AGE-BASED STEREOTYPE THREAT: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF PRIMING TECHNIQUES AND THEIR EFFECTS

Abstract Age-based stereotype threat (ABST) occurs when older adults are influenced by negative stereotypes about age-related decline and functional losses and ironically behave in disengaging and self-defeating ways that confirm the stereotype (Steele & Aronson, 1995). Aging stereotypes are found to be strong predictors of health and illness outcomes in later life, and are associated with performance in specific areas, mainly in cognitive and physical domains. The current study reviewed the experimental methods and their reported effects previously published in the literature to determine if there were different ABST methods were associated with different types of age-related outcomes. We conducted a systematic review, screening the scientific literature for papers that included experimental manipulation of age-related stereotypes as an independent variable, focusing on samples of older adults (1113 articles, most published after 2003). Through a classification of the common and distinctive characteristics of the different stereotype manipulation techniques, we were able to identify three specific types of experimental methods: by instruction, tests, and interpersonal exposure. Although the mechanism by which stereotypes are associated with functional outcomes in older adults remains unclear, our review suggests it is possible to experimentally control the activation of the stereotype by manipulating its specific characteristics and the way older participants are exposed to it. Findings also highlight the possibility that specific experimental methods used to induce ABST in older individuals may lead to unique and different consequences on functional performance variation.

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The Association Between Sarcopenia and Postoperative Outcomes Among Older Adults With Hip Fracture: A Systematic Review

Journal of Applied Gerontology ◽

10.1177/07334648211006519 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 073346482110065

Author(s):

Ming-Hsiu Chiang ◽

Yi-Jie Kuo ◽

Yu-Pin Chen

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Older Adults ◽

Hip Fracture ◽

Postoperative Mortality ◽

Clinical Event ◽

High Morbidity ◽

Adverse Health Outcomes ◽

Age Related ◽

Study Selection ◽

And Function

Hip fracture is a serious clinical event with high morbidity and mortality. Sarcopenia is characterized by age-related loss of muscle mass and function, leading to several adverse health outcomes. In this systematic review, no limitation criteria were used for study selection and 327 studies were identified in the initial search. Of these, 11 studies comprising a total of 2,314 patients were selected. The overall proportion of older adults with hip fracture having sarcopenia was 44%, with a disparity of approximately 10% between men and women. Most studies have indicated that older adults with sarcopenia had poorer postoperative functional recovery than those without sarcopenia; the association between sarcopenia and high postoperative mortality or long hospital stay was heterogeneous. Well-organized studies with longer follow-up periods are warranted.

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Effects of pilates on physical-functional performance, quality of life and mood in older adults: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials

Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies ◽

10.1016/j.jbmt.2021.06.005 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Vanessa Raquel Metz ◽

Katia Bilhar Scapini ◽

Amanda Lorena Dias Gomes ◽

Rodrigo Maciel Andrade ◽

Guilherme Carlos Brech ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Older Adults ◽

Clinical Trials ◽

Randomized Clinical Trials ◽

Functional Performance ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Performance Quality ◽

Physical Functional Performance

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Developing a recovery-focused therapy for older people with bipolar disorder: a qualitative focus group study

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2021-049829 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. e049829

Author(s):

