scholarly journals HEALTH IMPLICATIONS OF SOCIAL ROLES AND ROLE TRANSITIONS IN MIDLIFE AND LATER LIFE

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S797-S797
Author(s):  
Kelly E Cichy ◽  
Athena Koumoutzis
Keyword(s):  
Racial Differences ◽  
Social Roles ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Care Recipient ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Social Trends ◽  
Care Recipients ◽  
Health And Well Being

Abstract Demographic and social trends shape the timing, nature, and implications of social roles and transitions. With increased life expectancy and a changing world, expectations for work and retirement and the need for informal and formal caregiving continue to evolve. Families are also more heterogeneous and the population is becoming increasingly more racially/ethnically diverse. These changes underscore the need for research that focuses on the varied social roles individuals occupy in midlife and later adulthood and the implications of these roles for health and well-being. The current symposium features research that explores multiple roles, including romantic partner, grandparent, and employee/retiree, caregiver/care recipient while attending to individual differences in how these roles and transitions are associated with physical and mental health outcomes. Garcia, Donnelly, and Umberson utilize dyadic diary data from midlife men and women in gay, lesbian, and heterosexual marriages to consider how exposure and reactivity to daily stress varies across union types. Rickenbach and colleagues examine longitudinal changes in health and well-being associated with being a caregiving and non-caregiving grandparent. Cichy and Koumoutzis examine racial differences in the associations between providing care to a spouse/parent and daily health and well-being among African Americans and European Americans. Savla, Roberto, and Sands classify community-living older adults based on their care needs while considering the type of care they receive, predictors of this care, and its implications for care recipients’ health. Finally, Stawski and colleagues examine how mental, physical, and cognitive health change as a function of the transition to and through retirement.

scholarly journals Promoting the health and well being of older carers: A proactive strategy

2003 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bev O'Connell ◽  
Susan Bailey ◽  
Arlene Walker
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Care Recipient ◽  
Health Care Needs ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Mental And Physical Health ◽  
Health And Well Being

Research has indicated that carers are concerned about their ageing status, their deteriorating health and their abilityto continue to care for their dependants. Given that the health care system will become increasingly reliant on carersthe health care needs of carers should be a concern for all health care professionals. This paper describes the first stageof a project designed to enhance older carers health promotion knowledge and skills and improve their healthpromoting behaviors. This stage investigated the mental and physical health status of older carers. It also soughtinformation on older carers' levels of participation in health related and social activities and identification of barriersto participation in these types of activities. The results highlighted that carers responding to the survey experiencedcompromised physical and mental health. Many carers reported being unable to participate in social and health-typeactivities as they were unable to leave the care recipient. Of note, is that carers identified their own mental fragilityand felt they needed further emotional support.

Health and Well-Being in Adolescence

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan M. Sawyer ◽  
George C. Patton
Keyword(s):  
Adolescent Health ◽  
Social Determinants ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Brain Maturation ◽  
Health Determinants ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Disability Adjusted Life ◽  
Life Years ◽  
High Benefit ◽  
Health And Well Being

This chapter describes how the profile of physical and mental health and well-being changes across adolescence. The biological context of healthy adolescent growth and development is reviewed, including secular patterns of puberty and brain maturation. The structural and social determinants of adolescent health are then described. Adolescent health outcomes, including patterns of risk behaviors, emerge from the interaction between biological influences and social health determinants. Estimates of mortality and disability-adjusted life years are used to describe three patterns of adolescent health and well-being that vary by age, sex, and national wealth. Globally, the burden of disease increases across adolescence, varying markedly between and within countries. Comprehensive, multisectoral, evidence-informed actions are required that match these conspicuous adolescent health problems, emerging health risks, and major social determinants. Such actions, including quality education and health services, differ greatly from those that benefit younger children yet have similarly high benefit–cost ratios.

scholarly journals Perceived Control and Aging: A Mini-Review and Directions for Future Research

Gerontology ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 63 (5) ◽  
pp. 435-442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie A. Robinson ◽  
Margie E. Lachman
Keyword(s):  
Sex Education ◽  
Perceived Control ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Reciprocal Relationship ◽  
Control Beliefs ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
As Stress ◽  
Health And Well Being

