Addressing the Mental Health of Black Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic

GeroPsych ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle L. McDuffie
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Healthcare Disparities ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cultural Factors ◽  
Geographic Factors ◽  
The World ◽  
Conceptual Paper ◽  
Health And Well Being

Abstract. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt the world. However, a particular group has felt the effects of the pandemic to an extraordinarily greater degree: Black older adults. This conceptual paper applies the law of small effects theory to the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on the mental health and well-being of Black older adults. It explores factors such as health and healthcare disparities, geographic factors, cultural factors, and other components of the Black older adult experience in the context of COVID-19. The conclusions and implications address how the subfields within gerontology and geropsychology can aid Black older adults moving forward, things to consider as the pandemic persists, and considerations following its conclusion.

scholarly journals Maudsley International: improving mental health and well-being around the world

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 49-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nick Bouras ◽  
Silvia Davey ◽  
Tracey Power ◽  
Jonathan Rolfe ◽  
Tom Craig ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Building Capacity ◽  
The Past ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
The World ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Health And Well Being ◽  
And Training

Maudsley International was set up to help improve people's mental health and well-being around the world. A variety of programmes have been developed by Maudsley International over the past 10 years, for planning and implementing services; building capacity; and training and evaluation to support organisations and individuals, professionals and managers to train and develop health and social care provisions. Maudsley International's model is based on collaboration, sharing expertise and cultural understanding with international partners.

COVID-19

2022 ◽  
pp. 219-227
Author(s):  
Gillala Rekha
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Private University ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Academic Stress ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
The World ◽  
And Coping ◽  
Quantitative And Qualitative Methods ◽  
Health And Well Being

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, governments around the world closed all the educational institutions to control the spread of disease, which is creating a direct impact on students, educators, and institutions. The purpose of this study was to analyze the perception of academic stress experienced by students during current online education and coping strategies using emotional intelligence adopted by them. The study aims to conduct a timely assessment of the effects of stress due to COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of college students. The authors conducted interview surveys with 227 students at a private university in India to understand the effects of online education during pandemic on their mental health and well-being. The data were analyzed through quantitative and qualitative methods. Of the 227 students, 71% indicated anxiety and stress due to ongoing pandemic.

The glass is not half empty: optimism, pessimism, and health among older adults

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 135-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael D. Barnett ◽  
Ellen A. Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Life Orientation Test ◽  
Health And Well Being

ABSTRACTObjectives:Optimism and pessimism are distinct constructs that have demonstrated independent relationships with aspects of health and well-being. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether optimism or pessimism is more closely linked with physical and mental health among older adults.Design:Cross-sectional survey.Participants:Community-dwelling older adults (N = 272) ages 59–95 in the southern United States.Measurements:The Life Orientation Test—Revised and the Short Form 8.Results:At the bivariate level, optimism was associated with higher physical health and mental health, while pessimism was associated with lower physical health and mental health. Multiple-regression analyses as well as comparison of correlation coefficients found that pessimism was more closely associated with physical health and mental health than optimism.Conclusions:These results add to the literature suggesting that, in terms of older adults’ health and well-being, avoiding pessimism may be more important than being optimistic.

scholarly journals Sleep and Mental Health Among Older Adults in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
R Rodrigues ◽  
K Nicholson ◽  
P Wilk ◽  
G Guaiana ◽  
S Stranges ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Sleep Duration ◽  
Sleep Problems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Initiatives ◽  
Mental Well Being ◽  
Health And Well Being

Abstract Background Global studies have demonstrated consistent associations between sleep problems and mental health and well-being in older adults, however Canadian data are lacking. We investigated associations between sleep quantity and quality with both mental illness symptoms and well-being among older adults in Canada. Methods We used cross-sectional baseline data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, a national survey of 30,097 community-dwelling adults aged 45 years and older. Self-reported sleep measures included average past-week sleep duration (short [<6h], normal [6-8h], long [>8h]), and sleep quality (satisfied or dissatisfied vs neutral). Mental illness outcomes included depressive symptoms and psychological distress. Mental well-being outcomes included self-rated mental health and satisfaction with life. We used modified Poisson regression models with adjustment for sociodemographic, behavioural, and clinical factors, and stratification by sex and age to explore effect modification. Results In the unadjusted analysis, short and long sleep duration and sleep dissatisfaction were associated with higher mental illness symptoms and lower well-being across all outcomes. Sleep satisfaction was associated with a lower likelihood of mental illness symptoms and better well-being. Short sleep duration was associated with the largest effects on mental health outcomes. Self-rated mental health and depressive symptoms had the largest associations with sleep measures. Effects were larger in males and the 45 to 54 year age group. Conclusions Preliminary evidence suggests sleep duration and quality are associated with symptoms of depression, psychological distress, and poor mental well-being among older adults. We are unable to determine whether sleep problems are a cause or consequence of poor mental health. Nonetheless, sleep may be an important target for public health initiatives to improve mental health and well-being among older adults. Key messages Our findings contribute further evidence that sleep difficulties are associated with adverse health outcomes including higher mental illness symptoms and lower well-being among older adults. Sleep disturbances are an unmet public health problem, and may be an important target for public health initiatives to improve mental health and well-being among older adults.

