The effect of cognitive functioning and affects on the loneliness of elderly people

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lídia Serra ◽  
Cristina Almeida ◽  
Luís Silva

Purpose The purpose of this study is to verify the effect of general cognitive functioning and positive and negative affects on loneliness in the elderly people and to analyze the mediating effect of positive affects on the relationship between negative affects and loneliness. Design/methodology/approach The sample of this study consists of 61 people with an average age of 83 years who receive specialized institutional support. Study participants answered a set of questionnaires in which their sociodemographic characteristics, characteristics of the support received, cognitive functioning, positive and negative affects and loneliness were assessed. Findings Cognitive functioning did not reveal a significant relationship with loneliness. On the other hand, there was a positive and significant relationship between negative affects and loneliness and a significant marginal relationship between positive affects and loneliness. Negative affects proved to be predictors of loneliness, and there was an influence of positive affects by mediating the relationship between negative affects and loneliness. Originality/value This study showed that negative affects are risk factors for the appearance of loneliness in the elderly people who receive specialized institutional support and should be considered in intervention programs that aim to reduce loneliness and social isolation of the elderly people.

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 1760-1764
Author(s):  
Hadise Sadat Tabatabaei ◽  
Mehrangiz Ghabimi ◽  
Faezeh Khajehmirzaei ◽  
Haniye Asadinejad ◽  
Hamid Hojjati

Background: Since believing in resurrection and life after death exists in all religions, strengthening this belief leads to positive emotional states, increases adaptation to adverse life events, reduces the fear of death and gives a meaning to life. This study was conducted in 2017 to investigate the relationship between believing in resurrection and attitude towards death among the elderly population of Golestan province. Methods: This descriptive-correlational study was conducted on 230 elderly people over 60 years old in Golestan province, Iran. The data collection tool was the standard questionnaire of resurrection belief and attitude towards death. Data were collected by self-reporting method, and then were analyzed by descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (Spearman and Kruskal-Wallis correlation coefficient). Results: The score of believing in resurrection was 70.62 + 8.41 and the score of attitude towards death was 128.08 + 16.58 among the samples. Pearson correlation test did not show a significant relationship between believing in resurrection and attitude towards death (r = 0.01, p = 0.9). Conclusion: The results of this study showed no significant relationship between believing in resurrection and attitude towards death among the elderly people. However, since almost everyone believes in resurrection and afterlife, spiritual tendencies become more pronounced in old age. By understanding and strengthening the spiritual needs of elderlies, health care providers can promote mental health, gives a meaning to life and reduce the fear of death in the elderly population. Key words: Believing in resurrection, Attitude towards death, Elderly


Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 630
Author(s):  
Satoshi Shimo ◽  
Yuta Sakamoto ◽  
Takashi Amari ◽  
Masaaki Chino ◽  
Rie Sakamoto ◽  
...  

Chronic pain and fatigue have negative effects on the health, ADL, work, and hobbies of the elderly. As the proportion of people 65 years of age and older in the population increases, chronic pain and disability research regarding this group is receiving more consideration. However, little empirical evidence of the association between chronic pain, fatigue, and physical disability between the sexes is available. This study investigated the association between chronic pain, fatigue, and instrumental activities of daily living among community-dwelling elderly people by sex in Japan. Concerning the presence of chronic pain, 61% of males and 78% of females reported chronic pain, indicating that many elderly people living in the community suffer from chronic pain and fatigue on a daily basis. The number of sites of chronic pain was higher in females than in males (p = 0.016), with more chronic pain in the knees (p < 0.001) and upper arms (p = 0.014). Regarding chronic pain, males showed a higher correlation with QuickDASH-DS (rs = 0.433, p = 0.017) and QuickDASH-SM (rs = 0.643, p = 0.018) than females. Furthermore, fatigue also showed a higher correlation with QuickDASH-W (rs = 0.531, p = 0.003) in males than in females. These results indicate that the association between chronic pain, fatigue, and QuickDASH differed between the sexes among community-dwelling elderly people in Japan. A better understanding of the risk factors for elderly chronic pain and fatigue among sexes will facilitate the development of elderly healthcare welfare and policies.


2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 305-315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Panagiotis Gkorezis ◽  
Eugenia Petridou ◽  
Panteleimon Xanthiakos

Purpose – Leader-member exchange (LMX) has been proposed as a core mechanism which accounts for the impact of various antecedents on employee outcomes. As such, the purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating effect of LMX regarding the relationship between leader positive humor and employees’ perceptions of organizational cynicism. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 114 public employees. In order to examine the authors’ hypotheses hierarchical regression analysis was conducted. Findings – As hypothesized, results demonstrated that LMX mediates the relationship between leader positive humor and organizational cynicism. Research limitations/implications – Data were drawn from public employees and, therefore, this may constrain the generalizability of the results. Also, the cross-sectional analysis of the data cannot directly assess causality. Originality/value – This is the first empirical study to examine the mediating effect of LMX in the relationship between leader humor and employees’ perceptions of organizational cynicism.


