Determinants of Successful Ageing and Longevity: How to Age Well and Achieve a Good Old Age?

The extension of the average human lifespan and the increasingly better quality of life in the newer generations of older people have increased scientific interest in the positive aspects of ageing and old age and the factors that contribute to longevity and successful ageing. Successful ageing is one of the most represented but also the most controversial topics in contemporary gerontology. Researchers in this field have reached a consensus that successful ageing is a complex multidimensional construct that incorporates various domains of functioning (not just physical) and requires a holistic approach. However, there is no consensus regarding the components of this complex construct and the most appropriate way to measure it. In the first part of the article, the concept of successful ageing and the differences compared to similar concepts such as healthy, active, productive, or quality ageing were explained. Furthermore, different theoretical approaches, such as biomedical, psychosocial, and lay, and recent holistically oriented multidimensional models of successful ageing, along with methods of research on successful ageing were described. In the second part of the article, the key determinants of successful ageing and longevity were presented. These were confirmed by numerous studies, including those conducted in samples of Croatian older people. An attempt was made to explain in more detail the role of different socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, personality traits, psychological resources, social relationships, and social participation, as well as cognitively stimulating activities in the context of successful/active/ageing well and improving the quality of life in old age.