Bereavement in Very Old Age: Impact on Health and Relationships of the Loss of a Spouse, a Child, a Sibling, or a Close Friend

2010 ◽  
Vol 60 (4) ◽  
pp. 301-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian J. Lalive d'Epinay ◽  
Stefano Cavalli ◽  
Luc A. Guillet
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Functional Status ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Oldest Old ◽  
Great Majority ◽  
Close Friend ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Very Old ◽  
Very Old Age

This article deals with the following two questions: In very old age, which are the main sources of bereavement? And what are the consequences of such losses on health and on relationships? The findings are based on the complete set of data compiled in the course of the Swiss Interdisciplinary Longitudinal Study on the Oldest Old (SWILSOO), which provided a 10-year follow-up of a first cohort (1994–2004) and a 5-year follow-up of a second (1999–2004). The data revealed that, in very old age, the great majority of the dear ones who died were either siblings or close friends. Taken as a whole, the bereaved suffered a marked and lasting increase in depressive symptoms, together with a short-term deterioration in their functional status; those bereft of a spouse or a child saw their functional status worsen and exhibited enduring depressive symptoms but they also benefited from support in the form of increased interaction; those bereft of siblings only suffered from a mild, short-term deterioration in functional status; those who had lost a close friend suffered a very significant increase in depressive symptoms. In the medium term, most of these effects disappeared, lending weight to the claim that the survivors manage to cope with the misfortunes of life.

scholarly journals The experience of transitions in care in very old age: implications for general practice

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 778-784
Author(s):  
Fiona Scheibl ◽  
Jane Fleming ◽  
Jackie Buck ◽  
Stephen Barclay ◽  
Carol Brayne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Old Age ◽  
Family Relationships ◽  
Oldest Old ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Old Patients ◽  
Very Old ◽  
Complex Process ◽  
Community Ties ◽  
Very Old Age

Abstract Background It can be challenging for general practitioners to support their oldest old patients through the complex process of relocation. Objective To provide a typology of the experiences of moving in very old age that is clinically useful for practitioners navigating very old people’s relocation. Methods Qualitative analysis of data from a mixed-methods UK population-based longitudinal study, Cambridge City over-75s Cohort (CC75C), from Year 21 follow-up onwards. Interviews with participants aged ≥95 years old and proxy informants (Year 21: 44/48, 92%, subsequent attrition all deaths). Thematic analysis of qualitative data available from 26/32 participants who moved before they died. Results Individuals who moved voluntarily in with family experienced gratitude, and those who moved into sheltered house or care homes voluntarily had no regrets. One voluntary move into care was experienced with regret, loss and increased isolation as it severed life-long community ties. Regret and loss were key experiences for those making involuntary moves into care, but acceptance, relief and appreciation of increased company were also observed. The key experience of family members was trauma. Establishing connections with people or place ahead of moving, for example through previous respite care, eased moving. A checklist for practitioners based on the resulting typology of relocation is proposed. Conclusions Most of the sample moved into residential care. This study highlights the importance of connections to locality, people and place along with good family relationships as the key facilitators of a healthy transition into care for the oldest old. The proposed checklist may have clinical utility.

Walking Up to One Hour Per Week Maintains Mobility as Older Women Age: Findings from an Australian Longitudinal Study

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 269-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bonnie Field ◽  
Tom Cochrane ◽  
Rachel Davey ◽  
Yohannes Kinfu
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Longitudinal Data ◽  
Older Women ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Very Old ◽  
Australian Longitudinal Study ◽  
Data Analyses ◽  
Very Old Age ◽  
Mobility Aid

The aim of this study was to identify determinants of walking and whether walking maintained mobility among women as they transition from their mid-70s to their late 80s. We used 12 years of follow-up data (baseline 1999) from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health (n = 10,322). Fifteen determinants of walking were included in the analysis and three indicators of mobility. Longitudinal data analyses techniques were employed. Thirteen of the 15 determinants were significant predictors of walking. Women in their mid-70s who walked up to 1 hr per week were less likely to experience loss of mobility in very old age, including reduced likelihood of using a mobility aid. Hence, older women who do no walking should be encouraged to walk to maintain their mobility and their independence as they age, particularly women in their 70s and 80s who smoke, are overweight, have arthritis, or who have had a recent fall.

