Hope and healthy lifestyle behaviors in older adulthood

OBJECTIVES: Hope has been associated with better health and social well-being outcomes, including emotional adjustment, positive affect, life satisfaction, reduced risk of all-cause mortality, and increased physical activity, yet how hope as a construct impacts these health benefits in older adults is not very well-understood. This study examined: (1) the relationship between hope and health behaviors in older adults; (2) how this relationship may differ across different socio-demographic groups; and (3) how hope relates to perceived future selves among older adults. METHODS: The study used cross-sectional data from 711 community-dwelling adults aged ≥55 years (280 men, 431 women). Survey measures included the Snyder Adult Dispositional Hope Scale (ADHS) and the Herth Hope Index (HHI), a health behaviors checklist, self-reported health, and a future self-scale. Data were analyzed using bivariate and multiple regressions. RESULTS: Hope was positively associated with healthy behaviors in older adults. Participants with higher levels of hope also reported more positive future selves and better health. The associations were similar across different racial/ethnic groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study fills an important gap in our understanding of hope and its association with health behaviors in community-dwelling older adults. These findings highlight a need to promote hope in older adults in order to enhance their sense of well-being.