scholarly journals Older Canadians’ Identity and Well-Being in Retirement

2021 ◽  
pp. 009141502110015
Author(s):  
Nicky J. Newton
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Identity Processes ◽  
Age Related ◽  
New Information ◽  
Identity Disruption ◽  
Process Assimilation ◽  
The Relationship

Retirement can be a time of identity disruption for many older adults. Identity process theory (Whitbourne et al., 2002) states that age-related changes, such as retirement, can prompt an individual to incorporate new information about themselves into their personal identity using one of three identity process: assimilation, accommodation, and balance. Additionally, individual identity and the manner in which individuals retire—voluntary or involuntary—are associated with post-retirement well-being (Newton et al., 2018). The current study examined the relationship between identity processes, planned/unplanned retirement, and hedonic (life satisfaction) and eudaimonic (meaning in life) well-being in a sample of retired Canadians. Results indicated that identity accommodation and balance were associated with both types of post-retirement well-being, whereas unplanned retirement was consistently only related to life satisfaction. This study emphasizes the importance of including individual difference factors when examining older adults’ well-being and the utility of measuring well-being in multiple ways.

Who We Live With and How We Are Feeling: A Study of Household Living Arrangements and Subjective Well-Being Among Older Adults in China

2020 ◽  
pp. 016402752096154
Author(s):  
Wen-Jui Han ◽  
Ying Li ◽  
Cliff Whetung
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Living Arrangements ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Adult Health ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Relationship

Using a sample of Chinese adults over the age of 50 from wave 1 of the WHO Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (n = 13,367), we investigated the relationship between living arrangements and subjective well-being (SWB) in regard to life satisfaction, happiness, and control. We also looked at the moderating role of resources, proxied by income and hukou status. Multivariate regression results indicate that living only with a spouse was significantly associated with better SWB. Multigenerational living arrangements may not always promote SWB, particularly when resources are constrained. Yet, results also underscore the importance of daughters and daughters-in-law in promoting SWB among older adults. Older adults in rural areas had better SWB, including greater life satisfaction if living with grandchildren only, compared to their urban peers living with a spouse only. Findings suggest that context matters in the association between living arrangements and older adults’ SWB.

Impact of Savoring Ability on the Relationship Between Older Adults’ Activity Engagement and Well-Being

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 323-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer L. Smith ◽  
Joseph G. Bihary ◽  
Dugan O’Connor ◽  
Ajla Basic ◽  
Catherine J. O’Brien
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Activity Engagement ◽  
Moderating Factors ◽  
Regulation Strategies ◽  
Positive Feelings ◽  
The Relationship

The relationship between activity engagement and well-being can vary based on individual characteristics, and it is important to identify moderating factors to support the development and implementation of aging services. The current study examined whether the relationship between activity engagement and well-being depends on older adults’ savoring ability, that is, the ability to attend to positive experiences and to engage in emotion regulation strategies to enhance positive feelings during those experiences. A total of 5,128 older adults ( Mage = 83.86 years) completed measures of activity engagement, savoring, and well-being (i.e., life satisfaction, depression, loneliness, purpose, and health). Multilevel modeling analyses revealed that activity engagement and savoring independently predicted better functioning across all well-being measures. However, savoring moderated the relationship between activity engagement and four well-being measures (life satisfaction, depression, loneliness, and purpose). Findings suggest that older adults with low activity engagement may particularly benefit from savoring-skills training to enhance their psychological well-being.

The Benefits of Savoring Life

2016 ◽  
Vol 84 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer L. Smith ◽  
Fred B. Bryant
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Social Functioning ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Positive Interventions ◽  
Reported Health ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Lower Life Satisfaction

We investigated the protective impact of savoring capacity on the relationship between physical health and psychological well-being among older adults. A total of 266 adults over 55 years old ( Mean = 73.4 years) completed measures of savoring ability, self-reported health, and life satisfaction. Savoring ability moderated the relationship between health and life satisfaction in older adults. Among people with less savoring ability, poor health was associated with lower life satisfaction. In contrast, people with greater savoring ability maintained higher life satisfaction, regardless of their level of health. These effects were consistent across a variety of different aspects of health, including general health, pain, limitations due to physical health, energy, and social functioning. These findings have direct implications for developing positive interventions to support the psychological well-being of older adults.

scholarly journals Benefits of Gardening for Elderly Women

HortScience ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 609a-609
Author(s):  
M.L. George ◽  
J.M. Zajicek
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Locus Of Control ◽  
Older Women ◽  
Elderly Women ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Educational Background ◽  
Community Gardening ◽  
The Relationship