scholarly journals Cumulative Load of Depressive Symptoms Is Associated With Cortisol Awakening Response in Very Old Age

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 126-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helena Chui ◽  
Christiane A. Hoppmann ◽  
Denis Gerstorf ◽  
Ruth Walker ◽  
Mary A. Luszcz
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Cortisol Awakening Response ◽  
Very Old ◽  
Very Old Age

scholarly journals Basic Resources and Psychological Strengths as Predictors of Depressive Symptoms

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 110-110
Author(s):  
Charikleia Lampraki ◽  
Daniela Jopp
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mediation Effect ◽  
Very Old ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Very Old Age ◽  
Psychological Strengths

Abstract Loss of personal resources is expected to have a negative effect on well-being in all ages, however, in very old age, this effect may be exacerbated. Centenarians, who are confronted with accumulated age-related losses, may be at higher risk of experiencing depressive symptoms. This study investigated the link between basic resources (i.e., health, social network) and depressive symptoms and whether it was mediated by psychological strengths (i.e., meaning, optimism) in 119 centenarians and near-centenarians (Mage = 99.7 years). Results indicated that meaning in life fully mediated the link between health and depressive symptoms, and the link between social network size and depressive symptoms. Similarly, optimism mediated the link between network and depression, but no mediation effect was found when considering health as basic resource. In sum, basic resources are only indirectly associated to depressive feelings, with psychological strengths playing an important intervening role in very old age.

How are Temporal and Social Comparisons Related to Appraisals of Self-Rated Health During Very Old Age?

2007 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 79-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dario Spini ◽  
Alain Clémence ◽  
Paolo Ghisletta
Keyword(s):  
Old Age ◽  
Oldest Old ◽  
Time Lag ◽  
Social Comparisons ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
Very Old ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Direction Of Effects ◽  
Very Old Age ◽  
Positive Effect

This study investigated the direction of effects of temporal and downward social comparisons on self-rated health in very old age. Conversely, self-rated health can either reinforce or hinder comparison processes. In the framework of the Swiss Interdisciplinary Longitudinal Study on the Oldest Old, individuals aged 80 to 84 at baseline were interviewed and followed longitudinally for 5 years. Multilevel analyses were used to test the relative importance of temporal and social comparisons on self-rated health evaluations synchronically and diachronically (with a time lag of 12 to 18 months) as well as the direction of these relative influences. Results indicate that (a) at the synchronic level, continuity temporal comparisons have more impact than downward social comparisons on self-rated health; (b) both types of comparison had an independent and positive effect on self-rated health at the diachronic level; (c) self-rated health has an independent synchronic effect on both types of comparison and an independent diachronic effect in temporal comparison.

scholarly journals The Role of Social Isolation and the Development of Depression. A Comparison of the Widowed and Married Oldest Old in Germany

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (13) ◽  
pp. 6986
Author(s):  
Franziska Förster ◽  
Melanie Luppa ◽  
Alexander Pabst ◽  
Kathrin Heser ◽  
Luca Kleineidam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Mixed Models ◽  
Oldest Old ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Impact

Widowhood is common in old age, can be accompanied by serious health consequences and is often linked to substantial changes in social network. Little is known about the impact of social isolation on the development of depressive symptoms over time taking widowhood into account. We provide results from the follow-up 5 to follow-up 9 from the longitudinal study AgeCoDe and its follow-up study AgeQualiDe. Depression was measured with GDS-15 and social isolation was assessed using the Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS-6). The group was aligned of married and widowed people in old age and education through entropy balancing. Linear mixed models were used to examine the frequency of occurrence of depressive symptoms for widowed and married elderly people depending on the risk of social isolation. Our study shows that widowhood alone does not lead to an increased occurrence of depressive symptoms. However, “widowed oldest old”, who are also at risk of social isolation, have significantly more depressive symptoms than those without risk. In the group of “married oldest old”, women have significantly more depressive symptoms than men, but isolated and non-isolated do not differ. Especially for people who have lost a spouse, the social network changes significantly and increases the risk for social isolation. This represents a risk factor for the occurrence of depressive symptoms.

