scholarly journals Associations of self-reported vision problems with health and psychosocial functioning: A 9-year longitudinal perspective

2020 ◽  
pp. 026461962096180
Author(s):  
Markus Wettstein ◽  
Svenja M Spuling ◽  
Hans-Werner-Wahl ◽  
Vera Heyl
Keyword(s):  
Psychosocial Functioning ◽  
Successful Aging ◽  
Vision Loss ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Functional Health ◽  
Subjective Age ◽  
Continuous Growth ◽  
Impaired Vision ◽  
Self Rated Health

Impaired vision often results in restrictions across diverse key indicators of successful aging. However, little is known about how impaired vision affects the long-term trajectories of these outcomes, whether effects are moderated by age, and whether psychosocial resources beyond well-being such as subjective age views are also affected by vision loss. We analyzed how self-reported vision problems as a time-varying predictor are related to long-term changes in health and cognitive ability (functional health, number of chronic diseases, self-rated health, information processing speed), well-being (life satisfaction, positive and negative affect, depressive symptoms, loneliness), and subjective age views (subjective age; aging-related cognitions: social loss, physical decline, continuous growth). Our sample was derived from the German Ageing Survey, comprising 6,378 individuals (40–89 years) who provided up to four observations over a 9-year period. Controlling for gender, age, education, and functional as well as self-rated health, we observed that both on a between- and a within-person level, indicators of successful aging were consistently less favorable among individuals with more vision problems. Associations between vision problems and functional health became stronger with advancing age. In contrast, with increasing age, vision problems were less closely associated with change in several indicators of psychosocial functioning. Our findings suggest that self-reported visual impairment is associated with restrictions across a broad range of developmental domains. Some detrimental effects of vision problems are augmented in later life, whereas several effects on well-being and subjective age views were attenuated with advancing age, which might indicate processes of late-life adaptation to vision loss.

Felt Age, Desired, and Expected Lifetime in the Context of Health, Well-Being, and Successful Aging

2017 ◽  
Vol 87 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neala Ambrosi-Randić ◽  
Marina Nekić ◽  
Ivana Tucak Junaković
Keyword(s):  
Successful Aging ◽  
Older Persons ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Chronological Age ◽  
Subjective Age ◽  
Psychological Variables ◽  
Age Identity ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Length Of Life

This study examines the interrelations of three different aspects of the subjective age: felt, desired and expected, as well as their relations with the chronological age (CA), health, and psychological well-being variables. Four hundred and twenty-three community-dwelling Croatian adults, aged 60–95 years, participated in the study. All three subjective age measures significantly correlated with the CA. Self-rated health were better predictors of the subjective age compared to the psychological variables. Among psychological variables, successful aging was the only significant predictor of the felt and expected age, while optimism showed to be the only significant predictor of the desired age. Results indicate the importance of some sociodemographic, psychological, and health variables for understanding older persons' subjective age identity and their desires and expectations regarding length of life. Besides the CA, it is very useful to include subjective age measures in research with elderly people.

scholarly journals EMOTIONS AND WELL-BEING IN LATER LIFE CHILDHOOD HAPPINESS, SELF-MASTERY, AND LATER-LIFE HEALTH

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S576-S576
Author(s):  
Haena Lee ◽  
Markus H Schafer
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Family Environment ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Successful Aging ◽  
Living Arrangement ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Adult Health ◽  
Growing Up ◽  
Self Rated Health

Abstract Considerable work has documented that positive childhood memories, especially childhood happiness, predict better health among young adults. However, it is not known whether growing up happy has enduring health consequences across the life course. Using two waves of the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project (2010-2011 and 2015-2016; N = 1,937), we investigate the relationship between childhood happiness and changes in physical, mental, and biological functioning in later life. Childhood happiness was retrospectively assessed using a question: “When I was growing up, my family life was always happy.” Self-rated health, depressive symptoms, and frailty over a five-year period were examined to reflect changes in functional status. Childhood SES and living arrangement were examined to assess childhood sociodemographic background. Educational attainment, family support and strain, and self-mastery were considered as potential mediators. We find that, among other childhood factors, childhood happiness significantly predicts older adult health. Specifically, childhood happiness was associated with better self-rated health and lower depressive symptoms at follow-up, net of baseline health conditions. We did not find a relationship between frailty and childhood happiness. Unlike prior work, we found no significant effect of childhood SES on the measured outcomes. Associations between childhood happiness and self-rated health and depression were mediated by psychosocial resources including self-mastery and perceived social support from family members. This implies that growing up in nurturing, cherished family environment has the potential to cultivate social relationships and build resilience which could provide an important pathway to successful aging.

scholarly journals Daily Activity Engagement Predicts More Positive Affect Especially on Days When a Person Feels Young

