Awareness of Aging Processes

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Josephine Dutt ◽  
Hans-Werner Wahl ◽  
Manfred Diehl
Keyword(s):  
Aging Process ◽  
Empirical Work ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Subjective Age ◽  
Aging Research ◽  
Psychological Variables ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Promising Area ◽  
Age Attitudes

The term Awareness of Aging (AoA) incorporates all aspects of individuals’ perceptions, behavioral experiences, and subjective interpretations related to their process of growing older. In this regard, AoA goes beyond objective descriptions of the aging process, such as calendar age or biological age. Commonly used AoA constructs referring to the ongoing experience of the aging process encompass concepts such as subjective age, attitudes toward one’s own aging, self-perceptions of aging, and awareness of age-related change. AoA also incorporates elements that are more pre-conscious in nature, such as age stereotypes and culturally held notions about the aging process. Despite their theoretically broad common foundation, AoA constructs differ according to their specific frames of reference, such as whether and how they take into account the multidimensionality and multi-directionality of development. Examining the existing body of empirical work identifies several antecedents of AoA, such as sociodemographic “background” variables, physical health and physical functioning, cognition, psychological well-being and mental health, psychological variables (e.g., personality, anxiety), and life events. In general, more positive manifestations on these variables are accompanied by a more positive perception and evaluation of the aging process. Moreover, AoA is longitudinally linked to important developmental outcomes, such as health, cognition, subjective well-being, and mortality. Overall, the study of AoA has developed as a promising area of psychological aging research that has grown in its conceptual and empirical rigor during recent years.

scholarly journals BEING RESPECTED AND ADMIRED IN OLD AGE: DYNAMICS OF SOCIAL STATUS AND AGING

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S728-S729
Author(s):  
David Weiss ◽  
Jennifer A Bellingtier ◽  
Manfred Diehl
Keyword(s):  
Social Status ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Subjective Age ◽  
Cultural Perspective ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Age Attitudes

Abstract Social status - the standing of a person or group in the social hierarchy - is part and parcel of social life and a significant determinant of cognition and behavior. Status hierarchies are basis of virtually all human and primate societies and assign different roles and privileges to its members. However, the dynamic nature of social status and the underlying mechanisms in old age are not well understood. Therefore, this symposium addresses questions of how social status is influenced by aging-related changes in roles, life events, self-concept, and images of aging and how social status shapes in response personality, subjective age, prosocial behavior, performance, and well-being in old age. Bellingtier and colleagues examined objective and subjective social status and their connections to subjective age, attitudes towards aging, and awareness of age-related changes. Zhang shows paradoxical association between aging stereotypes and prosocial behaviors toward older adults. Barber and Hamel investigated how stereotypes of reduced physical competence in old age affect the gait performance on easy and difficult tasks. Weiss and colleagues take a cross-cultural perspective on the different sources of social status in China, Germany, and the US showing that generations in contrast to age groups represent a source of high social status in later life. Finally, Kornadt investigates the dynamic interplay of changes in social roles and personality in old age. Together, these presentations enlarge our understanding of the dynamics of social status in old age.

scholarly journals Omics in a Digital World: The Role of Bioinformatics in Providing New Insights Into Human Aging

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Serena Dato ◽  
Paolina Crocco ◽  
Nicola Rambaldi Migliore ◽  
Francesco Lescai
Keyword(s):  
High Throughput ◽  
Aging Process ◽  
Single Cell Analysis ◽  
Physiological Age ◽  
Data Types ◽  
Aging Research ◽  
Digital World ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
The Individual

BackgroundAging is a complex phenotype influenced by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Although many studies addressed its cellular and physiological age-related changes, the molecular causes of aging remain undetermined. Considering the biological complexity and heterogeneity of the aging process, it is now clear that full understanding of mechanisms underlying aging can only be achieved through the integration of different data types and sources, and with new computational methods capable to achieve such integration.Recent AdvancesIn this review, we show that an omics vision of the age-dependent changes occurring as the individual ages can provide researchers with new opportunities to understand the mechanisms of aging. Combining results from single-cell analysis with systems biology tools would allow building interaction networks and investigate how these networks are perturbed during aging and disease. The development of high-throughput technologies such as next-generation sequencing, proteomics, metabolomics, able to investigate different biological markers and to monitor them simultaneously during the aging process with high accuracy and specificity, represents a unique opportunity offered to biogerontologists today.Critical IssuesAlthough the capacity to produce big data drastically increased over the years, integration, interpretation and sharing of high-throughput data remain major challenges. In this paper we present a survey of the emerging omics approaches in aging research and provide a large collection of datasets and databases as a useful resource for the scientific community to identify causes of aging. We discuss their peculiarities, emphasizing the need for the development of methods focused on the integration of different data types.Future DirectionsWe critically review the contribution of bioinformatics into the omics of aging research, and we propose a few recommendations to boost collaborations and produce new insights. We believe that significant advancements can be achieved by following major developments in bioinformatics, investing in diversity, data sharing and community-driven portable bioinformatics methods. We also argue in favor of more engagement and participation, and we highlight the benefits of new collaborations along these lines. This review aims at being a useful resource for many researchers in the field, and a call for new partnerships in aging research.

