Home and Community Features, Perceived Age-Friendliness, and Intention Toward Aging in Place

Abstract Promoting age-friendliness of communities and supporting aging in place (AIP) are of great importance in aging societies. However, little is known about the mechanism linking home and neighborhood features, older adults’ global assessment of community, and their willingness to age-in-place despite the importance in developing policies and interventions. This study used the 2015 AARP Age-Friendly Community Survey, which includes 66 home and neighborhood features under the eight domains specified by the WHO’s Age-Friendly Cities Guidelines. A series of linear regression models were estimated to examine the interrelationship between the availability of age-friendly features in eight domains, perceived age-friendliness of community, and intention toward AIP. Overall, a greater availability of age-friendly features was positively associated with perceived age-friendliness of community and AIP intention. The relationship between age-friendly features and AIP intention was mediated by perceived age-friendliness of community (50.3% to 96% of the total effects). When perceived age-friendliness of community was introduced to models, the direct effects of housing, outdoor spaces and buildings, and transportation domains remained significant. Findings suggest that a greater availability of age-friendly features influence older adults’ perception on their community, leading to the development of a desire to age-in-place. Domains of housing, outdoor spaces and buildings, and transportation may be the most importance features in promoting age-friendliness of community and the key determinants of aging-in-place. Policy makers and practitioners may need to prioritize promoting age-friendly built environment before social environment in building age-friendly communities.

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Relationship Between Mental Health, Resilience, and Physical Activity in Older Adults: A 2-Year Longitudinal Study

Journal of Aging and Physical Activity ◽

10.1123/japa.2020-0264 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Maria Priscila Wermelinger Ávila ◽

Jimilly Caputo Corrêa ◽

Alessandra Lamas Granero Lucchetti ◽

Giancarlo Lucchetti

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Older Adults ◽

Regression Models ◽

Linear Regression Models ◽

Physically Active ◽

Effective Interventions ◽

Self Sufficiency ◽

The Relationship

The aim of this study was to longitudinally investigate the association between resilience and mental health in older adults and to determine the influence of physical activity on this relationship. A total of 291 older adults were included in a 2-year follow-up study. Adjusted linear regression models evaluated the association between resilience at baseline and mental health after 2 years in sufficiently and insufficiently physically active older adults. A negative correlation was found between resilience at baseline and depression, anxiety, and stress after 2 years for the overall sample. This association changed after stratifying the group. Sufficiently physically active individuals made greater use of the resilience components “Self-Sufficiency” and “Perseverance,” whereas insufficiently physically active individuals made greater use of “Meaning of Life” and “Existential Singularity.” Physical activity can influence the relationship between resilience and mental health. These results can help guide the devising of more effective interventions for this age group.

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IS SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT RELATED TO FEWER HOSPITALIZATIONS IN COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER ADULTS?

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.2769 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S754-S754

Author(s):

Bryan D James ◽

Raj C Shah ◽

Melissa Lamar ◽

Lisa L Barnes ◽

Robert S Wilson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Functional Status ◽

Social Engagement ◽

Regression Models ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Social Activities ◽

Linear Regression Models ◽

Admission Type ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults ◽

The Relationship

Abstract We tested the hypothesis that more socially engaged older adults experience fewer hospitalizations. Data came from 1,153 older adults (72.4% female, mean age 80.8, 14.6 years education at baseline), enrolled in the Rush Memory and Aging Project, with survey data linked to Medicare claims records (mean 5.0 [SD=3.1] years of Medicare coverage after study baseline). Linear regression models were fit with annual rate of hospitalization as outcome with terms for age, sex, and education. Engaging in more social activities (est=-0.16, SE=0.05, p=0.002) and larger life space (est=-0.08, SE=0.03, p=0.005) were associated with a lower rate of hospitalization, while a higher level of loneliness (est=0.18, SE=0.06, p=0.002) was associated with greater rate of hospitalization; size of social networks (est=-0.01, SE=0.01, p=0.069) was not associated with hospitalization. When examined separately by admission type, the same significant associations were found for nonelective (emergency and urgent) hospitalizations, but not for elective hospitalizations. After further adjusting for marital status, baseline levels of depressive symptoms, chronic medical conditions, physical activity, and ADL disabilities, only social activities were significantly related to hospitalization rate (total and nonelective). Adjusting for disability attenuated these associations the most, indicating that functional status may confound the relationship between social engagement and hospitalization. More research is necessary to determine if social engagement in older age can proactively help to keep older adults out of the hospital, or alternatively whether level of social engagement is a marker for functional status or other health factor that is directly related to risk of hospitalization.

