scholarly journals Congregate Meal Program—How Can We Make It More Appealing? (P16-014-19)

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Savannah Schultz ◽  
Sarah Francis ◽  
Carlene Russell ◽  
Tim Getty
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Extracurricular Activities ◽  
Health Care Access ◽  
Successful Aging ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Nutrition Program ◽  
Community Activities ◽  
Funding Sources ◽  
Congregate Meal Program

Abstract Objectives Congregate meal program (CMP) participation has been steadily declining despite a growing older adult population. The CMP is an important community nutrition program for older adults. Understanding the needs and preferences for the CMP by older adults is imperative if CMP participation is to increase. The purpose of this study was to identify the motivators and barriers for CMP attendance, menu preferences, desired environmental attributes, and educational programming ideas. Methods Participants were recruited via in-person presentations and personal invitations in two Midwest urban counties. Four focus groups were held. Three groups were with CMP participants (n = 21) and one with non-CMP participants (n = 11). All (n = 33) completed a sociodemographic questionnaire. Focus group transcriptions were analyzed for themes using standard focus group protocol. Sociodemographic data were analyzed via SPSS using descriptive statistics. Results All were White. The majority were educated (75.8% some college or higher), female (72.2%), and were food secure (93.8%). Over half (53.1%) aged 71 to 80 years old. Participants stated successful aging required support systems, health care access, financial security, community activities for older adults, and transportation. CMP participation motivators were socialization, affordability, access to a healthy meal and location. Participation barriers for non-CMP participants were being unaware of a CMP near them, limited transportation and not feeling that they needed to participate. Preferred marketing strategies included word of mouth and print-based advertisement. Participants stated that ideally, the CMP would be held in a facility with a welcoming ambience, offer menu choice, and provide a variety of extracurricular activities. Conclusions These findings provide insight as to how the CMP may be modified to be more appealing to older adults. We suggest CMP promotion highlight the value of a healthy meal and the opportunities for socialization. Funding Sources Administration for Community Living/Administration on Aging: Innovations in Nutrition Program and Services Grant 2017–2019. https://bit.ly/2RR17VC.

scholarly journals Cognitive Impairment, Alzheimer’s Disease, and Other Dementias in the Lives of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Older Adults and Their Caregivers: Needs and Competencies

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 545-569 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen I. Fredriksen-Goldsen ◽  
Sarah Jen ◽  
Amanda E. B. Bryan ◽  
Jayn Goldsen
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Health Care Access ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Bisexual And Transgender

Cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, and other dementias are important health concerns for older adults. As a marginalized and growing segment of the older adult population, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older adults face distinct risk factors related to cognitive impairment and dementias, including social isolation, discrimination, barriers to health care access, limited availability of and support for caregivers, and higher rates of certain chronic illnesses. We examine cognitive impairment and dementias among LGBT older adults, describe their unique risk factors, and outline key competencies for health care and human service providers to ensure culturally relevant care for LGBT older adults experiencing cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, or other dementias, as well as their caregivers, families, and communities. Implications include developing an awareness of the context of LGBT older adults’ lives and relationships, the importance of early detection and support, and the development of policies and practices that promote community-level advocacy and education.

scholarly journals Multivitamin Use Is Associated with Increased Micronutrient Intakes and Biomarkers and Decreased Prevalence of Inadequacies in Middle-Aged and Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 1501-1501
Author(s):  
Taylor Wallace ◽  
Cara Frankenfeld ◽  
Balz Frei ◽  
Alpa Shah ◽  
Ching-Ray Yu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Health Maintenance ◽  
Funding Sources ◽  
Micronutrient Intake ◽  
The Us ◽  
Vitamin B6 Deficiency ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Older Adult Population

Abstract Objectives Micronutrient inadequacies are common in older adults. We sought to assess if multivitamin/multimineral supplement (MVM) use improved micronutrient intake and biomarker status among older adults enrolled in NHANES. Methods The National Cancer Institute Method was used to estimate usual intakes of 18 micronutrients stratified by age and frequency of MVM use. Insufficiency and deficiency prevalence were evaluated using nutrient biomarkers. Results Compared with food alone, MVM use was associated with higher nutrient intake and lower prevalence of inadequacies of almost all micronutrients exam- ined and improved nutrient biomarker status of folate, iodine, selenium, and vitamins B6, B12, and D. Regular MVM use (!16days/month) decreased the odds of clinical deficiency (defined by biomarker status) of vitamins B6 and D but increased the proportion exceeding the tolerable upper intake level of folic acid. Vitamin B6 deficiency in MVM non-users was common and increased with age. Conclusions Recommending MVM in the middle-aged and older adult population in the US may help to ensure opti- mal long-term nutritional status and contribute to health maintenance. Funding Sources GSK Consumer Healthcare.

