Social Aspects of Ageing and Senility

1946 ◽  
Vol 92 (386) ◽  
pp. 182-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Goldschmidt

The object of my study was an attempt to discover what social factors might be said to contribute to either mental health or mental ill-health in old age. I studied the histories of four groups of 50 aged in four different settings which in retrospect might be said to form a spectrum. That is to say that each subsequent social background seemed to be more conducive to normal ageing than the preceding one. The actual sequence of the whole investigation, for technical reasons, was, however, as follows: In the first place I made contact with patients in Tooting Bec Mental Hospital; as a second group I chose people in a Club for Old Age Pensioners in Streatham; thirdly, I visited old people living by themselves in Fulham; and finally, 1 interviewed a group who are living on an Estate at Mill Hill, the Estate being maintained by the Society of Linen and Woollen Drapers. In all but the last sample I studied the cases of 25 men and 25 women.

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vandana N Solanki

The study was intended to examine the effect of mental health on old people. Aim: The aim was to estimate the prevalence of mental health in old people and to determine the association of mental health with types of family and gender. Sample: The sample consists of 120 old people from different old age home and family in Rajkot district area. The sample was selected from randomly. Design: 2*2research design was used the present study. Tools: Mental Health was measured through a questionnaire ‘Mental Health Inventory’was used. Test developed by Bhatt D & Gida G. in (1992).The data was analyzed by the t test. Results: There will be no significant difference between Gender and Types of Area in relation to their mental health. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates a higher prevalence of mental health in old people.


2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (S1) ◽  
pp. 1-1
Author(s):  
N. Tataru ◽  
A. Dicker

During the twentieth century, many behavioural and biological theories of aging have been advanced that ageing is a multidimensional phenomenon. Ageing is a progressive decline in function and performance, which accompanies advancing years. Cicero noticed that the old people preserved their intellects if they maintained their interests.To the social, economical and medical problems that old age arises to the society, one may add the continue increase of old people proportion in the general population. The ageing of population is becoming a reality in developed and in less developed countries too. We talk about a conceptual definition of normal ageing and also about successful and morbid ageing. Normal ageing is an ageing process without any clinical somatic or mental disorder and a morbid ageing is characterized by a process presenting clinical disorders which affects the somatic and mental health, the successful ageing being an ageing process in a favourable environmental conditions to promote individual development. We can consider not only the presence/absence of a disorder but also its impact in someone's life. The functioning capacity loss could be considered as a marker of the presence of a clinical disorder.Stigma remains a major obstacle to ensuring access to good care for elderly with mental disorders, these patients suffers of a double jeopardy (old age and mental disorders). Both stigma and discrimination against these old persons depend on the type of mental disorder and we have to protect them against discrimination and improve their quality of life.


Principles of nursing older people 900 Assessing older people 902 The ageing person 904 Common nursing problems 906 Psychological factors 910 Common mental health problems in old age 912 Social factors and ageing 914 Organic brain disorders (confusion) 916 Assessment of confusion 918 Dementia 920...


1953 ◽  
Vol 99 (415) ◽  
pp. 257-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maurice Silverman

Cook, Dax and Maclay (1952), studying the population over age 65 in the public mental hospitals in England and Wales, showed that, for the ten-year period 1938 to 1948, the percentage of patients over age 65 to the total mental hospital population rose by approximately three times as much as the per cent. increase in the general population of those over age 65 to the total population. However, in addition to the magnitude of the problem of mental ill-health in the aged, its many aspects involve extensive fields where knowledge is still lacking. In consequence, it is extremely desirable to investigate more fully the psychiatric disorders occurring in old people, and the increasing importance of these maladies—especially their social significance—has prompted the present study.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
L de Albuquerque Araújo ◽  
N Bello Escamilla ◽  
V Sabando Franulic