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The Impact of Weather and Seasons on Falls and Physical Activity among Older Adults with Glaucoma: A Longitudinal Prospective Cohort Study

Sensors ◽

10.3390/s21103415 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (10) ◽

pp. 3415

Author(s):

Hursuong Vongsachang ◽

Aleksandra Mihailovic ◽

Jian-Yu E ◽

David S. Friedman ◽

Sheila K. West ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Older Adults ◽

Fall Prevention ◽

Regression Models ◽

Activity Promotion ◽

Injurious Fall ◽

Multivariable Regression ◽

Multivariable Regression Models ◽

The Impact ◽

The Relationship

Understanding periods of the year associated with higher risk for falling and less physical activity may guide fall prevention and activity promotion for older adults. We examined the relationship between weather and seasons on falls and physical activity in a three-year cohort of older adults with glaucoma. Participants recorded falls information via monthly calendars and participated in four one-week accelerometer trials (baseline and per study year). Across 240 participants, there were 406 falls recorded over 7569 person-months, of which 163 were injurious (40%). In separate multivariable regression models incorporating generalized estimating equations, temperature, precipitation, and seasons were not significantly associated with the odds of falling, average daily steps, or average daily active minutes. However, every 10 °C increase in average daily temperature was associated with 24% higher odds of a fall being injurious, as opposed to non-injurious (p = 0.04). The odds of an injurious fall occurring outdoors, as opposed to indoors, were greater with higher average temperatures (OR per 10 °C = 1.46, p = 0.03) and with the summer season (OR = 2.69 vs. winter, p = 0.03). Falls and physical activity should be understood as year-round issues for older adults, although the likelihood of injury and the location of fall-related injuries may change with warmer season and temperatures.

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Beyond Housing: Perceptions of Indirect Displacement, Displacement Risk, and Aging Precarity as Challenges to Aging in Place in Gentrifying Cities

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16234633 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (23) ◽

pp. 4633 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

H. Shellae Versey ◽

Serene Murad ◽

Paul Willems ◽

Mubarak Sanni

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

New York ◽

Aging In Place ◽

Neighborhood Change ◽

Age In Place ◽

Unique Character ◽

Housing Costs ◽

The Everyday ◽

The Impact ◽

Cultural Shifts

Neighborhoods within age-friendly cities and communities are an important factor in shaping the everyday lives of older adults. Yet, less is known about how neighborhoods experiencing change influence the ability to age in place. One type of rapid neighborhood change occurring across major cities nationally and globally is gentrification, a process whereby the culture of an existing neighborhood changes through the influx of more affluent residents and businesses. Few studies have considered the impact of gentrification on older adults, who are among the most vulnerable to economic and social pressures that often accompany gentrification. The current study explores one consequence of gentrification, indirect displacement. While gentrification-induced displacement can refer to the physical (e.g., direct) displacement of residents moving out of a neighborhood due to rising housing costs, it also references the replacement of the unique character and social identity of a neighborhood (e.g., indirect displacement). We examine perceptions of the latter, characterized by perceived cultural shifts and housing concerns among adults aging in place in a gentrifying neighborhood in New York City. The implications of indirect displacement for displacement risk and aging precarity are discussed as potential threats to aging in place in age-friendly cities.

