DIFFERENTIATING THE ELDERLY: A NEW APPROACH USING AUTOMATIC INTERACTION DETECTION (AID)

Abstract
While there has been increasing recognition of the general proposition that the elderly are not a homogenous population there have been few attempts to delineate the characteristics of sub-groups varying on dimensions of well-being, such as health and psychological state. This may be due to the difficulty researchers have encountered in finding a rational basis for differentiating elderly people. However, there are also conceptual and methodological reasons which have contributed towards the neglect of this topic.