Challenges Experienced at Age 100: Findings From the Fordham Centenarian Study

Abstract

This article examines the challenges experienced by very old individuals and their consequences for well-being and mental health. In order to capture unique issues experienced in very old age, 75 participants of the population-based Fordham Centenarian Study answered open-ended questions on everyday challenges. Theme-based coding was then used to categorize and quantify responses. The challenges mentioned most often were challenges faced in the functional (e.g., physical health/activities of daily living restrictions, mobility, sensory impairment), psychological (e.g., loss of well-liked activity, dependency, negative emotions, death), and social (e.g., family loss) life domains. Functional challenges were negatively associated with aging satisfaction and positively associated with loneliness. Psychological challenges were positively linked to aging satisfaction. Social challenges were marginally related to loneliness. Notably, challenges were not related to depression. In conclusion, the challenges experienced in very old age are multidimensional and multifaceted, unique in nature, and have differential relations to mental health. Functional, psychological, and social challenges affect very old individuals' lives and therefore need to be better understood and addressed. Given their consequences, it is imperative for policy makers to develop an awareness for the different types of challenges faced by centenarians, as there may be unique policy implications related to each.

Preparing for a paradigm shift in aging populations: listen to the oldest old

“…Although the networks of the oldest old were small, their ties with family members, professionals, friends, and neighbours were strong because of regular contact. Such regular contact provides opportunities for social exchange with a small, yet regularly present, group of informal and formal caregivers (Jopp et al, 2016). Despite their small networks, the oldest old felt they had a moral obligation to contribute to society.…”

“…These people also tend to avoid having any conflicts in regard to relationships and do not wish to compare themselves to others (Darviri et al, 2009) when the oldest old accept themselves and their lives, both the good and the bad, they become comfortable being themselves, and find peace and happiness. Consequently, the oldest old are mostly satisfied with their present lives (Darviri et al, 2009; Eloranta et al, 2012; Zeng et al, 2017), and their happiness is not influenced by their physical limitations (Jopp et al, 2016). Analysis of the developmental course of emotional experience has revealed that as people age, overall emotional well-being becomes more positive and stable, and that individuals who are positive are more likely to live longer than those who commonly feel negative emotions (Carstensen et al, 2011).…”

“…Based on a literature review of successful aging (Anderson, Goodman, Holtzman, Posner, & Northridge, 2012) and living experience (Fleming, Farquhar, Brayne, & Barcley; Cambridge city over-75s cohort (CC75C) study collaboration, 2016; Jopp et al, 2016; Wong et al, 2014) of older people, we developed a semi-structured interview guide that included positive (e.g., a feeling of happiness) and negative (e.g., physical and cognitive decline) aspects of their experience (Table I). Furthermore, the interview guide consisted of past, present, and future axes to facilitate the oldest old in talking freely.…”

“…Wong et al (2014) also reported four themes related to living long and well: positive relations with others, positive events and happiness, hope for the future, and positive life attitude. Jopp et al (2016) addressed loss of well-liked activities and loss of family members as psychological and social challenges, respectively. However, how best to design and implement initiatives that address the needs and preferences of older adults remain unclear (Lette et al, 2017).…”

Designing Methuselah: an ethical argument against germline genetic modification to prolong human longevity

“…More focused studies have also determined the factors relating to happiness in the elderly. Aside from declining physical health the main risk factors that were identified are principally psychosocial and included social isolation and the death of close friends and loved ones, especially family members 16. This is reinforced by other studies which have shown that the elderly place more emphasis on close relationships such as those with family members than on maintaining wider social networks 14.…”