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

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.

Older Adults’ Self-Perceptions of Aging and Being Older: A Scoping Review

2019 ◽  
Vol 60 (7) ◽  
pp. e524-e534
Author(s):  
Simone Hausknecht ◽  
Lee-Fay Low ◽  
Kate O’Loughlin ◽  
Justin McNab ◽  
Lindy Clemson
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Subjective Age ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Aging Body ◽  
Perceptions Of Aging ◽  
Design And Methods

Abstract Background and Objectives Older adults’ self-perceptions of aging and being older can influence well-being and quality of life. This systematic scoping review aimed to map out current research on older adults’ self-perceptions of aging and being older. Research Design and Methods The scoping review followed Arksey and O’Malley’s methodological framework. A total of 5,037 records were identified (duplicates removed). After screening, a final 148 papers were included. Descriptives, including year of publication, methodology, age, gender, and location of participants, were calculated. Thematic analyses were conducted examining ways in which the topic was conceptualized. Results The most frequent method used in the research was quantitative. Participants were from 38 different countries. There were more female participants than male. Seven themes representing the main research emphasis emerged: attitudes towards one’s own aging (n = 48), aging well (n = 23), aging stereotypes, self-stigma (n = 23), construction of aging identities (n = 22), subjective age (n = 18), the aging body (n = 8), and future self-views (n = 6). Discussion and Implications The research within these themes approach self-perceptions of aging using varying points of reference for what participants compare their age to. The methods used to illicit aging perspectives held their own assumptions about aging.

scholarly journals Perceived Ageism During the Covid-19-Crisis Is Longitudinally Related to Subjective Perceptions of Aging

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna E. Kornadt ◽  
Isabelle Albert ◽  
Martine Hoffmann ◽  
Elke Murdock ◽  
Josepha Nell
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Subjective Age ◽  
Current Crisis ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Measurement Occasion ◽  
Perceptions Of Aging ◽  
Longitudinal Regression

Ageism in media and society has increased sharply during the Covid-19-crisis, with expected negative consequences for the health and well-being of older adults. The current study investigates whether perceived ageism during the crisis longitudinally affects how people perceive their own aging. In June 2020, N = 611 older adults from Luxembourg [aged 60–98 years, Mage(SD) = 69.92(6.97)] participated in a survey on their perception of the crisis. In October 2020, N = 523 participated in a second measurement occasion. Participants reported on perceived ageism during the crisis in different domains, their self-perceptions of aging and subjective age. In latent longitudinal regression models, we predicted views on aging at T2 with perceived ageism at T1, while controlling for baseline views on aging and covariates. Perceived ageism at T1 increased self-perceptions of aging as social loss and yielded a trend for physical decline, while there were no effects on subjective age and self-perceptions of aging as continued growth. Views on aging are powerful predictors of well-being and health outcomes in later life. Our data suggest that being the target of ageism during the crisis negatively affects older adults' self-perceptions of aging and this impact may be felt beyond the current crisis.

scholarly journals Family status and later-life depression among older adults in urban Latin America and the Caribbean

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 233-261
Author(s):  
Nekehia T. Quashie ◽  
Flavia C.D. Andrade
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Latin America ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Marital Status ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Parental Status ◽  
The Caribbean

AbstractRapid fertility declines in Latin American and Caribbean countries since the 1960s have contributed to smaller family sizes among the current cohorts of older adults. This may have mental health implications in these societies as the family unit is highly valued as a source of social support. Utilising data from the 2000 Survey of Health, Well-being and Aging in Latin America and the Caribbean (SABE), this study examines the association between parental status, marital status and the likelihood of experiencing depressive symptoms among adults 60 years and older in seven cities within Latin America and the Caribbean (N = 9,756): Buenos Aires, Bridgetown, São Paulo, Santiago, Havana, Mexico City and Montevideo. Results from multivariate logistic regressions indicate that parental status is not significantly associated with depressive symptoms. Nonetheless, unmarried older adults, both those living alone and those living with others, are more vulnerable to experiencing depressive symptoms than their married counterparts. Marriage is especially protective for older adults in Havana and Montevideo. Older adults’ perceived income adequacy significantly moderates the relationship between marital status and depressive symptoms. Other significant covariates, such as experiencing disability and comorbidity, showed positive associations with depressive symptoms. While families may still represent a critical component for the mental health of older adults, broader investments in health across the lifespan are needed to improve individual psychological wellbeing.

scholarly journals Advancing the Study of Subjective Age: More Seriously Considering Gender

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 556-556
Author(s):  
Shelbie Turner ◽  
Karen Hooker ◽  
Toni Calasanti
Keyword(s):  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Subjective Age ◽  
Age Identity ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Perceptions Of Aging ◽  
And Gender