Elizabeth Tyler ◽

Fiona Lobban ◽

Rita Long ◽

Steven H Jones

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Bipolar Disorder ◽

Focus Group ◽

Older People ◽

Focus Groups ◽

Later Life ◽

Focus Group Study ◽

Age Related ◽

Health Related ◽

Age Related Changes

ObjectivesAs awareness of bipolar disorder (BD) increases and the world experiences a rapid ageing of the population, the number of people living with BD in later life is expected to rise substantially. There is no current evidence base for the effectiveness of psychological interventions for older adults with BD. This focus group study explored a number of topics to inform the development and delivery of a recovery-focused therapy (RfT) for older adults with BD.DesignA qualitative focus group study.SettingThree focus groups were conducted at a university in the North West of England.ParticipantsEight people took part in the focus groups; six older adults with BD, one carer and one friend.ResultsParticipant’s responses clustered into six themes: (1) health-related and age-related changes in later life, (2) the experience of BD in later life, (3) managing and coping with BD in later life, (4) recovery in later life, (5) seeking helping in the future and (6) adapting RfT for older people.ConclusionsParticipants reported a range of health-related and age-related changes and strategies to manage their BD. Participants held mixed views about using the term ‘recovery’ in later life. Participants were in agreement that certain adaptations were needed for delivering RfT for older adults, based on their experience of living with BD in later life. The data collected as part of the focus groups have led to a number of recommendations for delivering RfT for older adults with BD in a randomised controlled trial (Clinical Trial Registration: ISRCTN13875321).

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Aging of Competitive Athletes

Gerontology ◽

10.1159/000477722 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 63 (5) ◽

pp. 488-494 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Hirofumi Tanaka

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Poor Quality ◽

Negative Stereotypes ◽

Age Related ◽

Masters Athletes ◽

Competitive Athletes ◽

Vascular Stiffening ◽

High Motivation ◽

Clinical Conditions

Demographics of human aging are rapidly changing. As illustrated in the biomedicalization of aging, an ever increasing number of older adults is affected by a variety of clinical conditions and diseases, including vascular stiffening, sarcopenia, physical disability, and poor quality of life. One population that is situated in the opposite end of the health and functional spectrum to the sedentary frail elderly is Masters athletes. These older competitive athletes are endowed with substantial functional capacity, overall long-term health, high motivation, and psychosocial outlook. Masters athletes are combating the dogma and negative stereotypes of older adults and aging. From the scientific standpoint, examining Masters athletes can provide insight into preventive gerontology, primary prevention of age-related diseases and dysfunctions, and exercise-based medical practices. Moreover, the study on Masters athletes is simply joyous and entertaining as they often remind us what can be possible in aging.

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Potential Benefits of a Minimal Dose Eccentric Resistance Training Paradigm to Combat Sarcopenia and Age-Related Muscle and Physical Function Deficits in Older Adults

Frontiers in Physiology ◽

10.3389/fphys.2021.790034 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Sara A. Harper ◽

Brennan J. Thompson

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Resistance Training ◽

Functional Performance ◽

Functional Decline ◽

Therapeutic Interventions ◽

Training Paradigm ◽

Exercise Participation ◽

Minimal Dose ◽

Age Related ◽

And Function

The ability of older adults to perform activities of daily living is often limited by the ability to generate high mechanical outputs. Therefore, assessing and developing maximal neuromuscular capacity is essential for determining age-related risk for functional decline as well as the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions. Interventions designed to enhance neuromuscular capacities underpinning maximal mechanical outputs could positively impact functional performance in daily life. Unfortunately, < 10% of older adults meet the current resistance training guidelines. It has recently been proposed that a more “minimal dose” RT model may help engage a greater proportion of older adults, so that they may realize the benefits of RT. Eccentric exercise offers some promising qualities for such an approach due to its efficiency in overloading contractions that can induce substantial neuromuscular adaptations. When used in a minimal dose RT paradigm, eccentric-based RT may be a particularly promising approach for older adults that can efficiently improve muscle mass, strength, and functional performance. One approach that may lead to improved neuromuscular function capacities and overall health is through heightened exercise tolerance which would favor greater exercise participation in older adult populations. Therefore, our perspective article will discuss the implications of using a minimal dose, submaximal (i.e., low intensity) multi-joint eccentric resistance training paradigm as a potentially effective, and yet currently underutilized, means to efficiently improve neuromuscular capacities and function for older adults.