2014 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 222-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mercedes Villanueva-Flores ◽  
Ramón Valle-Cabrera ◽  
Mar Bornay-Barrachina

Purpose – Few studies have focussed on the situation of employees with physical disabilities from the perspective of human resources management – in particular on the career development expectations of this group. The purpose of this paper is to meet this need by focussing on individuals with physical disabilities in Andalusia (Spain). It analyzes three key aspects: whether the perception of discrimination is related to the perception of inequity due to their disabilities, with this relationship being moderated by gender; whether these perceptions of inequality and discrimination lead to feelings of dissatisfaction with the employing organization; and whether the perception of discrimination mediates the relationship between perceived inequity and job dissatisfaction. Design/methodology/approach – Using the theoretical framework of organizational justice, regression analysis is applied to test the hypotheses in a population of 459 employed people with physical disabilities. Findings – The results show that perceived discrimination is due to perceived inequity when peers who do not have a disability are used as comparative reference; however, this relationship is not moderated by gender. These perceptions of inequity and discrimination cause individuals to feel dissatisfaction in organizations, and a mediating effect is found for the perception of discrimination in professional development opportunities. The control variables considered, age and education, are not significant in the relationships studied. Originality/value – An original and valued model is proposed to explain job dissatisfaction among employees with physical disabilities and the possibility of perceiving a dual disadvantage, in their possibilities for professional development. The model links together three variables that have not previously been linked all together in the literature – perceived inequity, perceived discrimination on the grounds of disability, and dissatisfaction – highlighting that perceived discrimination on the grounds of disability mediates the relationship between perceived inequity and dissatisfaction. This model can also examine whether a dual disadvantage is perceived owing to an individual's being a woman and having a disability, considering gender as a variable that moderates the relationship between perceived inequity and perceived discrimination on the grounds of disability.


1989 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 239-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda L. Viney ◽  
Yvonne N. Benjamin ◽  
Carol Preston

Mourning and reminiscence are therapeutic processes common in therapeutic work with the elderly. However, a theoretical explanation of why they are effective has been lacking. Personal construct theory accounts for both in terms of the search of elderly persons for validation of their construct systems. In this article, this explanation of the parallel psychotherapeutic processes is explored, together with relevant information from the literature on mourning and reminiscence. Therapeutic case studies illustrate the characteristics of the two processes and the relationship between them.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anurodhsingh Khanuja ◽  
Rajesh Kumar Jain

PurposeSupply chain integration (SCI) and flexibility (SCF) are recognised as crucial business practices and capability in the global competitive market. However, limited research has paid attention to study the relationship between SCI, SCF and their impact on supply chain performance (SCP). Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to establish a relationship between integration, flexibility and performance.Design/methodology/approachThe structural equation modelling technique was used to analyse the 187 data collected from Indian organisations through the survey methodology.FindingsFindings indicate that external integration contributes significantly to realise SCF and SCP. Sourcing and logistics flexibility also help to improve the SCP. The mediation analysis showed that the association of customer and supplier integration with SCP is partially and fully mediated by logistics flexibility, respectively. This study suggests that integration influences the SCP when the firm has a strong association with downstream partners and enough capability for logistics flexibility.Research limitations/implicationsThe study has collected cross-sectional data to analyse the relationship between SCI, SCF and SCP. However, as integration requires an effort of the years, longitudinal data and industry-specific studies may provide comprehensive views to validate the results of this study.Originality/valueBuilding on relational view theory and dynamic capability theory, the study has proposed the SCP assessment framework based on the relationship between SCI and SCF.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariane Lemos Lourenço ◽  
Mara Rosalia Ribeiro Silva ◽  
Rafael Santana Galvão Oliveira

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationship between empathy and social responsibility (SR) practices in a university organization in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Design/methodology/approach The research was qualitative, using case study methodology. The case study was about the Brazilian organization Ânima Educação, which is the greatest among the five largest publicly traded education companies in Brazil. Secondary data collection and content analysis was carried out. Findings As emotional response toward the problems caused by the pandemic, the company's leadership adopted an empathic behavior, allowing traces of its empathic culture to emerge. Empathy was expressed through the implementation of SR practices aimed at workers (policy of not firing in the first two months of the pandemic), at students (provision of technological apparatus, online classes, physical/psychological assistance and negotiation of late fees) and at the society (assistance to the elderly). Originality/value It was concluded that empathy can be taken as the emotional motivator for companies to engage in SR practices, especially in extreme circumstances in society, as the economic and health challenges that the world is experiencing with the COVID-19 pandemic nowadays. SR practices, in turn, can foster even more empathy in organizations, mobilizing leaders and their respective groups in the creation and implementation of new practices, thus demonstrating that the relationship between empathy and SR practices is a “two-way street.”


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Haseena Bader Alkatheeri ◽  
Fauzia Jabeen ◽  
Khalid Mehmood ◽  
Gabriele Santoro

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate information technology capabilities (ITC)’s influence on organizational performance (OP) within the hospitality industry. Specifically, it analyzes the indirect effects of sustainability practices (SP) and service quality (SQ) on the relationship between ITC and OP. The moderating effect of top management support (TMS) is also examined.Design/methodology/approachUsing a three-wave time-lagged design, 507 UAE hotels' managers took part in the study. Hierarchical regression bootstrapping approach was used to examine the hypothesis.FindingsThis study suggests that ITC are positively related to OP. Furthermore, the study found that SP and SQ mediate the ITC-OP relationship. TMS moderates the positive relationship between ITC and OP and also moderates the relationship between SQ and OP. Additionally, TMS moderates the indirect effect of SQ on the association between ITC and OP, such that the mediating effect is stronger when TMS is at a high level.Research limitations/implicationsThe study shall assist the practitioners of the hospitality firms to focus their attention on ITC to improve SQ and hence achieve optimal performance.Originality/valueThe novelty of this research lies in the presentation of an integrated framework based on a resource-based view to solve the contemporary challenges facing hospitality firms operating in emerging markets in integrating ITC and SP for better organizational results.


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