ABSTRACT

Population aging and its impact of increasing life expectancy means an immediate increment in numbers of older adults suffering from chronic health conditions such as geriatric syndromes and disabilities. While some of the older adults are able to live independently without any support, most of them have become dependent upon the other people for their daily needs owing to decline in physical function and so on as they are getting older. Maintenance of independence for the older people affect their quality of life, and further their continuous living in the home and community. There are a variety of factors associated with decline in physical function that would make the older adults difficult to live independently. Lack of exercise, poor nutrition, and unhealthy lifestyle such as smoking are major causes of losing independence to the adults, regardless of their age. Several essential requisites to help the older adults maintain their independence were reviewed in this article. Not to lose their independence, physical activity would play a fundamental role in maintaining the health and physical function, but the roles of cognitive function, financial resources, and social connectedness for their emotional stability were emphasized. Both personal responsibility for maintaining independence in the second half of life and policy at the state level for the older adults’ independence were discussed in the final part of the article.