Older adults 75 and above are a fast-growing segment of the population. However, few studies have investigated what it means to age successfully from their perspective. This group of older adults face challenges that might characteristically differ from younger older adults. Therefore, the aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the perspectives of older adults aged 75 and above regarding what it means to age successfully and to summarise the findings through a narrative synthesis. We also aimed to provide a snapshot of inhibitors and facilitators to achieve successful ageing. A systematic review of the 75+ older adults’ perspectives was conducted across PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science and PsycINFO. Qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods original peer-reviewed studies were included. After reviewing 4,661 articles, 15 articles met the inclusion criteria and 15 themes were identified. They ranged from biomedical components such as physical functioning to psychosocial components such as relationships, reflections on life and past experiences, preparations for death and environmental factors. The findings revealed that as people age, their definition of successful ageing changes, expanding the current conceptualisation of successful ageing by including additional factors that can act as facilitators and/or inhibitors, such as death and environmental factors. The findings also highlight the need for further research on theory development by considering age-related differences and the perspectives of under-studied populations.

In the absence of a universally agreed-upon definition of successful aging, researchers increasingly look to older adults for layperson views of aging and definitions of successful aging. To use lay definitions in studies of aging, however, researchers must address the definitions’ consistency. In 2004, surviving members of the Manitoba Follow-up Study male cohort (mean age: 83 years) were asked twice for their definition of successful aging. A consistency category was assigned based on the similarity of themes in each of 654 pairs of definitions. At least half of the main themes were similar in 70 per cent of the definition pairs; 80 per cent of respondents repeated at least one theme. Positive or negative health events in the four-week interval between definitions and specific respondents’ characteristics did not vary across consistency categories. This evidence for consistency supports our continued reliance on lay definitions of successful aging.