<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The continuing growth in the number of adults aged 60-plus has raised global alertness of population restructuring. This demographic change, on the one hand, reduces productivity and increases public expenditure due to aging, resulting in prejudice, bias, misrepresentation, and discrimination against them. On the other hand, it develops a specific consumer market segment and extends the availability and accessibility of the elderly through employment, volunteering, or grandparenting. This study argues against the stigmatization of this age group from a functional perspective that damages social cohesion. It advocates a humanistic view toward seniors to eradicate marginalization and promotes the manageability of the senior population. With the aid of advanced technology and health equity, senior adults can retain everyday competence for self-care with dignity, as well as gracefully attain physical and psychological health, autonomy, and well-being in their later life. All these considerations give medical and nursing professionals insight into how to take care of the elderly.</p></abstract>

The continuing growth in the number of adults aged 60-plus has raised global alertness of population restructuring. This demographic change, on the one hand, reduces productivity and increases public expenditure due to aging, resulting in prejudice, bias, misrepresentation, and discrimination against them. On the other hand, it develops a specific consumer market segment and extends the availability and accessibility of the elderly through employment, volunteering, or grandparenting. This study argues against the stigmatization of this age group from a functional perspective that damages social cohesion. It advocates a humanistic view toward seniors to eradicate marginalization and promotes the manageability of the senior population. With the aid of advanced technology and health equity, senior adults can retain everyday competence for self-care with dignity, as well as gracefully attain physical and psychological health, autonomy, and well-being in their later life. All these considerations give medical and nursing professionals insight into how to take care of the elderly.

From an aging person to an elegant senior: a humanistic approach to viewing older adults

Frontiers of Nursing

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The continuing growth in the number of adults aged 60-plus has raised global alertness of population restructuring. This demographic change, on the one hand,...

From an aging person to an elegant senior: a humanistic approach to viewing older adults

Article Category: Review

Published Online: Oct 02, 2020

Page range: 191 - 201

Received: Oct 13, 2019

Accepted: Nov 22, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/fon-2020-0032

Keywords
demographic revolution, elegant senior, gerontology, optimal aging, productive aging, silver economy

© 2020 Fung-Kei Cheng, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

From an aging person to an elegant senior: a humanistic approach to viewing older adults

Article Category: Review

Published Online: Oct 02, 2020

Page range: 191 - 201

Received: Oct 13, 2019

Accepted: Nov 22, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/fon-2020-0032

Keywordsdemographic revolution, elegant senior, gerontology, optimal aging, productive aging, silver economy

© 2020 Fung-Kei Cheng, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
demographic revolution, elegant senior, gerontology, optimal aging, productive aging, silver economy