Healthy aging from the perspective of the elderly: an integrative review

• Published in: Revista brasileira de geriatria e gerontologia 2017-12, Vol.20 (6), p.878-889
• Main Authors: Tavares, Renata Evangelista, Jesus, Maria Cristina Pinto de, Machado, Daniel Rodrigues, Braga, Vanessa Augusta Souza, Tocantins, Florence Romijn, Merighi, Miriam Aparecida Barbosa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aging; GERIATRICS & GERONTOLOGY; Health of the Elderly; Review
• ISSN: 1809-9823; 1981-2256; 1981-2256
• DOI: 10.1590/1981-22562017020.170091

Abstract Objective: to identify the perspective of elderly persons on healthy aging as described by scientific literature. Method: a descriptive integrative review type study was performed, guided by the question: what knowledge has been produced about healthy aging from the perspective of the elderly? It was carried out using the Scopus Info Site (SCOPUS), Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), Literature of Latin America and the Caribbean (LILACS), EMBASE and WEB OF SCIENCE databases and in the directory of the Scientific Electronic Library Online Journals (SciELO), for literature published in the period between 2005 and 2016. Result: Eleven papers were regarded as eligible for this review. These studies revealed that healthy aging is related to different health dimensions: biological (adoption of healthy habits and behaviors with self-responsibility), psychological (feelings of optimism and happiness), spiritual (faith and religiosity) and social (reciprocity in social support factors and the capacity to live autonomously and independently). Conclusion: the synthesis of knowledge on healthy aging from the perspective of the elderly can support the actions of professionals who work with this population group to encourage and value the social determinants involved, so overcoming the exclusive focusing on the adoption of habits and behaviors inherent to lifestyle to achieve aging in a healthy way. Resumo Objetivo: identificar a perspectiva de idosos sobre o envelhecimento saudável em produções científicas. Método: estudo descritivo, do tipo revisão integrativa, norteado pela questão: qual o conhecimento produzido acerca da perspectiva de idosos sobre o envelhecimento saudável? Realizado nas bases de dados Scopus Info Site (SCOPUS), Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (LILACS), EMBASE, WEB OF SCIENCE e no diretório de revistas Scientific Eletronic Library Online (SciELO), publicadas no período entre 2005 e 2016. Resultado: onze artigos foram considerados elegíveis para esta revisão. Estes permitiram identificar que o envelhecimento saudável está relacionado a diferentes dimensões de saúde: biológica (adoção de hábitos e comportamentos saudáveis como autorresponsabilidade), psicológica (sentimentos de otimismo e