The Relation Between Everyday Activities and Successful Aging: A 6-Year Longitudinal Study

Abstract Objectives This study examined the effect of dietary patterns and engagement in cognitive stimulating lifestyle (CSL) behaviors on the trajectory of global cognition, executive function (EF), and verbal episodic memory (VEM). Methods Western and prudent dietary patterns were empirically derived using food frequency questionnaire responses from 350 community-dwelling older adults (mean age: 73.7 years) participating in the Quebec Longitudinal Study on Nutrition and Successful Aging. CSL was represented by a binary composite indicator based on education, occupational complexity, and social engagement. Global cognition, EF, and VEM were assessed prospectively. Results Primary effect models revealed an association between higher Western dietary pattern score and a greater rate of decline in global cognition and EF. Higher Western dietary pattern adherence was also associated with poorer baseline VEM. Primary effect models also revealed that CSL was independently associated with baseline global cognition and EF. Effect modification models suggested an interactive effect between Western dietary pattern and CLS on global cognition only. No associations were found for prudent dietary pattern score. Discussion Contributing to existing research supporting the negative impact of consuming an unhealthy diet on cognitive function, the current study suggests increased vulnerability among older adults who do not engage in a CSL. These findings can inform the development of lifestyle intervention programs that target brain health in later adulthood.

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Education as a moderator in the effect of successful aging on mortality risk in elderly Chinese: A national longitudinal study (2011-2016)

10.21203/rs.2.22412/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Huiqiang Luo ◽

peiya cao ◽

Jijie Li ◽

Xiaohui Ren ◽

yixi wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Longitudinal Study ◽

Mortality Risk ◽

Successful Aging ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Proportional Hazards Model ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards Model ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Lower Education ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Background Some literatures have found that successful aging and its components were significantly associated with older adults’ health, their achievement has a positive effect on reducing mortality rates. However, there is little evidence to discuss whether education modified the effect of successful aging on morality risk. A majority of literatures from worldwide were cross-sectional andprevious studies on the association between successful aging and mortality in China are quite little. It aims to evaluate the effect of successful aging and each of its components on mortality risk of older in China and further discussed whether education was a moderator in this effect. It also investigated differences in results among males and females. Methods Data was collected from CHARLS (China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study), which is a nationally representative follow-up survey. Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the education's moderate effect on the relationship between successful aging and mortality. Results In total, 4824 residents aged 60 years and above were recorded. 15.18%(n=367)for males and 15.74%(n=379) for females were defined as successful aging and the mortality were 2.61%(n=63)for males and 3.45%(n=83) for females during the survey. It is the first longitudinal study using national cohort data to research the educational effects on the association between mortality and successful aging, the study showed that the effect only existed in females aged 65-74 years old group with lower education. Conclusions Education has the significant effect on the relationship between successful aging and mortality. Physical health is significantly associated with the achieving of successful aging among young older. More measures should be paid on improving mental health among the young female older with lower education to achieve successful aging and to against mortality and live longevity.

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Dyadic Successful Aging and the Limits of Agency

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.2779 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 755-755

Author(s):

Markus Klingel

Keyword(s):

Longitudinal Study ◽

Relationship Satisfaction ◽

Successful Aging ◽

Late Life ◽

The Self ◽

Individual Agency ◽

Dyadic Satisfaction ◽

The Individual ◽

Crucial Part ◽

Over Time

Abstract With increasing life expectancy, late life has become a longer, crucial part of the individual and dyadic life course. New opportunities, tasks and decisions emerged. Successful aging norms emphasize agency and autonomy. This can be activating, but also alienating. With increasing constraints, agency is limited and ideals of autonomy become dysfunctional. This challenges also relationships. Aging, functional losses and approaching death threaten dyadic satisfaction and functionality. Potentially, successful aging norms could erode dyadic solidarity when needed the most: in late life. This mixed-methods longitudinal study combines interviews and questionnaires at three observations across five years. Its focus lies on change over time and findings at observation three. The sample consists of eight German couples (78-86 years old, 50-65 years married, high relationship satisfaction, white, urban). What does aging mean for individualized actors? How do aging couples negotiate, decide and act on aging, autonomy and death? How do successful aging norms modulate dyadic aging? Overall, actors have internalized successful aging and benefit by influencing their health positively. However, this has become ambivalent. Actors increasingly perceive their future as limited and beyond individual control. Acceptance of losses that challenge the self is difficult, autonomy ideals burdensome and death salient. As individual agency is constrained, the dyad is still a functional stronghold against aging. Yet, it has to adapt as well to – potentially differential - individual aging. Losses can and do threaten couples’ functional and emotional unity. Four patterns of self-dyad dynamics emerged and exemplify tensions between individualized and dyadic successful aging.

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