The Semantic Network of Aging Well

Abstract

“Aging well” is a common expression used by lay people as synonymous with a set of verbal labels emerging from scientific literature attributed to a positive trajectory of aging—healthy, successful, competent, optimal, vital, active, or productive aging. These terms with tightly semantic relations conform to a semantic network. This chapter provides a historical overview of the different terminology, followed by a review of the definitions used by researchers as well as an assessment of the extent to which older adults are aging well in different studies. Second, the lay cross-cultural concept of aging well is described. This provides a useful backdrop for dealing with potential problems and issues in operationalizing definitions of aging well (confounding outcomes and predictors, using objective and/or subjective indicators, and to what extent different definitions are required at different ages). Finally, the issue of to what extent the different labels of aging well have different nuances in their meanings is assessed.