ABSTRACT
The notion of successful aging has been in use as a very popular heuristic approach to study old and very old age. This chapter summarizes established theories of successful aging including the MacArthur model of successful aging, the model of selection, optimization, and compensation, and the proactivity and related models. In addition, we highlight major psychosocial approaches to the study of successful aging: the importance of successful cognition and functional capacity, the role of personality, and the overarching concept of whole-person wellness. We conclude the chapter with applications and implications for the future.