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Subjective wellbeing as a determinant of glycated hemoglobin in older adults: longitudinal findings from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291719001879 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 50 (11) ◽

pp. 1820-1828 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Lydia Poole ◽

Ruth A. Hackett ◽

Laura Panagi ◽

Andrew Steptoe

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Longitudinal Study ◽

Subjective Wellbeing ◽

Glycated Hemoglobin ◽

Linear Regression Models ◽

Clinical Factors ◽

Subclinical Disease ◽

The Relationship ◽

English Longitudinal Study

AbstractBackgroundPrevious research has shown an association between subjective wellbeing and incident diabetes. Less is known about the role of wellbeing for subclinical disease trajectories as captured via glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). We aimed to explore the association between subjective wellbeing and future HbA1c levels, and the role of sociodemographic, behavioral and clinical factors in this association.MethodsWe used data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing for this study (N = 2161). Subjective wellbeing (CASP-19) was measured at wave 2 and HbA1c was measured 8 years later at wave 6. Participants were free from diabetes at baseline. We conducted a series of analyses to examine the extent to which the association was accounted for by a range of sociodemographic, behavioral and clinical factors in linear regression models.ResultsModels showed that subjective wellbeing (CASP-19 total score) was inversely associated with HbA1c 8 years later after controlling for depressive symptoms, age, sex, and baseline HbA1c (B = −0.035, 95% CI −0.060 to –0.011, p = 0.005). Inclusion of sociodemographic variables and behavioral factors in models accounted for a large proportion (17.0% and 24.5%, respectively) of the relationship between wellbeing and later HbA1c; clinical risk factors explained a smaller proportion of the relationship (3.4%).ConclusionsPoorer subjective wellbeing is associated with greater HbA1c over 8 years of follow-up and this relationship can in part be explained by sociodemographic, behavioral and clinical factors among older adults.

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Relationship Between Frailty and Depression Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: The Mediating and Moderating Role of Social Support

The Gerontologist ◽

10.1093/geront/gnaa072 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 60 (8) ◽

pp. 1466-1475 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Yaru Jin ◽

Huaxin Si ◽

Xiaoxia Qiao ◽

Xiaoyu Tian ◽

Xinyi Liu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Older Adults ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Rating Scale ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Linear Regression Models ◽

Frailty Phenotype ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Background and Objectives Frailty is associated with depression in older adults and reduces their social support. However, the mechanism underlying such relationship remains unclear. We aim to examine whether social support acts as a mediator or moderator in the relationship between frailty and depression. Research Design and Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,779 community-dwelling older adults aged 60 and older. Frailty, social support, and depressive symptoms were measured by the Physical Frailty Phenotype, Social Support Rating Scale, and five-item Geriatric Depression Scale, respectively. Data were also collected on age, gender, years of schooling, monthly income, cognitive function, number of chronic diseases, physical function, and pain. Results Linear regression models showed that subjective support and support utilization, but not objective support, mediated and moderated the relationship between frailty and depressive symptoms. The Johnson–Neyman technique determined a threshold of 30 for subjective support, but not for support utilization, beyond which the detrimental effect of frailty on depressive symptoms was offset. Discussion and Implications Social support underlies the association of frailty with depression, and its protective role varies by type. Interventions on depression should address improving perceptions and utilization of social support among frail older adults rather than simply providing them with objective support.

