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

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.