This brief review on perceived control and aging is organized according to 3 perspectives of research involving description, explanation, and modification. An extensive body of literature has utilized cross-sectional and correlational methods to describe the sociodemographic variations and outcomes associated with perceived control. This work has focused on differences in perceived control as a function of age, sex, education, socioeconomic status, and culture and has identified positive associations with many aging-related outcomes involving health and well-being. With growing evidence regarding the health benefits of perceived control in the context of a declining sense of control with aging, there has been an increased effort to uncover the mechanisms involved, with the hopes of developing methods to maintain and/or promote adaptive control beliefs throughout adulthood. Through longitudinal and experimental work, researchers are beginning to clarify the directionality and elucidate the mechanisms to explain the associations. Recent evidence from longitudinal studies shows that control beliefs have an impact on subsequent changes in health. Yet, the findings suggest that it is not a unidirectional relationship. A conceptual model suggesting an ongoing reciprocal relationship between perceived control and health and well-being is discussed. Research examining the mechanisms that link perceived control to aging-related outcomes can help to inform and to develop effective interventions that are tailored to the individual's specific barriers and goals. We consider new directions for research, including more attention to intraindividual variability and reactivity to daily challenges, such as stress, with the goal of advancing our understanding of how perceived control contributes to aging-related outcomes. More work is needed to develop strategies to enhance control beliefs in later life. Although it will not always be possible to modify control beliefs, researchers can take these beliefs into account when developing interventions. A personalized approach is recommended as a way to tailor interventions that are compatible with individuals' beliefs about control to facilitate adaptive behavior change. Conclusions focus on selected issues and considerations for future research.

scholarly journals Informal Caregivers’ Well-Being at the Transition to Caregiving

2020 ◽  
pp. 003435522096218
Author(s):  
Natalie A. Williams ◽  
Holly Hatton-Bowers ◽  
Kara L. Kohel ◽  
Shruti Pillai ◽  
Judith M. Burnfield
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mindfulness Meditation ◽  
Readiness To Change ◽  
Informal Caregivers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Screening Tools ◽  
Care Recipient ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Health Habits ◽  
Rehabilitation Hospital

The aim of this study was to describe the psychological and physical health needs of informal caregivers in a rehabilitation hospital and explore differences related to informal caregiver and care recipient characteristics. Readiness to engage in health promotion and perspectives on mindfulness meditation were assessed. Informal caregivers ( N = 33) to patients receiving inpatient or outpatient treatment completed the Multidimensional Health Profile screening tools. Readiness to change was assessed using the readiness ruler approach. Almost half of participants (45.5%) had a chronic illness and 18.2% reported that it interferes with daily functioning. Low Positive Health Habits were reported by 43% of participants, and Negative Health Habits were reported by 25%. A subgroup (15%–20%) reported both physical and mental health concerns. A majority of participants indicated it was both very important for them to improve their physical and mental health and felt very confident they could do so. Receptivity to mindfulness meditation was high, with 72.7% reporting an interest. Comprehensive screening and counseling interventions to address the physical and mental health of informal caregivers in physical rehabilitation hospital settings are needed, and information gained from screening could be addressed in interventions delivered by systems-oriented rehabilitation counselors. A mindfulness meditation intervention may be a useful strategy for promoting well-being in this population.

Employing Indigenous Methodologies to Understand Women’s Perceptions of HIV, Health, and Well-being in Quebec, Canada

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 160-181
Author(s):  
Nadia O’Brien ◽  
Carrie Martin ◽  
Doris Peltier ◽  
Angela Kaida ◽  
Marissa Becker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Participatory Research ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Indigenous Women ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Indigenous Methodology ◽  
Women’S Perceptions ◽  
Conducting Research ◽  
Health And Well Being

