scholarly journals Dying to Belong: The Importance of Familiarity in Later Life

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 233372142094197
Author(s):  
Lucia Carragher ◽  
Catherine Ryan
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Population Aging ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Community Services ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Services And Supports ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

Despite the large amount of research into loneliness, the evidence base around effective ways of tackling loneliness among older adults is limited. Up to one-half of all older adults regularly feel lonely, negatively impacting physical and mental health. In light of population aging, family dispersal, and in the aftermath of COVID-19, it is vital that we grow the evidence base around the lived experience of older people, knowing what they want and why, and ensuring community services and supports are meaningful to them. Method: Three focus groups were held with community-dwelling older adults in Ireland. Results: Loneliness is associated with the loss of familiarity and connection to community. Conclusions: Understanding loneliness in later life is increasingly important with population aging. As plans for ending confinement linked to COVID-19 are devised, a mechanism is urgently needed to sustain the positive changes to communities which have meaningfully connected with older adults.

scholarly journals Using Everyday Technology Independently When Living with Forgetfulness: Experiences of Older Adults in Barcelona

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 233372142199375
Author(s):  
Samuel Briones ◽  
Louise Meijering
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Phenomenological Study ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults ◽  
The Capability Approach

Older adults living with forgetfulness encounter difficulties when engaging with changing and dynamic everyday technology (ET). The capability to use ET is important for independence in later life and is affected by the contextual and individual characteristics of older adults. Using the capability approach as a theoretical lens, this phenomenological study aims to explore the experiences of older adults living with forgetfulness, in order to identify contextual and individual factors that facilitate the use of ET in everyday life. A qualitative methodology was used to interview 16 community-dwelling older adults participating in memory and technology workshops at local community centres in Barcelona. Findings show that motivation and openness to learning played a facilitating role in our participants’ use of ET. The presence of social support in the form of “technology experts” and community centres offering learning opportunities were also enhancing factors that encourage independence when engaging with ET. In conclusion, our study demonstrates the importance of expanding intergenerational ET learning opportunities, through the creation of age-friendly spaces.

Reclaiming Social Space: Adapting Neighbourhoods to Support an Ageing Population

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Lisa McClintock
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Age Structure ◽  
Social Space ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Age In Place ◽  
Creative Solutions ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults ◽  
Unique Potential

<p>The age structure of New Zealand’s population is expected to undergo a dramatic change in the next few decades. By 2050, it is thought that approximately one quarter of the population will be aged 65+.  Research indicates that the overwhelming preference of older adults is to age in their own homes and communities if possible. However, loneliness among community-dwelling older adults is widespread.   Architecture as a discipline has unique potential to critique existing neighbourhood design and generate creative solutions to provide a more socially fulfilling environment for residents to age in place. Architecture for ageing must combat loneliness and enable continued contact in later life.   This research explores the sensitive adaptation of inner suburban Wellington neighbourhoods with the aim of empowering inhabitants to age positively in the community.</p>

scholarly journals SOCIAL ISOLATION AND OLDER ADULTS: UNDERSTANDING THEIR EXPERIENCE

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S368-S369
Author(s):  
Bonnie Jeffery ◽  
Tom McIntosh ◽  
Nuelle Novik
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Community Activities ◽  
Rural And Urban ◽  
Isolation Index ◽  
Key Variables ◽  
Services And Supports ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract This presentation will focus on a unique undertaking where three provincial organizations in Saskatchewan, Canada implemented nine projects to address social isolation for rural and urban older adults across a geography that encompasses one-half of the province. A survey of older adults was conducted to assess their level of social isolation in order to gain a more thorough understanding of the experiences of social isolation among community dwelling older adults. Key variables of interest included: older adult access to services and supports, participation in activities, feelings of being valued by others, barriers to supports and services, and the overall isolation experienced by older adults. The responses from 1,719 urban and rural older adults indicate that 24.1% of respondents felt that they lack support, 17.2% feel less connected to family and friends, and 16.8% of respondents do not feel valued by their friends and family. Overall, almost one-quarter (23.9%) of the survey respondents score ‘high’ or ‘medium’ on a Social Isolation Index. One-third of respondents report they experience barriers to participation in activities outside the home. Several key categories of barriers were identified: health, personal, environmental, social, transportation and systemic. Respondents identified accommodation, services, practices, and activities as areas where their community could assist in participation of community activities outside of the home. Social isolation can have serious health consequences for older adults. The results of this survey highlight several key areas that older adults identify as important for reducing their feelings of isolation and enhancing their overall health and well-being.

