Abstract
Social gerontologists have long argued against the view of old age as disease & recently have focused a more positive lens on aging. Our conceptual labels reflect this. They are 'upbeat.' We write of successful aging, quality of life, & life satisfaction. We use these terms widely, often interchangeably, with little agreement on what they signify. A closer look suggests these terms are layered over a less positive view, one that is heavily medicalized. This paper reports a systematic conceptual analysis of these & related terms. Perhaps the most influential of these concepts are 'successful aging' & 'quality of life.' Both labels suggest broad concepts that capture aging & life in their totality. The literature shows otherwise. While there are noteworthy exceptions, the themes running through both concepts are overwhelmingly health/illness/functioning & adaptation/coping in the face of challenges. This professional view of 'desirable' old age is compared to findings from a pilot study that used in-depth interviews with 27 elders, African American, Hispanic, & Anglo, to explore the subjective meaning of well-being in old age. While elders value good health, it is not typically the criterion for evaluating their lives. Rather, it is one component among many.