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Rising above It: Status Ambivalence in Older Adults

Gerontology ◽

10.1159/000488389 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 64 (6) ◽

pp. 576-588

Author(s):

Deirdre A. Robertson ◽

David Weiss

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Social Status ◽

Later Life ◽

Well Being ◽

Preliminary Evidence ◽

Protective Mechanism ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Age Related ◽

The Social ◽

Implicit And Explicit

Background: Social status is the standing of a person or group in the social hierarchy, and is perceived to change across the life span from low social status in early life, to peak in midlife, and to a decline thereafter. As threats to subjective social status are known to be detrimental to individuals’ health, it is important to better understand how older adults perceive themselves and others in terms of age-related social status. Objective: We examined status ambivalence – the potential discrepancy between how older adults’ perceive social status for themselves compared to older adults in general. Method: Study 1 used qualitative data from 37 semi-structured interviews with older adults to assess perceptions of social status. Study 2 used quantitative survey data from 114 older adults who completed explicit and implicit measures of social status. Results: Study 1 (n = 37, meanage = 71.72, SDage = 5.69; 81.1% women) provided preliminary evidence for status ambivalence such that older adults reported unequivocal low social status for other older adults but a more ambivalent perception of their own social status. Study 2 (n = 114, meanage = 64.32, SDage = 8.98, 57.9% women) compared implicit and explicit measures of social status revealing that older adults consistently perceive older adults to have low social status but again show a more ambivalent perception of their own social status. Conclusion: We discuss status ambivalence as a potential protective mechanism in the context of negative societal perceptions of age-related social status that may be important for well-being in later life.

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(Non-)Stereotypical representations of older people in Swedish authority-managed social media

Ageing and Society ◽

10.1017/s0144686x20001075 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-22

Author(s):

Wenqian Xu

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Older People ◽

Age Groups ◽

Later Life ◽

Media Representations ◽

Media Content ◽

Older Individuals ◽

Care Needs ◽

Local Authorities ◽

Negative Stereotypes

Abstract Social media facilitates the sharing of ideas, thoughts and information about older people and later life through online networks and communities in contemporary society. Social media content about older people has become important for understanding media representations of older people, but it has not been sufficiently studied. Recent studies suggest that older people are predominantly represented as a disempowered, vulnerable and homogeneous group on social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter. Because local authorities in many countries have begun using Facebook to reach out to and interact with citizens, they are seen as a significant producer of media content about older people and later life. The purpose of this study is to examine the ways in which Swedish local authorities have visually portrayed older people in their use of Facebook compared with other age groups. This research performed a visual content analysis of 1,000 Facebook posts posted by 33 Swedish local authorities, employing ten analytical aspects to describe and interpret the signs, activities and contexts associated with older people and other age groups (infants, children, adolescents and adults). The study found that the representations of older people on the Facebook pages of local authorities appeared to be not very diverse; specifically, older people (including those in residential care homes) were mainly portrayed as remaining socially engaged and moderately physically capable. This media representation destabilised the prevalent negative stereotypes of older people as being out of touch and dependent; however, it collided with the reality of older individuals with care needs. Additionally, this study argues that older people are represented as inferior to the young in terms of physical and technological competence, based on the connotations of the signs. Given that local authorities have progressively incorporated social media into their daily work, it is expected that this study will contribute to a greater understanding of the ways in which local authorities produce (non-)stereotypical representations of older people on social media.

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The Gut Microbiome, Aging, and Longevity: A Systematic Review

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu12123759 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (12) ◽

pp. 3759

Author(s):

