Successful Aging and Chronic Osteoarthritis

Abstract

Background: Aging is commonly accepted as a time period of declining heath in most cases. This review aimed to examine the research base concerning the use of the term ‘successful aging’, a process and outcome deemed desirable, but challenging to attain. A second was to provide related information to demonstrate how health professionals as well as individuals can aim for a ‘successful aging’ process and outcome, despite the presence of disabling osteoarthritis. Methods: Information specifically focusing on ‘successful aging’ and the concept of improving opportunities for advancing ‘successful aging’ despite osteoarthritis was sought. Results: Among the many articles on ‘successful aging’, several authors highlight the need to include, a broader array of older adults into the conceptual framework. Moreover, conditions such as osteoarthritis should not necessarily preclude the individual from attaining a personally valued successful aging outcome. Conclusions: Pursuing more inclusive research and research designs, and not neglecting to include people with chronic osteoarthritis can potentially heighten the life quality of all aging individuals, while reducing pain and depression, among other adverse aging and disability correlates among those with osteoarthritis.

Attitudes toward successful aging in individuals with chronic disease aged 65 or over

“…Helme (2001) reported that elderly individuals with chronic disease who were capable of good pain management and with highly empathetic attitudes also aged more successfully [33]. At the same time, individuals with chronic diseases have been reported to behave in a more controlled manner than those without such diseases, while successful aging is accompanied by good pain management and the overcoming of physical limitations [34,35]. We think that our finding shows that individuals with chronic diseases in this study had good pain management.…”

Potential of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. in Human Health and Nutrition: A Review of Current Knowledge and Therapeutic Perspectives

“…Osteoarthritis (OA) is a joint disease, affecting the middle-aged to elderly [ 99 ]. An ethanol extract of SCE was shown to exert a protective effect against cartilage degradation in a monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced OA rat model [ 100 ].…”