The Importance of Age-Friendly City on Older People's Continuity and Life Satisfaction.

Siew-Imm Ng,Hui-Chuan Hsu,Xin-Jean Lim

doi:10.3390/ijerph18147252

Abstract

According to continuity theory, successful aging is promoted when older people are able to continue familiar activities as a way to maintain self-identity. The purpose of this study was to examine the importance of both external resources provided by Taipei city and older adults’ internal resources in internal and external continuity and life satisfaction. The data were from the 2019 Taipei City Senior Citizen Condition Survey acquired through face-to-face interviews. Only the community-based sample without disability was included in the analysis (n = 1494). Structural equation modeling was used for the analysis. Both internal and external resources significantly promoted internal continuity (physical activity, Internet use, and lifelong learning) and external continuity (work, social connectedness, and social participation), and the effects of personal resources were larger. External continuity was positively related to life satisfaction. The effects of external resources on continuity and life satisfaction were stronger in older women than in older men. Age-friendly cities may provide support for activity continuity and promote well-being for older people. Policy suggestions are discussed.

Highlights

Successful adaptation to aging through the continuity of attitudes and activities developed over the course of life is a key determinant of older people’s life satisfaction [1].continuity ability is dependent on both individual factors and society approval or support [2]
We examine the sequential process of resources in promoting continuities and its impact on life satisfaction with gender as a moderating factor in the case of Taipei’s older population
The findings showed that older men and older women did not show significant differences in external resources, external continuity, internal continuity, or life satisfaction with the exception of internal resources

Summary

Introduction

Successful adaptation to aging through the continuity of attitudes and activities developed over the course of life is a key determinant of older people’s life satisfaction [1].continuity ability is dependent on both individual factors (personal or internal resources) and society approval or support (external resources) [2]. Personal resources (education, health, and financial status), the role of external resources provided by age-friendly city initiatives in promoting older people’s continuity and life satisfaction should not be undermined. There is little research examining the effects of both external and internal resources on life satisfaction. There may be gender differences in the support of external and internal resources that cause different effects on life satisfaction. We examine the sequential process of resources (perceived age-friendliness and personal resources) in promoting continuities (external, including work, social connectedness, and social participation; and internal, including physical activity, Internet use, and lifelong learning) and its impact on life satisfaction with gender as a moderating factor in the case of Taipei’s older population

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