Varsha D. Badal ◽

Eleonora D. Vaccariello ◽

Emily R. Murray ◽

Kasey E. Yu ◽

Rob Knight ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Older Adults ◽

Gut Microbiota ◽

Gut Microbiome ◽

Oldest Old ◽

Amino Acid Synthesis ◽

Old Adults ◽

Age Related ◽

Functional Features ◽

Functional Pathways

Aging is determined by complex interactions among genetic and environmental factors. Increasing evidence suggests that the gut microbiome lies at the core of many age-associated changes, including immune system dysregulation and susceptibility to diseases. The gut microbiota undergoes extensive changes across the lifespan, and age-related processes may influence the gut microbiota and its related metabolic alterations. The aim of this systematic review was to summarize the current literature on aging-associated alterations in diversity, composition, and functional features of the gut microbiota. We identified 27 empirical human studies of normal and successful aging suitable for inclusion. Alpha diversity of microbial taxa, functional pathways, and metabolites was higher in older adults, particularly among the oldest-old adults, compared to younger individuals. Beta diversity distances significantly differed across various developmental stages and were different even between oldest-old and younger-old adults. Differences in taxonomic composition and functional potential varied across studies, but Akkermansia was most consistently reported to be relatively more abundant with aging, whereas Faecalibacterium, Bacteroidaceae, and Lachnospiraceae were relatively reduced. Older adults have reduced pathways related to carbohydrate metabolism and amino acid synthesis; however, oldest-old adults exhibited functional differences that distinguished their microbiota from that of young-old adults, such as greater potential for short-chain fatty acid production and increased butyrate derivatives. Although a definitive interpretation is limited by the cross-sectional design of published reports, we integrated findings of microbial composition and downstream functional pathways and metabolites, offering possible explanations regarding age-related processes.

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Lower-Limb Factors Associated with Balance and Falls in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Clinical Synthesis

Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association ◽

10.7547/19-143 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 110 (5) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Christopher Neville ◽

Hung Nguyen ◽

Kim Ross ◽

Mariana Wingood ◽

Elizabeth Walker Peterson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Older Adults ◽

Lower Limb ◽

Fall Risk ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Sufficient Evidence ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Direct Link ◽

Age Related ◽

Falls In Older Adults

Background Despite sufficient evidence to suggest that lower-limb–related factors may contribute to fall risk in older adults, lower-limb and footwear influences on fall risk have not been systematically summarized for readers and clinicians. The purpose of this study was to systematically review and synethesize the literature related to lower-limb, foot, and footwear factors that may increase the risk of falling among community-dwelling older adults. Methods We searched PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and AgeLine. To describe the trajectory toward increasing risk of falls, we examined those articles that linked age-related changes in the lower limb or footwear to prospective falls or linked them to evidenced-based fall risk factors, such as gait and balance impairment. Results This systematic review consisted of 81 articles that met the review criteria, and the results reflect a narrative review of the appraised literature for eight pathways of lower-limb–related influences on fall risk in older adults. Six of the eight pathways support a direct link to fall risk. Two other pathways link to the intermediate factors but lack studies that provide evidence of a direct link. Conclusions This review provides strong guidance to advance understanding and assist with managing the link between lower-limb factors and falls in older adults. Due to the lack of literature in specific areas, some recommendations were based on observational studies and should be applied with caution until further research can be completed.

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USING VR FOR NAVIGATION ASSESSMENT IN OLDER ADULTS

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.896 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S240-S240

Author(s):

Scott Moffat

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Age Differences ◽

Large Scale ◽

Empirical Studies ◽

Science Research ◽

Later Life ◽

Functional Independence ◽

Spatial Strategies ◽

Age Related ◽

Field Of Inquiry

Abstract There has been a long tradition of wayfinding and orienteering studies in humans but these have mostly neglected possible age-related differences in navigation. This field of inquiry is experiencing something of a resurgence of interest due to the development of VR technology which has brought the systematic study of large scale navigation into the laboratory and into the MRI scanning environment. Empirical studies to date identify navigation as an aspect of cognition that is vulnerable to the aging process. Functional and structural neuroimaging studies in humans suggest that age-related changes in the brain’s “navigation circuit” may underlie these behavioral age differences. Older adults also adopt unique spatial strategies and knowledge of these strategy preferences could enlighten both basic science research in spatial cognition and also inform the development of age-specific technological assistance that may extend functional independence of older adults into later life.

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