Perceptions of successful aging among older Latinos, in cross-cultural context

Latinos are the largest and fastest growing minority group in the U.S. but they have been overlooked in studies of successful aging. This study used a multi-method approach with an open-ended question and Phelan et al.'s (Journal of American Geriatrics Society 52:211-216, 2004) Successful Aging Measure to determine whether the quantitative measure fully captured perceptions of successful aging of 60 older Latinos living in three Western states. Then, the findings were compared with other studies that had used the measure with Anglo, Japanese, Japanese-American, and Latin American samples. The results revealed that Latinos and Latin Americans responses are very similar to each other, and somewhat different from other cultural groups. Latinos focus on maintaining a positive outlook, living in the present, enjoying a sense of community, and relying on spirituality and family for comfort and meaning as they age, but they also worry about finances. There are several components of this study that professionals can use to guide their practice, including a summary of methodological challenges and ongoing conceptual debates in the successful aging literature.