scholarly journals Daily Social Interactions as a Route to Purposeful Days in Older Adulthood

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 214-214
Author(s):  
Gabrielle Pfund ◽  
Mathias Allemand ◽  
Matthias Hofer
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Employment Status ◽  
Multilevel Models ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
Relationship Status ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Older Adulthood ◽  
Reduced Risk

Abstract Sense of purpose predicts slower cognitive decline, reduced risk for health issues, and greater longevity (Pfund & Lewis, 2020). However, work is limited regarding how we can help older adults maintain purposefulness in daily life. The current study explored positive daily social interactions as a route to daily purposefulness in older adults, using a measurement burst design. Older adults completed surveys for five-day bursts spread six months apart (Mean age = 70.75, SD = 7.23; n = 104). Multilevel models demonstrated that on days when individuals reported more positive social interactions, they reported feeling more purposeful (b = 0.39, 95% CI [0.28, 0.51]) when accounting for health, employment, and relationship status. Employment status moderated this association, as daily social interactions were more strongly associated with daily purpose for unemployed/retired individuals (b = -0.23, 95% CI [-0.38, -0.08]). Positive social interactions thus may help older adults maintain purposefulness, particularly after retirement.

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 Daily social interactions related to daily performance on mobile cognitive tests among older adults

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. e0256583
Author(s):  
Ruixue Zhaoyang ◽  
Stacey B. Scott ◽  
Lynn M. Martire ◽  
Martin J. Sliwinski
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Behavioral Interventions ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
Cognitive Tests

The lack of social contact or good social relationships has been linked with cognitive decline and higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. One important but unexamined question is how daily social interactions relate to older adults’ cognitive function in daily life. The present study examined how changes in daily social interactions related to fluctuations in older adults’ performance on mobile cognitive tests from day to day. Using an ecological momentary assessments approach, 312 older adults (aged 70 to 90 years) completed surveys on social interactions and mobile cognitive tests five times a day for 16 consecutive days using smartphones. Multilevel modeling was used for analyses. Results demonstrated that having more daily social interactions, especially more pleasant social interactions, related to better cognitive performance the same day and over the subsequent two days. Cognitive performance, however, did not predict subsequent changes in social interactions across days. At the between-person level, older adults who had more (vs. less) frequent interactions with close partners on average, especially with their friends, had better cognitive performance. Finally, the average levels of social interactions also moderated the within-person associations between daily social interactions and the same-day cognitive performance. In sum, results from this study highlight the importance of having pleasant social interactions and frequent interactions with friends for older adults’ cognitive function in daily life, and have important implications for future behavioral interventions targeting certain features of daily social interactions to reduce risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

scholarly journals Daily Cognitive Difficulties and Social Experiences Among Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 697-697
Author(s):  
Ruixue Zhaoyang ◽  
Jacqueline Mogle ◽  
Karra Harrington ◽  
Martin Sliwinski
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Multilevel Models ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Experiences ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Cognitive Difficulties

Abstract Self-reported cognitive difficulties are common in older adults and may be an early indicator of future cognitive decline or dementia. In past retrospective reports, cognitive difficulties have been linked with differences in social engagement or social relationships among older adults. However, little is known about how self-reported cognitive difficulties in daily life, such as memory lapses, relate to older adults’ daily social experiences. This study examined how self-reported cognitive difficulties were related to older adults’ daily social interactions and loneliness. Data were drawn from 312 community-dwelling older adults (aged 70 to 90 years) who reported their social interactions and loneliness throughout the day (five times) as well as cognitive difficulties (e.g., memory lapses, problems with attention) at the end of each day for 14 days. Multilevel models revealed that participants reported fewer memory lapses on days when they reported more frequent interactions with family members (p=.041). Higher levels of disruptions to daily activities caused by cognitive difficulties, in turn, predicted higher levels of loneliness the next day (p=.006), but not changes in social interactions the next day. At the between-person level, more memory lapses in daily life were associated with less frequent social interactions with friends, but more frequent unpleasant social interactions and higher levels of loneliness on average. These results suggest that older adults’ self-reported cognitive difficulties were dynamically associated with their social interactions and loneliness at the daily level and played an important role in older adults’ social life and well-being.

scholarly journals Relationship Status, Social Interactions, and Conversations in Late Life