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 908-909
Author(s):  
Erica O'Brien ◽  
Shevaun Neupert
Keyword(s):  
Negative Affect ◽  
Successful Aging ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
Subjective Age ◽  
Activity Engagement ◽  
Prior Literature ◽  
Age Range ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Engagement in a wide array of mental, social, and physical leisure activities confers several health benefits. Indeed, theories of successful aging argue that an active lifestyle serves as an important criterion for maintaining high levels of psychological, functional, and physical well-being in old age. Findings from parallel studies also show that people who hold positive (self-)views of aging exhibit higher and maintained levels of well-being over time. Yet, whether views of aging enhances the link between activity engagement and well-being - and whether they do so on a daily basis – remains unknown. This study therefore sought to extend prior literature by examining the relationship between activity engagement, subjective age, and affective ratings within-person over several days. Old adults (N = 115; Age: Range = 60 – 90, M = 64.65, SD = 4.86) in the Mindfulness and Anticipatory Coping Every Day (MACED) study completed an 8-day daily diary. Participants reported on their positive and negative affect, the age they subjectively felt compared to their actual age, and the number and types of leisure activities in which they engaged. Results from multilevel analyses indicate that people felt more positive on days when they also engaged in more activities (total across mental, social, physical types) than usual. Moreover, the effect of activity engagement was most pronounced on days when people felt younger than usual. No effects were found for negative affect. Preliminary findings suggest that people benefit psychologically from daily leisure activities and a positive self-view of aging.

scholarly journals Differences in subjective age by filial caregiving status among US adults in mid and later life

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 808-808
Author(s):  
Hyojin Choi ◽  
Kristin Litzelman
Keyword(s):  
Linear Regression Analysis ◽  
Adult Child ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Chronological Age ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Subjective Age ◽  
Important Indicator ◽  
Subjective Aging

Abstract Subjective age is an important indicator of age identity and is associated with both psychological and physical well-being. Previous studies have revealed that older adults who feel younger than their chronological age show better health status, better life satisfaction, and less risk of mortality. Considerable evidence shows that stress contributes to feeling older than one’s chronological age. Given the fact that taking a caregiving role involves stress, it is expected that caregiving might accelerate subjective aging. This study examined the association between the stressor of caregiving and subjective age in mid and later life. Data were drawn from the Health and Retirement Study in 2014 and 2016. Participants aged 50 years and over (n=1,087) were identified according to adult-child caregiver status at across the two waves: those who provided care consecutively (long-term caregivers), those who became caregivers in 2016 (new caregivers), those who were no longer providing care in 2016 (recent caregivers), or those who did not report providing care in both 2014 and 2016 (non-caregivers). Linear regression analysis showed that new caregivers reported feeling older than their chronological age compared to non-caregivers. However, long-term or recent caregivers did not show significant differences in subjective age compared to non-caregivers. The finding is consistent with the stress process theory and adaptation hypothesis. Although the onset of caregiving stress may accelerate subjective aging, this deleterious effect may decrease over time due to family caregivers’ adaptability. Future research will examine the role of support, resilience and mastery in this pathway.

scholarly journals Understanding the long-term connections between posttraumatic stress, subjective age, and successful aging among midlife and older adults

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 1583523 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuval Palgi ◽  
Amit Shrira ◽  
Sharon Avidor ◽  
Yaakov Hoffman ◽  
Ehud Bodner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Successful Aging ◽  
Subjective Age

scholarly journals C-25 Neurocognitive Correlates of Chronological and Subjective Age Differences in Persons Living with HIV compared to those without HIV

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 1054-1054
Author(s):  
M Kohli ◽  
L Kamalyan ◽  
E Pasipanodya ◽  
R Moore ◽  
S Letendre ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Successful Aging ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Subjective Age ◽  
Persons Living With Hiv ◽  
Hiv Serostatus ◽  
Functioning Inventory ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Objective Investigate the discrepancy between subjective and chronologic age by HIV-serostatus, and the association of this discrepancy with subjective neurocognitive functioning (NCF) and objective NCF. Methods One hundred nineteen persons living with HIV (PWLH) and 98 HIV-uninfected (HIV-) adults (Mage = 50.9; SDage = 7.9) completed a comprehensive neurobehavioral battery. Subjective age was assessed using a single-item question (i.e., “how old do you feel?”). The difference between chronologic and subjective age resulted in subjective age discrepancy scores (SADS). Subjective NCF was measured using the Patient’s Assessment of Own Functioning Inventory; objective NCF was measured using global demographically-corrected T-scores. Linear regressions examined the association between subjective and objective NCF with SADS, covarying for significant PLWH and HIV- group differences (i.e., education, sex, ethnicity, and lifetime Major Depressive Disorder). Results PLWH reported lower SADS (indicating closer correspondence between chronologic and subjective age) than their HIV- counterparts, who reported feeling much younger (p = .05; 95% CI: -5.4, .001). Among PLWH, better subjective NCF was significantly related to greater SADS (p = .0002; 95% CI: -.48, -.16). Objective NCF was not associated with SADS among persons with and without HIV. Conclusions Adults without HIV reported feeling younger than their chronologic age, whereas PLWH felt significantly closer to their chronologic age. SADS were negatively associated with only subjective NCF, among only PLWH. This suggests perceived cognitive functioning has a greater impact on psychological well-being among this group. Future research is warranted to delineate the relationship between HIV, subjective neurocognition, and psychosocial factors related to daily functioning to improve successful aging outcomes among this vulnerable population.

