Maintaining physical, psychological and social wellbeing is integral to older adults being able to age well in their community. Therefore, an environment that facilitates and supports ageing well is imperative. The aim of this study was to explore the views of older people about their preparation for ageing well in a rural community. Forty-nine community-dwelling older people aged between 65 and 93 years participated in a semi-structured and digitally recorded interview. The resulting qualitative data were analysed using a thematic approach. Three main themes were identified: (a) ‘sensible planning: the right place and the right people’; (b) ‘remaining independent: “it's up to me”’; and (c) ‘facing challenges: “accepting my lot”’. Findings from this study identify that across all age groups, these older people were actively and realistically preparing for ageing well. All valued their independence, believing individually they were responsible for being independent and planning for their future. Consequently, environmental planners, policy makers and practitioners need to understand that older people are a heterogeneous group and ageing policies should be geared towards older people's individual abilities and circumstances. Consideration of diversity enables inclusion of older people with a wide range of abilities and needs to achieve the perceived goals of ageing well.

The purpose of this study was to examine older adults' experiences and perspectives regarding transportation mobility. Using a community-based participatory research approach, residents of Arlington, Texas, age 55 and older, participated in individual interviews (N = 15) or one of six focus groups (N = 45) as part of an overall study about ageing well in a large ethnically diverse city in the United States of America. Thematic analysis was conducted using inductive and deductive qualitative methods and social equity as a sensitising concept. Findings indicate that older adults who are transportation-disadvantaged experience limited access to health care, goods and services and are isolated from familiar lifestyle habits and social networks. Access to affordable, adequate transportation is compromised through social and political forces, which marginalise historically disadvantaged populations. Implications for cross-disciplinary practice and future research on sustainable transportation and policy development are discussed within a social justice and social equity framework.

The aim of this study is to specify the concept of ‘healthy ageing’ from both western and non-western cultural perspectives, and to compare the views of academics and lay older people. Thirty-four published peer-reviewed full papers in English and Chinese (traditional characters) were identified using electronic database searches. The key components of their definitions of healthy ageing were extracted and categorised into 12 domains. The results show that, in general, lay definitions (as described in 11 studies) included more domains (independency, family, adaptation, financial security, personal growth, and spirituality) and more diversity in the healthy ageing concept than academic views (which tend to focus more on physical and mental health and social functioning in later life). Certain domains were valued differently across cultures. As shown in previous studies, the findings affirm that healthy ageing is a multi-dimensional and complex concept and that there are substantial differences in different cultures. Moreover, we found that there are pronounced variations in the conceptualisation of healthy ageing as between academic and older lay people. Generally, older lay people perceive healthy ageing more broadly than the maintenance of physical, mental and social functioning. We suggest that academic researchers should integrate the more holistic perspectives of older lay people and cultural diversity into the classical ‘physical–mental–social’ healthy ageing concept.

A review of several studies examining the lay concept of successful ageing and related concepts leads to the conclusion that elders from different cultures appear to agree on most of the components identified in the literature. From the research emerges a multidimensional conceptualisation of ‘successful ageing’ that is described on the basis of physical, emotional, cognitive and social domains, and which coincides with most theoretical and empirical definitions. The main goal of the present research is to study similarities and differences between concepts of ‘successful ageing’ in several Latin American and European countries and in two different age groups, and also to examine whether a similar structure of the lay concept can be found across both continents. The results show minor differences at item levels among countries, continents and age groups, and a similar internal structure across them.

Life expectancy has been increasing rapidly in many parts of the world, including Hong Kong. A longer life can be welcome as an opportunity to fulfil as yet unmet aspirations, or to take up new challenges and projects, but it may also be a burden, especially for individuals who are unprepared. A pressing question for longer-life societies is: how may older people live their longer lives to the full positively? This article reports a qualitative study of Hong Kong Chinese people's views about ‘positive ageing’, as expressed and discussed in 15 focus groups of middle-aged and older people. Two themes emerged: first, the participants considered that positive ageing should comprise good health, having a positive life attitude, active engagement with an activity or with society, feeling supported by their families and friends, being financially secure, and living in a place with emotional ties; and secondly, several key factors that enable positive ageing were identified, namely, adopting a healthy lifestyle, thinking positively, promoting family and inter-personal relationships, and building up financial resources. The views of the participants about ‘positive ageing’ are compared with those reported from western studies, and the policy implications are considered.