scholarly journals Interpreting the Emerging Discourse Around Elderhood: Life Stage, Anti-Ageism Strategy, or Something Else?

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 498-499
Author(s):  
Jennifer Inker
Keyword(s):  
Older Persons ◽  
Life Stage ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Alternative View ◽  
First Year ◽  
Special Contribution ◽  
Academic Literature ◽  
Cultural Aspects ◽  
Professional Experiences ◽  
First Year Medical Students

Abstract The emerging discourse around elderhood hints at the possibility of a later life stage characterized by a focus on balancing development and decline, with potential to empower elders. However, little agreement exists about whether elderhood is a valid and useful construct. The first presenter questions the aging “mystique” through an analysis of the concepts of elderhood, sageing, croning, and eldering in popular and academic literature, underscoring the importance of avoiding othering and critically thinking beyond labels, even if positive. The second presenter explores the concept of agency in later life through a feminist philosophical lens, arguing that confrontations with one’s existential vulnerability need not be an obstacle to agency in elderhood, but rather can inspire alternative conceptualizations of it. The third presenter contrasts his personal and professional experiences of studying cultural aspects of aging, concluding that elderhood is neither a stage of a life nor a rite of passage but rather an individual, voluntaristic process. The fourth presenter explores 943 texts written by Finnish older adults, finding that the writers creatively position themselves as a group of older persons with a special contribution to make to society, even where elderhood is not explicitly mentioned, and potentially offer an alternative view to countering ageism. The fifth and final presenter explores a novel elderhood video intervention among first-year medical students (N = 585). Thematic findings of neutrality, elderhood as development, elderhood as othering, and elderhood as an opportunity to reframe stigma suggest that elderhood may be a viable and productive anti-ageism strategy.

scholarly journals Elderhood in Protestant Religious Contexts: Stepping Stones in Religious Language

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 499-499
Author(s):  
Jenni Spännäri
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older Persons ◽  
Study Groups ◽  
Religious Language ◽  
Alternative View ◽  
Stepping Stones ◽  
Making Meaning ◽  
Special Contribution ◽  
Religious Traditions ◽  
Spiritual But Not Religious

Abstract Elderhood is an emerging concept for making meaning in older age, often contextualized in spiritual but not religious traditions. But what kinds of frameworks for elderhood are woven into protestant religious contexts? This paper explores 943 texts written by Finnish older adults in study groups organized by a pensioners’ organization. A key finding is that religious language – known through religious songs and prayers learned by heart at school – offers a medium to explore and express their elderhood. The writers creatively use the rhythm and wordings of these textual patterns to position themselves as a group of older persons with a special contribution to make to society. These results will aid examining elderhood and its potential in various contexts where the concept might not be explicitly used. This examination potentially leads to new ways to support experiences of elderhood and thus to offer an alternative view to countering ageism.

scholarly journals When Contact Is Not Enough: Affecting First Year Medical Students’ Image towards Older Persons

PLoS ONE ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. e0169977 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sasmita Kusumastuti ◽  
Esther van Fenema ◽  
Eugenie C. F. Polman-van Stratum ◽  
Wilco Achterberg ◽  
Jolanda Lindenberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Older Persons ◽  
First Year ◽  
First Year Medical Students

scholarly journals Elderhood as an Anti-Ageism Intervention

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 499-500
Author(s):  
Shannon Arnette ◽  
Jennifer Inker ◽  
Sarah Marrs ◽  
Maddie McIntyre ◽  
Waters Bert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Later Life ◽  
First Year ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Mentoring Program ◽  
Expected Loss ◽  
Video Intervention ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
First Year Medical Students

Abstract Ageism is a complex, multi-layered phenomenon impacting feelings, thoughts and behaviors toward self and others. Due to the complexity of ageism, evidence-based anti-ageism interventions have proved challenging and costly. To date, using the concept of elderhood as a mechanism to mitigate the negative impacts of ageism has not been explored. As an anti-ageism strategy, elderhood reframes later life as a stage that encompasses growth and development and expected loss and decline. The current study evaluated a brief video intervention among first-year medical students before participating in a year-long senior mentoring program. First-year medical students (N = 585) from 2018-2021 responded to open-ended questions after viewing the video. Thematic analysis revelated four themes: neutrality, elderhood as development, reframing stigma and elderhood as othering. Findings suggest that elderhood may be a viable and productive anti-ageism strategy.

scholarly journals VITAL INVOLVEMENT: A SOURCE OF REALISTIC OPTIMISM FOR OLDER ADULTHOOD

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S407-S408
Author(s):  
Helen Q Kivnick
Keyword(s):  
Psychosocial Development ◽  
Life Stage ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Older Adulthood ◽  
Environmental Engagement ◽  
The World ◽  
Psychosocial Model

