Throughout adulthood, individuals follow personal timetables of deadlines that shape the course of aging. We examine 6-year-longitudinal data of perceived personal deadlines for starting with late-life preparation across adulthood. Findings are based on a sample of 518 adults between 18 and 88 years of age. Multilevel regression analyses were conducted to explore changes in personal deadlines for preparation in five domains (i.e., finances, end of life, housing, social connectedness, caregiving) in relation to calendar age, self-rated health, subjective position in life, and sociodemographic variables. Findings suggest that personal deadlines for starting preparatory activities differ depending on calendar age and domain of late-life preparation. Older adults as compared to younger adults are likely to report narrower deadlines for beginning with late-life preparation. Perceived deadlines for late-life preparation were furthermore found to be preponed and slightly dilated over time. Findings suggest that depending on age-graded opportunity structures, individuals flexibly adjust their personal deadlines for late-life preparation.

在整个成年期，个人都会遵循影响衰老过程的最后期限的个人时间表。我们研究了 6 年的纵向数据，了解从成年后期开始准备的个人最后期限。调查结果基于 518 名年龄在 18 至 88 岁之间的成年人的样本。进行了多级回归分析，以探索与日历年龄、自评健康状况、生活中的主观地位和社会人口统计相关的五个领域（即财务、生命终结、住房、社会联系、护理）的个人准备期限的变化变量。调查结果表明，开始准备活动的个人截止日期因日历年龄和晚年准备领域而异。与年轻人相比，老年人开始晚年准备的截止日期可能更短。此外，人们还发现，随着时间的推移，晚年准备的感知截止日期被提前并略微扩大。研究结果表明，根据年龄分级的机会结构，个人可以灵活地调整他们为晚年做准备的个人截止日期。