Life Satisfaction and Associated Predictors in An Older Adult Population

Older adults are increasing in numbers worldwide. Life satisfaction, a component of subjective wellbeing, is believed to be indicative of successful aging and longevity in older adults. The aim of this investigation was to explore socio-demographic, social support, and health-related factors explaining life satisfaction among community dwelling older adults. An ordinal logistic regression was conducted on data collected by the Canadian Community Health Survey 2015-2016 (N = 2678). Older men had higher life satisfaction, as did those attaining secondary school education. The factors explaining life satisfaction were perceived general and mental health, perceived life stress, having a strong sense of belonging to a local community, and physical activity. This result indicates that emphasizing healthy lifestyle practices earlier in life and keeping older adults active and socially engaged could increase and ensure satisfaction with life as people age. In designing, implementing, and evaluating care, clinicians should consider and utilize this construct.