scholarly journals Older Adults' Online and Offline Social Interactions During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 301-301
Author(s):  
Kristina Shiroma ◽  
Atami de Main ◽  
Nathan Davis ◽  
Bo Xie
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Social Interaction ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Video Chat ◽  
Communication Modes ◽  
Central Texas ◽  
Age Range ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract During the COVID-19 pandemic, much of our social interaction has transitioned from in-person to online. This study examined older adults’ social interaction during COVID-19, online and offline. Participants were recruited from community-dwelling older adults in Central Texas. Data collection took place via the telephone during June-August 2020 (N = 200; age range: 65-92 years; Mean: 73.6; SD: 6.33). Participants used a variety of communication modes, including phone or texting (used by 99% of the participants); email (44%); in person (35%); video chat (31%); social media (24%); and postal mail (4%). Most participants (77%) used more than one communication mode. Participants discussed their preferences for and challenges of technology (i.e., smart phones) and its applications (i.e., video chat, telehealth, and social media). Participants’ self-reported experiences ranged from positive (50%), mixed (35%), to negative (15%). These findings will inform policy and community interventions to promote older adults’ social interactions during the pandemic.

scholarly journals How Is Daily Social Interaction Related to Loneliness in Older Adults? The Roles of Trait Loneliness and Personality

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 461-462
Author(s):  
Ruixue Zhaoyang ◽  
Stacey Scott ◽  
Karra Harrington ◽  
Martin Sliwinski
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Interaction ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Multilevel Models ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
The Past ◽  
Aging Study ◽  
Ecological Momentary ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract Loneliness is prevalent among older adults and is associated with increased risks for morbidity and mortality. This study examined what types of social interactions could reduce loneliness for older adults and who would benefit the most from social interactions. We used data from 312 community-dwelling older adults (aged 70 to 90 years) who completed ecological momentary assessments (EMA) five times a day for 16 consecutive days using smartphones (n=20,507 reports), as part of the ongoing Einstein Aging Study (EAS). At each EMA, participants reported their social interactions in the past 3 to 4 hours and their current feelings of loneliness. Results from multilevel models revealed that older adults reported lower levels of loneliness on occasions when they had pleasant social interactions (p<.000) or interactions with family (p=.001) in the past few hours, compared with occasions when they had no social interaction. In contrast, they reported higher levels of loneliness if they had unpleasant social interactions in the past few hours (p=.004). These within-person (WP) effects of social interactions on momentary loneliness were significantly moderated by participants’ trait levels of loneliness and neuroticism; and were significantly stronger among those with higher (vs. lower) trait loneliness (ps <.001) or neuroticism (ps <.042). Other personality traits (Extraversion, Openness, Conscientiousness, Agreeableness) did not moderate any WP association. These results highlight the importance of having pleasant social interactions and frequent interactions with family for reducing older adults’ loneliness in daily life, especially for those higher in trait loneliness and neuroticism.

scholarly journals Understanding the Complexities of Community-Dwelling Older Adults’ Lived Experiences During COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 14-14
Author(s):  
Bo Xie ◽  
Kristina Shiroma ◽  
Atami Sagna de Main ◽  
Nathan Davis ◽  
Karen Fingerman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Negative Experiences ◽  
Thematic Map ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression ◽  
Central Texas ◽  
Positive Experiences ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults ◽  
Inductive Thematic Analysis

