scholarly journals Increasing Opportunities for the Productive Engagement of Older Adults: A Response to Population Aging

2015 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 252-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernest Gonzales ◽  
Christina Matz-Costa ◽  
Nancy Morrow-Howell
2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 806-807
Author(s):  
Philip Buck

Abstract The incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases remains high among older adults in the US, despite longstanding immunization recommendations, and is projected to increase as the population ages. The impact of US population aging on the burden of four vaccine-preventable diseases (influenza, pneumococcal disease, shingles, and pertussis) was modeled over a 30-year time horizon, with cumulative direct and indirect costs increasing from $378 billion over 10 years to $1.28 trillion over 30 years. Compared to current levels of vaccination coverage, increasing coverage was predicted to avert over 33 million cases of disease and greater than $96 billion in disease-associated costs, with a corresponding increase in vaccination costs of approximately $83 billion over the entire 30-year time period. Specific examples of cost-effectiveness analyses that assess the epidemiologic and economic impact of vaccination against shingles and pertussis in older adults will be discussed. Part of a symposium sponsored by the Health Behavior Change Interest Group.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 505-505
Author(s):  
Matthew Farina ◽  
Phillip Cantu ◽  
Mark Hayward

Abstract Recent research has documented increasing education inequality in life expectancy among U.S. adults; however, much is unknown about other health status changes. The objective of study is to assess how healthy and unhealthy life expectancies, as classified by common chronic diseases, has changed for older adults across education groups. Data come from the Health and Retirement Study and National Vital Statistics. We created prevalence-based life tables using the Sullivan method to assess sex-specific life expectancies for stroke, heart disease, cancer, and arthritis by education group. In general, unhealthy life expectancy increased with each condition across education groups. However, the increases in unhealthy life expectancy varied greatly. While stroke increased by half a year across education groups, life expectancy with diabetes increased by 3 to 4 years. In contrast, the evidence for healthy life expectancy provides mixed results. Across chronic diseases, healthy life expectancy decreased by 1 to 3 years for respondents without a 4-year degree. Conversely, healthy life expectancy increased for the college educated by .5 to 3 years. While previous research shows increases in life expectancy for the most educated, trends in life expectancy with chronic conditions is less positive: not all additional years are in lived in good health. In addition to documenting life expectancy changes across education groups, research assessing health of older adults should consider the changing inequality across a variety of health conditions, which will have broad implications for population aging and policy intervention.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ratna Patel ◽  
Shobhit Srivast ◽  
Pradeep Kumar ◽  
SHEKHAR CHAUHAN ◽  
Mani Deep Govindu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Studies have examined functional disability among older adults by combining Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL). This study adds another dimension to ADL and IADL by combining various impairments such as hearing, vision, walking, chewing, speaking, and memory loss among older adults. This study examines functional disability among older adults in India as measured by ADL, IADL, along with various impairments. Methods This study utilized data from Building a Knowledge Base on Population Aging in India (BKPAI), a national-level survey and conducted across seven states of India. The study utilized three outcome variables, namely, ADL, IADL, and Impairments. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were used along with multivariate analysis to fulfill the objectives of the study. The concentration index was calculated for ADL, IADL, and impairments, and further, decomposition analysis was carried out for IADL. Results The results observed that nearly 7.5 percent of older adults reported ADL, more than half (56.8%) reported IADL, and nearly three-fourths (72.6%) reported impairments. Overall, ADL, IADL, and impairments were higher among older adults aged 80 + years, older adults with poor self-rated health, and those suffering from chronic diseases. Educational status and wealth explained most of the socio-economic inequality in the prevalence of IADL among older adults. Conclusion It is recommended that the government advise older adults to adopt health-promoting approaches, which may be useful. Further, there is a pressing need to deliver quality care to older adults suffering from chronic conditions.


2019 ◽  
Vol 60 (5) ◽  
pp. e413-e427 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Marie Corrado ◽  
Tanya Elizabeth Benjamin-Thomas ◽  
Colleen McGrath ◽  
Carri Hand ◽  
Debbie Laliberte Rudman