Abstract Vital Involvement (VI) was initially proposed (Erikson et al., 1986) as one of three principles around which lifelong healthy psychosocial development takes place. As more recently elaborated, VI has come to describe a person’s meaningful, reciprocal engagement with the world outside the integrating “self.” It is through VI that the person engages in healthy psychosocial development throughout life, including balancing Older Adulthood’s focal tension between Integrity and Despair. This life stage is widely associated with the physical, cognitive, and social losses, and societal constraints that give rise to later-life despair. However, VI functions as a lifelong psychosocial model for the meaningful environmental engagement that supports later life’s wisdom and integrity. Notably few films present an integrated view of older adulthood’s losses along with opportunities. But those few can be a source of optimism to elders for whom VI may not be intuitive, but who can learn its practice.

scholarly journals Positive effects of medical hypnosis on test anxiety in first year medical students

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Christian M. Hammer ◽  
Michael Scholz ◽  
Larissa Bischofsberger ◽  
Alexander Hammer ◽  
Benedikt Kleinsasser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Test Anxiety ◽  
First Year ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
First Year Medical Students

Variation in assessment of first-year medical students' interprofessional competencies by rater profession

2021 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 100424
Author(s):  
Joseph B. House ◽  
Lynze R. Franko ◽  
Fatema Haque ◽  
James A. Cranford ◽  
Sally A. Santen
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
First Year ◽  
First Year Medical Students ◽  
Interprofessional Competencies

scholarly journals Levels of Predominant Intestinal Microorganisms in 1 Month-Old Full-Term Babies and Weight Gain During the First Year of Life

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 2412
Author(s):  
Sonia González ◽  
Marta Selma-Royo ◽  
Silvia Arboleya ◽  
Cecilia Martínez-Costa ◽  
Gonzalo Solís ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Full Term ◽  
First Year ◽  
Term Infants ◽  
Term Newborns ◽  
Infant Weight Gain ◽  
First Year Of Life

The early life gut microbiota has been reported to be involved in neonatal weight gain and later infant growth. Therefore, this early microbiota may constitute a target for the promotion of healthy neonatal growth and development with potential consequences for later life. Unfortunately, we are still far from understanding the association between neonatal microbiota and weight gain and growth. In this context, we evaluated the relationship between early microbiota and weight in a cohort of full-term infants. The absolute levels of specific fecal microorganisms were determined in 88 vaginally delivered and 36 C-section-delivered full-term newborns at 1 month of age and their growth up to 12 months of age. We observed statistically significant associations between the levels of some early life gut microbes and infant weight gain during the first year of life. Classifying the infants into tertiles according to their Staphylococcus levels at 1 month of age allowed us to observe a significantly lower weight at 12 months of life in the C-section-delivered infants from the highest tertile. Univariate and multivariate models pointed out associations between the levels of some fecal microorganisms at 1 month of age and weight gain at 6 and 12 months. Interestingly, these associations were different in vaginally and C-section-delivered babies. A significant direct association between Staphylococcus and weight gain at 1 month of life was observed in vaginally delivered babies, whereas in C-section-delivered infants, lower Bacteroides levels at 1 month were associated with higher later weight gain (at 6 and 12 months). Our results indicate an association between the gut microbiota and weight gain in early life and highlight potential microbial predictors for later weight gain.

Are Future Doctors Prepared to Address Patients’ Nutritional Needs? Cooking and Nutritional Knowledge and Habits in Medical Students

2021 ◽  
pp. 155982762110181
Author(s):  
Sam Sugimoto ◽  
Drew Recker ◽  
Elizabeth E. Halvorson ◽  
Joseph A. Skelton
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Prior Knowledge ◽  
The United States ◽  
First Year ◽  
Nutritional Knowledge ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Nutritional Needs ◽  
Second Year ◽  
First Year Medical Students

Background. Many diseases are linked to lifestyle in the United States, yet physicians receive little training in nutrition. Medical students’ prior knowledge of nutrition and cooking is unknown. Objective. To determine incoming medical students’ prior nutrition knowledge, culinary skills, and nutrition habits. Methods. A dual-methods study of first-year medical students. Cross-sectional survey assessing prior knowledge, self-efficacy, and previous education of cooking and nutrition. Interviews of second-year medical students explored cooking and nutrition in greater depth. Results. A total of 142 first-year medical students participated; 16% had taken a nutrition course, with majority (66%) learning outside classroom settings. Students had a mean score of 87% on the Nutritional Knowledge Questionnaire versus comparison group (64.9%). Mean cooking and food skills score were lower than comparison scores. Overall, students did not meet guidelines for fiber, fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. Interviews with second-year students revealed most learned to cook from their families; all believed it important for physicians to have this knowledge. Conclusions. Medical students were knowledgeable about nutrition, but typically self-taught. They were not as confident or skilled in cooking, and mostly learned from their family. They expressed interest in learning more about nutrition and cooking.

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