Abstract Since December 2019, COVID-19 has spurred rapid and extensive research, but this research has focused on some perspectives with others understudied. In particular, studies have not yet explored the complexities of community-dwelling older adults’ lived experiences during the pandemic. This study aimed to address this gap. Community-dwelling older adults living in Central Texas (N = 200; age, 65–92 years, M = 73.6± 6.33) responded to open- and closed-ended questions over the telephone during June–August 2020. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. We identified three key themes. (1) Positive experiences, with 4 subthemes: perception that the pandemic has not changed one’s lifestyle; adjusting well—particularly with the aid of technology; being positive in perspective; and a “loner advantage” (being a “loner” pre-pandemic was advantageous during the pandemic). (2) Mixed experiences, with 4 subthemes: doing okay but unhappy about changing lifestyle routines; doing okay but unhappy about loss of in-person interactions with family and friends; doing okay but frustrated by witnessing absence of social distancing or facemask use by others; and maintaining physical health with fluctuating symptoms of depression or anxiety. (3) Negative experiences, with 3 subthemes: bitter about others/society/government not caring for older adults; feeling isolated, bored, and powerless; and worsening as time goes by. A thematic map was subsequently developed. These findings reveal the complexities of community-dwelling older adults’ lived experiences, illustrating effective coping and resilience during the pandemic and dissatisfaction owing to the pandemic’s effects on their lives and to their observations of others’ behaviors.

scholarly journals HOPE AND RESILIENCE AMONG VULNERABLE, COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER PERSONS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S531-S531
Author(s):  
Dennis R Myers ◽  
Clay Polson ◽  
Jocelyn S McGee ◽  
Rachel Gillespie
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
At Risk ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Spiritual Experience ◽  
Meals On Wheels ◽  
Improved Outcomes ◽  
Central Texas ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract Community-dwelling older adults in the U.S. are at risk for experiencing a number of physical, emotional, and social issues including poverty, social isolation, and deteriorating health and daily functioning. Despite such challenges, research indicates that many older adults remain resilient and that factors such as social support, spirituality, and self-esteem contribute to resilience and improved outcomes. One factor that has been found to be particularly important for resilience among older adults is a sense of hopefulness. However, research has not looked specifically at the effects of hope on older adults experiencing severe economic and psychosocial challenges. Utilizing survey data drawn from a unique sample (n = 64) randomly drawn from 224 clients of a Meals on Wheels program, we explore the relationship between hope and resilience among a group of at-risk, community-dwelling older adults in one central Texas community. We find that hope, after accounting for the effects of social support, spiritual experience, health (ADL), and ethnicity, is a strong and significant predictor of resilience among at-risk older adults and that hope tends to mediate the effect of spiritual experience on resilience. Drawing on these findings, we discuss potential implications for social workers and congregational leaders working with older adults and for future scholarship on hope and resilience.

scholarly journals Human-body analogy improves mental rotation performance in people aged 86 to 97 years

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroyuki Muto ◽  
Yasuyuki Gondo ◽  
Hiroki Inagaki ◽  
Yukie Masui ◽  
Takeshi Nakagawa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Mental Rotation ◽  
Human Body ◽  
Oldest Old ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Abstract Objects ◽  
Mental Rotation Test ◽  
Age Range ◽  
Rotation Strategy ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

Mental rotation is a spatial ability allowing one to represent and rotate an object in one’s mind, and its performance declines with age. Given previous findings indicating that likening a to-be-rotated object to a human body improves mental rotation performance in young adults, we examined whether this human-body analogy would improve older adults’ mental rotation performance. We also tested whether the human-body analogy effect is age-dependent. In the present study, we analyzed data from 423 community-dwelling older adults (age range: 86–97 years; 219 males and 204 females) who completed a paper-and-pencil mental rotation test that comprised one item for abstract objects (control condition) and one for human-like objects (embodied condition). The results revealed that more participants correctly answered the item in the embodied condition (32.2%) compared to that in the control condition (19.6%), indicating that the human-body analogy is effective in an oldest-old population (i.e., people aged over 85 years). Notably, we found age differences in human-body analogy effects. While accuracy for mental rotation of abstract objects declined with age, accuracy for embodied objects was preserved with age. These findings suggest that the human-body analogy may prompt older adults to adopt a holistic, rather than a piecemeal, rotation strategy.

scholarly journals Government and University Partner for Virtual Service-Learning to Support Intergenerational Social Interaction