Persons ≥60 years of age comprise a significant and growing segment of the U.S. population. More than one half of the elderly are female, and as age increases, the ratio of women to men increases as well. Gardening has long been known to be beneficial to older adults physically and psychologically. Our quantitative objective was to investigate the relationship between gardening and life satisfaction, self-esteem, and locus of control of elderly women. Our qualitative objective was to investigate the motivations to garden and the personal, self-rated benefits of gardening experienced by older women. About 45 participants were chosen from 1) volunteers in a horticultural therapy program, 2) participants in a community gardening project for older adults, and 3) participants in a community health project. During the first of two interviews, the participants completed survey instruments measuring self-esteem, locus of control, and life satisfaction. They also provided brief information about their gardening history along with demographic variables of age, ethnicity, educational background, and income level. During the second interview, the participants expanded on their experiences as gardeners, relating information such as how they became gardeners, how they learned to garden, and what factors influenced them to continue gardening. They were specifically asked to relate how they have personally benefited from gardening. Results examine the relationship between gardening and the psychological well-being of the older women.

scholarly journals Presence of Meaning Mediates the Relationship Between Meaning Search and Outcome: A Cross-Cultural Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 308-308
Author(s):  
Nicole Long Ki Fung ◽  
Helene Fung
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Dialectical Thinking ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Presence Of Meaning ◽  
Process And Outcome ◽  
Eastern Cultures ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Search for meaning (SFM) is associated with many well-being measures. The mechanism behind remains unclear. This study explores presence of meaning (POM) as a mediator to explain the association. While dialectical thinking in Eastern cultures values both process and outcome, oppositional thinking in Western cultures makes the two opposing. Since dialectical thinking increases with age, we hypothesize that with increased age, SFM is associated with POM more positively (less negatively). This heightened POM results in better well-being. We surveyed 2014 participants (aged 18-96, Mage= 55.6) in Eastern cultures: Hong Kong and Taiwan; Western cultures: Germany, United States and the Czech Republic. In Eastern cultures, SFM was positively associated with POM and life satisfaction. POM partially mediated the relationship between SFM and life satisfaction (b=0.328, p<.001). With age, SFM was associated more positively with POM and life satisfaction (b=0.009, p<.001). While POM partially mediated the relationship in younger adults (b=0.162, p<.001), full mediation was found in older adults (b=0.451, p<.001). In Western cultures, SFM was negatively associated with POM and life satisfaction. POM partially mediated the relationship between SFM and life satisfaction (b=-0.120, p<.001). With age, the negative association of SFM with POM and life satisfaction was attenuated (b=0.002, p<.001). These finding suggested that SFM becomes more beneficial to older adults across culture via establishing POM. Identifying factors that facilitate the process of achieving meaning through searching is therefore important.

Cognition–Well-Being Relations in Old Age

GeroPsych ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 123-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus Wettstein ◽  
Hans-Werner Wahl ◽  
Vera Heyl
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Hearing Impaired ◽  
Sensory Impairment ◽  
Moderation Effect ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract. We examine whether sensory impairment moderates the association between cognitive performance and well-being and, if so, whether such a moderation effect is due to a mediating mechanism via everyday competence in sensory-impaired individuals. Our sample consisted of visually-impaired (VI, n = 121), hearing-impaired (HI, n = 116), and sensory-unimpaired older adults (UI, n = 150), with a mean age of 82.50 years (SD = 4.71 years). Multiple measures of well-being (life satisfaction, affect, loneliness) as well as several established tests of cognitive performance were included. We found stronger relationships between cognitive performance and well-being in the HI and VI group than in UI individuals. Furthermore, the relationship was mostly mediated by everyday competence both in VI and HI older adults.

Does meaning in life mediate the relationship between proactive personality and well-being?

