Self-Perceptions of Aging Among Dementia Caregivers: Evidence from the UK Protect Study

Abstract Contact with older adults impact the perceptions people have towards their own aging self (Jarrott & Savla, 2015) and how they prepare for their own age-related change (Kornadt et al., 2015). Caregivers have close, intimate contact with older adults, yet no research explores how that contact may impact caregivers’ perceptions of their own aging. In this exploratory study, we compare perceptions of one’s own aging between current and previous formal caregivers, non-formal caregivers, and never-caregivers. We utilized data from 1978 informal caregivers, 247 formal caregivers, and 5586 never-caregivers of the 2019 wave of the UK Protect Study. We conducted ANCOVA tests to compare global levels of Awareness of Age-Related Change (AARC) gains and losses, AARC gains and losses specific to cognition, attitudes towards one’s own aging, and felt age across the three subgroups of participants with different caregiving roles. Omnibus results suggested that there were significant group differences (p<.05) in global levels of AARC gains and losses, AARC gains specific to cognition, and attitudes towards one’s own aging (p<.05) for female, but not male, caregivers. However, effect sizes were either small or negligible. Therefore, despite frequent contact with older adults, dementia caregivers may not have better or worse self-perceptions of aging than non-caregivers. Such findings may be reflective of intergenerational ambivalence, and future work should consider how the nature of the caregiving situation (i.e. relationship quality, intensity of the care, caregiver burden) shapes caregivers’ perceptions of their own aging, especially over time as caregivers navigate their own aging processes.

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Volunteering, Self-Perceptions of Aging, and Mental Health in Later Life

The Gerontologist ◽

10.1093/geront/gnaa164 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Meng Huo ◽

Lisa M Soederberg Miller ◽

Kyungmin Kim ◽

Siwei Liu

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Older Adults ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Later Life ◽

Well Being ◽

Self Perceptions ◽

Panel Model ◽

Age Related ◽

Perceptions Of Aging ◽

Design And Methods

Abstract Background and Objectives Scholars argue that volunteering enhances social, physical, and cognitive activities that are increasingly valued as people age, which in turn improves older adults’ well-being via a host of psychosocial and neurobiological mechanisms. This study explicitly tested older adults’ self-perceptions of aging as a mechanism underlying the mental health benefits of volunteering. Research Design and Methods Using 2-wave data from the Health and Retirement Study (2008/2010 for Wave 1 and 2012/2014 for Wave 2), we analyzed reports from a pooled sample of older adults aged 65 or older (N = 9,017). Participants reported on demographic characteristics, volunteer work (did not volunteer, 1–99 h/year, 100+ h/year), self-perceptions of aging, and depressive symptoms. We estimated an autoregressive cross-lagged panel model. Results Volunteering for 100 h or more per year was associated with older adults’ more positive and less negative self-perceptions of aging in the subsequent wave (i.e., 4 years later), which in turn predicted fewer depressive symptoms. Discussion and Implications This study suggests the promising role of volunteering in shaping older adults’ self-perceptions of aging on a sustained basis and refines our understanding of the benefits volunteering brings. Findings shed light on future interventions aimed at improving older adults’ adjustment to age-related changes and lessening ageism in society.

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WHEN I’M 75: COLLEGE STUDENTS’ SELF-PERCEPTIONS OF AGING IN AN INTRODUCTORY GERONTOLOGY COURSE

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.238 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S61-S61 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sarah J Hahn ◽

Jennifer Kinney

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Older Adults ◽

Phenomenological Analysis ◽

Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis ◽

Negative Consequences ◽

Self Perceptions ◽

Age Related ◽

Perceptions Of Aging ◽

People’S Attitudes ◽

Age Related Changes

Abstract This presentation examines college students’ self-perceptions of aging using written essays from the assignment “When I’m 75” that was assigned at the beginning and end of the semester in an introductory gerontology course. Despite robust literature on people’s attitudes toward aging and older adults, far less is known about attitudes toward one’s own aging, especially among college students. Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis was used to analyze the students’ perception of their aging experience in their written assignment. Three overarching superordinate themes were identified: challenges of aging, proactive steps to avoid negative consequences of aging, and housing considerations. Findings suggest that after completing an introductory gerontology course, students demonstrated an understanding of some age-related changes yet still had a stereotypical understanding of what it is like to be age 75. This suggests the need to engage students in moving beyond stereotypes and to better link older age with their own future experience.

