Acceptance of Love and Remarriage Among Older Adults in the Philippines

2020 ◽  
pp. 089826432098124
Author(s):  
Ju Young Kim ◽  
Hanzhang Xu ◽  
Grace Cruz ◽  
Yasuhiko Saito ◽  
Truls Østbye

Objectives: Later-life re-partnership has been linked to healthy aging, but little is known about Philippine older adults’ perception of love and remarriage in older age. Methods: Using two nationally representative surveys on aging in the Philippines, we estimated the proportion of older adults reporting acceptance. Using weighted logistic regression, we assessed sociodemographic and health factors associated with acceptance as well as the relationship of this acceptance with social activity and health behaviors. Results: Only seventeen percent of respondents reported acceptance. Per multivariable analyses, unmarried men and married women reported acceptance, and acceptance was associated with increased social activity and smoking in men, less smoking in women, and more drinking in both genders. Discussion: Most older adults in the Philippines reported love and remarriage in old age as unacceptable. Through these results, we can understand how attitudes toward later-life relationship impact older adults’ health and well-being.

Author(s):  
Jongnam Hwang ◽  
Sangmin Park ◽  
Sujin Kim

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.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S594-S594
Author(s):  
Marnin J Heisel

Abstract Older adults have the highest rates of suicide globally, necessitating theory and research investigating suicide and its prevention in later-life. The experience of loneliness is significantly associated with depression, hopelessness, negative health outcomes, and mortality among older adults. Yet, relatively little research has focused on the role of loneliness in conferring suicide risk in later life. The purpose of the present study was thus to investigate the potential associations between loneliness and suicide ideation and behavior in a sample of community-residing older adults recruited into a larger two-year longitudinal study of psychological risk and resiliency to later-life suicide ideation. We specifically recruited 173 adults, 65 years or older, from community locations in a medium-sized Canadian city, for a study on “healthy aging.” Participants completed measures of positive and negative psychological variables, including depression, loneliness, and suicide ideation at a baseline assessment, and again at 2-4 week, 6-12 month, and 1-2 year follow-up points. Findings indicated that loneliness (UCLA Loneliness Scale) was significantly positively associated with concurrent depression and suicide ideation, negatively associated with psychological well-being and perceived social support, and differentiated between participants who endorsed or denied having ever engaged in suicide behavior. Baseline loneliness also explained significant variability in the onset of suicide ideation over a 1-2 year period of follow-up, controlling for age, sex, and baseline depression and suicide ideation. These findings will be discussed in the context of the need for increased focus on psychosocial factors when assessing and intervening to reduce suicide risk in older adults.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S747-S747
Author(s):  
Kojo Paul Ayernor

Abstract Significant increases in life expectancy and declining fertility confirms that population ageing is fast becoming a reality in several West African nations, and the demographic transition is expected to continue well into this century. This study examines the association between social capital, self-rated health, and depression among older adults aged 50 years and over in Ghana. It draws on a small scale, yet nationally representative longitudinal data from the Global Ageing Study (SAGE-WHO, 2003-2007). Social capital is conceptualized through four dimensions: personal control, generalized trust, safety in the community and free expression. Although there were not significant findings on social capital and depression, results demonstrated significant associations between social capital and self-rated health. The relationship between social capital and self-rated health suggests the need to extend and expand upon research regarding the relationship between social capital, health, and well-being in later life in aging African communities.


2018 ◽  
Vol 74 (6) ◽  
pp. 1020-1031 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon Ang ◽  
Tuo-Yu Chen

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.


2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 474-481 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark G. Davis ◽  
Kenneth R. Fox ◽  
Afroditi Stathi ◽  
Tanya Trayers ◽  
Janice L. Thompson ◽  
...  

The relationship of objectively measured sedentary time (ST), frequency of breaks in ST, and lower extremity function (LEF) was investigated in a diverse sample aged ≥ 70 years (n = 217). Physical activity (PA) was assessed by accelerometry deriving moderate-vigorous PA (MVPA) minutes per registered hour (MVPA min · hr−1), registered ST (ST min · hr−1), and breaks in ST min · hr−1 (breaks · hr−1). LEF was assessed by the Short Physical Performance Battery. Univariate associations with overall LEF were MVPA (r = .523), ST (r = −.499), and breaks (r = .389). Adjusted linear regression including MVPA min · hr−1, ST min · hr−1, and breaks · hr−1 explained 41.5% of LEF variance. Each additional break · hr−1 was associated with 0.58 point increase in LEF. Breaks and MVPA had strongest independent associations with LEF. Promoting regular breaks might be useful in maintaining or increasing LEF and later life independence. This novel finding is important for the design of effective lifestyle interventions targeting older adults.


2002 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 76-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aphrodite Stathi ◽  
Kenneth R. Fox ◽  
James McKenna

Using a qualitative approach, the dimensions of subjective well-being of active older adults were outlined and ways identified through which they might be influenced by participation in physical activities. One-to-one and group interviews were used to collect the data. Using cross-case analysis, 17 main themes were identified. The following main dimensions emerged: developmental, material, physical, mental, and social well-being. The findings indicated that physical activity influences all dimensions of the subjective well-being of older adults, with the exception of material well-being. Physical activity appears to contribute to the mental health of older adults through maintenance of a busy and active life, mental alertness, positive attitude toward life and avoidance of stress, negative function, and isolation. The complexity of subjective well-being and the multiple roles of physical activity stress the need to extend qualitative research to sedentary older adults and the institutionalized elderly to explore the relationship between well-being and physical activity in later life.


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