scholarly journals Stress and Adjustment During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study on the Lived Experience of Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra J. Jasmine Fiocco ◽  
Charlie Gryspeerdt ◽  
Giselle Franco
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Independent Living ◽  
Living Arrangement ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Behavioral Strategies ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing measures were put into place to flatten the pandemic curve. It was projected older adults were at increased risk for poor psychological and health outcomes resulting from increased social isolation and loneliness. However, little re-search has supported this projection among community-dwelling older adults. While growing body of research has examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults, there is a paucity of qualitative research that captures the lived experience of community-dwelling older adults. The current study aimed to better understand the lived experience of community-dwelling older adults during the first six months of the pandemic. Semi-structured one on one interviews were conducting with independent living older adults aged 65 years and older. After achieving saturation, 22 interview were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Following a recursive process, two overarching themes emerged from the data: perceived threat and challenges of the pandemic and coping with the pandemic. Specifically, participants reflected on the threat of contracting the virus and challenges associated with living arrangement, social isolation, and financial insecurity. Participants shared their coping strategies to maintain health and wellbeing, including behavioral strategies, emotion-focused strategies, and social support. Overall, this re-search highlights resilience among older adults during the first six months of the pandemic.

scholarly journals Impact of Personality Features and Interpersonal Problems on Anxiety Among Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 897-898
Author(s):  
Olivia Noel ◽  
Katie Granier ◽  
Daniel Segal ◽  
Marissa Pifer ◽  
Lisa Stone
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Psychosocial Functioning ◽  
Interpersonal Problems ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Clinical Syndromes ◽  
Personality Features ◽  
Development Of Anxiety ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract Introduction Anxiety is a significant mental health problem among older adults and is associated with multiple other mental disorders, poor psychosocial functioning, and reduced quality of life. Personality traits and disorders, along with interpersonal problems, may play a significant role in anxiety, but these relationships are not well understood among older adults. This study examined relationships between anxiety with normative personality traits, personality disorder (PD) features, and interpersonal problems. Method: Community-dwelling older adults (N = 130) completed the Geriatric Anxiety Scale (GAS), Coolidge Axis Two Inventory (CATI), Big Five Inventory-2 (BFI-2), and Circumplex Scales of Interpersonal Problems (CSIP). Results Anxiety was positively correlated with 13 of 14 CATI PD scales, ranging from .23 (Narcissistic) to .61 (Depressive). Regarding normative personality, anxiety was associated with Agreeableness (-.23), Conscientiousness (-.30), Extraversion (-.31), and Negative Emotionality (.56). Regarding interpersonal problems, anxiety was positively related to all eight CSIP scales: Self-Sacrificing (.30), Domineering (.31), Exploitable (.40), Intrusive (.41), Self-centered (.47), Nonassertive (.50), Socially Inhibited (.60), and Distant/Cold (.62). Regression analyses indicated that PD features accounted for the most variance in anxiety (53%), followed by interpersonal problems, (46%) and normative personality traits (33%). Discussion Anxiety appears to be meaningfully associated with PD features, several aspects of normative personality, and interpersonal problems, suggesting that these variables may play a role in the development of anxiety, or vice versa. Our findings especially speak to the growing awareness of the deleterious impact of PD features on clinical syndromes in later life, as evidenced by strong comorbidities with anxiety.

scholarly journals Physical and Mental Health, Technology Use, and Loneliness in Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 585-585
Author(s):  
Martha Coates ◽  
Zachary Hathaway ◽  
Katelyn Moore ◽  
Yaegin Park ◽  
Jenny Tsui ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Electronic Device ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Retirement Community ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Exact Test ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract Social isolation is a negative outcome of COVID-19. This study examined patterns of physical and mental health and technology use in older adults, and loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic. We recruited 115 community-dwelling older adults 65 and older (72% female) from the Pennsylvania region via Research Match (N=84) or from a retirement community (N=31). A significant association between loneliness and worsening of health during the pandemic was observed, Fisher’s Exact Test 6.90, p=.03. Those who were lonely demonstrated significantly lower Mental Component Summary Scores (M = 42.75, SD = 11.55) compared to those who were not lonely (M= 55.34, SD= 7.66), t(49) = 5.84, p &lt;.01. Those reporting loneliness were more likely to use a new electronic device to communicate with family during COVID-19 pandemic, X2, (1, N= 107) = 6.24, p =.01. These findings suggest the important role of technology to decrease loneliness in older adults during a pandemic.