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 414-414
Author(s):  
Yee To Ng ◽  
Meng Huo ◽  
Shiyang Zhang ◽  
Karen Fingerman
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Multilevel Models ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Romantic Partners ◽  
Relationship Status ◽  
Never Married ◽  
Social Partners ◽  
Social Encounters ◽  
Ecological Momentary

Abstract Studies suggest spending more time interacting with and talking to others is associated with better well-being. Older adults with partners (e.g., married, cohabitated) may spend more time with their romantic partners and rely on them for support, whereas older adults without partners (e.g., widowed, divorced, never married) may have a greater reliance on other family members (e.g., grown children, siblings) and non-kin (e.g., friends). Yet, we know little about how older adults’ relationship status affects their time spending alone or with other social partners, and the frequency of conversation throughout the day. Adults aged 65+ (N = 313) completed an interview about their relationship status and social partners. They then reported social encounters in ecological momentary assessments every 3 hours for 5 to 6 days. Participants also wore Electronically Activated Recorders which captured snippets of their conversation throughout the day. Older adults with partners reported 85% of time was with their romantic partners. Multilevel models revealed that compared to older adults with partners, older adults without partners were more likely to spend time alone and have encounters with friends throughout the day. Older adults without partners also engaged in fewer conversations throughout the day. Further, older adults without partners talked significantly more when they encountered friends than did older adults with partners. Findings suggest that friends are important in older adults’ social networks particularly for those who do not have romantic partners. Daily contact with social partners facilitates conversations and that could have implications for emotional or cognitive health.

scholarly journals How do personality traits manifest in daily life of older adults?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefanie Lindner ◽  
Damaris Aschwanden ◽  
Johannes Zimmermann ◽  
Mathias Allemand
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Relative Stability ◽  
Multilevel Models ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
Older Age ◽  
Older Adulthood ◽  
Person Perspective ◽  
Assessment Study ◽  
And Behaviors

AbstractThe present study examined how personality traits manifest in daily life of older adults and distinguished between the manifestations of experiences and behaviors. We used data from an ambulatory assessment study over 10 days with assessments of trait-related experiences and behaviors obtained from 136 older adults aged between 60 and 91 years (41.2% male; M = 70.45 years). Multilevel models revealed that on average, 61.2% of variance in trait-related experiences and 39.6% of variance in behaviors were due to consistent differences between persons. Older adults were rather variable and diverse in their trait manifestations, while they also showed relative stability in trait manifestations. Across older age, some age effects for trait manifestations were found. Moreover, within-person variation of experiences and behaviors showed, with one exception, joint fluctuations in daily life. The findings portray a nuanced picture of trait manifestations in older adulthood. The findings complement the literature on within-person variability in older adulthood and might encourage further studies from a within-person perspective to better understand how older adults navigate through daily life.

scholarly journals TECHNOLOGY DESIGN TO SUPPORT SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT FOR OLDER ADULTS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S211-S211
Author(s):  
Wendy Rogers
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Mobility Limitations ◽  
Older Adulthood ◽  
Technology Innovations ◽  
And Training

Abstract Evidence that loneliness and isolation are precursors to myriad negative health issues is accumulating. For older adults, social engagement may be particularly important due to life-changing events that can accompany older adulthood, including retirement, disease, or mobility limitations. Individuals vary in their levels of social engagement, and these differences may have consequential effects on quality of life. Technology has the potential to create and enhance social engagement opportunities for older adults at risk for social isolation. For such technology innovations to be effective and widely adopted, designers must consider the unique needs, capabilities, limitations, and preferences of older adults. I will describe technologies that currently exist (e.g., apps, mobile devices, social networking) or are being developed (e.g., robotics, telepresence, virtual reality) to support social engagement, connectedness, and community participation. I will discuss the potential of these technologies as well as the design and training challenges unique to older adults.

scholarly journals COGNITIVE DECLINE AMONG OLDER ADULTS IN RURAL CHINA: THE PROTECTIVE ROLE OF FORMAL SCHOOLING

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S205-S206
Author(s):  
Yaolin Pei ◽  
Bei Wu ◽  
Zhen Cong ◽  
Mengyao Hu
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Cognitive Functioning ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Multilevel Models ◽  
Life Experience ◽  
Sampling Strategy ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Formal Schooling

Abstract Evidence shows that education is strongly associated with cognitive functioning; however, few studies have examined the effect of education on cognitive decline among older adults with very limited education. Our study analyzed six waves of panel data (2001, 2003 2006, 2009, 2012 and 2015) from the Longitudinal Study of Older Adults in Anhui Province, China. We estimated two-level multilevel models of cognitive functioning for older adults age 60+, sampled using probability sampling strategy. We found that having formal schooling was positively associated with better cognitive functioning. Older adults with formal schooling had slower decline in cognition and the gap in cognition between the literate and illiterate widened with age. These findings highlight the role of early life experience in affecting cognitive function in later life and suggest that disadvantages in cognitive functioning accumulate throughout the life course for persons with no formal education.

