تبیین پدیدارشناسانه سالمندی موفق: یک مطالعه کیفی

According to the prediction of WHO and the analysis of demographic statistics, the aging phenomenon is considered one of the upcoming challenges for the Iranian society. Therefore, moving in the direction of successful aging is considered a necessity. Hence, the purpose of this research is to phenomenologically explain the successful aging in men based on their lived experiences. This research was a qualitative study, of descriptive phenomenology type using a thematic analysis technique. The research population included all older men over 60 years old living in Tehran and Karaj, Iran, among whom 18 successful older people were selected as a sample using a purposeful sampling method until theoretical saturation was reached. The data were collected using in-depth and semi-structured interviews, and the seven-step Colaizzi method was used for their analysis. The findings from the interviews were extracted and classified into five main themes (individual characteristics, social characteristics, family characteristics, self-care, and feelings of support) and 21 sub-themes. The results of this research illustrated that the successful older adults possess personal characteristics such as responsibility, commitment, patience, flexibility, sociability, purposefulness, capability and independence. Moreover, they are socially effective, socially accepted and do not feel lonely emotionally, have warm family relationships, are under the financial support of the family, have physical, spiritual, and mental self-care, feel that they are supported by the society and the government, and are also supported economically and in terms of health services. According to the results of the research, it can be concluded that physical, spiritual, mental, and psychological self-care should be taken seriously in order to have a successful aging, and there should be economic, social, and medical support for older people.
EXTENDED ABSTRACT
 Introduction
Aging is a social phenomenon common to all humans. The way aging is perceived and experienced is influenced by physiological factors, culture, social expectations, and life experiences. Successful aging is a term that encompasses a wide range of physical and psychological well-being indicators and highlights specific aspects of aging associated with cognitive capacity, psychological well-being, active and fulfilling life, maintenance of interpersonal relationships, life satisfaction, adaptation, and integration. While some factors and elements of successful aging are universal, individuals from different cultural and social backgrounds attribute varying levels of importance to these factors and elements. Studies indicate that many older Iranians do not feel a sense of successful aging, possibly due to the lack of established models and criteria for successful aging, which underscores the necessity for defining these criteria. Thus, the aim of this phenomenological study is to explain successful aging in men living in Tehran and Karaj based on their lived experiences to provide deeper insights into successful aging, improve the quality of life for older men, and guide more targeted planning.
Method
This research was a qualitative study, of descriptive phenomenology type, using thematic analysis. Participants were older men aged 60 and above residing in Tehran and Karaj, Iran, in 2022 and 2023. They were selected using a purposive sampling method with a homogeneous sampling approach, while simultaneously ensuring maximum diversity in the sample. Inclusion criteria were (1) aged 60 years or older, (2) literacy in reading and writing, and (3) willing and consented to participate in the study. Exclusion criteria included significant physical health issues such as disabilities affecting personal care, hearing and vision impairments, and noticeable psychological disorders. In the present study, the theoretical saturation was achived with 18 interviews. Participants’ ages ranged from 61 to 94 years, with a mean age of 75.33 years. Data were gathered using in-depth and semi-structured interviews, conducted individually and face-to-face in a quiet setting. Prior to each interview, the objectives of the study were explained, and ethical considerations were addressed, including confidentiality and recording of interviews. Informed consent was obtained before proceeding. Data analysis involved multiple listening to the interviews and verbatim transcription, followed by the application of Colaizzi’s seven-step method to identify thematic clusters and descriptions.
Results
The study identified five main themes and 21 sub-themes related to successful aging. The first main theme, personal characteristics, included eight sub-themes, namely responsibility, commitment, patience, flexibility, sociability, purposefulness, capability, and independence. The second main theme, social characteristics, comprised three sub-themes, namely social influence, social acceptance, and emotional loneliness. The third main theme, family characteristics, had two sub-themes included family relationships and financial support from family. The fourth main theme, self-care, included four sub-themes, namely physical, spiritual, psychological, and social self-care. The fifth main theme, feelings of support, comprised four sub-themes, namely social support, governmental support, economic support, and healthcare support.
Conclusion
The results indicate that successful aging encompasses various indicators. Successful older adults continue to feel a sense of responsibility in their later years, plan for their professional and economic futures, pursue long-term goals, and maintain a sense of responsibility towards themselves and their families. They are generally patient and resilient when facing challenges and show flexibility according to their circumstances. Other indicators of successful aging include extensive social interactions, financial independence, and the ability to perform daily tasks. Furthermore, successful older adults experience a sense of value, influence, and receive the respect and attention from society and family. They demonstrate high levels of self-care in health, physical, spiritual, and psychological domains. Therefore, attention to these indicators and strengthening them is essential for successful aging. It is recommended that officials and families work towards achieving successful aging by promoting constructive lifestyles, health-oriented care, and mental well-being, and by creating a calm, spiritual, hygienic, and vibrant living environment for older adults.
Ethical Consideration
Ethical Code
This research has an ethics approval number IR.KHU.REC.1400.021 from Kharazmi University.
Financial Support
This research has not received financial support from any institution.
Authors’ Contributions
M.A: Conceptualization, methodology, visualization, writing – review & editing, writing-original draft; M.T: Data curation, formal analysis, and writing – review & editing; H.H: methodology, validation; M.N: data curation and writing – review & editing
Conflict of Interest
According to the authors, there was no conflict of interest in the present study.
Acknowledgments
We sincerely thank all the participants in this study.
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