scholarly journals To be or not to be: Relationship between grandparent status and health and wellbeing

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel W.L. Lai ◽  
Jia Li ◽  
Xue Bai
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Older People ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Marital Status ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Chinese Society ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Health And Well Being

Abstract BackgroundIt is common for older people to become grandparents in later life. However, the impacts of grandparenting on their health and well-being remain ambiguous, especially in Chinese society, where the family is in the core of culture. The current study explored the relationship between grandparenthood and Chinese older people’s health and psychological well-being in Hong Kong. MethodsCross-sectional data were collected from a sample of 1,208 Hong Kong Chinese older people aged 55 and above through a telephone survey conducted in 2019. Participants were grouped into three categories: current grandparents (n = 507), grandparents-to-be (n = 275), and grandparents-not-to-be (n = 426). Multivariate linear regressions were performed to examine the relationship between grandparenting status and health and well-being outcomes, including self-rated physical health, mental health, resilience, and happiness. The potential moderating roles of older adults’ demographic characteristics, including age, sex, education, marital status, financial status, were also examined. ResultsBivariate analyses suggested statistically significant differences between health and well-being across the three groups of participants. Regression models showed that, compared with grandparents-not-to-be, being a current grandparent was associated with a significantly higher happiness level. Being a future grandparent was associated with significantly higher levels of happiness, resilience, and self-rated physical health. Moderating analyses showed that age, marital status, and educational level could moderate the relationship between grandparent status and resilience and self-rated mental health. ConclusionsThe current study offers preliminary insights into the significant relationship between grandparenthood and older adults’ health and well-being. It calls for future studies to further explore the mechanisms between grandparenthood and the healthy ageing of different subgroups of older adults.

Association between sleep and mental health and well-being among older adults in the canadian longitudinal study on aging

2019 ◽  
Vol 64 ◽  
pp. S323-S324
Author(s):  
R. Rodrigues ◽  
K. Nicholson ◽  
P. Wilk ◽  
G. Guaiana ◽  
S. Stranges ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health And Well Being

scholarly journals COVID-19, mental health and psychological first aid

2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 259-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Minihan ◽  
B. Gavin ◽  
B. D. Kelly ◽  
F. McNicholas
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Well Being ◽  
First Aid ◽  
World Health ◽  
Psychological First Aid ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Health And Well Being

Crises such as the global pandemic of COVID-19 (coronavirus) elicit a range of responses from individuals and societies adversely affecting physical and emotional well-being. This article provides an overview of factors elicited in response to COVID-19 and their impact on immunity, physical health, mental health and well-being. Certain groups, such as individuals with mental illness, are especially vulnerable, so it is important to maximise the supports available to this population and their families during the pandemic. More broadly, the World Health Organization recommends ‘Psychological First Aid’ as a useful technique that can help many people in a time of crisis.

Non-religion, atheism, and mental health

2021 ◽  
pp. 259-276
Author(s):  
Miguel Farias ◽  
Thomas J. Coleman III
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Risk ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Recent Work ◽  
Religious Experience ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Methodological Issues ◽  
The World ◽  
Methodological Problems ◽  
Health And Well Being

Based on the well-established link between religiosity and positive mental health outcomes, it has been argued that non-religiosity is a health liability. However, most of this research suffers from methodological problems that limit their generalizability to non-religious populations, such as atheists and agnostics. In this chapter, we draw attention to these methodological issues, and argue in favour of a richer conceptualization of non-religion than has been theorized in previous literature. We further review recent work from various countries around the world, which challenges the notion that non-religiosity presents a health risk, finding instead that the non-religious experience similar levels of health and well-being benefits as the religious. We end by briefly discussing the limitations and recent backlash at this literature, while suggesting that the study of the non-religious may transform how we understand the interaction between beliefs, rituals, and health.

Covid-19 and Older Adults: The Paradox of Control Measures

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 303-305
Author(s):  
Anthony Obinna Iwuagwu ◽  
Christopher Ndubuisi Ngwu
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Face Mask ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Infection Prevention And Control ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Main Challenge ◽  
The World

It is no longer news that Covid-19 pandemic has become a major public health issue around the world and affected day to day activities of public life. Medical experts around the world were overwhelmed by the Covid-19 virus outbreak and for a long time were unable to provide a vaccine or any pharmaceutical treatment. Countries were therefore forced to adopt unprecedented Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures to mitigate the spread and impact of the virus. These measures which are non-pharmacological includes, social distancing, social isolation, lockdown, constant washing of hands, wearing of face mask and protective gloves etc. However, these measures aimed at protecting the health care systems, have had some side effects on the health and well-being of older adults. In this letter, we have highlighted social distancing as the main challenge and a paradox for older peoples wellbeing during the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak. The merits of the IPC measures notwithstanding, its long and short term consequences for the mental health of older adults calls for concern. Among other recommendations, professionals of ageing and geriatrics are recommended to help set a balance in IPC measures and mental health of older people in this Covid-19 era.

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