Related Experiment Videos
[Salutogenesis in old age].
U Wiesmann1, S Rölker, H-J Hannich
1Institut für Medizinische Psychologie, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität Greifswald, Walther-Rathenau-Strasse 48, 17487 Greifswald, Germany. wiesmann@uni-greifswald.de
Zeitschrift Fur Gerontologie Und Geriatrie
|October 27, 2004
Summary
The salutogenic model and sense of coherence explain why some individuals age successfully and remain healthy. This framework highlights how a strong sense of coherence promotes health and well-being throughout the aging process.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Health Psychology
Context:
- Aging research often focuses on decline (heterostasis), viewing aging as inevitable impairment.
- Gerodynamics posits life's principle is imbalance, leading to entropy and death.
- However, gerontological research reveals significant variability and plasticity in aging.
Purpose:
- To explicate the significance of the salutogenic model and sense of coherence for successful aging research.
- To integrate salutogenesis with gerodynamics, activity/disengagement theory, and selective optimization with compensation.
- To explore the applicability of the salutogenic model to both the third and fourth ages.
Summary:
- The salutogenic model, with its core concept of sense of coherence, offers a counterpoint to the pessimistic view of aging as mere decline.
- Sense of coherence is proposed as the key factor in maintaining order, managing stressors, and promoting health outcomes across the lifespan.
- The model's integrative potential is demonstrated by applying it to established aging theories, showing its broad applicability.
Impact:
- Provides a framework for understanding individual differences in aging trajectories and health outcomes.
- Highlights the importance of promoting a sense of coherence for healthy aging.
- Suggests that healthy aging is an opportunity, not a societal obligation, emphasizing individual agency.