scholarly journals Aging With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Critical Examination of Supports for Healthy Aging

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 225-226
Author(s):  
Lieke van Heumen ◽  
Kelly Munly ◽  
Patricia Heyn
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Developmental Disabilities ◽  
Interprofessional Education ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Population Aging ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Critical Examination ◽  
Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities ◽  
New Normal ◽  
Age Related

Abstract The number of older adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in the U.S. is expected to double and potentially triple by 2030. Despite this demographic urgency, there continues to be a lack of research directly addressing aging of people with IDD. Individuals with IDD have on average twice as many health problems than others without IDD, experience earlier age-related declines in health and function than the general population and are more likely to develop secondary conditions as they age. The increase in the number of people aging with IDD and the challenges experienced by this population have demanded new directions for research, practice and policy that promote social justice and improve this population’s health and well-being. This symposium brings together research that critically examines and calls for a “new normal” of supports for healthy aging provided to the population aging with IDD. The first presentation consists of a systematic review of healthy aging interventions for adults with IDD. The authors conclude that such interventions for adults with IDD remain scarce, incipient and sporadic. The second presentation critically reviews an interprofessional education model aimed to address the complex and unique needs of older adults with IDD and dementia. The authors provide recommendations for the future development of interprofessional education in this field. In the third and final presentation the authors offer further transformation toward a new normal as they outline future directions for research on aging with IDD that is informed by positive psychology and disability studies theory.

scholarly journals PREPARATION FOR FUTURE IN OLD AGE: WHY AND WHY NOT?

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S749-S749
Author(s):  
Helene H Fung
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Population Aging ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Older Chinese ◽  
Using Data

Abstract With population aging, many people can expect to spend 30 or more years in old age. The five papers included in this symposium aim at shedding light on whether and how to make plans for old age, using data from the “Aging as Future” Project. First, Park and Hess used data spanning across adulthood from Germany, Hong Kong and the USA to examine how changes experienced in domains of functioning and the importance attached to these domains influenced preparations for old age. Next, de Paula Couto and Rothermund, examining Germans aged 40-90 years, pointed out that prescriptive age stereotypes might be the main drive for why people make preparations for age-related changes. The remaining three papers use qualitative data to qualify the above quantitative findings. Adamson and Ekerdt interviewed older Midwest US residents. They observed that SES greatly impacted how older adults perceived and made plans for their future. The final two papers examined how rural vs. urban contexts might affect preparations for future. Liou interviewed older adults in rural Tainan and found that their ideal old age was one about no future preparation, at least not about making plans for themselves (called “tranquil life”). Ho and colleagues, in contrast, found that for older Chinese residing in urban Hong Kong, not preparing for the future (called “time freeze”) was negatively related to physical and psychological well-being. The symposium will end with an overall discussion on future research directions on whether and how to make plans for old age.

Efficacy of Healthy Aging Interventions for Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Systematic Review

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Flavia H Santos ◽  
Johanna Zurek ◽  
Matthew P Janicki
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Developmental Disabilities ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities ◽  
Intrinsic Factors ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background and Objectives There is a lack of information on intervention strategies employed for health promotion and disease prevention for older adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), who usually experience poorer health compared to their peers without IDD. We carried out the first systematic review to scrutinize the impact of intrinsic factors (e.g., cognitive, mental, and physical health, etc.), on health status of older adults with IDD. Research Design and Methods To assess the efficacy of such interventions, we examined 23 articles including prospective ‘healthy aging’ interventions designed for adults with IDD. Searches were carried out in the databases Web of Science; Scielo; PsycINFO in April 2020. Articles were organized in thematic areas: (1) Physical activity and health nutrition (n=10); (2) Health education and health screening (n=6); (3) Social inclusion and community participation (n=3); and (4) Multi-components (n=4). Except for five RCT studies, the designs were mainly non-randomized, involving small sample sizes (Nrange = 8 to 379 participants), and lacking follow up. Results The studies included 2,398 men and women with IDD (ranging in age from 18 to 86 years [mean age: 44.3 yrs.]). Overall, intervention outcomes were mostly positive, however some negative outcomes were reported. Discussion and Implications In brief, healthy aging interventions for people with IDD remain scarce, incipient, and sporadic. We recommend that more attention needs to be given to active health promotion with people with IDD as a program practice among organizations and as a focal public policy among governments.

scholarly journals Resilient Aging: Psychological Well-Being and Social Well-Being as Targets for the Promotion of Healthy Aging

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 233372142110029
Author(s):  
Eric S. Kim ◽  
Rifky Tkatch ◽  
David Martin ◽  
Stephanie MacLeod ◽  
Lewis Sandy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Population Aging ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Treatment Programs ◽  
Response Effort ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Social Trends ◽  
Functional Quality ◽  
Prevention And Treatment

Population aging is one of the most important social trends of the 21st century and in the United States, the number of people aged ≥65 is projected to increase by nearly 50% in the next 15 years. Most biomedical and public health efforts have focused on reducing harmful risk factors when targeting chronic disease—an approach that has contributed greatly to prevention and treatment programs. However, evidence suggests that the number of years lost to disability is increasing and historic gains we have made in life expectancy are eroding, and even reversing in some groups. As our society ages and grapples with these issues, expanding the focus to include resilience, as well as psychosocial assets in our prevention and treatment programs might help inform the multidisciplinary response effort we need. Here we synthesize research evaluating associations between different dimensions of psychological well-being (e.g., purpose in life, optimism, life satisfaction) and social well-being (e.g., structural, functional, quality) with chronic conditions. We also evaluate evidence around three biopsychosocial pathways hypothesized to underlie these associations. These factors are meaningful, measurable, and potentially modifiable; thus, further pursuing this line of inquiry might unveil innovative paths to enhancing the health of our rapidly aging society.