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Effects of aging on emotion recognition from dynamic multimodal expressions and vocalizations

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-82135-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Diana S. Cortes ◽

Christina Tornberg ◽

Tanja Bänziger ◽

Hillary Anger Elfenbein ◽

Håkan Fischer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Emotion Recognition ◽

Positive Emotions ◽

Negative Emotions ◽

Group Differences ◽

Significant Group ◽

Positivity Effect ◽

Video Recordings ◽

Age Related ◽

Effects Of Aging

AbstractAge-related differences in emotion recognition have predominantly been investigated using static pictures of facial expressions, and positive emotions beyond happiness have rarely been included. The current study instead used dynamic facial and vocal stimuli, and included a wider than usual range of positive emotions. In Task 1, younger and older adults were tested for their abilities to recognize 12 emotions from brief video recordings presented in visual, auditory, and multimodal blocks. Task 2 assessed recognition of 18 emotions conveyed by non-linguistic vocalizations (e.g., laughter, sobs, and sighs). Results from both tasks showed that younger adults had significantly higher overall recognition rates than older adults. In Task 1, significant group differences (younger > older) were only observed for the auditory block (across all emotions), and for expressions of anger, irritation, and relief (across all presentation blocks). In Task 2, significant group differences were observed for 6 out of 9 positive, and 8 out of 9 negative emotions. Overall, results indicate that recognition of both positive and negative emotions show age-related differences. This suggests that the age-related positivity effect in emotion recognition may become less evident when dynamic emotional stimuli are used and happiness is not the only positive emotion under study.

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The Association Between Recent Family Death and Self-Perceptions of Aging Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.1457 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 450-450

Author(s):

Shu Xu

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Child Death ◽

Parental Death ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Self Perceptions ◽

Perceptions Of Aging ◽

Nationally Representative ◽

And Gender ◽

Family Loss

Abstract The loss of a family member may have a significant influence on one’s aging experience in life. Self-perceptions of aging, which are an individual’s beliefs or evaluation of their experiences of aging, have been described as an important factor for one’s health and daily life. However, there is little research on the association between family death and self-perceptions of aging. This study examines the relationships between recent family death, self-perceptions of aging, and gender of the bereaved among middle-aged and older adults. Using nationally representative data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), we conducted cross-sectional analysis on adults age 50 years and older (n=1,839). Self-perceptions of aging were accessed by 8 items derived from the Attitudes Toward Own Aging subscale of the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale and the Berlin Aging Study, and we considered recent family death (i.e., parental death, spousal death, sibling death and child death), as well as gender of the bereaved. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that respondents who experienced recent family death report less positive self-perceptions of aging compared to those who did not experience recent family death (t = 12.40, p < .01). Recent parental death was more negatively related with self-perceptions of aging for bereaved women than for bereaved men (χ2 = 4.28, p < .05). Findings suggest that middle-aged and older adults experiencing recent family loss have less positive self-perceptions of aging, and gender of the bereaved plays an important role in the relationship between parental death and self-perceptions of aging.

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The Role of Self-Perceptions of Aging for Recovery of Older Adults After a Hospital Stay

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.1970 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 588-588

Author(s):

Anne Blawert ◽

Ellen Freiberger ◽

Susanne Wurm

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Hospital Stay ◽

Physical Function ◽

Fear Of Falling ◽

Health Events ◽

Self Perceptions ◽

Perceptions Of Aging ◽

One Year ◽

Psychological Pathway

Abstract For older adults, a hospital stay can lead to loss of physical function and frailty. It is therefore important to investigate factors for recovery after hospitalization. Recent studies suggest negative self-perceptions of aging (SPA) as a potential risk factor in the context of serious health events. This ongoing longitudinal study investigates how negative SPA might contribute to worse physical recovery (assessed with the Short Physical Performance Battery) after hospital stay in a sample of 244 German adults aged 75 to 96. Preliminary mediation analysis based on available data of the first 50 participants indicate that negative SPA is related to increased fear of falling after 6 months, which predicts worse physical function one year after hospitalization (indirect effect: B = -0.70, SE = 0.41, p = .09). The results stress the importance of SPA for health recovery in old age and introduce fear of falling as a psychological pathway.

