The older adult population is growing faster than any other cohort of people. By the year 2011,
the baby boomers will start turning age 65, presenting a problem for public policy and health
care systems. One of the key components of successful aging is the maintenance of good health.
Numerous studies have extensively documented the link between good health and high life
satisfaction. Humor has also been shown to be a positive coping mechanism used by older adults
to combat the stressors of aging. The current study explored the relationship between health
status, life satisfaction, and humor as a coping mechanism among noninstitutionalized older
adults. The sample consisted of 109 participants over the age of 65. Structural equation modeling
with latent variables indicated that health status and life satisfaction were highly correlated with
an increase in health status leading to an increase in life satisfaction. However, coping with
humor neither correlated with nor mediated the relationship between health status and life
satisfaction. Reasons for these results are explored and suggestions for future studies are
presented.
