Older Adults’ Attitudes toward Aging: An Exploration of Death Anxiety and Hope

Abstract. Depression in older adults can be explained by Erikson’s theory on the conflict of ego integrity versus hopelessness. The study investigated the relationship between past acceptance, hopelessness, death anxiety, and depressive symptoms in 100 older (≥50 years) adults. The total Beck Hopelessness (BHS), Geriatric Depression (GDS), and Accepting the Past (ACPAST) subscale scores of the depressed group were higher, while the total Death Anxiety (DAS) and Reminiscing the Past (REM) subscale scores of both groups were similar. A regression analysis revealed that the BHS, DAS, and ACPAST predicted the GDS. Past acceptance seems to be important for ego integrity in older adults.

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Religiosity, spirituality and death anxiety among older adults living at home and in institutional facilities: a comparative study

Journal of Religion Spirituality & Aging ◽

10.1080/15528030.2021.1948948 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-13

Author(s):

Gil P. Soriano ◽

Kathyrine A. Calong Calong ◽

Rudolf Cymorr Kirby P. Martinez ◽

Rozzano C. Locsin

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Comparative Study ◽

Death Anxiety ◽

At Home

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Attitudes toward aging and loneliness among older adults: A mixed methods study

Perspectives In Psychiatric Care ◽

10.1111/ppc.12757 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Nilgün Kuru Alici ◽

Bilge Kalanlar

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Mixed Methods ◽

Mixed Methods Study ◽

Attitudes Toward Aging

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Is death anxiety more closely linked with optimism or pessimism among older adults?

Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics ◽

10.1016/j.archger.2018.05.003 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 77 ◽

pp. 169-173 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Michael D. Barnett ◽

Ellen A. Anderson ◽

Arthur D. Marsden

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Death Anxiety

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Present-Future Self-Continuity and Intergenerational Communication as Predictors of Young Adults’ Evaluations of Older Adults and Attitudes Toward Aging

Journal of Language and Social Psychology ◽

10.1177/0261927x211068539 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 0261927X2110685

Author(s):

Jessica Gasiorek

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Young Adults ◽

Intergenerational Communication ◽

Perceived Similarity ◽

Attitudes Toward Aging ◽

Future Self

This study examined how young adults’ perceived similarity to their future self at age 70 ( present-future self-continuity) and experiences of environmental “chatter” about aging predicted their views of older adults, and their anxiety and efficacy related to aging. Experiencing nonaccommodation from older adults predicted greater anxiety, lower efficacy, and more negative views of older adults; greater present-future self-continuity predicted higher efficacy about aging. Young adults’ present-future self-continuity also moderated the effects of accommodation from older adults on these outcomes.

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Death Anxiety in Younger and Older Adults

Death Attitudes and the Older Adult ◽

10.4324/9781315784489-8 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 123-136

Author(s):

James A. Thorson ◽

F. C. Powell

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Death Anxiety

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Relationship between meaning in life and death anxiety in the elderly: self-esteem as a mediator

BMC Geriatrics ◽

10.1186/s12877-019-1316-7 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Jiaxi Zhang ◽

Jiaxi Peng ◽

Pan Gao ◽

He Huang ◽

Yunfei Cao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Meaning In Life ◽

Death Anxiety ◽

The Elderly ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Study Data ◽

Life Questionnaire ◽

Life And Death ◽

Meaning In Life Questionnaire ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Background Death anxiety is a common phenomenon in all societies. Older adults may be more prone to death anxiety than their younger counterparts; however, death anxiety among older adults is not well understood. This study explores the relationship between meaning in life, self-esteem, and death anxiety in senior citizens in China. Methods A total of 283 older adults participated in this study; data were collected via the Meaning in Life Questionnaire, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Death Anxiety Scale. Results Results show that the dimensions of meaning in life, presence of meaning (r = − 0.43, p < 0.01), search for meaning (r = − 0.31, p < 0.01), and self-esteem (r = − 0.54, p < 0.01) were each negatively correlated with death anxiety. Regression analysis reveals that meaning in life significantly predicted self-esteem and death anxiety (F = 45.70, p < 0.01; R2 = 0.33). Path analysis indicated that self-esteem either completely or partially mediated the effects of meaning in life on death anxiety in older adults. Conclusions Overall, meaning in life appears to be significantly correlated with death anxiety in older adults, and self-esteem can mediate this effect.

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DEATH ANXIETY AND FINANCIAL DECISION-MAKING IN AGING: A STUDY FROM THE HUMAN CONNECTOME PROJECT AGING (HCP-A)

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.3311 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S907-S907

Author(s):

Timothy K Ly ◽

Mirella Diaz-Santos ◽

Liam Campbell ◽

Marcela Caldera ◽

Taylor Kuhn ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Decision Making ◽

Death Anxiety ◽

Late Life ◽

Financial Decision Making ◽

Monetary Rewards ◽

Delayed Reward ◽

Human Connectome Project ◽

Financial Decision ◽

Delayed Reward Discounting

Abstract While research addressing late-life death anxiety (the fear of death or the dying process) has focused on end-of-life care decision-making, few have studied the effect of late-life death anxiety on financial decision-making. This is particularly relevant to financial decision-making as older adults are more vulnerable to fraud and deception. The aim of this study was to determine how age and death anxiety affect financial decision-making in a sample of older adults of 60-93 years of age (N = 102), who participated in the HCP-A project at UCLA. To study this relationship, we used a delayed reward discounting task to model financial decision-making, where higher rates of discounting indicate a greater preference for immediate, smaller monetary rewards and lower rates of discounting indicate more future-oriented planning. To account for age-related cognitive decline, cognitive functioning was assessed using the NIH Toolbox. We hypothesized that the presence of death anxiety will increase discounting of future rewards in older adults. Results from a univariate ANOVA showed an interaction between age, death anxiety, and delayed reward discounting. Specifically, older adults with self-reported death anxiety showed greater preference for immediate, smaller monetary rewards. By controlling for cognition, these findings suggest that death anxiety moderates decision-making in late-life adults and may add to our understanding of why older adults are more susceptible to financial abuse. These results suggest a need to consider death anxiety as a moderating variable when developing and implementing policies and services that are geared towards older adults.

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