Do “Young-Old” Exercisers Feel Better Than Sedentary Persons? A Cohort Study in Switzerland

2003 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian J. Lalive d'Epinay ◽  
Jean-François Bickel
Keyword(s):  
Successful Aging ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Aging Population ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Subjective Feeling ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Objective Health ◽  
Young Old ◽  
Better Than

ABSTRACTFrom a “successful aging” perspective, the subjective feeling of well-being is as important as “objective” health. Physical exercise is seen as being an effective way of staying healthy, but its link with well-being in a normal aging population remains largely unexplored. Based on two randomized surveys of the aging population, conducted in 1979 and 1994, respectively, with questionnaires including retrospective questions on activities and health, two cohorts of young-old (aged 64–74) were selected (cohort 1, born 1905–1914, N = 949; cohort 2, born 1920–1929, N = 602) and split into four groups, corresponding to their exercising trajectories (long-term exercisers LE, new exercisers NE, quitters Q, sedentary S). The link between the four trajectories and two indicators of well-being (self-rated health, self-assessed depression scale) was examined by means of regression analyses. In both cohorts, the LE group had a higher level of well-being than the Q and the S. The study also throws light on the case of the quitters (Q), who showed the lowest level of well-being. Scant research has hitherto been done on the causes and repercussions of abandoning exercise.

scholarly journals Assistive Technology and Mobile ICT Usage Among Oldest-Old Cohorts: Comparison of the Oldest-Old in Private Homes and in Long-Term Care Facilities

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 163-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Schlomann ◽  
Alexander Seifert ◽  
Susanne Zank ◽  
Christian Rietz
Keyword(s):  
Long Term Care ◽  
Oldest Old ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
Functional Health ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
Private Homes

This study examines technology adoption among oldest-old cohorts (80+) in private homes and long-term care facilities and analyzes relationships between individual characteristics, the living environment, and different kinds of assistive technologies (AT) and information and communication technologies (ICT). The data analysis is based on a representative survey of the oldest-old group’s quality of life and well-being in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany ( N = 1,863; age range: 80–103; 12.7% long-term care). Descriptive and multiple binary logistic regression analyses were conducted. Fewer than 3% of people in long-term care used internet-connected ICT devices. AT and ICT device adoption is associated with the living environment and individual characteristics (e.g., functional health, chronological age, education, and technology interest), and different patterns of ICT and AT use can be observed. These results indicate that individual characteristics and the living environment are both decisive in the use of technology among the oldest-old group.

scholarly journals Changes in Adolescents’ Psychosocial Functioning and Well-Being as a Consequence of Long-Term COVID-19 Restrictions

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (16) ◽  
pp. 8755
Author(s):  
Nóra Kerekes ◽  
Kourosh Bador ◽  
Anis Sfendla ◽  
Mohjat Belaatar ◽  
Abdennour Mzadi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High School Students ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Psychosocial Functioning ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
School Students ◽  
Electronic Survey ◽  
The Usa

This work studied self-reports from adolescents on how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed their behaviors, relationships, mood, and victimization. Data collection was conducted between September 2020 and February 2021 in five countries (Sweden, the USA, Serbia, Morocco, and Vietnam). In total, 5114 high school students (aged 15 to 19 years, 61.8% females) responded to our electronic survey. A substantial proportion of students reported decreased time being outside (41.7%), meeting friends in real life (59.4%), and school performance (30.7%), while reporting increased time to do things they did not have time for before (49.3%) and using social media to stay connected (44.9%). One third of the adolescents increased exercise and felt that they have more control over their life. Only a small proportion of adolescents reported substance use, norm-breaking behaviors, or victimization. The overall COVID-19 impact on adolescent life was gender-specific: we found a stronger negative impact on female students. The results indicated that the majority of adolescents could adapt to the dramatic changes in their environment. However, healthcare institutions, municipalities, schools, and social services could benefit from the findings of this study in their work to meet the needs of those young people who signaled worsened psychosocial functioning, increased stress, and victimization.

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