Attitudes of Middle-Aged Women to the Concept of Successful Aging

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The article is devoted to the study of the aging process in Russia, which takes place in the conditions of consumer society and ageism. These conditions affect the life opportunities of the elderly, leading to the loss of resources and privileges. The article considers the possibilities of the concept of successful aging to counteract ageism and improve the quality of life of the elderly. Successful aging is one of the main concepts of critical gerontology. The concept has been formulated to counter narratives of aging as a process of decline, dysfunction, lack of opportunities and lack of desires. However, the question arises to what extent this concept reduces the fear of aging and can counter negative attitudes towards the elderly. This is the main research question of this article. To answer it, the author conducts in-depth interviews with middle-aged informants from the urban educated class, with above-average income, practicing a healthy lifestyle (proper nutrition, sports, etc.), using anti-aging procedures to slow down the aging process (11 women aged 47 to 61). The results of the study show that the paradigm of successful aging does not reduce the fear of old age, nor does it reduce ageism toward older adults. Extending middle age is not a fight against ageism, but rather a capitulation to it.

About the authors

Julia Aleksandrovna Zelikova

North‑West Institute of Management of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration

Email: zelikova-ya@ranepa.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-1603-6652
SPIN-code: 4695-3950
ResearcherId: ABA-9175-2020
Candidate of Sociology, Assistant Professor, Department of Comparative Political Studies, Faculty of International Relations and Politics St. Petersburg, Russia

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