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Effects of Winter Snow Cover on Spring Soil Moisture Based on Remote Sensing Data Product over Farmland in Northeast China

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs12172716 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (17) ◽

pp. 2716

Author(s):

Shuang Liang ◽

Xiaofeng Li ◽

Xingming Zheng ◽

Tao Jiang ◽

Xiaojie Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Remote Sensing ◽

Soil Moisture ◽

Linear Regression ◽

Snow Cover ◽

Snow Depth ◽

Northeast China ◽

Regression Models ◽

Linear Regression Models ◽

Winter Snow ◽

The Relationship

Spring soil moisture (SM) is of great importance for monitoring agricultural drought and waterlogging in farmland areas. While winter snow cover has an important impact on spring SM, relatively little research has examined the correlation between winter snow cover and spring SM in great detail. To understand the effects of snow cover on SM over farmland, the relationship between winter snow cover parameters (maximum snow depth (MSD) and average snow depth (ASD)) and spring SM in Northeast China was examined based on 30 year passive microwave snow depth (SD) and SM remote-sensing products. Linear regression models based on winter snow cover were established to predict spring SM. Moreover, 4 year SD and SM data were applied to validate the performance of the linear regression models. Additionally, the effects of meteorological factors on spring SM also were analyzed using multiparameter linear regression models. Finally, as a specific application, the best-performing model was used to predict the probability of spring drought and waterlogging in farmland in Northeast China. Our results illustrated the positive effects of winter snow cover on spring SM. The average correlation coefficient (R) of winter snow cover and spring SM was above 0.5 (significant at a 95% confidence level) over farmland. The performance of the relationship between snow cover and SM in April was better than that in May. Compared to the multiparameter linear regression models in terms of fitting coefficient, MSD can be used as an important snow parameter to predict spring drought and waterlogging probability in April. Specifically, if the relative SM threshold is 50% when spring drought occurs in April, the prediction probability of the linear regression model concerning snow cover and spring SM can reach 74%. This study improved our understanding of the effects of winter snow cover on spring SM and will be beneficial for further studies on the prediction of spring drought.

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Driving status, travel modes and accelerometer-assessed physical activity in younger, middle-aged and older adults: a prospective study of 90 810 UK Biobank participants

International Journal of Epidemiology ◽

10.1093/ije/dyz065 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 48 (4) ◽

pp. 1175-1186 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Samantha Hajna ◽

Tom White ◽

Jenna Panter ◽

Søren Brage ◽

Katrien Wijndaele ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Older Adults ◽

Mixed Mode ◽

Regression Models ◽

Motor Vehicle ◽

Uk Biobank ◽

Linear Regression Models ◽

Optimal Activity ◽

Vigorous Intensity ◽

A Prospective Study

Abstract Background Associations between driving and physical-activity (PA) intensities are unclear, particularly among older adults. We estimated prospective associations of travel modes with total PA, sedentary time (ST), light-intensity PA (LPA), and moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA (MVPA) among adults aged 39–70 years. Methods We studied 90 810 UK Biobank participants (56.1 ± 7.8 years). Driving status, specific travel modes (non-work travel; commuting to/from work) and covariates were assessed by questionnaire (2006–10). PA was assessed over 7 days by wrist-worn accelerometers (2013–15). We estimated associations using overall and age-stratified multivariable linear-regression models. Results Drivers accumulated 1.4% more total PA (95% confidence interval: 0.9, 1.9), 11.2 min/day less ST (–12.9, –9.5), 12.2 min/day more LPA (11.0, 13.3) and 0.9 min/day less MVPA (–1.6, –0.2) than non-drivers. Compared with car/motor-vehicle users, cyclists and walkers had the most optimal activity profiles followed by mixed-mode users (e.g. for non-work travel, cyclists: 10.7% more total PA, 9.0, 12.4; 20.5 min/day less ST, –26.0, –15.0; 14.5 min/day more MVPA, 12.0, 17.2; walkers: 4.2% more total PA, 3.5, 5.0; 7.5 min/day less ST –10.2, –4.9; 10.1 min/day more MVPA, 8.9, 11.3; mixed-mode users: 2.3% more total PA, 1.9, 2.7; 3.4 min/day less ST –4.8, –2.1; 4.9 min/day more MVPA, 4.3, 5.5). Some associations varied by age (p interaction < 0.05), but these differences appeared small. Conclusions Assessing specific travel modes rather than driving status alone may better capture variations in activity. Walking, cycling and, to a lesser degree, mixed-mode use are associated with more optimal activity profiles in adults of all ages.