scholarly journals Senescence and aging: Causes, consequences, and therapeutic avenues

2017 ◽  
Vol 217 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Domhnall McHugh ◽  
Jesús Gil
Keyword(s):  
Neurodegenerative Disorders ◽  
Cellular Response ◽  
Aging Process ◽  
Normal Development ◽  
Growth Arrest ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Aging Research ◽  
Related Disease ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Stable Growth

Aging is the major risk factor for cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and neurodegenerative disorders. Although we are far from understanding the biological basis of aging, research suggests that targeting the aging process itself could ameliorate many age-related pathologies. Senescence is a cellular response characterized by a stable growth arrest and other phenotypic alterations that include a proinflammatory secretome. Senescence plays roles in normal development, maintains tissue homeostasis, and limits tumor progression. However, senescence has also been implicated as a major cause of age-related disease. In this regard, recent experimental evidence has shown that the genetic or pharmacological ablation of senescent cells extends life span and improves health span. Here, we review the cellular and molecular links between cellular senescence and aging and discuss the novel therapeutic avenues that this connection opens.

Subjective perceptions of age-related gains buffer negative associations of perceived age-related losses with health, well-being, and engagement

2021 ◽  
pp. 016502542110390
Author(s):  
Tim D. Windsor ◽  
Mandy J. Abbott ◽  
Monica Cations ◽  
Alexis J. Howard ◽  
Bethany Wilton-Harding
Keyword(s):  
Physical Functioning ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Developmental Outcomes ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Crowd Sourcing ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Sense Of Purpose ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Gains And Losses

People reflect on their own aging, and this subjective awareness has an influence on developmental outcomes. Scholars have recently operationalized subjective aging in terms of awareness of age-related change (AARC), which captures awareness of both gains and losses. We examined associations of AARC-gains and AARC-losses with physical functioning, subjective well-being, and engagement with life (enjoyable activities and sense of purpose). Importantly, we extended previous research by not only assessing main effects of gains and losses but also testing their interaction. We hypothesized that awareness of losses would be more weakly negatively associated with health and well-being among those who possessed higher awareness of gains. A total of 399 older participants aged 65 to 91 (235 women and 164 men) were recruited via Prime Panels crowd-sourcing platform to complete an online questionnaire. Greater AARC-losses was associated with poorer health, lower subjective well-being, and lower sense of purpose. AARC-gains was associated with better outcomes in general, and moderated associations of AARC-losses with physical functioning, subjective well-being, and sense of purpose (but not engagement in leisure activities). Consistent with predictions, moderation effects showed that negative associations of AARC-losses with the outcomes were weaker among those who reported higher AARC-gains. Results provided some support for a role of AARC-gains in buffering negative effects of AARC-losses on developmental outcomes.

Getting a Job, Again: New Evidence against Subjective Well-Being Scarring

Social Forces ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamkinat Rauf
Keyword(s):  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Panel Study ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Employment Transitions ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Temporal Relationships ◽  
Working Age ◽  
Unemployment Spells

Abstract Previous research finds that unemployment leaves permanent “scars” on subjective well-being (SWB) that remain even after reemployment. However, this research systematically overweighs long-term unemployment, inaccurately measures employment transitions, often does not track individuals long enough to substantiate scarring, and does not always account for age-related changes in well-being. This paper uses event history calendars from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics to track complete monthly employment histories of prime working age Americans over a 17-year period, and accounts for the temporal relationships between SWB, age, and employment transitions using a novel fixed-effects formulation. The results suggest that there is some variation in patterns of recovery by employment stability after job loss, but no significant differences were observed by the duration of unemployment spells. Within 2 years of reemployment, average SWB levels reverted toward baseline trajectories across all groups, showing no evidence of scarring. This study brings unemployment literature into better alignment with research on resilience and adaptation. The findings also highlight some limitations of the construct of SWB for assessing the long-term costs of unemployment.

scholarly journals Contextual and psychological variables in a descriptive model of subjective well-being and school engagement

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 166-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arantzazu Rodríguez-Fernández ◽  
Estibaliz Ramos-Díaz ◽  
Arantza Fernández-Zabala ◽  
Eider Goñi ◽  
Igor Esnaola ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
School Engagement ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Descriptive Model ◽  
Psychological Variables

scholarly journals The Psychological Challenge of Late-Life Vision Impairment: Concepts, Findings, and Practical Implications

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans-Werner Wahl
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Psychosocial Interventions ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Body ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Psychosocial Needs ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Health Community ◽  
Psychological Challenge