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What influences diet quality in older people? A qualitative study among community-dwelling older adults from the Hertfordshire Cohort Study, UK

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980017001203 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 20 (15) ◽

pp. 2685-2693 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

Ilse Bloom ◽

Wendy Lawrence ◽

Mary Barker ◽

Janis Baird ◽

Elaine Dennison ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cohort Study ◽

Older People ◽

Social Engagement ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Related Factors ◽

Age Related ◽

Hertfordshire Cohort Study ◽

The Uk ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults

AbstractObjectiveTo explore influences on diet in a group of community-dwelling older adults in the UK.DesignData were collected through focus group discussions with older people; discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and transcripts analysed thematically.SettingHertfordshire, UK.SubjectsParticipants were sampled purposively from the Hertfordshire Cohort Study, focusing on those whose diets had been assessed at two time points: 1998–2001 and 2011.ResultsNinety-two adults participated (47 % women; 74–83 years) and eleven focus groups were held. A number of age-related factors were identified that were linked to food choices, including lifelong food experiences, retirement, bereavement and medical conditions, as well as environmental factors (such as transport). There appeared to be variability in how individuals responded to these influences, indicating that other underlying factors may mediate the effects of age-related factors on diet. Discussions about ‘keeping going’, being motivated to ‘not give up’, not wanting to be perceived as ‘old’, as well as examples of resilience and coping strategies, suggest the importance of mediating psychological factors. In addition, discussion about social activities and isolation, community spirit and loneliness, indicated the importance of social engagement as an influence on diet.ConclusionsInterventions to promote healthier diets in older age should take account of underlying psychological and social factors that influence diet, which may mediate the effects of age-related factors.

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Cognitive Interference in the Context of Daily Stressors, Daily Awareness of Age-Related Change, and General Aging Attitudes

The Journals of Gerontology Series B ◽

10.1093/geronb/gbaa155 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Erica L O’Brien ◽

Genesis E Torres ◽

Shevaun D Neupert

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Individual Differences ◽

Multilevel Models ◽

Subjective Experiences ◽

Cognitive Interference ◽

Stress Effects ◽

Age Related ◽

Perceptions Of Aging ◽

Aging Attitudes ◽

Amazon's Mechanical Turk

Abstract Objectives Previous diary work indicates that older people experience more intrusive and unwanted thoughts (i.e., cognitive interference) on days with stressors. We examined additional predictors of daily cognitive interference to enhance understanding of the psychological context surrounding this link. We specifically focused on factors related to subjective experiences of aging based on studies that have related higher stress and impairments in cognition such as executive control processes (working memory) to negative age stereotypes. Consistent with these findings, we generally expected stronger stress effects on cognitive interference when daily self-perceptions of aging (i.e., within-person fluctuations in awareness of age-related losses [AARC losses]) and general aging attitudes (i.e., individual differences in attitudes toward own aging [ATOA]) were more negative. Methods Participants (n = 91; aged 60–80) on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk completed surveys on 9 consecutive days, reporting on their ATOA (Day 1) as well as their stressors, AARC losses, and cognitive interference (Days 2–9). Results Multilevel models showed that people reported more cognitive interference on days with more AARC losses. Individuals with positive ATOA also experienced less cognitive interference on days with more stressors, whereas those with negative ATOA experienced more. Discussion Both individual differences and fluctuating daily perceptions of aging appear to be important for older adults’ cognitive interference. Consistent with other work, positive ATOA protected against daily stressor effects. Further elucidating these relationships can increase understanding of and facilitate efforts to improve (daily) cognitive experiences in older adults.

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Exploring awareness of age-related changes among over 50s in the UK: findings from the PROTECT study

International Psychogeriatrics ◽

10.1017/s104161022100123x ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-15

Author(s):

Serena Sabatini ◽

Obioha C. Ukoumunne ◽

Clive Ballard ◽

Rachel Collins ◽

Anne Corbett ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thought Processes ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Written Comments ◽

