scholarly journals The Association Between Spousal Caregiver Status and Psychological Well-Being Among Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 29-30
Author(s):  
Yang Wang
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Economic Resources ◽  
Spousal Caregivers ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Spousal Caregiver ◽  
The Difference

Abstract Older adults often bear the responsibility of taking care of their spouses who have physical or cognitive impairments. Although previous studies suggested various caregiving-related negative experiences might be related to older spousal caregivers’ mental health status, the components of psychological well-being (PSW) among older spousal caregivers have not been fully explored. This study examined the association between spousal caregiver status and PSW. Data were drawn from wave 2014 of the Health and Retirement Study. The sample consisted of 3,857 adults who were above 50, and 376 of the participants provided care in activities in daily life (ADL) or instrumental activities in daily life (IADL) to their spouses/partners. Three hundred and thirty-one of them had a spouse/partner who needed care, but did not provide the care to their spouse/partner. The majority of participants, 3,150 of them, did not provide care, and their spouse/partner did not need care. Four domains of PSW were assessed: purpose of life, life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect. Univariate analyses and multivariable linear regression were used for analyses. Spousal caregivers and non-caregivers with need had a worse PS status, compared to non-caregivers without need. But after adjusting for socio-economic resources, health status, or social support factor, the difference in their four domains of PSW was insignificant. Older spousal caregivers’ PSW could be protected by promoting that population’s socio-economic resources and health status. Future practice needs to address caregivers’ emotional need. Future research need to examine the long-term effect of caregiving on older spousal caregivers’ PSW.

scholarly journals DOES CHANGE IN INTERNET USE PREDICT PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AMONG OLDER ADULTS?

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S326-S326
Author(s):  
Ronald W Berkowsky
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
Additional Control ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Previous work focusing on the relationship between Internet use and quality of life among older adults (aged 65+) has found evidence of various positive impacts. This project expands upon this work by examining the relationship between Internet use and measures of psychological well-being (PWB) including autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relations with others, purpose in life, and self-acceptance. The analytic sample is derived from two waves of data (Time 1 = 2004, Time 2 = 2011) taken from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study and includes a sample of older adults aged~65 at Time 1 (N = 4943). Participants were separated into four categories: those who did not use the Internet at Time 1 or 2, those who used the Internet at Time 1 only, those who used the Internet at Time 2 only, and those who used the Internet at both Time 1 and 2. Regression analyses were performed with the Time 2 PWB measures as the outcomes and the Internet use categories as the primary predictors. Results indicate that while continuous Internet users typically reported higher PWB scores compared to non-users, those who stopped use between Time 1 and 2 also reported higher scores and those who started use between Time 1 and 2 reported lower scores. These results generally held when introducing Time 1 PWB measures as controls, suggesting changes in Internet use may affect PWB but not necessarily in the predicted directions. Additional control variables, potential explanations, and implications for future research are discussed.

scholarly journals The Impact of COVID-19 Concerns on the Mental Health of Older Adults: A Rapid Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 727-728
Author(s):  
Sophia Perez ◽  
Alexandria Nuccio ◽  
Ashley Stripling
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Rapid Review ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
English Language Journal ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic continues to drastically impact older adults. Despite COVID-19 being linked to increased social isolation and loneliness, more research is needed on the psychological effects associated with older adults’ concerns of the pandemic. The current review explores associations between the COVID-19 Pandemic and older adults’ mental health to increase awareness and understanding. For this rapid review, empirical peer-reviewed source documents were identified through a computerized search using APA PsycInfo and Google Scholar bibliographical databases covering the years 2019 to 2021. The following keywords and combinations were used: “older adults,” “COVID-19,” and “mental health effects.” Relevant exclusion criteria were applied, and all related English-language journal articles were read. 47 articles met inclusion criteria. Eight associated COVID-19 stress with loneliness, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, and poor psychological well-being, with three additional articles reporting elevations in women. Three articles revealed mixed findings regarding the impact of age on psychological variables. 13 articles evaluated changes among those with psychological/psychiatric diagnoses, and six explored physical activity and depression. Of the remaining articles, two concentrated on nutrition; seven examined routines, behaviors, and societal or risk perceptions; two evaluated coping mechanisms; and three examined emotional distress changes. Understanding COVID-19’s psychological impact on older adults will take time. This rapid review revealed mixed findings regarding COVID-19 related concerns on older adults’ psychological well-being, with multiple demographic variables uniquely impacting these outcomes. It is imperative that future research explore older adults’ risks and develop interventions related to the psychological impact of COVID-19.