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Association between Cross-Cultural Social Adaptation and Overseas Life Satisfaction among Chinese Medical Aid Team Members (CMATMs) in Africa

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16091572 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (9) ◽

pp. 1572 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Xiaochang Chen ◽

Xiaojun Liu ◽

Wei Yu ◽

Anran Tan ◽

Chang Fu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Life Satisfaction ◽

Regression Models ◽

Cross Cultural ◽

Social Adaptation ◽

Linear Regression Models ◽

Team Members ◽

Medical Aid ◽

Electronic Questionnaires ◽

The Relationship ◽

Overall Life Satisfaction

This study evaluated the relationship between cross-cultural social adaptation and overseas life satisfaction among Chinese medical aid team members (CMATMs) in Africa. A revised Chinese version of the Sociocultural Adaptation Scale (CSCAS) was used to measure participants’ cross-cultural social adaptation. The self-designed survey of the CMATMs’ overseas life satisfaction includes the following five aspects: food, housing, transportation, entertainment, and security. Electronic questionnaires were distributed non-randomly. Linear regression models were established to explore the association between cross-cultural social adaptation and all dimensions of overseas life satisfaction. After adjusting all the confounders, compared with moderate adaptation, poor adaptation was negatively correlated with all dimensions of overseas life satisfaction (B for food = −0.71, B for housing = −0.76, B for transportation = −0.70, B for entertainment = −0.53, B for security = −0.81, B for overall satisfaction = −0.71, all p < 0.001), whereas good adaptation was positively associated with all dimensions of overseas life satisfaction (B for food = 1.23, B for housing = 1.00, B for transportation = 0.84, B for entertainment = 0.84, B for security = 0.76, B for overall life satisfaction = 0.94, all p < 0.001). This study shows that a better cross-cultural social adaptation was positively connected to a higher level of overseas life satisfaction in general, and more specifically to higher levels of satisfaction with food, housing, transportation, entertainment, and security. This knowledge can be utilized in promoting cross-cultural social adaptation and overseas life satisfaction among CMATMs in Africa.

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BAYESIAN IDENTIFICATION OF OUTLIERS AND CHANGE-POINTS IN MEASUREMENT ERROR MODELS

Advances in Complex Systems ◽

10.1142/s0219525905000567 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 08 (04) ◽

pp. 433-449 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

FERNANDO A. QUINTANA ◽

PILAR L. IGLESIAS ◽

HELENO BOLFARINE

Keyword(s):

Linear Regression ◽

Outlier Detection ◽

Change Point ◽

Regression Models ◽

Point Problem ◽

Linear Regression Models ◽

Outlier Identification ◽

Change Point Problem ◽

Error In Variables ◽

The Relationship

The problem of outlier and change-point identification has received considerable attention in traditional linear regression models from both, classical and Bayesian standpoints. In contrast, for the case of regression models with measurement errors, also known as error-in-variables models, the corresponding literature is scarce and largely focused on classical solutions for the normal case. The main object of this paper is to propose clustering algorithms for outlier detection and change-point identification in scale mixture of error-in-variables models. We propose an approach based on product partition models (PPMs) which allows one to study clustering for the models under consideration. This includes the change-point problem and outlier detection as special cases. The outlier identification problem is approached by adapting the algorithms developed by Quintana and Iglesias [32] for simple linear regression models. A special algorithm is developed for the change-point problem which can be applied in a more general setup. The methods are illustrated with two applications: (i) outlier identification in a problem involving the relationship between two methods for measuring serum kanamycin in blood samples from babies, and (ii) change-point identification in the relationship between the monthly dollar volume of sales on the Boston Stock Exchange and the combined monthly dollar volumes for the New York and American Stock Exchanges.

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