scholarly journals When Collaborating in Constructive Task With Spouse: Attachment Orientation Predicts Exploratory Behavior Among Older Couples

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Wang ◽  
Xiancai Cao ◽  
Fengzhan Li ◽  
Dahua Wang
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Exploratory Behavior ◽  
Early Adulthood ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Attachment Avoidance ◽  
Collaborative Activity ◽  
Older Couples ◽  
Actor Partner Interdependence Model ◽  
Attachment Orientation ◽  
Orientation And Exploratory Behavior

In order to examine the function of the attachment system in later life, this study investigated the relationships between attachment orientation and exploratory behavior in a collaborative constructive activity with one’s spouse among older adults. In total, 49 older couples completed a collaborative constructive task, and their behaviors were videotaped. Each participant’s exploratory behavior (i.e., engagement, enjoyment, and distress) was coded by independent raters. The results revealed older adults highly engaged in the collaborative activity. In addition, based on the actor-partner interdependence model, the results indicated that attachment avoidance positively predicted the individuals’ enjoyment as well as their partners’ distress during the collaborative activity. The current findings extend the literature regarding the effects of attachment on exploration from early adulthood to later life, from the workplace to family life, and from individual’s own behavior to collaborative situation.

scholarly journals Activity Restriction and Depressive Symptoms in Older Couples

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 1251-1267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeong Eun Lee ◽  
Lynn M. Martire ◽  
Steve H. Zarit ◽  
Michael J. Rovine
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Marital Satisfaction ◽  
Life Stress ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Older Couples ◽  
Activity Restriction ◽  
Actor Partner Interdependence Model ◽  
Moderating Role

Objective: The present study aimed to clarify the circumstances under which activity restriction (AR) is associated with depressive symptoms among patients with osteoarthritis (OA) and their spouses. Method: A total of 220 older adults with OA and their caregiving spouses participated in the study. The actor–partner interdependence model (APIM) was used to examine the associations between AR stemming from patients’ OA and the depressive symptoms of patients and spouses. The potential moderating role of marital satisfaction also was examined. Results: After accounting for pain severity, health, and life stress of both patients with OA and spouses, higher AR was associated with more depressive symptoms for both patients and spouses. In regard to partner effects, patients whose spouse had higher AR reported more depressive symptoms. In addition, the association of spouses’ and patients’ AR and their own depressive symptoms was moderated by their marital satisfaction. For both patients and spouses, the associations between their own AR and depressive symptoms were weaker for those with higher levels of marital satisfaction compared with those with lower levels of marital satisfaction. Discussion: This pattern of findings highlights the dyadic implications of AR and the vital role of marital satisfaction in the context of chronic illness.

scholarly journals Effects of Late-Life Health Transitions on Spouses’ Psychological Well-Being

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 297-298
Author(s):  
Ruixue Zhaoyang ◽  
Christina Marini ◽  
Lynn Martire
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Actor Partner Interdependence Model ◽  
Spousal Health ◽  
Health Transitions

Abstract Declining physical health likely affects not only older adults’ own well-being, but also that of their spouse. Using two waves of data from 610 couples in the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project, we examined effects of health declines over five years on change in self and spousal psychological well-being. Actor-Partner Interdependence Model findings showed that declines in spouses’ physical health (i.e., increased pain and decreased physical and cognitive function) predicted increases in older adults’ anxiety. Given the increasing importance of later-life social ties outside of marriage, we further considered the role of non-spousal health confidants. Preliminary findings suggest that effects of health declines on both partners’ well-being depend on the availability of these confidants. When older adults have people in addition to their spouse with whom they can talk about their health, detrimental effects of spouses’ declining health on older adults’ well-being are weakened for some health outcomes

scholarly journals ESPO/BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES: SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS, ISOLATION, AND WELL-BEING

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S58-S58
Author(s):  
Jeffrey E Stokes ◽  
Elliane Irani ◽  
Patricia A Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Relationships ◽  
Chronic Conditions ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Older Couples ◽  
Depressive Symptomology ◽  
Subjective Side

Abstract The purpose of this symposium is twofold: (1) To present innovative research linking social relationships, isolation, and well-being among older adults, and (2) To highlight new and emerging scholars in the Behavioral and Social Sciences section of GSA. The papers in this symposium examine the repercussions of numerous relationships for well-being in later life. Huo and colleagues examine the impacts of contact with close and not-close social partners on physical activity, highlighting differences by gender. Polenick and colleagues focus on perhaps the closest of relationships in later life: marriage, analyzing longitudinal associations between discordant chronic conditions and depressive symptoms among older couples. Upenieks takes an intergenerational perspective, examining the embeddedness of adult children in older adults’ networks in the context of both depression onset and chronically high depressive symptomology. This paper also highlights the consequences of well-being for older adults’ social isolation, and not merely the reverse. Hladek and colleagues explore the subjective side of isolation among older adults with chronic disease, noting links between loneliness and self-efficacy that may have clinical and interventional significance. Lastly, Meinertz and Gilligan explore potential gaps in service provision that may increase rural older adults’ risk of isolation and abuse. Taken together, these five papers underscore the importance of various social relationships for older adults’ well-being, and suggest implications for how best to promote healthy aging. As discussant, Thomas will assess the strengths and limitations of these papers, and consider the contributions these studies – and new scholars – can make to the field.

