Trends in Positive Life Orientation Among 70-Year-Olds: A Comparison of Two Finnish Cohorts Born 20 Years Apart.

Objectives: We assessed if positive life orientation (PLO) has increased among older individuals and explored gender disparities in PLO changes.

Methods: Two cohorts of 70-year-olds from Turku, Finland were included: the 1920 birth cohort (examined in 1991;  = 1,032) and the 1940 birth cohort (examined in 2011;  = 956). Participants completed an identical questionnaire assessing life satisfaction, feeling needed, future plans, zest for life, depression, and loneliness.