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 366-366
Author(s):  
Martha Kemeny ◽  
Adelle Williams ◽  
Stephanie Cole
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Interaction ◽  
Service Learning ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Negative Stereotypes ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract Pre-pandemic, evidence existed that intergenerational service-learning programs support knowledge of aging and positive attitudes and perceptions (Monahan et al., 2020). As spring 2020 COVID-19 lock downs and public health warnings urged physical distancing of community dwelling older adults, growing concern about the unintended consequences of increased social isolation on mental and physical health prompted the Secretary’s Office of Pennsylvania Department of Aging to design a pilot project with university faculty for virtual intergenerational social interaction. The Department identified older adults at the highest risk for social isolation (live alone, in poverty, with a disability). The resulting pilot project is fully integrated as a high impact practice into eight sections of recreational therapy and gerontology courses with participation by 210 undergraduate students and 210 older adults for 9 weeks of both the fall and spring semesters. Students, who received extensive classroom instruction aimed at avoiding negative stereotypes of older adults as helpless and dependent, called their assigned partner several times a week for at least an hour of communication. Using the UCLA loneliness scale, community-dwelling older adults reported frustration with isolation due to the pandemic. Those with low and moderate loneliness reported positive feelings about program and looking forward to interactions with students. Students gained virtual communication skills that may contribute to telehealth competencies, intervention skills such as assessment, life review/reminiscence, mindfulness techniques, and leisure education. Moreover, an analysis of student reflections revealed positive changes in attitudes toward older adults and the ability to enjoy common interests despite age differences.

Revisiting the Relationship Between Deception and Design: A Replication and Extension of Hancock et al. ()

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
David M Markowitz
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Social Interaction ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Design Features ◽  
Technological Design ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Video Chat ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Evidence published nearly 20 years ago suggested people tell more lies per social interaction via synchronous, distributed, and recordless media (the phone) versus relatively richer (face-to-face communication) and leaner media (email, instant messaging). With nontrivial changes to the size and variety of our media landscape, it is worth re-examining the relationship between deception and technology. Over 7 days, 250 participants reported their social interactions and lies across face-to-face communication, social media, texting, the phone, video chat, and email. Replicating Hancock, Thom-Santelli, and Ritchie (2004), people told the most lies per social interaction over synchronous, distributed, and recordless media (the phone, video chat), though the effects were small and between-person effects explained more variance than between-media effects. Lying rates were also associated with aversive personality traits, plus antisocial, and relational deception motives. Together, while media options have evolved, technological design features often remain stable and indicate deception rates. Theoretical contributions are discussed.

scholarly journals LONELINESS AND HYPOCHONDRIASIS AMONG OLDER ADULTS: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF INTOLERANCE OF UNCERTAINTY AND ANXIETY

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S531-S532
Author(s):  
Jenna M Moore ◽  
William P Archuleta ◽  
Jessica H Helphrey ◽  
Leah N Smith ◽  
Jennifer Sawyer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Anxiety ◽  
Intolerance Of Uncertainty ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Interview Survey ◽  
Age Range ◽  
Healthy Community ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract Loneliness is prevalent among older adults and is associated with adverse outcomes for health and mortality. Additionally, researchers have suggested that loneliness may cause a person to direct attention inward and become preoccupied with bodily symptoms which may subsequently lead to health anxiety. However, little extant research has examined the association among older adults. In this study, we proposed a loneliness model of hypochondriasis in which loneliness contributes to hypochondriasis through intolerance of uncertainty and anxiety. Healthy, community-dwelling older adults (N = 280; 64.4% female; age range: 65-95; M = 76.08, SD = 7.59) completed an interview survey. Loneliness was associated with higher hypochondriasis and had an indirect effect on hypochondriasis through intolerance of uncertainty and anxiety. Lonelier older adults may have an activated threat system which prompts greater intolerance of uncertainty and anxiety and thereby results in greater hypochondriasis.

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