The intention is to summarize the body of evidence speaking to the psychological challenges faced by visually impaired older adults, as well as their coping efforts. This evidence is substantiated by a rich set of concepts, theories, and empirical findings that have accumulated under the umbrella of age-related psychoophthalmology (APO). I introduce the field of APO and continue with a discussion of important concepts and theories for a better understanding of adaptational processes in visually impaired older adults. I then summarize the most relevant and most recent data from four areas: (1) everyday competence, (2) cognitive functioning, (3) social functioning, and (4) subjective well-being-related outcomes, depression, and adaptational processes. Thereafter, major insights related to the current state-of-the art psychosocial interventions with visuallyimpaired older adults are reviewed. I close with the need that the public health community should become more aware of and address the psychosocial needs of visually impaired older adults.

scholarly journals GADL1 is a multifunctional decarboxylase with tissue-specific roles in β-alanine and carnosine production

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elaheh Mahootchi ◽  
Selina Cannon Homaei ◽  
Rune Kleppe ◽  
Ingeborg Winge ◽  
Tor-Arne Hegvik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Acid Decarboxylase ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Cysteine Sulfinic Acid ◽  
Genetic Studies ◽  
Stress Markers ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Organ Specific ◽  
Peptide Derivatives

ABSTRACTCarnosine and related β-alanine-containing peptides are believed to be important antioxidants, pH-buffers and neuromodulators. However, their biosynthetic routes and therapeutic potential are still being debated. This study describes the first animal model lacking the enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase-like 1 (GADL1). We show that Gadl1-/-mice are deficient in β-alanine, carnosine and anserine, particularly in the olfactory bulb, cerebral cortex, and skeletal muscle. Gadl1-/-mice also exhibited decreased anxiety, increased levels of oxidative stress markers, alterations in energy and lipid metabolism, and age-related changes. Examination of the GADL1 active site indicated that the enzyme may have multiple physiological substrates, including aspartate and cysteine sulfinic acid, compatible with organ-specific functions. Human genetic studies show strong associations of the GADL1 locus with plasma levels of carnosine, subjective well-being, and muscle strength, also indicating a role for β-alanine and its peptide derivatives in these traits. Together, this shows the multifaceted and organ specific roles of carnosine peptides and establishes Gadl1 knockout mice as a versatile model to explore carnosine biology and its therapeutic potential.

scholarly journals Correlates of Resilience of Older People in Times of Crisis

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 723-723
Author(s):  
Isabelle Albert ◽  
Martine Hoffmann ◽  
Elke Murdock ◽  
Josepha Nell ◽  
Anna Kornadt
Keyword(s):  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Older People ◽  
Protective Factors ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Longitudinal Design ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Risk And Protective Factors ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Secondary Effects ◽  
Age Related

Abstract Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, efforts have been made to shield older adults from exposure to the virus due to an age-related higher risk for severe health outcomes. While a reduction of in-person contacts was necessary in particular during the first months of the pandemic, concerns about the immediate and longer-term secondary effects of these measures on subjective well-being were raised. In the present study, we focused on self-reported resilience of older people in a longitudinal design to examine risk and protective factors in dealing with the restrictions. Data from independently living people aged 60+ in Luxembourg were collected via a telephone/online survey after the first lockdown in June (N = 611) and September/October 2020 (N = 523), just before the second pandemic wave made restrictions necessary again. Overall, results showed an increase in life-satisfaction from T1 to T2, although life-satisfaction was still rated slightly lower than before the crisis. Also, about a fifth of participants indicated at T2 difficulties to recover from the crisis. Participants who reported higher resilience to deal with the Covid-19 crisis at T2 showed higher self-efficacy, agreed more strongly with measures taken by the country and felt better informed about the virus. In contrast, participants who reported more difficulties in dealing with the pandemic, indicated reduced social contacts to family and friends at T2, and also felt lonelier. Results will be discussed applying a life-span developmental and systemic perspective on risk and protective factors in dealing with the secondary impacts of the pandemic.

scholarly journals Understanding Unemployment Normalization: Individual Differences in an Alternative Experience With Unemployment

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claude Houssemand ◽  
Steve Thill ◽  
Anne Pignault
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Regulation ◽  
Transition Period ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Vocational Counseling ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Psychological Variables ◽  
Differential Approach ◽  
Work Involvement ◽  
People’S Perceptions

Unemployment is a major concern of societies and people around the world. In addressing this phenomenon, the literature has suggested a change in unemployed people’s perceptions of this transition period. In this paper, we apply a differential approach to explore the concept of unemployment normalization, an individual emotional regulation process. The results show how the global socioeconomic context and some individual and psychological variables influence the normalization of unemployment. Thus, the age of the person but also work involvement, coping strategies, locus of control, and level of self-esteem have indirect differential effects, mediated by unemployment normalization dimensions, on unemployed people’s perceived health. Only neuroticism has a direct link to subjective well-being. These results offer a new understanding of the perception of unemployment and are also discussed in the area of career and vocational counseling.

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