Age Related ◽

Perceived Age ◽

The Uk ◽

Protect Study ◽

Age Related Changes ◽

Theoretical Conceptualization

ABSTRACT Objectives: Older people describe positive and negative age-related changes, but we do not know much about what contributes to make them aware of these changes. We used content analysis to categorize participants’ written comments and explored the extent to which the identified categories mapped onto theoretical conceptualizations of influences on awareness of age-related change (AARC). Design: Cross-sectional observational study. Participants: The study sample comprised 609 UK individuals aged 50 years or over (mean (SD) age = 67.9 (7.6) years), enrolled in the PROTECT study. Measurements: Between January and March 2019, participants provided demographic information, completed a questionnaire assessing awareness of age-related change (AARC-10 SF), and responded to an open-ended question asking them to comment on their responses. Results: While some of the emerging categories were in line with the existing conceptual framework of AARC (e.g. experiencing negative changes and attitudes toward aging), others were novel (e.g. engagement in purposeful activities or in activities that distract from age-related thoughts). Analysis revealed some of the thought processes involved in selecting responses to the questionnaire items, demonstrating different ways in which people make sense of specific items. Conclusions: Results support the ability of the AARC questionnaire to capture perceived age-related changes in cognitive functioning, physical and mental health, and engagement in social activities and in healthy and adaptive behaviors. However, findings also suggest ways of enriching the theoretical conceptualization of how AARC develops and offer insights into interpretation of responses to measures of AARC.

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Measuring Self-Perceptions of Aging: Differences Between Measures When Predicting Health Outcomes

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.1555 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 481-481

Author(s):

Jordan Boeder ◽

Dwight Tse

Keyword(s):

Health Outcomes ◽

Psychological Health ◽

Well Being ◽

Population Based ◽

Physiological Indicators ◽

Self Perceptions ◽

Age Related ◽

Ongoing Development ◽

Perceptions Of Aging ◽

The Relationship

Abstract The majority of self-perceptions of aging (SPA) research uses either a combination of the Age-related Cognition (AgeCog) scales of Ongoing Development and Physical Loss, or the Attitudes Towards Own Aging (ATOA) subscale to assess views on aging. Although these scales are used interchangeably, the valence (positive/negative) and the specificity of the view on aging (domain-based/general) being assessed are not consistent. This study investigates how different measures of SPA relate to one another and whether they differentially predict various types of health outcomes (psychological/physiological; well-being/ill-being). Data from the 2008 and 2014 waves of the German Aging Survey (DEAS; n=3,745), a population-based representative survey of adults aged 40 to 95, was used to examine the relationship between the AgeCog scales and the ATOA subscale, as well as the differences in the types of health outcomes each predicts. The correlations between the AgeCog scales and the ATOA were higher than the correlation between the AgeCog scales (p < .001). The AgeCog scale of Ongoing Development significantly predicted psychological health outcomes across a six-year period, while the AgeCog scale of Physical Loss and the ATOA subscale predicted both physiological and psychological health outcomes. Evidence supports using the AgeCog scale of Ongoing Development to predict domain-relevant, psychological health outcomes. However, the multidimensionality of SPA is best measured by the ATOA subscale or a combination of the two AgeCog scales. Both forms of measurement were found to maximize the amount of explained variance for psychological and physiological indicators of well-being and ill-being.

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Positive Self-Perceptions of Aging Play a Significant Role in Predicting Physical Performance among Community-Dwelling Older Adults

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph182111151 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (21) ◽

pp. 11151

Author(s):

Emma Nilsson ◽

Helena Igelström ◽

Irene Vikman ◽

Agneta Larsson ◽

Mascha Pauelsen

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Physical Performance ◽

Significant Role ◽

Longitudinal Research ◽

Multiple Logistic Regression Analysis ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Outcome Variable ◽

Self Perceptions ◽

Perceptions Of Aging ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults

Self-perceptions of aging (SPA) is associated with various health-related outcomes, including physical performance. No previous study has investigated the potential predictive influence of SPA on physical performance among Swedish community-dwelling older adults. This was a cross-sectional study using a random sample of 153 Swedish community-dwelling individuals aged 70 and older. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed, using the subscale “Attitude Towards Own Aging” of the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale, as a measure of SPA. The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) was dichotomized and used as the outcome variable. SPA was a significant predictor (OR = 1.546, CI = 1.066–2.243) of physical performance, adjusted for age, cognitive function, and life-space mobility. Further analyses revealed significant sex differences, with SPA not being included in the model for the men whilst it was still a significant predictor (OR = 1.689, CI = 1.031–2.765) of physical performance in the group of women. SPA plays a significant role in predicting physical performance among Swedish community-dwelling older adults. To further clarify this relationship and its consequences, future longitudinal research should focus on the relationship between SPA, physical performance, and fall risk.

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