Physical Activity, Aging, and Psychological Well-Being

1995 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward McAuley ◽  
David Rudolph
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Physical Fitness ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Effects ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Positive Results

This review examines the effects of exercise and physical activity on the psychological well-being of older adults. Unlike most of the literature in this area, this review focuses primarily on those psychosocial outcomes that are generally positive in nature. As well as considering the overall effects of physical activity, the roles of program length, subject sex, age, physical fitness, and measurement are considered. Overall, the results of the 38 studies reviewed are overwhelmingly positive, with the majority reporting positive associations between physical activity and psychological well-being. This relationship appears to be moderated by the length of the exercise programs; longer programs consistently report more positive results. There is little evidence that exercise has differential psychological effects on men and women or on individuals of differing ages. Whereas training protocols seem to result in significant changes in physical fitness and well-being, such improvements appear to be unrelated. The review concludes with a brief discussion of possible mechanisms underlying the physical activity/psychological health relationship, and several directions are recommended for future research.

scholarly journals Intergenerational Relationships, Social Support, and Psychological Well-Being Among Korean Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 498-498
Author(s):  
Yooumi Lee ◽  
Janet Wilmoth
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Living Arrangements ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Adult Child ◽  
Intergenerational Relationships ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Well Being

Abstract This study investigates whether intergenerational relationships and social support improve the psychological well-being of Korean older adults. We examine whether intergenerational relationships and social support directly influence psychological well-being and the extent to which they mediate the distressing consequences of life events such as declining health and recent widowhood. Using longitudinal data from the 2006 to 2016 Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging, we explore depression trajectories among individuals who are 60 or older with at least one living adult child at baseline. Specifically, we converted data from 5,383 older adults into a person-period file with 24,726 observations over a ten-year period. Then we estimated linear growth curve models of depression trajectories separately for men and women using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Results from the hierarchical linear models indicate that declining health and recent widowhood are positively related to depressive symptoms. Satisfactory intergenerational relationships and social support in the form of personal interactions and proximate living arrangements with adult children decrease depressive symptoms of older parents, especially among women. We conclude that the psychological benefits of intergenerational relationships and social support are contingent upon the vulnerability of older adults and discuss the implications for public policy.

scholarly journals Loving Others: The Impact of Compassionate Love on Later-Life Psychological Well-Being

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 480-481
Author(s):  
Eva Kahana ◽  
Tirth Bhatta ◽  
Boaz Kahana ◽  
Nirmala Lekhak
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Negative Affect ◽  
Positive Affect ◽  
Emotional Support ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Compassionate Love ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Existing scholarship in social gerontology has surprisingly paid little attention to broader loving emotions, such as compassionate and altruistic love, as potentially meaningful mechanisms for improving later life psychological well-being. This study examined the influence of feeling love toward other persons and experiencing love from others on later life psychological well-being. We conducted a 3-wave longitudinal study of a representative sample of 340 ethnically heterogeneous community dwelling older residents of Miami, Florida. The increase in feeling of being loved (β=-1.53, p<0.001) and love for others (β=-1.43, p<0.001) led to decline in odds of reporting greater level of depressive symptoms over time. The odds of reporting higher level of positive affect were significantly greater for older adults who reported feeling loved by others (β=1.16, p<0.001) and expressed love for other people (β=1.18, p<0.01). Older adults who felt loved had 0.92-point lower ordered log odds of reporting higher negative affect than those who reported lower level of love. The impact of compassionate love on depressive symptoms and negative affect remained statistically significant even after adjustment for altruistic attitudes and emotional support. The influence of loving emotions on positive affect was, however, explained by altruistic attitudes and emotional support. Our findings underscore the powerful influence of both receiving and giving love for the maintenance of later life psychological well-being. We offer support for the expectation that love is a significant force in the lives of older adults that transcends intimate relationships.

scholarly journals PHYSIOLOGY OF SUCCESSFUL AGING: IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S434-S434
Author(s):  
Konstantinos Mantantzis ◽  
Denis Gerstorf ◽  
Thomas M Hess
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Successful Aging ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Empathic Accuracy ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Use Of Data ◽  
Aging Study ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Relationship Factors

Abstract Research into peripheral physiology and its association with cognition, emotionality, and social/physical functioning has received considerable attention over the years. However, many of the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. In this symposium, we have compiled a set of four empirical projects that showcase current and future endeavors to address some of the long-standing questions about when, how, and why physiology shapes and is shaped by key psychosocial resources. Hawkley et al. make use of data from the NSHAP and HRS longitudinal studies to investigate whether social relationships such as number of friends predicts risk of diabetes among older adults. Wilson et al. use dyadic data from young and middle-aged couples to examine cardiometabolic similarity among spouses, and how such concordance is shaped by key relationship factors such as emotional closeness. Pauly et al. use data from two daily-life studies of older couples to investigate how physiological synchrony in cortisol is modulated by partner interactions, empathy, and empathic accuracy. Finally, Mantantzis et al. make use of multi-year longitudinal data from the Berlin Aging Study II to examine the role of glucose regulation capacity for trajectories of subjective well-being among older adults. Thomas Hess will discuss the importance of these papers, discuss strengths and weaknesses of the approaches chosen, and consider implications for future research.

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