scholarly journals Nature-based activities improve the well-being of older adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Angelia Sia ◽  
Wilson W. S. Tam ◽  
Anna Fogel ◽  
Ee Heok Kua ◽  
Kenneth Khoo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Current Literature ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Positive Health ◽  
Urban Greenery ◽  
Tropical Environments ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Therapeutic Horticulture ◽  
The Tropics

Abstract Current literature shows that interaction with urban greenery can have a wide range of positive health outcomes. Targeted nature-based programs, such as therapeutic horticulture, have been shown to result in multiple health benefits for older adults residing in temperate environments, but much less research has been carried out on populations with different phenotypes, such as older Asian adults in the tropics. The current study investigated the effects of a 24-session therapeutic horticulture program on 47 older participants in Singapore, with an experimental pretest posttest design. We found that participants maintained healthy sleep patterns and psychological health, as well as showed reduced anxiety and improved cognitive functioning (p < 0.05). In addition, they reported an increase in mean happiness score after each session. This study provides new evidence using a comprehensive set of indicators across the affective, cognitive, functional, psychosocial and physical domains, supporting current literature on the benefits of nature programs, with a novel focus on tropical environments. It provides evidence that the nature-based intervention has the potential to be translated to programs to benefit older adults in the tropics.

scholarly journals Association of self-perceived income sufficiency with cognitive impairment among older adults: a population-based study in India

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Muhammad ◽  
Shobhit Srivastava ◽  
T. V. Sekher
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Activities Of Daily Living ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Daily Living ◽  
Basic Needs ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Asset Ownership ◽  
Increased Risk

Abstract Background Greater cognitive performance has been shown to be associated with better mental and physical health and lower mortality. The present study contributes to the existing literature on the linkages of self-perceived income sufficiency and cognitive impairment. Study also provides additional insights on other socioeconomic and health-related variables that are associated with cognitive impairment in older ages. Methods Data for this study is derived from the 'Building Knowledge Base on Population Ageing in India'. The final sample size for the analysis after removing missing cases was 9176 older adults. Descriptive along with bivariate analyses were presented to show the plausible associations of cognitive impairment with potential risk factors using the chi-square test. Also, binary logistic regression analysis was performed to provide the relationship between cognitive impairment and risk factors. The software used was STATA 14. Results About 43% of older adults reported that they had no source of income and 7.2% had income but not sufficient to fulfil their basic needs. Older adults with income but partially sufficient to fulfil their basic needs had 39% significantly higher likelihood to suffer from cognitive impairment than older adults who had sufficient income [OR: 1.39; OR: 1.21–1.59]. Likelihood of cognitive impairment was low among older adults with asset ownership than older adults with no asset ownership [OR: 0.83; CI: 0.72–0.95]. Again, older adults who work by compulsion (73.3%) or felt mental or physical stress due to work (57.6%) had highest percentage of cognitive impairment. Moreover, older adults with poor self-rated health, low instrumental activities of daily living, low activities of daily living, low subjective well-being and low psychological health were at increased risk for cognitive impairment. Conclusion The study highlights the pressing need for care and support and especially financial incentives in the old age to preserve cognitive health. Further, while planning geriatric health care for older adults in India, priority must be given to financially backward, with no asset ownership, with poor health status, older-older, widowed, and illiterate older individuals, as they are more vulnerable to cognitive impairment.

scholarly journals Depression and Psychological Well-Being as Distinct Constructs: Mutually Exclusive Associations With Biomarker

