title: Being Active, Engaged, and Healthy: Older Persons' Plans and Wishes to Age Successfully.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study took an emic multidimensional approach on successful aging and examined what older people consider important to age successfully by asking them about their plans and wishes (PWs). Associations between participants' demographics, health status, working life, social contacts, life satisfaction, and their PWs were investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  An online questionnaire was completed by 649 older individuals (55-90 years). Conceptual content analysis was performed to identify important categories in PWs. Quantitative analyses were conducted to examine associations between PWs and participants' characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most mentioned PWs were related to activities, engagement with life, and health. Seventy-four participants (11.4%) expressed no PWs. Multivariate analysis revealed that having PWs was most strongly related to participants' life satisfaction. Older individuals with a higher life satisfaction indicated significantly more often to have PWs than individuals with a lower life satisfaction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of older people desire an active, engaged, and healthy life. PWs were variable and personal, which endorses an emic, multidimensional approach to successful aging. Knowledge on what older individuals find important in their lives and what they want to achieve can assist older individuals in setting and attaining their goals toward aging well.
authors: Leyden Academy on Vitality and Ageing, the Netherlands.
authors: Johanna M
authors: JM
authors: Huijg
authors: Leyden Academy on Vitality and Ageing, the Netherlands.
authors: A Lex E Q
authors: AL
authors: van Delden
authors: Leyden Academy on Vitality and Ageing, the Netherlands.
authors: Frans J G
authors: FJ
authors: van der Ouderaa
authors: Department of Public Health and Center for Healthy Ageing, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors: Rudi G J
authors: RG
authors: Westendorp
authors: Leyden Academy on Vitality and Ageing, the Netherlands.|Groningen University, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors: Joris P J
authors: JP
authors: Slaets
authors: Leyden Academy on Vitality and Ageing, the Netherlands.
authors: Jolanda
authors: J
authors: Lindenberg
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Emic perspective; Multidimensional approach; Plans and wishes; Successful aging