title: Successful Aging as the Intersection of Individual Resources, Age, Environment, and Experiences of Well-being in Daily Activities.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We conceptualize successful aging as a cumulative index of individual resources (the absence of disease and disability, high cognitive and physical functioning, social embeddedness) in the service of successful aging outcomes (global well-being, experienced well-being, and vital status), and conditioned by age, social structure, and environment.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study used baseline and follow-up data from the 2008-2014 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (N = 17,230; age = 51-101). Linear, multilevel, and logistic models compared individual resources at baseline as independent, cumulative, and binary predictors of outcomes 4 years later.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Individual resources were unequally distributed across age group and social structures (education, wealth, race, gender) and had a cumulative effect on all successful aging outcomes. For experienced well-being, individual resources were most important at midlife and for groups with lower education. Person-environment congruence (social cohesion, city satisfaction) was associated with all successful aging outcomes and conditioned the effect of individual resources on experienced well-being.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A cumulative index allows for gradations in resources that can be compensated for by external factors such as person-environment congruence. This index could guide policy and interventions to enhance resources in vulnerable subgroups and diminish inequalities in successful aging outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: Shannon T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Mejía
authors.affiliation: Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: Lindsay H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.affiliation: Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.affiliation: Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: Jacqui
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012944:Social Support; D014481:United States
keywords: Everyday activity participation; Experienced well-being; Health and Retirement Study; Person–environment congruence; Successful aging