Prior to completing this discussion read Chapter 16: A Thoughtful Approach to Life: Aspects of Successful Aging in Understanding Development: A Lifespan Perspective, the course textbook that is required reading for this week.

An elderly lady posing in front of a blank screen

Mossler and Ziegler (2019) suggest numerous variables that attribute to successful aging: selection processes [Selection, optimization, and compensation theory (SOC)]; engagement with life, avoiding disease and disability, and high cognitive and physical functioning [Rowe and Kahn’s (1997) Model of Successful Aging]; psychosocial strengths (family and friends), and even specific predictors such as “a stable marriage by age 50 (positive relationships), [a] college education, using mature adaptations, not smoking or quitting at a young age, not abusing alcohol, regular exercise, and a healthy weight” (Mossler & Ziegler, 2019, section 16.2).

Before you submit your discussion, you are encouraged to review the Writing Center’s Grammarly (Links to an external site.) page, which includes a link to The Grammarly Guide (Links to an external site.), set up a Grammarly account (if you have not already done so), and use Grammarly to review a rough draft of your assignment. Then, carefully review all issues identified by Grammarly and revise your work as needed.

In your initial post, address the following:

Based on these numerous factors, what variables do you consider to be most important, from your own experiences (self, vicarious, or fictional) to successful aging?
Why? Support your assertions with known experiences and information you have learned throughout the course. Share only information that you are comfortable with.
Peer Responses: Review several of your classmates’ posts. Provide a substantive response to at least two of your peers, in a minimum of 300 words, by Day 7 (Monday). Based on your own reading and experiences, add important information to the conversation. Clearly and elaborately provide valuable information to each peer’s original postings.

Instructor Responses: Review any instructor feedback on your postings. Often feedback is shared to help you to elevate your level of critical thought or make corrections. Reply based on this feedback to advance your understanding of the content addressed.

Continue to monitor this discussion through 5:00 p.m. (Mountain Time) on Day 7 of the week. Comment on at least one of your classmates’ responses to your initial post.

Remember that our forums should be conversations; dialogue is encouraged throughout this course. Your grade will reflect the quality of your initial post, the depth of your peer replies, and your active support of forum dialogue.

Observe the following guidelines for all responses:

Remember that our forums should be conversations; dialogue is encouraged throughout this course. Your grade will reflect the quality of your initial post, the depth of your peer replies, and your active support of forum dialogue.
Provide a courteous and interactive learning environment.
Continue to monitor this discussion through 5:00 p.m. (Mountain Time) on Day 7 of the week and reply to anyone (instructor or classmate) who has chosen to respond to your original post.
Your responses should demonstrate that you have read the existing replies on the board (in your response, mention information and viewpoints already expressed by existing responses to the same post).