Revisiting gerontology's scrapbook: from Metchnikoff to the Spectrum Model of Aging.

The historical roots of gerontology date to a time when old age was characterized as physical and mental decline. Nonetheless, Metchnikoff questioned the inevitability of this decline, believing that quality of life could be improved by broadening our understanding of the science of aging, a multifaceted concept that extends well beyond the biological science interpretation so prevalent in gerontology's history. This article examines foundational gerontological theories in an effort to unravel complex interactions that constitute physiological aging processes, the psychological manifestations of individual adaptation, and the importance of social and spiritual relationships in aging successfully.