โ Scribed by Alan B. Kirk; Hunter Downing Alessi
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
Social supports have been found to be an important component for promoting successful aging (Murrell, Norris, & Chipley, 1992). However, an accumulating body of knowledge suggests that it is the quality of the relationships and not the frequency of social interactions that contributes to life satisfaction (e.g., Arcury, Bell, & Carlton-LaNey, 1998). It seems that having a variety of positive social supports, both inside and outside the family, contributes to psychological wellness of elderly individuals (Newsom, Bookwala, & Schulz, 1997).
Life satisfaction is also strongly related to good health and physical wellbeing (Murrell et al., 1992). Although elderly individuals can be plagued with health problems that are associated with aging (e.g., nutritional deficiencies and excesses), proper nutrition may mitigate many of these difficulties, preventing adverse complications from chronic illnesses, thereby enhancing their quality of life.
In late adulthood, social support plays an important role in reducing stress, thus promoting physical health and psychological well-being. Although many elderly individuals receive most of their emotional and practical support from family members (Bull, 1998), there can be a rapid erosion of assistance from the family if adverse circumstances intervene (e.g., illness, death, job relocation, financial problems). The population of individuals over the age of 85 years is the fastest growing age group in the United States; it is, therefore,
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