Sustained personal autonomy: A measure of successful aging

Objectives: This study addresses the following question: What characteristi cs of urban, noninstitutionalized elders predict which individuals are most likely to remain independent of personal assistance during a 2-year observ ation period? Methods: A population-based sample of 602 noninstitutionalize d urban residents aged 70 and older was followed for 2 years. Results: Nine ty-eight of the 487 survivors remained independent. Factors associated with sustained independence were relatively younger age, male gender, fewer med ical conditions, good physical function, and nonsmoking. The attitudes "fav ors family or self over agency assistance" and "does not expect filial obli gation" were also independently associated. Discussion: The results are con sistent with previous studies of successful aging and show that attitudes e xpressed at baseline favoring personal independence are associated with sus tained autonomy during a period of at least 2 years.