healthy aging

Successful aging (American English) or successful ageing (British English) refers to physical, mental and social well-being in older age. The concept of successful aging can be traced back to the 1950s, and was popularized in the 1980s. It reflects changing view on aging in Western countries, where a stigma associated with old age (see ageism) has led to considering older people as a burden on society. Consequently, in the past most of the scientists have been focusing on negative aspects of aging or preventing the decline of youth. Research on successful aging, however, acknowledges the fact that there is a growing number of older adults functioning at a high level and contributing to the society. Scientists working in this area seek to define what differentiates successful from usual aging in order to design effective strategies and medical interventions to protect health and well-being from aging.