Well-being of the Oldest Old: An Oxymoron? No!

Images of late life promulgated by gerontologists and assumed in public discourse have had an interesting history since the mid-twentieth century. When I entered the field of gerontology in the early 1970s, a crisis orientation was dominant. Older adults were viewed by the public as typically financially strained, sick, and lonely. And this image was as strongly subscribed to by older adults as by their younger counterparts. A Harris Survey titled “The Myth and Reality of Aging in America” (Harris, 1975) demonstrated that a sizable majority of survey participants, aged 65 and older, reported that they were financially secure, disability-free, enjoying relationships with friends and family and pursuing rewarding social and leisure activities. These respondents also viewed themselves as “exceptions to the rule,” however, opining that the majority of older adults suffered financial struggles, debilitating diseases, and loss of social relationships. In line with the crisis orientation, gerontologists focused most of their research and practice on unmet needs of older adults and actively called for health and social policies to better the well-being of America’s oldest citizens.