Guided by an Indigenous Methodology and a participatory research approach, we explored the experiences and priorities of Indigenous women living in Quebec regarding HIV prevention and care, overall health, and well-being. We drew from our research process to identify recommendations for conducting research with Indigenous women. These lessons include: (1) incorporating culturally adapted methods (e.g., sharing circles, arts, ceremony) facilitated participants’ safety and comfort; (2) conducting numerous workshops was valuable in building trust; and (3) validating findings with participants was essential to ensuring that the knowledge, experiences, and priorities of Indigenous women were respected. Our research findings regarding the care needs and priorities of women emphasize the importance of peer-led groups, culturally rooted healing strategies, accessible harm reduction, and social supports. Participatory research, led by members of the communities concerned, imbues the research with local knowledge and wisdom, which ensures the relevance of the research, the appropriateness of its conduct, and enables its overall success.

scholarly journals Growing Older in Social Work: Perspective on Systems of Support to Extend Working Lives—Findings from a UK Survey

2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 405-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula McFadden ◽  
John Moriarty ◽  
Heike Schröder ◽  
Patricia Gillen ◽  
Gillian Manthorpe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Intention To Leave ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Management Support ◽  
Quality Of Working Life ◽  
Working Lives ◽  
Health And Well Being

Abstract Social work, like many other human service professions, is ageing. This article reports and discusses the findings of a UK social work survey undertaken in 2018 (1,397 responses). It investigated how organisational policies and individual factors were affecting individual social workers’ decisions about working in later life. The survey measured (i) social workers’ attitudes to ageing at work and self-reported planning around retirement; (ii) mental health and well-being, quality of working life and home and work interface and (iii) intention to leave work and retirement planning. Statistical analysis enabled examination of how the interrelationship of these factors and relevant individual characteristics interact within the systemic work environment. Findings revealed that all participants had considered factors that might cause them to retire early. Framing the findings in an ecological conceptual model suggests that age-inclusive professional and organisational cultures, age-positive human resource management, support from line managers, fair working conditions and the ability to manage health and well-being, might enable social workers to extend their working lives in line with government policy. These findings provide insights for social work workforce policymakers and for employers to assist in their development of organisational and individual adjustments to sustain well-being in the social work profession.

The glass is not half empty: optimism, pessimism, and health among older adults

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 135-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael D. Barnett ◽  
Ellen A. Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Life Orientation Test ◽  
Health And Well Being

ABSTRACTObjectives:Optimism and pessimism are distinct constructs that have demonstrated independent relationships with aspects of health and well-being. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether optimism or pessimism is more closely linked with physical and mental health among older adults.Design:Cross-sectional survey.Participants:Community-dwelling older adults (N = 272) ages 59–95 in the southern United States.Measurements:The Life Orientation Test—Revised and the Short Form 8.Results:At the bivariate level, optimism was associated with higher physical health and mental health, while pessimism was associated with lower physical health and mental health. Multiple-regression analyses as well as comparison of correlation coefficients found that pessimism was more closely associated with physical health and mental health than optimism.Conclusions:These results add to the literature suggesting that, in terms of older adults’ health and well-being, avoiding pessimism may be more important than being optimistic.

scholarly journals Marital quality and loneliness in later life

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 114-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey E. Stokes
Keyword(s):  
Marital Quality ◽  
Married Couples ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Dyadic Data ◽  
Initial Wave ◽  
Opposite Sex ◽  
Health And Well Being ◽  
Unpleasant Experience ◽  
The U.S

Loneliness is not merely an unpleasant experience but is harmful for older adults’ health and well-being as well. While marriage buffers against loneliness in later life, even married adults experience loneliness, and aspects of adults’ marriages may either protect against or actually foster loneliness among spouses. The current study analyzed dyadic data from 1,114 opposite-sex married Irish couples who participated in the initial wave of The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (2009–2011) in order to extend findings of two prior dyadic studies of marital quality and loneliness in the U.S. to older married couples in Ireland and to directly compare two theoretical and methodological frameworks used by these studies to explain associations between husbands’ and wives’ reports of marital quality and loneliness in later life. Results revealed that both spouses’ perceptions of positive and negative marital quality were significantly related with husbands’ and wives’ loneliness and that spouses’ reports of loneliness were significantly related with one another. Findings also indicated that associations between marital quality and loneliness were similar for Irish and American couples in later life. Comparison of differing modeling strategies suggested that emotional contagion may serve as a pathway for dyadic partner effects.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document