Patterns of social engagement in the transition to later life

Maturitas ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 88 ◽  
pp. 90-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine Burn ◽  
Lorraine Dennerstein ◽  
Colette Browning ◽  
Cassandra Szoeke
Keyword(s):  
Social Engagement ◽  
Later Life

scholarly journals EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS: DOES GENDER MATTER?

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S931-S931
Author(s):  
Celeste Beaulieu ◽  
Jeffrey E Stokes
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Gender Differences ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Self Concept ◽  
Everyday Activities ◽  
Retirement Study

Abstract Previous research has suggested that informal socializing can be beneficial for mental health, whereas prior findings concerning solitary activities and mental health have been equivocal. Activity theory posits that involvement in activities – particularly social activities – can improve adults’ self-concept and self-esteem, leading to improved well-being. Solitary activities may perform the same function, though without any social reinforcement. However, social engagement and mental health may both vary by gender. Thus, we examined associations of informal socializing and solitary activities with depressive symptoms among 13,387 respondents of the 2012/2014 waves of the Health and Retirement Study, and further assessed potential gender differences. Results revealed that both informal socializing and solitary activities were significantly associated with lower depressive symptoms when analyzed separately. However, when both types of activities were modeled simultaneously, only informal socializing remained significant. Further, stratified analyses revealed that informal socializing was a significant predictor of depressive symptoms among women but not men, although these coefficients were not significantly different from each other. Overall, findings suggest that both informal socializing and solitary activities may be beneficial for mental health, yet results were clearly stronger for informal socializing. Socializing may benefit mental health not only by bolstering one’s self-concept, but also by linking adults with social ties and support networks that are instrumental for well-being in mid- and later life. Moreover, gender differences in effects were minimal and largely non-significant, indicating that activity involvement can bolster mental health for men and women alike.

scholarly journals Evaluation of the Usability and Acceptability of the InnoWell Platform as Rated by Older Adults: Survey Study

JMIR Aging ◽  
10.2196/25928 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. e25928
Author(s):  
Haley M LaMonica ◽  
Anna E Roberts ◽  
Tracey A Davenport ◽  
Ian B Hickie
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Digital Tool ◽  
System Usability Scale ◽  
Mental Well Being ◽  
Health And Well Being

Background As the global population ages, there is increased interest in developing strategies to promote health and well-being in later life, thus enabling continued productivity, social engagement, and independence. As older adults use technologies with greater frequency, proficiency, and confidence, health information technologies (HITs) now hold considerable potential as a means to enable broader access to tools and services for the purposes of screening, treatment, monitoring, and ongoing maintenance of health for this group. The InnoWell Platform is a digital tool co-designed with lived experience to facilitate better outcomes by enabling access to a comprehensive multidimensional assessment, the results of which are provided in real time to enable consumers to make informed decisions about clinical and nonclinical care options independently or in collaboration with a health professional. Objective This study aims to evaluate the usability and acceptability of a prototype of the InnoWell Platform, co-designed and configured with and for older adults, using self-report surveys. Methods Participants were adults 50 years and older who were invited to engage with the InnoWell Platform naturalistically (ie, at their own discretion) for a period of 90 days. In addition, they completed short web-based surveys at baseline regarding their background, health, and mental well-being. After 90 days, participants were asked to complete the System Usability Scale to evaluate the usability and acceptability of the prototyped InnoWell Platform, with the aim of informing the iterative redesign and development of this digital tool before implementation within a health service setting. Results A total of 19 participants consented to participate in the study; however, only the data from the 16 participants (mean age 62.8 years, SD 7.5; range 50-72) who completed at least part of the survey at 90 days were included in the analyses. Participants generally reported low levels of psychological distress and good mental well-being. In relation to the InnoWell Platform, the usability scores were suboptimal. Although the InnoWell Platform was noted to be easy to use, participants had difficulty identifying the relevance of the tool for their personal circumstances. Ease of use, the comprehensive nature of the assessment tools, and the ability to track progress over time were favored features of the InnoWell Platform, whereas the need for greater personalization and improved mobile functionality were cited as areas for improvement. Conclusions HITs such as the InnoWell Platform have tremendous potential to improve access to cost-effective and low-intensity interventions at scale to improve and maintain mental health and well-being in later life. However, to promote adoption of and continued engagement with such tools, it is essential that these HITs are personalized and relevant for older adult end users, accounting for differences in background, clinical profiles, and levels of need.

scholarly journals Older People With Dementia Running a Pop-Up Restaurant: How to Use Reality Shows to Reduce the Stigma of Dementia

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 181-181
Author(s):  
Wenqian Xu
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factor ◽  
Older People ◽  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Personal Goals ◽  
Family Carers ◽  
Reality Show ◽  
People With Dementia

Abstract The present study focused on a Chinese reality show, Forget Me Not Café, which brought together five older people (aged 65 and older) living with dementia to run a pop-up restaurant and intended to reduce the stigma of dementia. The study aims to explore how the reality-show participants describe dementia in older people and how their views relate to the macrosocial context of dementia and older people. This study performed a thematic discourse analysis on the written and spoken content about dementia in older people (or later life) presented in the reality show. Four discursive themes were identified including: (1) age is a risk factor for dementia; (2) early signs and symptoms of dementia in older people deserve attention; (3) putting pressure on family caregivers of people with dementia; (4) expectations to maintain social engagement and slow down the development of dementia. This study also found that the views of the reality-show participants highlight the capability of older people with dementia to communicate effectively and live with the condition, their personal goals of sustaining a happy, meaningful and sociable life, as well as their actions to positively influence personal circumstances. The results of this study indicate that this reality show might help reduce the stigma of dementia and empower older people living with dementia, while it also tends to stress the responsibility for care on family carers and shift the responsibility of managing the dementia-related challenges to older people living with dementia.

