In Manitoba, Canada, a representative cohort of elderly individuals ages 65 to 84 (n = 3,573) were interviewed in 1971 and the survivors of this cohort were reinterviewed in 1983. This analysis assesses the determinants of successful aging--whether or not an individual will live to an advanced age, continue to function well at home, and remain mentally alert. Over 100 separate indicators of demographic and socio-economic status, social supports, health and mental status in 1971 were available as potential predictors of successful aging. Indicators of access to health care over the period 1970-82 and indicators of diseases over this period were also available as predictors. Those who aged successfully were shown to have greater satisfaction with life in 1983 and to have made fewer demands on the health care system than those who aged less well. Despite the large number of potential predictors of successful aging which were examined, only age, four measures of health status, two measures of mental status, and not having one's spouse die or enter a nursing home were shown to be predictive of successful aging.

This article provides an introduction to the special volume on research related to issues of social isolation and loneliness for older people. It discusses some key concepts and provides a brief overview of the articles included in the volume.

The purpose of this paper was to identify predictors of social isolation and loneliness for very old rural and urban adults. With data from the 1996 Aging in Manitoba Study (N = 1,868; age range 72–104), separate multiple regression models were constructed for rural and urban sub-samples, using the life space index (LSI) to measure social isolation as one outcome, and a loneliness index created by the authors from a combination of items to measure loneliness as a second outcome. Different factors were found to predict the outcomes for the two sub-samples. The models with isolation as the outcome produced five predictors for the rural sub-sample and three for the urban sub-sample. Only living alone was the same for both groups. The models with loneliness as the outcome produced five predictors for the rural sub-sample and two for the urban sub-sample, again with only one factor in common – four or more chronic illnesses. We conclude that health and social factors are important predictors of social isolation and loneliness, and sensitivity to these factors may improve the experience of older adults.

This study examined life satisfaction among individuals who had undergone a transition in marital status and those whose marital status remained stable over a 7-year period. In particular, using data from a large-scale, longitudinal study we assessed life satisfaction as measured in 1983 and 1990 among 2,180 men and women between the ages of 67 and 102. Groups of individuals were identified on the basis of whether a spouse was present or absent at the two measurement points. This allowed for a classification of groups who experienced stability or transitions in marital status. Among those individuals whose marital status remained stable over the 7 years, women's life satisfaction declined and men's remained constant. Among those who experienced a transition--in particular, the loss of a spouse--a decline in life satisfaction was found for both men and women, decline being more predominant for men. In addition, men's life satisfaction increased over the 7-year period if they gained a spouse, whereas the same was not true for women. Generally, these findings imply that the relationship between marital status transitions or stability differs for men and women.

La solitude est une expérience commune à de nombreuses cultures. Pour évaluer correctement les différences transculturelles, il faut examiner le degré de solitude, ses déterminants et les méthodes de mesure employées. Toutefois, les études transculturelles prennent rarement en compte plus d'un seul de ces facteurs. Ici, l'auteur part de l'hypothèse que les différences enregistrées dans le degré de solitude reflètent les différences nationales face aux relations avec les partenaires, la famille et les amis, différences qu'il suppose liées aux normes culturelles de la société. L'étude porte sur les différences notées chez des aînés mariés et veufs âgés de 70 à 89 ans, qui vivent de façon autonome au Pays-Bas (N = 1847), en Toscane, Italie (N = 562) et au Manitoba, Canada (N = 1134). La solitude a été mesurée à l'aide d'une échelle à 11 items. Les Manitobains ont un score élevé pour la solitude affective et les Toscans pour la solitude sociale. Exception faite du statut civil, les déterminants sont presque identiques dans les trois régions étudiées. Pour la plupart des items, l'auteur examine le rôle du fonctionnement différencié des items (differential item functioning -DIF) dans les trois régions, les interactions avec le sexe et le fait que les sujets étudiés aient ou non un partenaire. ABSTRACTLoneliness is experienced in many cultures. To properly assess cross-cultural differences, attention should be paid to the level, determinants, and measurement of loneliness. However, cross-cultural studies have rarely taken into account more than one of these. Differences in the level of loneliness were hypothesized on the basis of national differences in partnership, kinship, and friendship, which were assumed to be related to cultural standards within a society. Differences were examined among married and widowed older adults aged 70 to 89 years living independently in the Netherlands (N = 1,847), Tuscany, Italy (N = 562), and Manitoba, Canada (N = 1,134). Loneliness was measured with an 11-item scale. The Manitobans were high on emotional loneliness and the Tuscans were high on social loneliness. Partner status excepted, the determinants were nearly the same across the three locations. Differential item functioning (DIF) related to the three locations was observed for most items. Interactions with gender and the availability of a partner relationship were observed.Previous research has revealed that loneliness is a pervasive social problem and is experienced in many cultures. However, cross-cultural differences in the frequency of loneliness have been observed; for exam-