Successful aging: A communication model

Abstract

This study seeks to expand existing literature on successful aging by incorporating both interaction frequency and level of closeness with family and with friends into a casual model predicting elderly life satisfaction. One hundred sixty‐four elderly individuals living in their own home or in a retirement village completed the Adult Communication Survey. Results point to the importance of close friends for elderly individuals who wish to maintain high levels of life satisfaction. Additional results suggest the possible harmful effects of remaining too close to family members. Implications of these results are discussed.