ReviewThe Gerontologist2026
Gratitude and savoring interventions for older adults: a narrative review.
Review in The Gerontologist, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
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Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
objectivesGratitude and savoring have great potential to support well-being in older age, but most studies on positive psychology interventions have been conducted among healthy young adults. This narrative review explored gratitude and savoring interventions for older adults, with or without dementia, including (a) the characteristics of these interventions, (b) their acceptability for older users, and (c) their effect on mental health. RESEARCH DESIGN AND
methodsScopus, PubMed, PsychInfo, Web of Science, and CINAHL were searched in December 2023 and April 2025. Studies were eligible if they examined gratitude or savoring interventions among older adults. Multi-component intervention studies were excluded. 2 researchers independently screened 2,423 studies and assessed methodological quality using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Numerical and narrative data were extracted and synthesized regarding intervention characteristics, acceptability, and effectiveness.
resultsOf the 11 included articles, 5 examined gratitude, 5 examined savoring, and 1 compared both. Only 1 study included participants with dementia. Adherence was generally high, suggesting a good fit, but participant evaluation was lacking. 4 acceptability themes were highlighted concerning the target group, setting and delivery mode, dosage, and content and tailoring. Most studies showed improved well-being and reduced psychopathology, although not consistently on all outcome measures. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: There is initial evidence that gratitude and savoring interventions could be suitable to promote mental health among older adults with relatively preserved cognitive function. Future research should examine the need for tailoring in terms of dose, delivery method and content, and applicability to more diverse groups of older adults.
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