Ageing among Black and non-Hispanic White older adults: A community-based system dynamics approach to examining quality of life

Older adults are living longer in the United States and the proportion of those belonging to minoritized groups is growing. The value and characteristics of quality of life (QoL) at an older age have becoming of central concern to policy makers. To investigate the wicked problem of ageing and QoL, we conducted and compared two group model building workshops in St. Louis City, one with 16 White and another with 10 Black American older adults, age 65 and older. Group model building workshops involve communities in the identification and testing of shared solutions to pressing and complex problems. Findings demonstrated that racial disparities in terms of material and environmental resources represent significant barriers to QoL for both Black and White participants. Results underscore the need to address social determinants of health that impede healthy ageing and damage well-being and QoL of older adults.