Positive aspects in research and intervention with elderly people

Abstract

Research on positive aspects in old age has become relevant in recent decades.The findings have questioned many negative assumptions and have provided evidence of themultiple available resources and potential of older people. Recent theoretical reformulations,the new concept of development and empirical findings about positive aspects of aging haveprovided opportunities to generate new practices aimed at promoting well-being in this stageof life. This article analyses, first, the studies on positive aspects in old age that show that atthis stage of life there are also gains and development. Secondly, we examine the positivepractices, their rationale, purpose and impact. Finally, we propose the challenge ofconsolidating this line of work and developing new projects aimed at achieving higher levelsof well-being, generativity and development in old age.