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (12) ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Shen Huang ◽  
Xiaofei Yan ◽  
Jiaxi Zhang ◽  
Xin Zhang ◽  
Danmin Miao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Proactive Personality ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
The Relationship

Meaning in life (MIL) is an important individual difference characteristic related to well-being, and has been receiving increasing research attention. We investigated the role of MIL in the link between proactive personality and well-being, with a focus on life satisfaction and mental health. Participants were 364 undergraduate students who completed a survey measuring proactive personality, MIL, stress, depression, and anxiety. Results reveal that proactive personality and MIL were positively correlated with life satisfaction and negatively correlated with stress, anxiety, and depression. In addition, MIL fully mediated the relationship between proactive personality and life satisfaction, and fully and independently mediated the association between proactive personality and mental health (stress, anxiety, and depression). Our results confirm the mediating role of MIL in the relationship between proactive personality and well-being. Practical implications of the study include potential methods for interventions that could improve individuals' well-being by targeting and enhancing MIL.

scholarly journals Focusing on positive outcomes in frailty research: development of a short well-being instrument for older adults (SWIO)

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (06) ◽  
pp. 767-777 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daan Duppen ◽  
Gina Rossi ◽  
Eva Dierckx ◽  
Lieve Hoeyberghs ◽  
Liesbeth De Donder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Confirmatory Factor Analysis ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Validation Sample ◽  
Bottom Up ◽  
Confirmatory Factor ◽  
Three Factor

ABSTRACTObjective:Studies of frailty have tended to focus on adverse outcomes. This study aims to develop a short instrument that identifies a positive outcome, namely, the level of well-being in older adults at risk of frailty.Method:871 older adults (49.4% women; mean age 75.72 years; SD = 8.05) with a frailty risk profile participated in the first wave of the D-SCOPE study. The possible domains of well-being were identified using a bottom-up approach. Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling (ESEM) and multidimensional Item Response Theory (IRT) analysis of 17 items in 4 domains measuring well-being was performed on a calibration sample (n = 435) to develop the instrument. The instrument was subsequently corroborated by confirmatory factor analysis and convergent/divergent relations with relevant external measures in a validation sample (n = 436).Results:The ESEM three-factor solution, with the subdimensions of sense of mastery, meaning in life, and life satisfaction, displayed good fit to the data (RMSEA = 0.070). For each dimension, the three best discriminating items were retained for the instrument following IRT analysis. Internal consistency of these dimensions was good in the validation sample (sense of mastery α = 0.864, meaning in life α = 0.715, and life satisfaction α = 0.782). The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) three-factor model also showed good fit to the data (RMSEA = 0.064). Small to large zero-order correlations with the external measures were as expected.Conclusions:Using a bottom-up approach, this study developed a short instrument to identify levels of well-being in vulnerable or frail older adults. The instrument can be applied in primary care and prevention programs.

scholarly journals Conservatives Report Greater Meaning in Life Than Liberals

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 494-503 ◽  
Author(s):  
David B. Newman ◽  
Norbert Schwarz ◽  
Jesse Graham ◽  
Arthur A. Stone
Keyword(s):  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Purpose In Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Political Orientation ◽  
Present Moment ◽  
Meaning And Purpose ◽  
Social Conservatism ◽  
The Relationship

Conservatives report greater life satisfaction than liberals, but this relationship is relatively weak. To date, the evidence is limited to a narrow set of well-being measures that ask participants for a single assessment of their life in general. We address this shortcoming by examining the relationship between political orientation and well-being using measures of life satisfaction, affect, and meaning and purpose in life. Participants completed well-being measures after reflecting on their whole life (Studies 1a, 1b, and 2), at the end of their day (Study 3), and in the present moment (Study 4). Across five studies, conservatives reported greater meaning and purpose in life than liberals at each reporting period. This finding remained significant after adjusting for religiosity and was usually stronger than the relationships involving other well-being measures. Finally, meaning in life was more closely related to social conservatism than economic conservatism.

Religion and Subjective Well-Being in Chinese College Students: Does Meaningfulness Matter?

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanfei Hou ◽  
Xiangang Feng ◽  
Xueling Yang ◽  
Zicong Yang ◽  
Xiaoyuan Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Chinese College Students ◽  
Extrinsic Religiosity ◽  
The Relationship

Studies from the West have reported a positive relationship between religion and mental health, and yet research on the relationship between religiosity and well-being among Chinese is rare. The present study investigated this relationship in a representative sample of Chinese college students. From a total sample of 11139 college students in 16 universities nationwide, 1418 students with self-reported religious beliefs were selected. We assessed religiosity (organizational, non-organizational, and intrinsic/extrinsic religiosity), subjective well-being (life satisfaction), psychological distress (depression & anxiety), and meaning in life. In addition, qualitative interviews were conducted with 10 psychologically distressed and 10 non-distressed religious students. Results indicated that religiosity was associated with higher life satisfaction, a relationship partially mediated by meaning in life. Unexpectedly, religiosity was also associated with higher depressive and anxiety symptoms. Qualitative interviews revealed that distressed religious believers suffered from greater mental distress before becoming involved in religion, compared to non-distressed religious students.

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