Social Interaction in Walking Groups and Affective Responses Among Japanese Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 287-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuhiro Harada ◽  
Kouhei Masumoto ◽  
Ai Fukuzawa ◽  
Michiko Touyama ◽  
Koji Sato ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Interaction ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Multilevel Models ◽  
Affective Responses ◽  
Level Of Satisfaction ◽  
The Social ◽  
Japanese Older Adults ◽  
Positive Engagement ◽  
Walking Group

This study examined whether satisfaction with social interactions and the number of people interacted with during walking groups is associated with affective responses among older adults. Twenty-six older adults were asked to participate in five walking group sessions. The participants walked together for 40–50 min. In every session, the participants reported their affective responses to walking (positive engagement, tranquility, and negative affect), their level of satisfaction with the social interactions experienced, and the number of people interacted with during the walk. The available data were from 107 person-sessions. Multilevel models revealed that, although a higher number of people interacted with was not significantly associated with improvements in any affective responses, higher satisfaction with the interactions was significantly associated with improvements in positive engagement at both the within- and between-person levels. This study found that higher satisfaction with the interactions was associated with desirable affective responses among older adults.

scholarly journals A randomized controlled trial into the cognitive effects of a computer-tailored physical activity intervention in older adults with chronic disease(s)

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Esmee Volders ◽  
Renate H. M. de Groot ◽  
Juul M. J. Coumans ◽  
Catherine A. W. Bolman ◽  
Lilian Lechner
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Chronic Disease ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
Verbal Memory ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Cognitive Effects ◽  
Intervention Effects

Abstract Background Cognitive functioning (CF) is important for wellbeing and an independent life. However, older adults with chronic diseases are at a higher risk of poorer CF levels. Although, research suggests that physical activity (PA) could play an essential role in maintaining good CF, older adults with chronic diseases have low levels of PA. PA interventions to prevent cognitive decline for this specific group exist. Yet, until now these interventions focused on a single specific chronic disease. Active Plus is a proven effective computer-tailored PA stimulating intervention focused on increasing PA in daily life for the older adult population suffering from a broad range of chronic diseases. This study tests the cognitive effects of Active Plus in older adults with chronic diseases. Methods In this RCT older adults with at least one chronic disease (≥65 years) were allocated to the intervention group (N = 260, mean age = 74.2) or waiting list control group (N = 325, mean age = 74.5). In total, intervention group participants received three times computer-tailored PA stimulating advice within four months (i.e., at baseline, after two months, and after three to four months). The online and print delivered advice were tailored to the specific needs and wishes of the participant and focused on incorporating PA in daily life. Baseline and follow-up measurements of the CF verbal memory (Verbal Learning Test), shifting (Trailmaking Test), inhibition (Stop-signal Task) and processing speed (Letter Digit Substitution Test) were assessed after six and 12 months. Intervention effects were analyzed with multilevel linear mixed-effects models adjusted for the clustered design and confounding variables. Results The dropout rate was 19.1% after 6 months and 25.1% after 12 months. Although both conditions improved on all verbal memory outcomes after 6 months, and all CF outcomes except inhibition after 12 months, no intervention effects were found, not even in subgroups (p > .05). Conclusions To our knowledge this is the first study to test the cognitive effects of a computer-tailored PA stimulating intervention in older adults suffering from a broad range of chronic diseases. The effects of the Active Plus intervention were not strong enough to improve CF or prevent cognitive decline. A blended approach, in which this computer-tailored intervention is combined with a face-to-face PA intervention and / or cognitive training, might be a good suggestion to increase the effects of Active Plus on PA and CF in older adults with chronic diseases. Trial registration Netherlands Trial Register NL6005; Date of Registration 03-21-2017; https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/6005

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