Correlates of life satisfaction among the aged

The objective of this study was to replicate and extend earlier studies of the correlates of life satisfaction among older persons. The findings concur with previous research in showing the im-portance of perceived health condition and financial adequacy as predictors of life satisfaction. The summary measures of the relationship between the predictor variables and life satisfaction are presented for the under- and over-age-65 populations to assess the influence of age as a moderator variable. The data were generated during an interview study based on a probability sample of the adult population in the United States. "DOTH popular and social scientific literature ••- * tends to emphasize the negative aspects of aging in American society: loss of roles, social isolation, poverty, and cultural glorification of youth. Recent longitudinal studies indicate, however, that retirement generally does not precipitate a marked deterioration in health and psychological well-being (Streib & Schneider, 1971). Empirical research suggests that the social and psychological concomitants of aging are influenced by life-style patterns established earlier in the life cycle (Maddox, 1968). From this perspective, then, the variables of morale, social participation, and health are indicative of the way a person spent his/her earlier life rather than in terms of the aging process as such (Simpson & McKinney, 1966). Earlier research also indicates that older persons differ from younger people not so much in over-all life satisfaction, but rather in terms of the types of gratifications and stresses experienced. It is interesting to note that, although older persons are somewhat less likely than younger persons to report positive gratifications, nevertheless older persons "are no more disposed (indeed, perhaps in some respects even less so) to express worries and insecurities " (Riley & Foner, 1968). There is, however, considerable variance among older persons in that an individual's psychological well-being is usually related to his/her health condition, socioeconomic background, and so