title: Aging Well: Observations From the Women's Health Initiative Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As the proportion of the population aged 80 and over accelerates, so does the value of understanding the processes of aging well. The purposes of this article are to: (a) review contemporary theoretical and conceptual perspectives on aging well, (b) describe indicators of aging well that reflect key concepts and perspectives as assessed in the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) and (c) characterize the status of aging among women aged 80 and older using data obtained from WHI participants at the WHI Extension 2 follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from the Lifestyle Questionnaire, which was administered from 2011 to 2012 during the WHI Follow-up Study (Extension 2), were analyzed to provide a profile of the WHI cohort with respect to aging well.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data revealed substantial diversity in the cohort with respect to the various measures of aging well. Although many reported physical functioning levels consistent with disability, most rated their health as good or better. Most reported moderately high levels of resilience, self-control, and self-mastery but lower levels of environmental mastery. Finally, the cohort reported high levels of optimal aging as reflected by their high levels of emotional well-being and moderately high levels of life satisfaction and social support, but more modest levels of personal growth and purpose in life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The wide range of some dimensions of aging well suggest that further examination of predictors of positive coping and resilience in the face of aging-related disability could identify opportunities to support and facilitate aging well among U.S. women.
authors: Department of Biobehavioral Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle. nfwoods@uw.edu.
authors: Nancy Fugate
authors: NF
authors: Woods
authors: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington.
authors: Eileen
authors: E
authors: Rillamas-Sun
authors: Department of Family and Child Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle. The de Tornyay Endowed Professorship in Healthy Aging, de Tornyay Center for Healthy Aging, University of Washington School of Nursing, Seattle.
authors: Barbara B
authors: BB
authors: Cochrane
authors: Department of Epidemiology, Famiy and Preventive Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla.
authors: Andrea Z
authors: AZ
authors: La Croix
authors: Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
authors: Teresa E
authors: TE
authors: Seeman
authors: Departments of Medicine and Epidemiology, and Clinical and Translational Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
authors: Hilary A
authors: HA
authors: Tindle
authors: Department of Nursing, University of Haifa, Israel.
authors: Oleg
authors: O
authors: Zaslavsky
authors: RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California.
authors: Chloe E
authors: CE
authors: Bird
authors: Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis.
authors: Karen C
authors: KC
authors: Johnson
authors: Division of Preventive Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Maryland.
authors: JoAnn E
authors: JE
authors: Manson
authors: Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester.
authors: Judith K
authors: JK
authors: Ockene
authors: Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.
authors: Rebecca A
authors: RA
authors: Seguin
authors: Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa.
authors: Robert B
authors: RB
authors: Wallace
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life; D012944:Social Support; D014481:United States; D016387:Women's Health
keywords: Effective aging; Optimal aging; Optimism; Positive aging; Resilience; Successful aging; Well-being