheid’ en ‘jeugdig’. ‘n Driedimensionele model is as die beste oplossing vir aanpassing by verandering aangedui, te wete ‘versoen, ‘tevrede met wat voldoende is’ (satisficers) en ‘maksimaliseerder’. ‘n Oorkoepelende driedimensionele model vir PAP (die Sielkundevereniging van die Filippyne) is gevorm deur die kategorieë ‘ouderdom-bewus’, ‘vervul’ en ‘tevrede met wat voldoende is’. Die bevindings beklemtoon die onderontwikkelde potensiaal van subjektiewe ouderdom, aanpassing by veroudering en ‘n oorkoepelende model vir persepsies oor persoonlike ouderdom in hierdie populasie. Die bevordering van subjektiewe ouderdom en aanpassing by veroudering sou belangrike doelwitte kon wees ten einde intervensie-uitkomste onder ouer volwassenes te verbeter.