Sulandari, S., Coats, R.O. orcid.org/0000-0003-4415-408X, Taufik, T. et al. (1 more author) (2024) What Does It Mean to “Age Well” Among British and Javanese Older Adults? A Cross-Cultural Qualitative Study. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B, 79 (7). gbae085. ISSN 1079-5014
Abstract
Objectives: This study aimed to investigate perceptions of what it means to “age well” and to explore similarities and differences between a Western and non-Western culture (Britain and Java). Methods: Qualitative interviews explored how Javanese and British older adults defned aging well, establishing the similarities and differences between cultures. Javanese (n = 14) and British (n = 15) adults aged 61–80 (mean age = 68) participated. The data were analyzed using refexive thematic analysis and organized with NVivo. Results: Four themes were identifed that captured what it means to age well across cultures: (a) good health is a springboard for aging well; (b) holding a positive outlook is a decisive factor in aging well; (c) “having enough” and “feeling safe” provide peace of mind; and (d) spirituality and religiosity provide tranquility. Although both cultures mentioned similar factors, there were variations in the interpretations and emphasis within themes. For example, Javanese participants emphasized the importance of the social environment whereas British participants highlighted the physical environment. Discussion: Differences between cultures are important for understanding how best to support people as they age. For example, in Java, aging well may be best supported by providing a vibrant social environment. For people in Britain, having a safe and secure physical environment may be more important.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © The Author(s) 2024. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. |
Keywords: | Age friendly, Cross-culture, Environment, Positive aging, Successful aging |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Medicine and Health (Leeds) > School of Psychology (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 12 Jul 2024 09:59 |
Last Modified: | 12 Jul 2024 09:59 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Oxford University Press |
Identification Number: | 10.1093/geronb/gbae085 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:214202 |