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 251-251
Author(s):  
Kheng Siang Ted Ng ◽  
Shu Cheng Wong ◽  
Glenn Wong ◽  
Ee Heok Kua ◽  
Anis Larbi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Factor Score ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
The Other ◽  
Factor Scores ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract Despite increasing emphasis on assessing the mental health of older adults, there has been inconclusive evidence on whether depression and psychological well-being (PWB) are fundamentally distinct constructs or representations of the opposite ends of the mental health spectrum. To instantiate either hypothesis, investigation of the associations between mental health scales and biomarkers have been proposed. First, we assessed depressive symptoms and PWB in community-dwelling older adults (N=59, mean age=67) using the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and Ryff’s Scale of PWB (comprising six sub-scales). We measured a wide range of immune markers employing ELISA and flow cytometry. Subsequently, we used principal component analysis (PCA) to aggregate and derived biomarker factor scores. Lastly, multiple linear regressions were performed to examine the associations between the scales and the derived biomarker factor scores, controlling for covariates. PCA extracted six biomarker factors. Biomarker factor score 1 was significantly associated with PWB (β=-0.029, p=0.035) and the PWB sub-scale, self-acceptance (β=-0.089, p=0.047), while biomarker factor score 4 was significantly associated with the PWB sub-scale, purpose in life (β=-0.087, p=0.025). On the other hand, biomarker factor 6 was significantly associated with SDS (β=-0.070, p=0.008). There were mutually- exclusive associations between the scales with biomarker factor scores, supporting the hypothesis of distinct constructs. Our findings expanded the biomarkers of depression and PWB, deepening understanding of the biological underpinnings of depressive symptoms and PWB. These findings have implications in field work, since researchers could not infer one construct from the other, the examination of both constructs are essential.

scholarly journals SENIOR FRIENDLY PACKAGING AND PRODUCT TESTING: FEEDBACK FROM OLDER CONSUMERS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S639-S640
Author(s):  
Lisa A Hollis-Sawyer ◽  
Alison O’Neil
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Evaluation Study ◽  
The United States ◽  
Consumer Products ◽  
Color Contrast ◽  
Product Testing ◽  
Package Design ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract By 2050, older adults ages 65 or older will account for 83.7 million people in the U.S. population (An Aging Nation: The Older Population in the United States, 2014). It is imperative that products and technologies are designed to accommodate age-related changes that older adults are likely to experience. Given this population surge of older adults, there is a growing interest in identifying consumer products that are usable for older adults or “senior friendly.” Senior-friendly product testing (e.g., Senior Select®) focuses on the usability of various health and consumer products targeted to people with diminishment of any of the following: hearing, vision, taste, touch, smell, mobility & dexterity and /or mental acuity. A usability evaluation study was conducted in three senior living communities located in the Atlanta area. Twenty-nine participants ranged in age from 66 years old to 102 years old. Participants were shown a snack bar product and then asked to use the product themselves to perform a series of prepared tasks. After interacting with the product, participants were asked to share any comments that they had concerning the product. Issues of color contrast between the main packaging and the pull tab, easy of gripping and tearing the wrapper, the labeling of the nutrition information, and the package labeling (should refer to “adult” snack) were reported. Many respondents suggested that senior-friendly package design relates to their health and well-being. Implications toward a wide range of products for older adults of varying ability levels will be discussed.

scholarly journals Social Isolation and Psychological Distress Among Older Adults Related to COVID-19: A Narrative Review of Remotely-Delivered Interventions and Recommendations

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-13
Author(s):  
Julie A. Gorenko ◽  
Chelsea Moran ◽  
Michelle Flynn ◽  
Keith Dobson ◽  
Candace Konnert
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Psychological Symptoms ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Narrative Review ◽  
Comprehensive Overview ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Barriers To Implementation ◽  
Negative Impacts

The COVID-19 pandemic is associated with several short- and long-term negative impacts on the well-being of older adults. Physical distancing recommendations to reduce transmission of the SARS-CoV2-19 virus increase the risk of social isolation and loneliness, which are associated with negative outcomes including anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, and mortality. Taken together, social isolation and additional psychological impacts of the pandemic (e.g., worry, grief) underscore the importance of intervention efforts to older adults. This narrative review draws upon a wide range of evidence to provide a comprehensive overview of appropriate remotely-delivered interventions for older adults that target loneliness and psychological symptoms. These include interventions delivered by a range of individuals (i.e., community members to mental health professionals), and interventions that vary by implementation (e.g., self-guided therapy, remotely-delivered interventions via telephone or video call). Recommendations to overcome barriers to implementation and delivery are provided, with consideration given to the different living situations.

