Abstract

This paper describes five blocks to seniors’ happiness and suggests ways to overcome these. A conceptual framework with nine elements is then presented. Happiness has become an important area of interest as population ageing has become one of the most significant social transformations in the 21st century. The number of people aged 60 years or over in the world is projected to grow from 901 million to 1.4 billion between 2015 and 2030 [1]. Propelled by the “baby boomer” generation, adults aged over 65 now outnumber children for the first time. In Canada, their numbers have increased 20% since 2011, compared to a 5% increase in the general population [2]. In Canada, older adults are projected to make up 23-25% of the population by 2036 [3]. Conditions are similar in the United States: By 2030, 20.1% of the US population will be older than 65, compared to just 10% in 1970 and 13.1% in 2010 [4]. As seniors become much more prominent in our ageing societies, it is important both for their personal wellbeing and for society’s benefit that they maximize their quality of life and happiness.

Keywords: Population; Younger generations; Happiness; Seniors; Relationship; Meditation