Building Blocks of Successful Aging: A Focus Group Study of Older Adults' Perceived Contributors to Successful Aging

2007 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 194-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Reichstadt ◽  
Colin A. Depp ◽  
Lawrence A. Palinkas ◽  
Dilip V. Jeste
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Successful Aging ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Focus Group Study

scholarly journals Association between successful aging transitions and depressive symptoms among older Korean adults: findings from the Korean longitudinal study of aging (2006–2018)

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatima Nari ◽  
Bich Na Jang ◽  
Selin Kim ◽  
Wonjeong Jeong ◽  
Sung-In Jang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Successful Aging ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Estimating Equation ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Longitudinal Association ◽  
Older Adult Population

Abstract Background The importance of SA (Successful aging) has been emphasized in recent years, with focus shifting towards attaining healthier aging rather than longevity. However, the influence of SA and its changes on mental health such as depression remains a relatively unexplored area in gerontology. Therefore, we investigated the longitudinal association between changes in SA and depressive symptoms in Korean older adults. Methods This study comprised a longitudinal sample of older adults aged ≥ 45 years, drawn from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (2006–2018). Changes in SA status was determined using the Rowe and Kahn model over two consecutive years. Using an adjusted generalized estimating equation model, we examined the association between changes in successful aging status, namely SA and NSA (Non-successful aging), and depressive symptoms. Results Compared to the SA→SA group, depressive symptom risk in the NSA→NSA and SA→NSA groups were higher in men [(OR, 1.16; 95 % CI, 1.13–1.18), (OR, 1.11; 95 % CI, 1.08–1.13), respectively] and in women [(OR, 1.15; 95 % CI, 1.13–1.18), (OR, 1.11; 95 % CI, 1.09–1.14), respectively]. Subgroup analysis of the dimensions of successful aging revealed that low or worsening criteria of successful aging status in men and women were associated with depressive symptoms. Conclusions Korean older adults who continuously failed to attain or maintain successful aging status had the highest risk of depressive symptoms. These results could further assist in establishing policies and interventions that promote successful aging and subsequently protect the mental health of the Korean older adult population.

Optimizing health promotion among ethnocultural minority older adults (EMOA)

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 268-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mushira Mohsin Khan ◽  
Karen Kobayashi
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Health Care Access ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Cultural Beliefs ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Health Promotion Interventions

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the salient barriers in the uptake and effective utilization of health promotion interventions among ethnocultural minority older adults (EMOA). Design/methodology/approach – The paper opted for a literature review of 25 sources (peer-reviewed articles as well as documents from the grey literature). The search was primarily conducted in a database developed during a scoping review on the health and health care access and utilization of EMOA. Emphasis was placed on older ethnocultural minorities in Canada; however examples from the UK (which has a comparable health care system) and the USA and Australia (which have large, ethnically diverse populations) were also selected. The Candidacy framework was used as an analytical lens in the review. Findings – Findings indicate that health promotion needs to be understood as comprehensive care, involving not only the provision of health care services, but also knowledge dissemination and the facilitation of access to these services. Limited health literacy, low levels of self-efficacy and autonomy, and diverse life course experiences, particularly in the case of immigrant older adults, give rise to issues around the identification of need and system navigation. Cultural beliefs on health and illness, particularly around diet and exercise, and a lack of trust in formal systems of health care, are barriers to the uptake of interventions. Similarly, service permeability is low when cultural competency is lacking. Practical implications – The recommendations include the need for collaborative engagement with stakeholders, including family, peers, community partners and health practitioners, and the development of concise, culturally, and linguistically appropriate tools of health promotion that are targeted toward the intersecting needs of individuals in this diverse population of older adults. Originality/value – Given the increasingly diverse nature of the older adult population in Canada over the past four decades, this paper makes an important contribution toward understanding the social, cultural, structural, biographical, and geographical factors that may optimize the effective dissemination and uptake of health promotion interventions among EMOA.

