ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an introduction to the meaning of well-being in older adults. It delineates the main components that contribute to whether a person as they age experiences pleasure and satisfaction. With this information, healthcare students and professionals will be aware of the everyday concerns that are likely to impact their clients’ well-being. The chapter lists the specific topics to be discussed in the book. These topics are: mortality anxiety; retirement; the loss of significant others; regrets; age-associated memory impairment; old-old age and feelings of loneliness, mattering insufficiently, and loss of purpose; and imminent death. The primary intent of the book is also presented – to help healthcare professionals provide a forum in which their clients can express what are often private concerns and receive validation, empathy, and practical assistance.
