Abstract
Many Alaska Native Elders attended government-run boarding schools as children, were forbidden to speak their native language, and were forced to abandon their traditional subsistence lifestyle, yet they maintained an optimistic outlook on life and continued to age well. The Explanatory Model Interview Protocol was adapted to interview a purposive sample of Alaska Native Elders (n = 26) and grounded theory was used to develop a model of successful aging for Alaska Native Elders in Bristol Bay, Alaska. The theme of optimism was significant in the findings and was also found in each of the elements of successful aging, which were spirituality, emotional well-being, community engagement, and physical health. These four elements served as the foundation of the Model of Successful Aging. The Elders believed they were able to age successfully because they continued to be optimistic despite the challenges they faced (and are currently facing) in their communities.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1521-1527 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Qualitative Health Research |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue number | 11 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Nov 2013 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:The author disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: A Dissertation Improvement Award from the National Science Foundation funded this research (No. 0823120).
Keywords
- Aboriginal people / North America
- aging
- grounded theory
- health and well-being
- older people
- qualitative analysis