scholarly journals The shift from old age to very old age: an analysis of the perception of aging among older people

2022 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emile Escourrou ◽  
Sarah Laurent ◽  
Jacques Leroux ◽  
Stéphane Oustric ◽  
Virginie Gardette
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Oldest Old ◽  
Very Old ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Life Trajectories ◽  
Loss Of Autonomy ◽  
Very Old Age ◽  
Near Future ◽  
Theoretical Saturation

Abstract Background The oldest-old (individuals over 90 years) are a fast-growing population. Understanding the perceptions of older people about very old age is the first step towards developing optimal geriatric care for an aging population. This study aimed to explore the potential shift from old age to very old age through the exploration of older people’s perception of aging. Methods Qualitative study conducted through individual interviews in the homes of older people. We voluntarily chose to include persons a decade under and above 90 years old to explore other factors than age that could participate in the shift from old age to very old age. The sampling was theoretical. We carried out the analyses using an inductive approach based on the phases of grounded theory. The researchers used triangulation. Collection was concluded when theoretical saturation was reached. Results Fourteen participants were interviewed. The shift from old age to very old age was not based on age but occurred when participants became conscious of the irreversibility of aging and its effects, and when they started living day-by-day, renouncing to any plan in a near future. The transition to very old age seemed to be preceded by a progressive disengagement from non-essentials activities. Participants reported a sensation of progressive social exclusion due to the loss of contemporaries or spouse, the difficulty to connect with younger generations or the absence of relationships in their neighborhood. The last step of life was feared, not because of the idea of death itself but because of the associated suffering and loss of autonomy. Conclusion Precipitating and slowing factors of the shift to very old age were identified to help general practitioners support older patients throughout their life trajectories.

Risk factors for depressive disorders in very old age: a population-based cohort study with a 5-year follow-up

2013 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. 831-839 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sofia Petersson ◽  
Johan Mathillas ◽  
Karin Wallin ◽  
Birgitta Olofsson ◽  
Per Allard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Cohort Study ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Depressive Disorders ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Very Old ◽  
Very Old Age

Cathartic Effect of Suicide Attempts Not Limited to Depression

Crisis ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 73-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yves Sarfati ◽  
Blandine Bouchaud ◽  
Marie-Christine Hardy-Baylé
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Rating Scales ◽  
Suicide Attempts ◽  
World Health ◽  
Life Questionnaire ◽  
Short Term

Summary: The cathartic effect of suicide is traditionally defined as the existence of a rapid, significant, and spontaneous decrease in the depressive symptoms of suicide attempters after the act. This study was designed to investigate short-term variations, following a suicide attempt by self-poisoning, of a number of other variables identified as suicidal risk factors: hopelessness, impulsivity, personality traits, and quality of life. Patients hospitalized less than 24 hours after a deliberate (moderate) overdose were presented with the Montgomery-Asberg Depression and Impulsivity Rating Scales, Hopelessness scale, MMPI and World Health Organization's Quality of Life questionnaire (abbreviated versions). They were also asked to complete the same scales and questionnaires 8 days after discharge. The study involved 39 patients, the average interval between initial and follow-up assessment being 13.5 days. All the scores improved significantly, with the exception of quality of life and three out of the eight personality traits. This finding emphasizes the fact that improvement is not limited to depressive symptoms and enables us to identify the relative importance of each studied variable as a risk factor for attempted suicide. The limitations of the study are discussed as well as in particular the nongeneralizability of the sample and setting.

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