Keeping “In Touch”: Demographic Patterns of Interpersonal Touch in Later Life

2021 ◽  
pp. 016402752098692
Author(s):  
Laura Upenieks ◽  
Markus H. Schafer
Keyword(s):  
Social Activity ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Social Connection ◽  
Mediation Analyses ◽  
Interpersonal Touch ◽  
Demographic Patterns ◽  
Interpersonal Environment ◽  
Status Data

Touch is an important element of human social interaction linked to various dimensions of well-being, but we know little of how it is distributed among older adults. This study considers whether greeting/affectionate touch is a function of characteristics such as race, gender, and socioeconomic status. Data come from Wave 1 (2005–2006) of the NSHAP study from the United States. Results reveal that women experienced more frequent touch relative to men, net of several features of the interpersonal environment. Mediation analyses revealed that gender differences in associations with touch were partially explained by women’s greater participation in formal and informal social activity. No patterns were detected related to race, education, or wealth. This study situates greeting/affectionate touch as a form of corporeal non-verbal interaction that offers a unique lens into patterns of social connection. We close by considering what this form of interaction means in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Effects of Participation in Social Activities on Cognitive Function Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults in Korea

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (10) ◽  
pp. 2315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jongnam Hwang ◽  
Sangmin Park ◽  
Sujin Kim
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Social Activity ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Activities ◽  
The Social ◽  
Gender Groups

Cognitive function is a critical health issue in later life, the decline of which disrupts well-being and daily life function. Cognitive decline in older ages can also be understood in the context of the social environment such as social connectedness and engagement in personal life. This study aimed to examine: (1) whether participation in social activities contributes to preventing cognitive decline, and (2) what type of social activities are beneficial to maintaining cognitive function. Data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLOSA) 2006–2014, a longitudinal survey of the household-dwelling population aged 45 and older in Korea were used. The results revealed that Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores decreased with increasing age, at a rate of approximately 0.18 units across all age-gender groups, and the decrease was steeper for adults aged 65 and over. Participation in social gatherings was likely to delay the decline in cognitive function after the age of 65. In a gender-stratified model, social activity may not have an impact on the decline of cognitive function for men, whereas participation in social gatherings was negatively related to the decline of MMSE scores in women. This study suggests the need for a gender-stratified policy for preventing the decline of cognitive function while promoting engagement in social activities in Korean older adults.

scholarly journals The Psychological Consequences of Disability over the Life Course: Assessing the Mediating Role of Perceived Interpersonal Discrimination

2020 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 190-207
Author(s):  
Eun Ha Namkung ◽  
Deborah Carr
Keyword(s):  
Life Course ◽  
Perceived Discrimination ◽  
Life Stage ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Psychological Consequences ◽  
Mediation Analyses ◽  
Interpersonal Discrimination ◽  
The Life Course

We examine whether perceived interpersonal discrimination mediates the association between disability and psychological well-being (depression, negative and positive affect) and how these processes differ across the life course. Data are from two waves (2004–2006; 2013–2014) of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS; N = 2,503). Perceived discrimination accounts for 5% to 8% of the association between disability and the three mental health outcomes. Moderated mediation analyses reveal significant age differences; perceived discrimination is a stronger explanatory mechanism among midlife (ages 40–64) relative to older (age 65+) adults. Disability stigma takes a heightened psychological toll at midlife, a life stage when adults are expected to be able-bodied and interact with a diverse social network, which may be a source of interpersonal mistreatment. Among older adults, for whom impairment is expected and common, the psychological impact of disability may operate through other pathways. We discuss implications for research and practice.

HIV/AIDS in Later Life

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip Sayegh ◽  
David J. Moore ◽  
Pariya Fazeli Wheeler
Keyword(s):  
Successful Aging ◽  
Neuropsychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Neurocognitive Deficits ◽  
Everyday Functioning ◽  
Persons Living With Hiv ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
Hiv Aids

Since the first cluster of people with HIV was identified in 1981, significant biomedical advances, most notably the development of antiretroviral therapy (ART), have led to considerably increased life expectancy as well as a reduction in the morbidity and mortality associated with HIV/AIDS. As a result, HIV/AIDS is no longer considered a terminal illness, but rather a chronic illness, and many persons living with HIV/AIDS are beginning to enter or have already reached later life. In fact, Americans ages 50 years and older comprise approximately half of all individuals with HIV/AIDS and represent the most rapidly growing subpopulation of persons living with HIV/AIDS in the United States. Despite significant advances in HIV/AIDS treatment and prognosis, older adults living with HIV (OALH) face a number of unique challenges and circumstances that can lead to exacerbated symptoms and poorer outcomes, despite demonstrating generally better ART adherence than their younger counterparts. These detrimental outcomes are due to both chronological aging and cohort effects as well as social and behavioral factors and long-term ART use. For instance, neurocognitive deficits and neuropsychiatric symptoms, including depression, anxiety, apathy, and fatigue, are often observed among OALH, which can result in feelings of loneliness, social isolation, and reduced social support. Taken together, these factors can lead to elevated levels of problems with everyday functioning (e.g., activities of daily living) among OALH. In addition, sociocultural factors such as race/ethnicity, ageism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, geographic region, socioeconomic status and financial well-being, systemic barriers and disparities, and cultural values and beliefs play an influential role in determining outcomes. Notwithstanding the challenges associated with living with HIV/AIDS in later life, many persons living with HIV/AIDS are aging successfully. HIV/AIDS survivor and community mobilization efforts, as well as integrated care models, have resulted in some significant improvements in overall HIV/AIDS patient care. In addition, interventions aimed at improving successful aging outcomes among OALH are being developed in an attempt to effectively reduce the psychological and physical morbidity associated with HIV disease.