Critical Role of Social–Cognitive Age Representations

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison Chasteen ◽  
Maria Iankilevitch ◽  
Jordana Schiralli ◽  
Veronica Bergstrom
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Successful Aging ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Potential Threat ◽  
Age Stereotypes ◽  
Cognitive Age ◽  
The Impact

In 2016, Statistics Canada released the results of the most recent census. For the first time ever, the proportion of Canadians aged 65-plus years surpassed the proportion aged 15 and under. The increase in the proportion of older adults was viewed as further evidence of the faster rate of aging of Canada’s population. Such demographic shifts are not unique to Canada; many industrialized nations around the world are experiencing similar changes in their populations. Increases in the older adult population in many countries might produce beneficial outcomes by increasing the potential for intergenerational contact and exposure to exemplars of successful aging. Such positive intergenerational contact could counter prevailing age stereotypes and improve intergenerational relations. On the other hand, such increases in the number of older adults could be viewed as a strain and potential threat to resources shared with younger age groups. The possibility of increased intergenerational conflict makes it more important than ever before to understand how older adults are stereotyped, how those stereotypes can produce different kinds of biased behavior toward them, and what the impact of those stereotypes are on older adults themselves. Social-cognitive age representations are complex and multifaceted. A common stereotype applied to older people is one of warmth but incompetence, often resulting in paternalistic prejudice toward them. However, such benevolent prejudice, characterized by warm overtones, can change to hostile bias if older adults are perceived to violate prescriptive norms about age-appropriate behavior. In addition to coping with age prejudice, older adults also have to deal with the deleterious effects of negative age stereotypes on their day-to-day function. Exposure to negative aging stereotypes can worsen older adults’ cognitive performance in a number of contexts. As well, age stereotypes can be incorporated into older adults’ own views of aging, also leading to poorer outcomes for them in a variety of domains. A number of interventions to counteract the effects of negative aging stereotypes appear promising, but more work remains to be done to reduce the impact of negative aging stereotypes on daily function in later life.

scholarly journals A Scoping Review: Social Participation as a Cornerstone of Successful Aging in Place among Rural Older Adults

Geriatrics ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Carver ◽  
Rob Beamish ◽  
Susan Phillips ◽  
Michelle Villeneuve
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Social Participation ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Successful Aging ◽  
Aging In Place ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Community Activities ◽  
Local Health Care

Despite obstacles, many rural-dwelling older adults report that positive aspects of rural residence, such as attachment to community, social participation, and familiarity, create a sense of belonging that far outweighs the negative. By being part of a community where they are known and they know people, rural elders continue to find meaning, the key to achieving successful aging in this last stage of life. This scoping review explored factors influencing social participation and, through it, successful aging among rural-dwelling older adults. We sought to answer the question: what factors enhance or detract from the ability of rural-dwelling older adults to engage in social participation in rural communities? The scoping review resulted in 19 articles that highlight the importance of supports to enable older people to spend time with others, including their pets, engage in volunteer and community activities, and help maintain their home and care for their pets. Overall, the lack of services, including local health care facilities, was less important than the attachment to place and social capital associated with aging in place.

scholarly journals Frailty transitions and cognitive function among South Korean older adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatima Nari ◽  
Bich Na Jang ◽  
Hin Moi Youn ◽  
Wonjeong Jeong ◽  
Sung-In Jang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Daily Living ◽  
Mini Mental State Examination ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Geriatric Syndrome ◽  
South Korean ◽  
Adl Disability ◽  
Older Adult Population ◽  
State Examination

AbstractFrailty is considered a multidimensional geriatric syndrome, manifested by the accumulation of age-associated deficits. The consequences of frailty transitions are still understudied. This study evaluated the influence of frailty transitions on cognitive function in the older adult population. We used data derived from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA) (2008–2018) on older adults aged ≥ 65 years. Frailty was assessed using a validated Korean frailty measure known as the frailty instrument (FI), and cognitive function was measured using the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE). Transitions in frailty and their relationship with cognitive function were investigated using lagged generalized estimating equations (GEE), t-tests, and ANOVA. Respondents who experienced frailty transitions (those with ameliorating frailty), those who developed frailty, and whose frailty remained constant, were more likely to have a lower cognitive function than those who were consistently non-frail. Older age, activities of daily living (ADL) disability, and instrumental ADL disability were more negatively associated with declining cognitive function, especially in the “frail → frail” group. Changes in all individual components of the frailty instrument were significantly associated with impaired cognitive function. The results suggest an association between frailty transitions and cognitive impairment. Over a 2-year span, the remaining frail individuals had the highest rate of cognitive decline in men, while the change from non-frail to frail state in women was significantly associated with the lowest cognitive function values. We recommend early interventions and prevention strategies in older adults to help ameliorate or slow down both frailty and cognitive function decline.

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