scholarly journals Correlates of excessive daytime sleepiness in community-dwelling older adults: an exploratory study

2015 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 607-617 ◽  
Author(s):  
Camila Astolphi Lima ◽  
Wuber Jefferson de Souza Soares ◽  
Tereza Loffredo Bilton ◽  
Rosângela Corrêa Dias ◽  
Eduardo Ferrioll ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Urinary Incontinence ◽  
Older People ◽  
Excessive Daytime Sleepiness ◽  
Daytime Sleepiness ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) imposes a wide range of adverse health-related outcomes in older people, such as disability, which impair everyday activities and may increase the risk of fall. Few studies have explored EDS in Brazilian older people living in the community who are typically cared in primary health services. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of EDS and its sociodemographic, physical and mental health correlates among community-dwelling older adults. This is an exploratory, population-based study derived from Frailty in Brazilian Older Adults (FIBRA) study including adults aged 65 years and older. Participants with a score ≥ 11 points on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale were considered as having excessive daytime sleepiness. A structured, multidimensional questionnaire was used to investigate sociodemographic, physical and mental health, and self-rated health variables. The sample was composed of 776 older adults, of whom 21% (n = 162) presented excessive daytime sleepiness. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that EDS is associated with obesity (OR = 1.50; 95%CI 1.02 - 2.20), urinary incontinence (OR = 1.53; 95%CI 1.01 - 2.31), poor self-rated health (OR = 1.54; 95%CI 1.06 - 2.24), and depression symptoms (OR = 1.49; 95%CI 1.00 - 2.20). Our results suggest that healthcare professionals should identify older adults with EDS and implement intervention strategies to minimize the negative impact of the co-occurrence of this condition with obesity, depression and urinary incontinence over health and quality of life.

scholarly journals Trends in Physical and Cognitive Performance Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Switzerland

2020 ◽  
Vol 75 (12) ◽  
pp. 2347-2353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yves Henchoz ◽  
Christophe Büla ◽  
Armin von Gunten ◽  
Juan Manuel Blanco ◽  
Laurence Seematter-Bagnoud ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Population Aging ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Sample Population ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Timed Up And Go ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Physical Tests ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract Background With population aging, a key question is whether new cohorts of older people are in better health than previous ones. This study aimed to compare the physical and cognitive performance of community-dwelling older adults assessed at similar age in 2005, 2010, and 2015. Methods This repeated cross-sectional analysis used data from the Lausanne cohort 65+, a three random sample population-based study. Performance of participants aged 66–71 years in 2005 (N = 1,309), 2010 (N = 1,253), and 2015 (N = 1,328) was compared using a battery of six physical and four cognitive tests. Analyses included tests for trend across samples and multivariable linear regression models. Results Adjusted performance in all four timed physical tests (gait speed, Timed Up-and-Go, five times chair stand, and Moberg Picking-Up) improved across samples from 2005 to 2015, by +12.7% (95% confidence interval {CI} +10.5%; +14.9%) to +20.4% (95% CI +17.7%; +23.0%) in females, and by +10.6% (95% CI +8.7%; +12.4%) to +16.7% (95% CI +13.4%; +20.0%) in males. In contrast, grip strength and balance did not improve across samples. Adjusted cognitive performance showed no change in the Trail Making Test, but worsened significantly across samples for the Mini-Mental State Examination, verbal fluency, and the clock drawing test in both females (−1.9% [95% CI −2.7%; −1.1%] to −6.7% [95% CI −8.9%; −4.6%]) and males (−2.5% [95% CI −3.4%; −1.6%] to −8.0% [95% CI −11.1%; −4.9%]). Conclusions Over the last decade, performance of adults aged 66–71 years improved significantly in timed physical tests but worsened in most cognitive measures among later-born samples.

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