Health harm of work from the sustainable HRM perspective: scale development and validation

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (6) ◽  
pp. 924-944 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sugumar Mariappanadar
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Health ◽  
Discriminant Validity ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Three Dimensional Model ◽  
Positive Health ◽  
Study Item ◽  
Confirmatory Factor Analyses ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a health harm of work scale from the sustainable HRM perspective. Design/methodology/approach A three-dimensional model was proposed for the health harm of work scale and validated (Total n=527) using a five-part study (item generation, item reduction, convergent, construct and discriminant validity). Findings Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported that the three dimensions (restrictions for positive health, the risk factors for psychological health and the side effect harm of work) simultaneously tap into different aspects of the health harm of work construct. The results from the construct validity revealed that health harm of work as a phenomenon has manifested itself in different facets of health harm of work intensification. Finally, the discriminant validity study revealed that the overlap between the dimensions of the health harm of work scale and the dimensions of recovery experience from the work questionnaire is low and it provides support for the discriminant validity of dimensions between these two scales. Practical implications The proposed measure can be used as potential leading indicators for negative occupational health to prevent or delay the onset of work-related illness manifestation or health consequences (sick leave, absenteeism, presenteeism, etc.). Originality/value This is the first study to validate a measure of health harm of work and to provide tangible evidence of health harm of work which will subsequently trigger organizations to introduce a planned intervention to improve occupational well-being to promote sustainable HRM.

scholarly journals Positive Role of Purpose in Life in Health Outcomes and Perspectives on Environment

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 577-577
Author(s):  
Shyuan Ching Tan ◽  
Alyssa Gamaldo ◽  
Angela Sardina
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Affordable Housing ◽  
Purpose In Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Positive Health ◽  
Positive Role ◽  
Healthy Behaviors ◽  
State College ◽  
Job Opportunities ◽  
Meaningful Engagement

Abstract Having a sense of purpose directs behaviors, hence, purpose in life (PIL) can be a useful indicator/moderator of healthy mental and physical behaviors and outcomes. As such, purpose in life, particularly in lower income older adults, might encourage meaningful engagement in activities and life that lead to positive health. Thirty-nine residents (M=68.01, SD=10.26) of affordable housing for older adults in Wilmington, NC and State College, PA were surveyed on demographics, mental health, well-being (i.e., PIL), health behaviors, and their perceptions on immediate housing and the community resources. Findings suggest that for higher educated, younger and Black older adults, PIL moderates or protects against negative mental outcomes (p&lt;.05). For higher educated older adults, PIL moderates or encourages positive perception of job opportunities in the community (p&lt;.05) and healthier behaviors (p&lt;.05). More research is needed to understand how environment interacts with PIL to promote healthy behaviors and outcomes.

scholarly journals SERVICE ENVIRONMENTS AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AMONG RESIDENTIAL CARE FACILITY AND NURSING HOME RESIDENTS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S161-S161
Author(s):  
Yeon Jin Choi
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Related Services ◽  
Residential Care Facility ◽  
Social Events ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Service Environments

Abstract One’s competence, or ability to cope, becomes lower as people age due to multiple factors, such as decreased physical and cognitive functioning, social isolation, and reduced income. Considering this change, providing appropriate services may help older adults to maintain their independence and improve their psychological well-being and quality of life. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate services that are positively associated with psychological well-being (i.e., mood, psychological health, self-efficacy) of older adults. For the analysis, observations were derived from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), which includes a nationally representative sample of Medicare beneficiaries ages 65 and older. Service environments were assessed by (1) reflect availability and usage of 13 services (i.e., service unavailable, service available/ not being used, service available/ being used by residents) and (2) number of services available within three categories (i.e., help with ADL/IADL, transportation services, social and health-related services) Both having social events and activities available and participating in it were positively associated with older residents’ mood, while using housekeeping services and walking areas (e.g., outdoor walking path) were associated with better psychological health and self-efficacy. When models were estimated with service categories, having more social and/or health-related services available were associated with better psychological health and self-efficacy. Findings of this study suggests that social events and activities, housekeeping services, and areas to walk for pleasure or exercise would improve older residents’ psychological well-being. For Not only providing those services, residential facilities should encourage older residents to participation in or use the services.

