ABSTRACT

THE PRESENT EXPLORATORY INVESTIGATION EMPLOYED QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE METHODOLOGIES, WITH THE AIM OF EXPLORING THE DYNAMIC INTERPLAY BETWEEN MENTAL AND COGNITIVE ABILITIES, SOCIAL NETWORKS, MEDICAL ACCESS ON QUALITY OF LIFE (QOL) AND HEALTHY AGING AMONG 124 ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS (AGED 60 AND OVER) IN BRAZIL, THE USA, AND CHINA. THE QUANTITATIVE NATURE OF THE STUDY WAS EVIDENCED BY THE EMPLOYMENT OF STATISTICAL ANALYSIS BY USING THE LIKERT SCALE IN MEASURING THE RESULTS ON THE QUESTIONNAIRE. THE IDENTIFICATION OF TRENDS WAS FACILITATED BY THE UTILIZATION OF STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES, INCLUDING CRONBACH'S ALPHA, PRINCIPAL COMPONENTS ANALYSIS, AND HIERARCHICAL CLUSTER ANALYSIS. THE QUALITATIVE PART ALIGNS PRINCIPLES OF INFORMATION COLLECTION IN COUNSELLING AND SURVEYS, AS DESCRIBED IN THE INTRODUCTORY PART, AND INCORPORATES METHODOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR STUDYING ADULT DEVELOPMENT AND AGING. IT IS TAILORED TO COMPREHENSIVELY ASSESS THE HEALTH STATUS AND LIFE SATISFACTION OF ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS, CAPTURING THE NUANCES OF DAILY EXPERIENCES. THE STUDY ALSO DRAWS UPON OUTLINED EXAMINATION ON AGING PROCESSES, COGNITIVE DECLINE, AND PHYSIOLOGICAL DISABILITIES IN A HEALTHY AGING PERSPECTIVE, UTILIZING INFORMATION ABOUT HOW ADULTS' PERCEPTIONS AND THINKING ADAPT AND HOW PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL CHANGES IMPACT THEIR AGING EXPERIENCES AS THEY GET OLDER. THE STUDY REINFORCES A HOLISTIC VIEW OF QUALITY OF LIFE IN AGING, EMPHASIZING THE CRUCIAL ROLE OF SOCIAL, SPIRITUAL, AND MENTAL RESILIENCE. HENCE, THE LIMITATIONS INCLUDE ITS RELIANCE ON SELF-REPORTED DATA, A DEMOGRAPHIC SKEW TOWARDS BRAZILIAN YOUNGER-OLD (60-75 YEARS) FEMALE RESPONDENTS, AND OTHER LIMITATIONS CAN BE SEEING AS A POTENTIAL FOR FUTURE STUDIES.