scholarly journals Give Thanks in All Circumstances? Gratitude Toward God and Health in Later Life After Major Life Stressors

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 465-465
Author(s):  
Laura Upenieks ◽  
Joanne Ford-Robertson
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Life Stressors ◽  
Major Life ◽  
Moderation Effect ◽  
Development Framework

Abstract Gratitude is foundational to well-being throughout the life course, and an emerging body of work suggests that older adults may be more inclined to attribute gratitude to a non-human target (God). Drawing on life course theory and Erikson’s lifespan development framework, we use data from a national sample of Christian older adults from the United States (N = 1,005) to examine whether gratitude towards God buffers the noxious health effects of the death of a loved one or personal illness. Results suggest that gratitude towards God tends to predict better age-comparative and global self-rated physical health in the aftermath of stress, a moderation effect which is partially mediated by stronger beliefs in God-mediated control (that God is a collaborative partner in dealing with problems). We conclude by proposing some interventions for clinicians and counselors centered around gratitude and religiosity that may assist older adults in coping with major life stressors.

scholarly journals Association Between Serum Sphingolipids and Eudaimonic Well-Being in White U.S. Adults

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Loni Berkowitz ◽  
Marcela P. Henríquez ◽  
Cristian Salazar ◽  
Eric Rojas ◽  
Guadalupe Echeverría ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Behaviors ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Serum Levels ◽  
The United States ◽  
Sphingolipid Metabolism ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Mediation Analyses ◽  
Environmental Mastery ◽  
Using Data

Abstract Emerging research has linked psychological well-being with many physiological markers as well as morbidity and mortality. In this analysis, the relationship between components of eudaimonic well-being and serum sphingolipids levels was investigated using data from a large national survey of middle-aged American adults (Midlife in the United States). Health behaviors (i.e., diet, exercise, and sleep) were also examined as potential mediators of these relationships. Serum levels of total ceramides - the main molecular class of sphingolipids previously associated with several disease conditions - were inversely linked with environmental mastery. In addition, significant correlations were found between specific ceramide, dihydroceramide, and hexosylceramides species with environmental mastery, purpose in life, and self-acceptance. Using hierarchical regression and mediation analyses, health behaviors appeared to mediate these associations. However, the link between ceramides and environmental mastery was partially independent of health behaviors, suggesting the role of additional mediating factors. These findings point to sphingolipid metabolism as a novel pathway of health benefits associated with psychological well-being. In particular, having a sense of environmental mastery may promote restorative behaviors and benefit health via improved blood sphingolipid profiles.

scholarly journals Did Social Connection Decline During the First Wave of COVID-19?: The Role of Extraversion

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dunigan Parker Folk ◽  
Karynna Okabe-Miyamoto ◽  
Elizabeth Warren Dunn ◽  
Sonja Lyubomirsky
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Social Connection ◽  
Social Lives ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Face ◽  
Negative Effect

In two pre-registered studies, we tracked changes in individuals’ feelings of social connection during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both studies capitalized on measures of social connection and well-being obtained prior to the COVID-19 pandemic by recruiting the same participants again in the midst of the pandemic’s upending effects. Study 1 included a sample of undergraduates from a Canadian university (N = 467), and Study 2 included community adults primarily from the United States and the United Kingdom (N = 336). Our results suggest that people experienced relatively little change in feelings of social connection in the face of the initial reshaping of their social lives caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Exploratory analyses suggested that relatively extraverted individuals exhibited larger declines in social connection. However, after controlling for levels of social connection prior to the pandemic (as pre-registered), the negative effect of extraversion reversed (Study 1) or disappeared (Study 2).

