Abstract

The active and healthy aging of senior citizens is one of the pressing challenges in Chilean society due to the sustained proportional growth presented by this segment of the population. This case study helps to establish the subjective well-being of senior citizens, at both an individual level and a social level, and the perception that the elderly possess with regard to health opportunities. The study was carried with a sample of 146 elderly from the neighborhood of Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile, using the social survey technique. To measure subjective well-being, we applied the Gallup happiness index and an index of trust in institutions. The opportunity to be healthy was measured with a question to evaluate such opportunity on a scale ranging from 1 to 7 (analog measurement system comparable to that of the Chilean educational system). The results of the application of the Gallup happiness index show satisfactory average scores of individual well-being. The perception of subjective social well-being with regard to trust in institutions indicated values among the items measured that do not exceed the mean, however, the trust in social and civic organizations that was reported is redeemable as a social support resource. The opportunity to be healthy was positively assessed. The results of the bivariate correlations indicate that opportunities to be healthy were positively associated with individual subjective well-being. Public health policy should make greater efforts to increase the access and quality of services for the elderly.