Abstract Socially-cued age expectations inform people’s subjective age - that is, how old they feel relative to their chronological age. Age-graded expectations are widely considered to be gendered, yet gender has not often been empirically examined as the scholarship on subjective age has developed. Because subjective age shapes the experiences a person has becoming and being an older adult, and is an important correlate of later life health, more seriously considering gender’s influence on subjective age is crucial to better understanding gender differences in older adults’ well-being. In our symposium we bring gender to the center of subjective age scholarship. Barrett, Michael, & Noblitt begin by establishing that subjective age research should portray gender as a social-level, rather than individual-level, characteristic. As a complement, Turner, Settersten, and Hooker illustrate how gender has or has not been included in the four theoretical domains of subjective age (self-perceptions of aging, old age stereotypes, age identity, and awareness of age related change), and offer insights into how gender might be included in future studies on each domain. We then shift to two papers presenting new empirical analyses on the role gender plays in subjective age. Kornadt shares how men and women’s commitment to certain social roles differentially informs their subjective age, while Settersten, Day, and Hagestad turn attention to a double standard of aging for women and men with evidence across Europe. Discussant Toni Calasanti closes by offering thoughts on the future of subjective age and gender scholarship, including considering gender beyond the binary.

Communicative Predictors of Older Adults’ Successful Aging, Mental Health, and Alcohol Use

2018 ◽  
Vol 90 (2) ◽  
pp. 107-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Quinten S. Bernhold ◽  
Jessica Gasiorek ◽  
Howard Giles
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Successful Aging ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Alcoholic Drinks ◽  
Relational Partners

We examined how older adults’ communication about age-related topics is related to aging efficacy, successful aging, and well-being. Guided by the communicative ecology model of successful aging, three profiles of “environmental chatter”—that is, patterns of accommodation and overaccommodation older adults received from relational partners—were identified: positive, mixed-positive, and negative. Four profiles of individuals’ own age-related communication were identified, including a new profile: gloomy agers. Chatter profile membership and own age-related communication profile membership indirectly predicted successful aging, depressive symptoms, loneliness, and perceptions of unhealthy alcohol consumption via aging efficacy, but not self-reported alcoholic drinks consumed. Communication by both older adults and their relational partners may be consequential to experiences of successful aging and well-being.

Analysis of Self-Concept in Older Adults in Different Contexts

2004 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 262-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel de Gracia Blanco ◽  
Josep Garre Olmo ◽  
María Marcó Arbonès ◽  
Pilar Monreal Bosch
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Nursing Home ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
External Validity ◽  
Aging Process ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Self Concept ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Discriminatory Capacity

Summary: Self-concept is a construct consisting of a group of specific self-perceptions that are hierarchically organized. Age-associated changes of self-concept are related to the individual's perception of the changes occurring throughout the aging process. The authors examined external validity and internal consistency of an instrument that has been developed to assess self-concept in older adults and examined self-concept's characteristics in two different contexts. Results confirm the multidimensionality of the scale and show a satisfactory external validity, indicating good discriminatory capacity. Findings support the hypothesis that older people who live in a nursing home have a poor self-esteem, self-concept, and psychological well-being and have a greater presence of depressive symptoms than people who live in their own home.

scholarly journals Profile Groups Based on Lifestyle and Differences in Mental Health and Cognition

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 404-404
Author(s):  
Joseph Kim ◽  
Kyuree Kim
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Mail Survey ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Final Sample ◽  
Group 2 ◽  
Mean Differences

Abstract The purpose of this study was to identify the profiles of older adults according to lifestyle. Data for the study were from the 2017 Consumption and Activities Mail Survey (CAMS). CAMS 2017 is a questionnaire mailed to a sub-sample of respondents from the Health and Retirement Study. Participants were limited to older adults 65 and older, and the final sample consisted of 1136 older adults. The sample included 443 men and 693 women. Caucasians comprised 82.0% of the participants. Lifestyle was measured through items assessing the amount of time spent on activities. Due to high skewness, the items were dichotomized, 0=no time spent on activity and 1=time spent on the activity. Latent class analysis (LCA) was performed to identify groups based on lifestyle. LCA is a person-centered approach for identifying unobserved subgroups based on similarity in responses to items. Three lifestyle groups were identified. Group 1 was “Outgoing” with 471 individuals. Group 2 was “Adequate” with 229 individuals. Group 3 was “Inactive” with 436 individuals. An ANOVA was then conducted to assess mean differences in self-rated health, cognition, depressive symptoms, and loneliness for the three lifestyle groups. The “Outgoing” and “Adequate” groups had significantly higher scores on self-rated health and cognition, and in addition, significantly lower scores on depressive symptoms and loneliness compared to the “Inactive” group. No significant differences were observed between the “Outgoing” and “Adequate” groups. An implication from this study is the importance of maintaining an active lifestyle in later life for better mental health and cognition.

scholarly journals Loving Others: The Impact of Compassionate Love on Later-Life Psychological Well-Being

