Successful ageing or resilient ageing: perceptions from elderly Chinese in Hawai’i

Increasing studies document the discrepancy between scholarly criteria of successful ageing versus subjective perceptions of successful ageing among older adults. To address this gap, this study aims to examine the lay perceptions of successful ageing among elderly Chinese in Honolulu, Hawai’i. Qualitative data were collected from two focus groups to examine respondents’ perceptions of successful ageing. Many interesting themes relevant to successful ageing emerged from the focus group discussions, including but not limited to: (a) “laughter” and the related concepts of happiness and joy; (b) social engagement; (c) good eating habits; (d) the dependence and independence dilemma; and (e) Hawai’i’s natural environment. Findings suggest that elderly Chinese in Hawai’i have unique perceptions of successful ageing that go beyond the traditional biomedical dimension to include more psychosocial, resilient and environmental components. This indicates a cultural variation of successful ageing.