Dimensions of Preparation for Aging: A Systematic Review

A deeper understanding of the dimensions of preparation for aging at the personal level may provide new perspectives for healthy aging promotion policies. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the dimensions of preparation for old age and retirement.   

This was a systematic review. The search was performed in the following databases: PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar up to June 2020. This search was done based on the following keywords: "prepare*", "preparation", "plan* ", "Aged", "Ageing", "Aging", "older people", "senior", "retirement", "older adults", and "elderly" through the AND/OR operators. In the preliminary search, 2032 papers were identified. After removing the duplicated articles and screening the title and abstract, the full text of 141 papers were investigated. Finally, 42 papers were eligible for inclusion in the systematic review.   

The results indicated that preparation for aging is propounded in the 6 dimensions: (1) health preparation; (2) psychological preparation; (3) financial preparation; (4) housing; (5) social preparation; and (6) active leisure.   

The findings of the present study indicated that planning for aging requires coverage of all dimensions of old age preparations to achieve healthy aging. The preparation planning should be performed before later life and during the young or middle-age years.