Aging Expectations and Attitudes: Associations With Types of Older Adult Contact.

OBJECTIVES:: To evaluate the role of contact with older adults in explaining expectations about aging and attitudes toward own aging.

METHOD:: A representative sample of 3,026 U.S. adults aged 30-89 years completed a survey online or by telephone. The survey assessed types of contact with older adults, anticipated need for help during aging, and attitudes toward their own aging.

RESULTS:: Relative to older adults' (65+ years) need for help with finances, activities of daily living, social support, and health care during aging, 30- to 64-year-old adults overestimated their expected need for help. Contact with dependent older adults was associated with greater overestimation. Diverse types of contact with older adults were associated with increased positivity toward one's own aging.

DISCUSSION:: Aging expectations may be ameliorated by exposure to diverse exemplars of aging. Future research should quantify effects of exposure types on both negative and positive attitudes toward own aging.