Toward New Directions in the Study of Well-Being among the Oldest Old

Author(s):  
Leonard W. Poon ◽  
Jiska Cohen-Mansfield
Keyword(s):  
Relay Journal ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 459-463
Author(s):  
Sam Morris ◽  
Sarah Mercer

In our June 2019 LAB session on Teacher/Advisor Education for Learner Autonomy, our featured interview was conducted with Sarah Mercer, Professor of Foreign Language Teaching and Head of ELT at the University of Graz, Austria. Sarah has published a wealth of papers in the field of language and teacher psychology, and co-edited many books including, most recently, New Directions in Language Learning Psychology (2016), Positive Psychology in SLA (2016), and Language Teacher Psychology (2018). Sarah was awarded the 2018 Robert C. Gardner Award for Outstanding Research in Bilingualism in recognition of her work. We were delighted that she was able to share her knowledge on the topic of language learner and teacher well-being with us during the session.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 612-612
Author(s):  
Martina Raue ◽  
Lisa D’Ambrosio ◽  
Taylor Patskanick ◽  
John Rudnik ◽  
Adam Felts ◽  
...  

Abstract With older age, people experience declines in resources and face new challenges. The goal of this study was to understand how resource decline affects the oldest olds’ well-being, but also to learn who they trust and where they go for advice in areas such as health, finances, and technology. This sample of 30 participants between the ages of 85 and 95 was generally resource-rich, scoring highest on self-esteem and optimism and lowest on mastery. Self-esteem and optimism correlated with financial resources, indicating a significant role of finances in this rather wealthy sample. Well-being was predicted by self-esteem and physical health. Presumably, their high levels of self-esteem compensate for the loss of other resources among the oldest old. The majority of lifestyle leaders trust in other people, and while friends and family are very important sources of advice, searching online was equally often mentioned as a source when looking for advice.


Author(s):  
Paul de Boissieu ◽  
Serge Guerin ◽  
Véronique Suissa ◽  
Fiona Ecarnot ◽  
Aude Letty ◽  
...  

Abstract Background There is a compelling need to prepare our societies and healthcare systems to deal with the oncoming wave of population ageing. The majority of older persons maintain a desire to be valued and useful members of society and of their social networks. Aims We sought to investigate the perception of usefulness among persons aged 65 years and over in four European countries. Methods We performed a cross-sectional survey with a representative sample of individuals aged 65 years or older from the population of retired persons (including recently retired persons and oldest-old individuals) from 4 European countries selected using quota sampling. In February 2016, an internet questionnaire was sent to all selected individuals. The characteristics used for the quota sampling method were sex, age, socio-professional category, region, city size, number of persons in household, autonomy, marital status, place of residence, income and educational status. The questionnaire contained 57 questions. Sociodemographic characteristics were recorded. Responses were analysed with principal components analysis (PCA). Results A total of 4025 persons participated; 51% were males, and 70% were aged 65–75 years. PCA identified six classes of individuals, of which two classes (Classes 2 and 3) were characterized by more socially isolated individuals with little or no sense of usefulness, low self-esteem and a poor sense of well-being. These two classes accounted for almost 20% of the population. Younger and more autonomous classes reported a more salient sense of usefulness. Conclusions The loss of the sense of usefulness is associated with dissatisfaction with life and a loss of pleasure, and persons with profiles corresponding to Classes 2 and 3 should, therefore, be targeted for interventions aimed at restoring social links.


2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 509-517 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Padua ◽  
◽  
Patrizio Pasqualetti ◽  
Daniele Coraci ◽  
Isabella Imbimbo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  

Author(s):  
David L. Blustein

This chapter reviews the relational aspects of work, exploring how work functions to provide people with an opportunity to connect to others and, at times, to evoke distress in the workplace. Beginning with a review of the relational revolution in psychology, vignettes from the Boston College Working Project participants explicate how relationships function within the workplace, underscoring both adaptive and aversive aspects of relational influences, power differentials at work, work–family balance, and the internalization process. The chapter includes a review of recent contributions on attachment, social support, mentoring, and social networks, which reflect important new directions for understanding the ways in which being with others at work enhances aliveness and well-being. Policy implications pertaining to the need for people to have access to decent work that affirms relational strivings conclude the chapter.


2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 493-513 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon E. Cavanagh ◽  
Paula Fomby

Scholars have long looked to family composition to understand child well-being. The study of family instability, or the experience of repeated changes in parents’ union status during childhood, represents a recent advance in this field that takes into account the dynamic nature of contemporary family organization and considers its implications for children's adjustment and development. We review some of the structural and cultural factors that have contributed to rising levels of family instability and highlight the emergence of national data to measure it. We then review the perspective that guides much of the scholarship on family instability and critically assess the contributions of this work to the understanding of child well-being. We close by suggesting new directions for research, with a call for work that broadens the conceptualization and measurement of contemporary children's family systems and home environments as well as the mechanisms that explain why—or whether—instability matters.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document