Abstract Background and Objectives Given population aging, the meaningful involvement of older adults in influencing policy and programs through participatory action research (PAR) is increasingly vital. PAR holds promise for equitable participation, co-learning, community mobilization, and personal and social transformation, however, little scholarly attention has been given to critically evaluating how PAR has been taken up with older adults. The objective of this review was to critically evaluate the use of PAR with older adults. Research Design and Methods A critical interpretive synthesis (CIS) of 40 PAR studies with older adults was conducted. Critical engagement with the articles identified dominant tendencies, limits of these tendencies, and proposed ways forward. Results Within the majority of articles reviewed, older adults were not prominent partners in PAR given their often limited involvement in designing the research questions, learning research skills and knowledge, and implementing findings for change. Furthermore, power differentials between researchers and older adults were evident, as older adults were often positioned as participants rather than partners. Finally, this article demonstrates various boundaries on the foci of studies related to inclusivity and sustainability. Discussion and Implications This study revealed that the promises PAR holds are often not fully realized in projects with older adults, given that they are rarely positioned as equitable partners, co-learners, or agents for change. The findings have the potential to stimulate further uptake of PAR research with an older adult population, highlighting areas for change in systems and research practices.


2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. 35-35
Author(s):  
David Bloom ◽  
Alexander Khoury ◽  
Jaypee Sevilla

INTRODUCTION:Europe's population is aging rapidly. Europeans aged 60 years and over formed only 16 percent of Europe's total population in 1980, but they now constitute 24 percent and will grow to 34 percent by 2050 (1). These challenges may be expected in the form of tighter labor markets, lower savings rates, and slower economic growth, as well as fiscal stress from lower earnings and tax revenue and increased pension and healthcare spending.We may, however, overestimate the magnitude of these challenges and make poorer policy choices if we underestimate the productive contributions that older adults make to society. The literature measuring these productive contributions is regrettably underdeveloped, as is the literature on what policies can enhance such contributions.This study focuses on the market and non-market productive contributions of older adults in Europe and addresses three questions: (i)What is the nature and magnitude of the contributions made by older adults in Europe?(ii)How do those contributions vary by country, time, and age, and how are they likely to evolve as the relative size of older cohorts swells?(iii)How might changes in policy, institutions, behavior, and health likely influence the economic effects of population aging in Europe?METHODS:These research questions are explored using multivariate statistical tools to analyze rich data from multiple countries and waves of the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) and the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA).RESULTS:Older adults in Europe make significant productive contributions in the form of labor force participation, caregiving for family and friends, and volunteering. These contributions vary widely by country and are correlated with age, health status, official retirement age, and population age structure.CONCLUSIONS:The economic effects of population aging in Europe can be significantly moderated by effective retirement and healthcare policy.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S830-S830
Author(s):  
Othelia E Lee ◽  
Junghyun Park

Abstract Background: Productive engagement becomes significant protective factors in healthy aging. Yet, subgroups of older adults with age-related vision and hearing impairments lack access to various activities , suggesting that unequal ability to participate in productive aging is a major public health and health-disparities concern. Methods: Older adults experiencing age-related vision and hearing impairments were drawn from the 2015-2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (n=2,164). Perceived health status (good vs. poor) was outcome measures used in multivariate logistic regression. Two aspects of productive engagement was considered: 1) employment status (unemployed vs employed) and 2) regular religious service attendance as tools to build social capital in their faith-based communities. Gender, race, marital status, educational attainment, poverty, urbanization, obesity, chronic disease, hospitalization, binge drinking, cigarette smoking, and difficulty with mobility were considered as covariates. Results: Working older adults with sensory loss were more likely to perceived good health status, compared to their unemployed counterparts (OR=2.46, p<.05). Religious service attendance also became protective factors for health (OR=1.60, p<.01). Of the covariates, higher educational attainment, White race, having one chronic disease, hospitalization, smoking, drinking, and mobility challenges appeared to affect the health status. Conclusions/Implications: Study findings implied the needs to identify late-life engagement through work and participation in faith-based community as a major public health issue. Given the barriers and disincentives to the productive engagement of older adults in this culture, healthcare providers should provide programs promoting employment and religious attendance.


2017 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 233372141773767 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra C. H. Nowakowski ◽  
J. E. Sumerau

Prior literature on illness management within intimate relationships demonstrates a variety of benefits from supportive partnership. Indeed, much of the earliest research in this field engaged older adults with and without chronic conditions. However, this pioneering literature gave little consideration to relationships in which multiple partners were coping with chronic illness. By contrast, the majority of published manuscripts presented a “sick partner/well partner” model in which caregiving flowed only in one direction. Yet this idea makes little sense in the context of contemporaneous data on population aging and health as a majority of older adults now live with at least one chronic condition. Scholars still have not delved explicitly into the experiences of the vast population of older relationship partners who are managing chronic conditions simultaneously. We thus welcome Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine readers to this special content collection on Aging Partners Managing Chronic Illness Together.


2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tami Saito ◽  
Hidehiro Sugisawa ◽  
Ken Harada ◽  
Ichiro Kai

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