Socioeconomic inequalities and subjective conceptions of aging well.

Summary The notion of "aging well" or "successful aging", which reflects an optimistic view of old age, has been gaining popularity over the past 20 years. This notion was brought to the forefront by Rowe and Kahn (1987, 1998) by taking the opposite view of the traditional approach to aging, which emphasized the decline and weakening of vital functions [1] Successful aging had previously been promoted by .... In this approach, successful aging corresponds to a state, which is better than normal aging. It is defined on the basis of three criteria that fall within the fields of health and social activities: the absence of serious illness and disability, the maintenance of good physical and mental functioning and active participation in social and productive activities (Rowe and Kahn, 1998). A person is considered to be "aging well" if he or she meets these three criteria.