Social Support, Basic Psychological Needs, and Social Well-Being Among Older Cancer Survivors

2019 ◽  
Vol 92 (1) ◽  
pp. 100-114
Author(s):  
Kenneth Leow ◽  
Martin F. Lynch ◽  
Jungmin Lee
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Social Activity ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Determination Theory ◽  
The United States ◽  
Psychological Needs ◽  
Basic Psychological Needs ◽  
Third Wave ◽  
Midlife Development

This study examined the contribution of social support and satisfaction of basic psychological needs in predicting social well-being among older cancer survivors, from the perspective of self-determination theory. The sample for this study derived from the third wave of the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States. Participants consisted of 376 cancer survivors who had completed cancer treatment. The results of this study suggested that social support from family members and friends was a significant predictor of social well-being. Satisfaction of the basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) was a significant predictor of social well-being. The fulfillment of basic psychological needs among older cancer survivors is important to the experience of greater social well-being, a finding that contributes to the development of a dynamic model of motivation, engagement in social activity, and successful reintegration into one’s community.

scholarly journals Going Online to Stay Connected: Online Social Participation Buffers the Relationship Between Pain and Depression

2018 ◽  
Vol 74 (6) ◽  
pp. 1020-1031 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon Ang ◽  
Tuo-Yu Chen
Keyword(s):  
Social Participation ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Online Social Network ◽  
Social Activity ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Compensatory Mechanism ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Lagged Dependent Variable

Abstract Objectives Maintaining offline social participation (i.e., face-to-face social interaction) is key for healthy aging, but older adults who experience pain tend to restrict their social activity outside of the home. The onset of pain may set off a downward spiral where lowered social participation increases the risk of depression and vice versa. This study thus assesses whether online social participation (i.e., the use of online social network sites) moderates the effect of pain on depression, possibly functioning as a compensatory mechanism for reduced offline social participation for those in pain. Method Logistic regression models with a lagged dependent variable were used with panel data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study. An interaction term was included to assess the moderating effect of online social participation. Results We find that online social participation buffers the detrimental effect of pain on depression. However, the effect of pain on online social participation was not statistically significant. Discussion Findings show that online social participation can alleviate the negative effects of pain on mental well-being, and suggest that online social participation can supplement attempts to maintain offline social participation in later life, especially for those whose social activity may be limited by pain.

scholarly journals The Longest-Lasting Relationship: Patterns of Contact and Well-Being Among Mid- to Later-Life Siblings

2019 ◽  
Vol 75 (10) ◽  
pp. 2240-2249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander C Jensen ◽  
Makayla K Nielson ◽  
Jeremy B Yorgason
Keyword(s):  
Latent Class ◽  
Life Experience ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Amazon Mechanical Turk ◽  
High Group ◽  
Relationship Patterns ◽  
Family Experiences

Abstract Objectives Adults in mid to later life experience shrinking social networks, which may hinder well-being. Siblings may be important sources of social contact. Yet, little is known about adults’ patterns of contact with siblings and how contact is linked to well-being. Method Participants included 491 adults from across the United States (M age = 58.96, SD = 6.25; 68% female) recruited online via Amazon Mechanical Turk; they reported on their contact with their sibling in person, over the phone, via email, texting, and social media. Results Latent class analysis found evidence for four patterns of contact (classes) among siblings: low, medium, high, and traditional. Those with high contact reported greater life satisfaction than those in the other groups. Those in the high group reported lower self-rated health when they recalled being treated less favorably, relative to their sibling, by their mother as children. Discussion These findings suggest that differing patterns of sibling contact exist among older adults. In some cases, contact may promote well-being. In other cases, more contact may serve as a reminder of hurtful or painful past family experiences related to mothers’ differential treatment, in which case more contact may be linked to poorer health.

scholarly journals Child’s Developmental Disabilities and Parental Well-being in Midlife and Old Age: Does Race Matter?

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 916-916
Author(s):  
Juha Lee ◽  
Manjing Gao ◽  
Chioun Lee
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Disabilities ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Differential Vulnerability ◽  
Differential Exposure ◽  
Health And Well Being

Abstract Having a child with developmental disabilities (DD) compromises parents’ health and well-being. We have little knowledge on whether the association is robust to the presence of exposure-outcome confounders and how it varies by race. Guided by life-course perspectives, we evaluate (1) the association between having a child with DD and parental well-being and (2) racial disparities in the likelihood of having a child with DD (differential exposure), and/or the effect of having a child with DD on parental well-being (differential vulnerabilities). We advance prior studies by including a wide array of parent’s early-life adversities (ELAs, e.g., poverty and abuse), which may link the predictor to the outcome. Using the core, Refresher, and Milwaukee samples from Midlife in the United States (N=9,640, 25% non-Whites), we conducted regression analysis with race as a moderator. Compared to having a healthy child, parents having a child with DD reported lower well-being even after controlling for ELAs. While the likelihood of having a child with DD (around 10%) is similar for both non-Hispanic Whites and African Americans, African American parents are more adversely affected by having a child with DD across most of the eudaimonic well-being indicators (i.e., autonomy, self-acceptance, positive relationships with others, personal growth, environmental mastery). The later-life well-being of racial minorities is disproportionally affected by having a child with DD. Future research avenues include identifying life-course pathways that contribute to this differential vulnerability.

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