Preparation for Aging at the Beginning of Late Adulthood—Associations With Socioeconomic, Social, Health, and Psychological Resources

The benefits of preparation for aging have been reported, but knowledge of the factors behind it is scarce. We investigated the associations between the current level and the change in socioeconomic, social, health, and psychological resources with preparation for aging among 61‐year‐old Finns. The analysis included altogether 175 men and women who participated in the latest data collection of the Jyväskylä Longitudinal Study of Personality and Social Development (JYLS) in 2020–2021 and completed the brief scale domain‐specific preparation for age‐related changes. Baseline data for changes in resources were derived also from the JYLS data collection in 2009. We found several associations between life resources and preparation. The multivariate general linear models showed that the personality traits of extraversion and conscientiousness were the most significant resources for planning for aging. Longitudinally, decreased financial resources were associated with less preparation for aging. The results highlight the relevance of financial security as a prerequisite for more preparation towards later life. Moreover, even though people with certain personality traits are more prone to preparing for aging, it is important to develop ways to support all people near retirement age to orient towards their future lives.