The effect of healthy aging on life satisfaction in elderly individuals

The aim of this study is to determine the variables that affect the life satisfaction of elderly individuals aged 65 and over and to examine the effect of healthy aging on life satisfaction.This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with 384 elderly individuals aged 65 and over. Data were collected using the Personal Characteristics Information Form, the Healthy Aging Scale, the Life Satisfaction Scale for the Elderly, the Katz Activities of Daily Living Scale for the Elderly, and the Mini Mental State Examination using self-report. Purposive sampling was used to obtain the data. Student t-test, One-Way ANOVA, Correlation Analysis, and Regression Analysis were used to analyze the data. The average age of the individuals participating in the study was determined as 70.35±6.17. The average score for life satisfaction in older adults was 52.02 ± 10.88, and the total score for the healthy aging scale was 117.09 ± 18.20. It was determined that 51.8% of the participants were female, 70.6% had completed primary education, 83.6% were married, and 52.3% had an income equal to their expenses. According to regression analysis, factors that significantly increased life satisfaction included: increasing age (B: 0.246; p: 0.003), living with a spouse (B: 10.558; p < 0.001), living with children (B: 7.066; p: 0.001), living with an extended family (B: 6.473; p: 0.002), higher education (university level) (B: 3.844; p: 0.010), self-reported health status as moderate (B: 8.188; p < 0.001) or good (B: 13.155; p < 0.001), income equal to expenses (B: 4.118; p < 0.001), or income greater than expenses (B: 5.651; p < 0.001). However, it was found that healthy aging did not have a significant effect on life satisfaction (B: -0.025; p: 0.367). Healthy aging did not show a direct and significant effect on life satisfaction among older adults. viii Life satisfaction in this population varies depending on factors such as increasing age, marital status, family living conditions, educational level, income status, and self-rated health. Nurses should plan interventions that strengthen family support and social relationships to enhance life satisfaction in older adults, and they should provide guidance aimed at improving educational and health status while considering individuals' economic conditions. Keywords: Elderly Individuals, Life Satisfaction, Healthy Aging