scholarly journals Comparing the Protective Value of Human and Pet Social Support on Well-Being of Older Adults During COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 936-936
Author(s):  
Juliet Sobering ◽  
Lisa Brown
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Behavioral Activation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Benefits ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Media Reports

Abstract Older adults are vulnerable to particular risk factors that contribute to lower well-being and poorer functioning. With the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of social support has been highlighted in media reports because of its well-known beneficial effects on overall well-being. However, as adults age, social networks, contacts, and activities naturally decrease. These age-related losses are often difficult, if not impossible, to replace. Pets have recently been recognized as a valuable source of social support for many older adults, providing both physical and psychological benefits through mutual connection and behavioral activation. Previous studies have examined how human social support or pet social support enhance older adults’ well-being (i.e., positive emotions, engagement, relationships, accomplishment, and meaning). However, there is a gap in our scientific knowledge as previous research has not evaluated if pet social support can serve as a protective factor in the absence of adequate human social support. Current analyses, with 141 older adult participants, suggests that pet owners with a positive attachment to their pet experience higher well-being as pets serve as a coping resource that protects against common life stressors. Similar to human social support, pet social support appears to be a protective factor that also promotes and fosters a sense of well-being in older adults. Support in late life is especially important for families and agencies to be attuned to, especially during a global pandemic.

scholarly journals Sounds of Healthy Aging: Assessing Everyday Cognitive Activity From Real-Life Audio Data

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 622-622
Author(s):  
Burcu Demiray ◽  
Minxia Luo ◽  
Matthew Grilli
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Prospective Memory ◽  
Cognitive Aging ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Cognitive Activity ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cognitive Status ◽  
World Health ◽  
Recording Device

Abstract The healthy aging model of the World Health Organization (2015) highlights the value of assessing and monitoring everyday activities in understanding health in old age. This symposium includes four studies that used the Electronically Activated Recorder (EAR), a portable recording device that periodically collects sound snippets in everyday life, to assess various real-life cognitive activities in the context of healthy aging. The four studies collected over 100,000 sound snippets (30-seconds long) over a few days from young and older adults in the US and Switzerland. Participants’ speech in the sound snippets were transcribed and coded for different cognitive activity information. Specifically, Haas and Kliegel have investigated the “prospective memory paradox” by examining the commonality and differences in utterances about retrospective and prospective memory failure in young and older adults’ everyday conversations. Demiray and colleagues investigated the relation between autobiographical memory functions and conversation types in young and older adults in relation to well-being. Luo and colleagues have identified the compensatory function of real-world contexts in cognitive aging: Their study showed that older adults benefited from talking with their spouse in producing complex grammatical structures. Finally, Polsinelli and colleagues found robust associations between language markers (e.g., prepositions, more numbers) and executive functions, highlighting the potential use of spontaneous speech in predicting cognitive status in healthy older adults. Finally, Prof. Matthew Grilli will serve as a discussant and provide an integrative discussion of the papers, informed by his extensive work on clinical and cognitive neuroscience of memory in relation to real-life contexts.

scholarly journals Gaming Technology to Support Leisure Activities Among Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 559-559
Author(s):  
Walter Boot
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
Daily Living ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Gaming Technology ◽  
Research And Education

Abstract There has been a great deal of research on technology to support older adults in their performance of Activities and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living. There has been substantially less research, however, on exploring technology solutions that support hobbies and leisure. This is unfortunate, as quality of life and well-being are determined by more than just one’s ability to manage everyday tasks. An overview will be presented of research the Center for Research and Education on Aging and Technology Enhancement (CREATE) has conducted over two decades with the goals of understanding and supporting older adults’ performance of technology-based leisure activities. Many of these studies have involved videogaming, where there exists a substantial age-related digital divide. CREATE has evaluated older adults’ attitudes and game experiences through survey and research studies and has even recorded longitudinal gameplay. How these findings can be applied to support technology-based leisure activities will be expanded upon. Part of a symposium sponsored by Technology and Aging Interest Group.

scholarly journals Interprofessional Education Activity to Improve Communication With Older Adults With Hearing Loss

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 4-4
Author(s):  
Laura Gaeta ◽  
Tara Sharpp
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Nursing Students ◽  
Interprofessional Education ◽  
Complex Case ◽  
Evaluation Data ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Education Activity ◽  
Age Related Hearing Loss

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine how an interprofessional education (IPE) intervention with Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSAD) and Nursing students can affect their ability to communicate effectively with older adults who have hearing loss. As the older adult demographic increases, healthcare professionals must provide competent care, which includes effectively managing hearing-related communication difficulties in an increasingly diverse population. Faculty received IRB approval to conduct a descriptive mixed-methods study to determine knowledge and satisfaction of students completing an IPE activity. Students were divided into teams of CSAD and Nursing students. Students listened to a brief presentation on IPE before they were introduced to a complex case study of an 84-year-old male with age-related hearing loss. We administered a knowledge assessment questionnaire (KAQ) we created regarding communication with older adults before and after the activity. A total of 92 participants in the two programs (n=36 CSAD, n=56 Nursing) completed the KAQ before and after the activity and an evaluation with a Likert-type scale and open-ended questions. CSAD students scored significantly higher than Nursing students on the KAQ at baseline (F=25.69, p<0.001) and KAQ scores increased significantly (F=57.04, p<0.001) among both groups from pretest to posttest. The evaluation data indicated students were able to learn other perspectives and found the experience valuable. Based on the improvement in scores on the KAQ and evaluation data, this IPE activity increased knowledge related to communication with older adults with hearing loss and awareness of the roles of other professions.

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