Midlife Long-Hour Working and Later-life Social Engagement Are Associated with Reduced Risks of Mild Cognitive Impairment among Community-Living Singapore Elderly

2019 ◽  
Vol 67 (3) ◽  
pp. 1067-1077 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing-Huan Deng ◽  
Kai-Yong Huang ◽  
Xiao-Xiao Hu ◽  
Xiao-Wei Huang ◽  
Xian-Yan Tang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Community Living

scholarly journals APPLYING MIXED-METHODS APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF SOCIAL TIES IN LATER LIFE

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S411-S411
Author(s):  
J Jill Suitor ◽  
Megan Gilligan
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Interpersonal Processes ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Same Sex Couples ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

Abstract This symposium brings together a diverse set of studies applying mixed-methods approaches, with an emphasis on illustrating the ways in which such designs can provide greater understanding of interpersonal processes in the middle and later years. The papers span a wide range of relational contexts, including ties between parents and adult children, grandparents and grandchildren, and couples in gay, lesbian, heterosexual partnerships. They illustrate a variety of ways to combine quantitative and qualitative data collecting using surveys, in-depth interviews, timeline data, and technological devices. In the first paper, Silverstein and Bengtson present a study of continuity, change, and conflict across the generations regarding religion. The next two papers explore the impact of social relations on well-being. Fingerman and colleagues report findings from a study of social engagement and sedentary activities; and Suitor and colleagues investigate gender differences in the effects of mothers’ favoritism on adult children’s depressive symptoms. The final two papers focus on couples’ experiences when facing potentially demanding and/or challenging life circumstances. Thomeer and colleagues present findings from a study of same-sex couples in the context of marriage and parenthood; and Umberson and colleagues shed light on marital dynamics in same-sex and different-sex couples when one partner experiences psychological distress. This diverse set of studies provides a rich overview of the ways in which mixed-methods approaches can shed more light on patterns and consequences of relationships in adulthood than could be learned using single-method designs.

scholarly journals Older women's reduced contact with food in the Changes Around Food Experience (CAFE) study: choices, adaptations and dynamism

2013 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 645-669 ◽  
Author(s):  
KATHLEEN LANE ◽  
FIONA POLAND ◽  
SHEILA FLEMING ◽  
NIGEL LAMBERT ◽  
HILARY MACDONALD ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Women ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Formal Services ◽  
Food Experience ◽  
One Year ◽  
Negative Feelings ◽  
Dynamic Adaptability ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACTMany older women reduce the amount of cooking and food preparation they do in later life. While cooking may be seen as traditionally associated with women's family roles, little is known about the impact of such reduced engagement with food on their lives. This paper presents the findings from a one-year qualitative study (Changes Around Food Experience, CAFE) of the impact of reduced contact with preparing and cooking meals from scratch for 40 women, aged 65–95 years, living in Norfolk, United Kingdom. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, focus groups and observations. Women's reasons for reducing food-related activities included changes in health, loss of a partner or a caring role, and new patterns of socialising. Disengagement from cooking and shopping was not found to entail predominantly negative feelings, passive acceptance or searching for forms of support to re-enable more cooking from scratch. Accounts evidenced the dynamic adaptability of older women in actively managing changed relationships with food. In exploring new meal options, older women were not simply disengaging from their environments. CAFE findings linked women's engagement with their environments to how they were using formal services and, even more, to the value they placed on social engagement and being out and about. Through the connections they fostered with friends, family and community, older women actively enabled their continued involvement in their social, public and family spheres. Reduced contact with preparing and cooking meals from scratch, therefore, did not induce or imply passivity or debility in the CAFE cohort. By contrast, it involved their exploring new means of retaining what was important to them about food in the context of their lived situation and social connections with friends, family, the community and public spheres.

The gendered experience of social resources in the transition to late-life widowhood

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Linda Isherwood
Keyword(s):  
Social Engagement ◽  
Late Life ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Social Resources ◽  
Friendship Networks ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Framework Approach ◽  
Qualitative Exploration ◽  
Depth Interviews

Abstract Social resources – close relationships, support exchange and social engagement – can play an important role in successful adjustment to widowhood in later life. However, it is not clear whether access to, and the utilisation of, social resources are different for men and women during late-life widowhood. This study provides a qualitative exploration of the experience of social resources in the lives of older widowed men and women across the transition to widowhood (from pre-widowhood to later widowhood). Using a life course theory lens, in-depth interviews were conducted with 20 men and women who had been widowed in later life. The interview data were analysed using the framework approach. Four phases in the transition to widowhood were identified: ‘Illness and caring’, ‘Relocation and separation’, ‘Early bereavement’ and ‘Life goes on’. Widowhood brings great change to the accessibility and utilisation of social resources, and each of these transitional phases was associated with differential usage of these resources. Gender differences were observed in the availability of social resources across the transition to widowhood, with widowed men typically found to have smaller friendship networks, receive less support and be at increased risk of social isolation. Particular attention is required to ensure that all older widowed men and women have access to sufficient social support and contact following bereavement.

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