title: Keeping up with the caravan of life: Successful aging strategies for Iranian women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Because of improving life expectancy in the world in recent times, the focus has shifted to the issue of the quality and nature of life and how to assist successful aging (SA) rather than increasing physical survival and lifespan. SA is a multidimensional, relative, and context-dependent concept with different paths and outcomes. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore older women's strategies for SA in a specific context.
  
  
  METHODS
  Following a grounded theory design approach, we conducted semi-structured individual interviews with 21 women between the ages of 28 and 96 years. We analyzed the data from interviews, written narratives, and field notes using the grounded theory approach.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified four categories: prevention of threats, internal self-control against threats, coping with threats, and optimizing the passage of time according to opportunity. These described the strategies for SA when encountering with age-related changes. Utilizing these strategies, the women accompanied the caravan of life in the context of threats and opportunities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest that SA is a continuous process in confronting changes related to age. The identified strategies can help to promote SA by familiarizing older women with the threats and opportunities of life and training them in how to use these strategies.
authors.affiliation: Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Center, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Guilan University of Medical Sciences (GUMS), Rasht, Iran.
authors.forename: Nazila
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Javadi-Pashaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Gerontology & Nursing, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences (USWR), Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Farahnaz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mohammadi
authors.affiliation: Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Center, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Guilan University of Medical Sciences (GUMS), Rasht, Iran.
authors.forename: Fateme
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jafaraghaee
authors.affiliation: Elderly Health Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.|Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; nmehrdad@tums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Neda
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mehrdad
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life; D012944:Social Support
keywords: Iran; grounded theory; successful aging; women