A survey of complex trauma in families who have children and adults who have a learning disability and/or autism

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Baker ◽  
Vivien Cooper ◽  
Winnie Tsang ◽  
Isabelle Garnett ◽  
Noelle Blackman
Keyword(s):  
Learning Disability ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Traumatic Events ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

Purpose There is an established literature supporting the idea that families who have children and adults who have a learning disability and/or autism have a greater vulnerability to mental health problems or poor psychological health. There are shortcomings in this literature in that there is a little consideration of the impact the families interaction with services has on their well-being. It is argued that complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD), with its focus on prolonged chronic exposure to trauma experiences and the recognition that this can occur in adulthood, may well be an appropriate framework to enable a better understanding of the experiences of families. Design/methodology/approach A total of 214 family members completed a co-produced online survey in relation to potential traumatic events, impacts and support. Findings The experiences of family carers of children and adults with a learning disability and/or who are autistic would appear to be multi-layered and complex, with many experiencing a wide range of traumatic events with the associated emotional and personal sequela. The reported responses are consistent with CPTSD with 10% of having received a diagnosis of PTSD. Their experience was that the system failed not only to provide support but also created additional trauma. Practical implications A trauma-informed approach needs to be adopted by agencies and professionals that serve families to ensure they understand their potential contribution to the trauma families experience. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that has attempted to examine the experience of families using the framework of CPTSD.

Comparative Exploration of Psychological Health and Subjective Well-being among Fertile and Infertile Females

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 73-92
Author(s):  
Ruqia Safdar Bajwa ◽  
Hamida Bibi
Keyword(s):  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Past History ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Satisfaction With Life Scale ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Infertile Women ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

Psychological health directly affects life satisfaction especially to those women who face social and family pressure about their infertility. A wide range of research studies comparing fertile and infertile women documented that there is negative impact of infertility on subjective well-being and global life satisfaction (Abbey et al., 1991, 1992; Callan, 1987; Callan& Hennessey, 1988). The present study was aimed to investigate the impact of psychological health on life satisfaction among fertile and infertile females. Through the convenience sampling technique, a sample of 310 (N=310) fertile and infertile women was selected whose age ranged between 25 to 50 years. Demographic variables included age, employment status, level of education, duration of marital life, type of marriage and family system for both fertile and infertile females. To be included in sample, Women must have been diagnosed with infertility (primary or secondary), they must not have adopted any child, and marriage duration must be at least 2 years and must not have past history of psychiatric illness. General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) was used for current psychological health and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) was used to measure life satisfaction. Data was analyzed by using SPSS version 21. Descriptive statistics, Regression analysis, ANOVA and t-test were used to analyze the data. Results have shown that psychological health has impact on life satisfaction in both fertile and infertile groups of women. Furthermore, results show that level of life satisfaction and psychological health is more prevalent in educated and employed women as compared to uneducated and unemployed women. To conclude, this study will be helpful in resolving psychological problems of the infertile females. Education can increase awareness about infertility and infertile females can meet the challenges of the society and can stand with better health and emotions.

scholarly journals Validation of the Stanford Brief Activity Survey: Examining Psychological Factors and Physical Activity Levels in Older Adults

2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth E. Taylor-Piliae ◽  
Joan M. Fair ◽  
William L. Haskell ◽  
Ann N. Varady ◽  
Carlos Iribarren ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Construct Validity ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Education Level ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
Retest Reliability ◽  
Test Retest Reliability ◽  
Activity Survey

Background:This study examined the construct validity and reliability of the new 2-item Stanford Brief Activity Survey (SBAS).Methods:Secondary analysis was conducted using data collected from the healthy older controls (n = 1023) enrolled in the Atherosclerotic Disease Vascular Function and Genetic Epidemiology (ADVANCE) study. Construct validity was examined by regression analyses to evaluate significant trends (P ≤ .05) across the SBAS activity categories for the selected psychological health factors measured at baseline and year 2, adjusted for gender, ethnicity and education level. Test-retest reliability was performed using Spearman’s rank correlation.Results:At baseline, subjects were 66 ± 2.8 years old, 38% female, 77% married, 61% retired, 24% college graduate, and 68% Caucasian. At baseline, lower self-reported stress, anxiety, depression, and cynical distrust, and higher self-reported mental and physical well-being were significantly associated with higher levels of physical activity (p trend ≤ 0.01). These associations held at year 2. The test-retest reliability of the SBAS was statistically significant (rs= 0.62, P < .001).Conclusion:These results provide evidence of the construct validity and reliability of the SBAS in older adults. We also found a strong dose-response relationship between regular physical activity and psychological health in older adults, independent of gender, education level and ethnicity.

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