Insights into healthy ageing in Malaysia: a qualitative study

Uncovering the factors that contribute to sustained healthy ageing is of significant interest as countries move towards ageing populations. Maintaining cognitive and physical fitness in later life is known to be influenced by factors including diet, physical activity, social connections and resilience. Healthy ageing is the lifelong process of developing and maintaining functional ability (the combination of an individual’s physical and mental capacities, their living environments and the interactions among them) that enables wellbeing in older age. Leveraging on data from a longitudinal ageing study in Malaysia, Healthy Agers were interviewed to determine how their life experiences may have shaped their outlook and lifestyle choices to support their ageing process. Inductive thematic analysis following in-depth interviews revealed that these participants attributed their sustained health to four main themes; a) having a life’s role and purpose, b) developing and maintaining independence, c) drive to maintain health and d) coping strategies and resilience. This study is especially insightful as it offers insights into the lived experiences of older adults born at a time of significant sociopolitical upheaval in a low-income country, highlighting the adaptive skills required to navigate major societal changes. As the first study to document insights from a select group of Malaysian Healthy Agers, lessons learnt can help to inform public health initiatives, highlighting how sustained health-related efforts and positive outlook in life is important to ageing well.

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