Long-term impact of preventive proactivity on quality of life of the old-old.
OBJECTIVE
This research explored the long-term benefits of engaging in proactive health promotion efforts among old-old residents of Sunbelt retirement communities to empirically test components of the Preventive and Corrective Proactivity (PCP) Model of Successful Aging. Specifically, we examined the contributions of exercise, tobacco use, moderate alcohol use, and annual medical checkups to multidimensional quality of life indicators of physical health, psychological well-being, and mortality.


METHODS
Data were obtained from a longitudinal study of adaptation to aging. Annual in-home interviews were conducted with 1000 older adults over a 9-year period. Whether health promotion behaviors at baseline predicted quality of life outcomes 8 years later was examined, controlling for the baseline outcome, sociodemographic variables, and, as an additional test, baseline health conditions.


RESULTS
Exercise was predictive of fewer IADL limitations and greater longevity, positive affect, and meaning in life 8 years later. Avoiding tobacco was predictive of longevity. Before controlling for health conditions, exercise predicted decreased risk of basic activities of daily living limitations and having more goals; moderate alcohol use predicted longevity; annual health checkup predicted more IADL limitations; and having once smoked predicted having more IADL limitations and negative affect.


CONCLUSIONS
Among the old-old, exercise had long-term and multifaceted benefits over an 8-year period. Tobacco avoidance also contributed to long-term positive outcomes. These results lend support to the long-term preventive value of health-promoting proactivity spontaneously engaged in by old-old persons proposed in the framework of the PCP model.
Kahana
Eva
E
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-9823, USA. exk@po.cwru.edu
Lawrence
Renee H
RH
Kahana
Boaz
B
Kercher
Kyle
K
Wisniewski
Amy
A
Stoller
Eleanor
E
Tobin
Jordan
J
Stange
Kurt
K
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly / Q000523:psychology*; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008019:Life Style; D008136:Longevity; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*