Abstract Chile has improved survival however this process occurs under a framework of socioeconomic and gender inequalities, which results in an impact of mental health, especially in vulnerable groups. The objective was to determine the association between depression and social integration in Chilean older adults. Cross-sectional study from the National Study of Dependence in Old Person 2010. The risk of depression was amount with Geriatric Depression Scale (>5). The social integration were quantity as frequency of meeting with close relatives (child, partner, daughter/ son-in-law, grandchildren); with other relatives (brother, brothers-in-law, nephews or other relatives) and with friends and neighbors in the last 12 months in 5 categories (never visit; less frequently; 1-2 times a month; 1-2 times a week; every day or almost). Logistic regression models considered the sampling design of the survey to identify association with odd ratio (OR) (never as reference category), adjustment for sex, age, ethnicity, household income, education, housing arrangement and chronic diseases (p ≤ 0,5). Total of 4179 older adults 25,3% reported risk of depression, the significative association with close relatives was in daily or almost frequency OR:0.42 (95%CI 0.27-0.67), 1-2 times a week OR: 0,57 (95%CI 0,33-0,99), 1-2 times/month OR: 0,56 (95%CI 0,99); other relatives were lower frequency OR: 0.54 (95%CI 0.38-0.78); 1-2 times/month OR; 0.50 (95%CI 0.31-0.81); 1-2 times/week OR:0.35 (95%CI 0.22-0.55); daily or almost OR:0.27 (95%CI 0.18-0.42). And meeting with friends and neighbors in the same frequency order were OR: 0.66 (95%CI 0.44-0.99); OR:0.43 (95%CI 0.26-0.73); OR:0.4 (95%CI 0.25-0.62); OR: 0.32 (95%CI 0.21-0.47). There is a negative gradient between depression and the frequency of meeting with friends, neighbors and family, independent of sociodemographic and health characteristics. Social integration must be promoted as a protective factor of mental health in elderly. Key messages Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses in old age and we found a negative gradient between the frequency of meeting friends, neighbors and family and the possibility of depression. It seems essential for public health to have strategies that address social life in old age to strengthen quality of live and mental health.


2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (11) ◽  
pp. 652-655
Author(s):  
Carlos Laranjeira

The COVID-19 pandemic compelled states to limit free movement, in order to protect at-risk and more vulnerable groups, particularly older adults. Due to old age or debilitating chronic diseases, this group is also more vulnerable to loneliness (perceived discrepancy between actual and desired social relationships) and social isolation (feeling that one does not belong to society). This forced isolation has negative consequences for the health of older people, particularly their mental health. This is an especially challenging time for gerontological nursing, but it is also an opportunity for professionals to combat age stereotypes reinforced with COVID-19, to urge the measurement of loneliness and social isolation, and to rethink how to further adjust interventions in times of crisis, such as considering technology-mediated interventions in these uncertain times.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Qian Wang ◽  
Phoenix K. H. Mo ◽  
Bo Song ◽  
Jiang-Li Di ◽  
Feng-Rong Zhou ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The COVID-19 has caused significant toll over the globe. Pregnant women are at risk of infection. The present study examined the frequency of washing hands with soap and wearing face mask when going out, prevalence of depression and anxiety, and identified their associated factors among pregnant women during the early phase of COVID-19 outbreak in China. Methods A cross-sectional online survey was conducted between 24 February and 3 March 2020. A total of 15 428 pregnant women who were using maternal health care services in China completed a questionnaire which assessed their socio-demographic and pregnancy-related characteristics, contextual, cognitive and social factors related to COVID-19, frequency of washing hands and wearing face masks, and depression and anxiety. Logistics regression analyses were performed to identify the associated factors of preventive behaviours and mental health. Results The prevalence of probable anxiety and depression was 28.2% and 43.6% respectively. 19.8% reported always wearing face mask when going out, and 19.1% reported washing hands with soap for more than 10 times per day. Results from logistic regression analyses showed that older age was associated with lower levels of depression and anxiety (OR = 0.42–0.67) and higher frequency of washing hands (OR = 1.57–3.40). Higher level of education level was associated with probable depression (OR = 1.31–1.45) and higher frequency of wearing face mask (OR = 1.50–1.57). After adjusting for significant socio-demographic and pregnancy-related factors, place of residence being locked down (aOR = 1.10–1.11), being quarantined (aOR = 1.42–1.57), personally knowing someone being infected with COVID-19 (aOR = 1.80–1.92), perception that COVID-19 would pose long term physical harm to human (aOR = 1.25–1.28) were associated with higher levels of depression and anxiety, while the perception that the disease will be under control in the coming month was associated with lower levels of depression and anxiety (aOR = 0.59–0.63) and lower tendency of always wearing face mask (aOR = 0.85). Social support was associated with lower levels of depression and anxiety (aOR = 0.86–0,87) and higher frequency of washing hands (aOR = 1.06). Conclusions The mental health and preventive behaviours of pregnant women during COVID-19 outbreak was associated with a range of socio-demographic, pregnancy-related, contextual, cognitive and social factors. Interventions to mitigate their mental health problems and to promote preventive behaviours are highly warranted.


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