A CAUSAL MODEL OF SUCCESSFUL AGING AMONG OLDER ADULTS WITH KIDNEY FUNCTION DECLINE

Abstract

Successful aging provides a strategy emphasizing individuals’ health promotion and adaptations; however, few studies explore the successful aging of older people experiencing kidney function decline. The objective of the study was to evaluate factors influencing successful aging. A total of 350 participants with chronic kidney disease receiving treatment at an outpatient clinic was recruited using simple random sampling. Data were collected by a package of questionnaires including Demographic Questionnaire, Successful Aging Inventory, Self-Transcendence Scale, CKD Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, Health Survey Short Form-12 version 2, Geriatric Depression Scale, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and Life Orientation Test-Revised. Structural equation modeling by AMOS software was used to test the model.

The results showed that the final model of successful aging consisted of optimism, resilience, perception of health status, and self-transcendence, which together explained 84% of the total variance for successful aging. Optimism, resilience, perception of health status, and self-transcendence had both direct and indirect effects on successful aging.

These findings suggest that nurses should promote successful aging of older adults with kidney function decline through promoting optimism, resilience, self-transcendence, and perception of health status. Further, developing interventions based on these variables should promote successful aging among older adults with kidney function decline.

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