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 480-481
Author(s):  
Eva Kahana ◽  
Tirth Bhatta ◽  
Boaz Kahana ◽  
Nirmala Lekhak
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Negative Affect ◽  
Positive Affect ◽  
Emotional Support ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Compassionate Love ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Existing scholarship in social gerontology has surprisingly paid little attention to broader loving emotions, such as compassionate and altruistic love, as potentially meaningful mechanisms for improving later life psychological well-being. This study examined the influence of feeling love toward other persons and experiencing love from others on later life psychological well-being. We conducted a 3-wave longitudinal study of a representative sample of 340 ethnically heterogeneous community dwelling older residents of Miami, Florida. The increase in feeling of being loved (β=-1.53, p<0.001) and love for others (β=-1.43, p<0.001) led to decline in odds of reporting greater level of depressive symptoms over time. The odds of reporting higher level of positive affect were significantly greater for older adults who reported feeling loved by others (β=1.16, p<0.001) and expressed love for other people (β=1.18, p<0.01). Older adults who felt loved had 0.92-point lower ordered log odds of reporting higher negative affect than those who reported lower level of love. The impact of compassionate love on depressive symptoms and negative affect remained statistically significant even after adjustment for altruistic attitudes and emotional support. The influence of loving emotions on positive affect was, however, explained by altruistic attitudes and emotional support. Our findings underscore the powerful influence of both receiving and giving love for the maintenance of later life psychological well-being. We offer support for the expectation that love is a significant force in the lives of older adults that transcends intimate relationships.

scholarly journals SEPARATED KIN: RURAL-URBAN MIGRATION AND MENTAL HEALTH TRAJECTORIES OF OLDER ADULTS LEFT BEHIND IN RURAL CHINA

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S880-S880
Author(s):  
Zhiyong Lin
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Rural China ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Migrant Children ◽  
Urban Migration ◽  
Left Behind ◽  
Rate Of Increase ◽  
The Impact

Abstract As the processes of urbanization and globalization have intensified across the world, a burgeoning literature has documented the impact of emigration on the health of family members left behind in emigrant communities. Although the association between children’s migration and parental well-being is well documented, few have examined the health implications of children’s migration in the milieu of multiple children and further differentiated between children’s short-term and long-term migration. Therefore, I argue that it is not the geographic locality of a single child but the composition of all children’s location that matters. I further suggest that the impact of children’s migration on parental wellbeing is conditioned on the duration of children’s migration. Using a six waves longitudinal data (2001-2015) collected in rural China, this paper compares mental health (measured as depressive symptoms) trajectories of old adults (aged 60 and older) across different compositions of local and migrant children over a 14-year span. Results from growth curve models show that parents having more migrant children relative to local children experience a more rapid increase in depressive symptoms. In addition, older adults who have their most children migrate away for three or more waves of data have experienced the steepest rate of increase in depressive symptoms. These findings provide new evidence to support the life course processes of mental health disparities among older adults from the perspective of intergenerational proximity.

scholarly journals Depression and Psychological Well-Being as Distinct Constructs: Mutually Exclusive Associations With Biomarker

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 251-251
Author(s):  
Kheng Siang Ted Ng ◽  
Shu Cheng Wong ◽  
Glenn Wong ◽  
Ee Heok Kua ◽  
Anis Larbi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Factor Score ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
The Other ◽  
Factor Scores ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract Despite increasing emphasis on assessing the mental health of older adults, there has been inconclusive evidence on whether depression and psychological well-being (PWB) are fundamentally distinct constructs or representations of the opposite ends of the mental health spectrum. To instantiate either hypothesis, investigation of the associations between mental health scales and biomarkers have been proposed. First, we assessed depressive symptoms and PWB in community-dwelling older adults (N=59, mean age=67) using the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and Ryff’s Scale of PWB (comprising six sub-scales). We measured a wide range of immune markers employing ELISA and flow cytometry. Subsequently, we used principal component analysis (PCA) to aggregate and derived biomarker factor scores. Lastly, multiple linear regressions were performed to examine the associations between the scales and the derived biomarker factor scores, controlling for covariates. PCA extracted six biomarker factors. Biomarker factor score 1 was significantly associated with PWB (β=-0.029, p=0.035) and the PWB sub-scale, self-acceptance (β=-0.089, p=0.047), while biomarker factor score 4 was significantly associated with the PWB sub-scale, purpose in life (β=-0.087, p=0.025). On the other hand, biomarker factor 6 was significantly associated with SDS (β=-0.070, p=0.008). There were mutually- exclusive associations between the scales with biomarker factor scores, supporting the hypothesis of distinct constructs. Our findings expanded the biomarkers of depression and PWB, deepening understanding of the biological underpinnings of depressive symptoms and PWB. These findings have implications in field work, since researchers could not infer one construct from the other, the examination of both constructs are essential.

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