The Prevalence, Stability, and Impact of Personality Pathology in Later Life

2019 ◽  
pp. 192-216
Author(s):  
Thomas F. Oltmanns ◽  
Steve Balsis
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Personality Disorders ◽  
Early Adulthood ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Personality Pathology ◽  
Middle Adulthood ◽  
Aging Network

This chapter notes that much research has examined the onset and stability of personality disorders through early adulthood with very little research examining personality disorders from middle adulthood to later life. The chapter outlines important issues and questions that should be addressed by studies concerned with personality pathology in older adults. It also reviews key findings from the St. Louis Personality and Aging Network (SPAN) Study.

scholarly journals Spousal Support, Spousal Strain, and Loneliness in Older Mexican Couples

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph L Saenz
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Daily Living ◽  
Functional Limitation ◽  
Institutional Support ◽  
Spousal Support ◽  
Married Couples ◽  
Older Couples ◽  
Traditional Gender Roles ◽  
Actor Partner Interdependence Model ◽  
Aging Study

Abstract Objectives A growing body of research has identified factors related to loneliness among older adults. Fewer have investigated predictors of loneliness within married couples. This analysis investigates how spousal support and strain relate with loneliness within older couples (age 50+), and whether these associations are modified by functional limitation. The study focuses on Mexico, a country experiencing rapid aging occurring alongside historically limited institutional support for older adults, and where traditional gender roles extend to marriage. Methods The analytic sample consisted of 3,584 husband–wife dyads from the 2012 and 2015 Mexican Health and Aging Study. Loneliness was measured using the Three-Item Loneliness Scale. Associations between spousal support, strain, and loneliness were estimated within husband–wife dyads using the Actor–Partner Interdependence Model. Results Experiencing more spousal support was associated with less loneliness, whereas experiencing spousal strain was associated with more loneliness 3 years later among married adults. The associations between spousal support/strain and loneliness were stronger among husbands with limitations in activities of daily living (ADL) when compared to their counterparts without ADL limitations. Discussion Among married adults, spousal support and strain may be important factors to understand loneliness within marriage. Effects should be interpreted within the context of functional limitation.

Leisure Activities and the Subjective Well-Being of Older Adults in Croatia

GeroPsych ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ljiljana Kaliterna Lipovčan ◽  
Tihana Brkljačić ◽  
Zvjezdana Prizmić Larsen ◽  
Andreja Brajša-Žganec ◽  
Renata Franc
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Leisure Activity ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Perceived Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Financial Status

Abstract. Research shows that engagement in leisure activities promotes well-being among older adults. The objective of the current study was to examine the relationship between subjective well-being (flourishing) and leisure activities (total number of different activities in the previous year) in a sample of older adults in Croatia, thereby considering the variables of sex, marital status, financial status, and self-perceived health. The differences in the examined variables between the groups of older adults who reported to be engaged in new activities with those who did not were also examined. The sample of N = 169 older adults aged 60 years and above was drawn from a convenience sample of adult internet users in Croatia. Participants reported their self-perceived health and the number of leisure activities they engaged in over the previous year as well as completing the Flourishing Scale. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that older adults who were engaged in more various leisure activities, who perceived better financial status, and who were married reported higher levels of flourishing. A comparison of the two groups of older adults with and without engagement in leisure activities showed that those engaged in at least one leisure activity were more likely to be women, reported higher levels of flourishing, and perceived their own financial status as better. This study indicated that engaging in leisure activities in later life might provide beneficial effects for the well-being of older adults.

Interventions for Mental Health Problems in Later Life

2010 ◽  
pp. 810-837
Author(s):  
Jason M. Holland ◽  
Dolores Gallagher-Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Clinical Psychologist ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Worldwide Population ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Post Traumatic

Older adults are increasingly making up a larger segment of the worldwide population, which presents both challenges and opportunities for the clinical psychologist in the 21st century. In this chapter, we address some of the unique aspects of working with this population, focusing on general guidelines for tailoring interventions for older adults, specific treatments for particular problems commonly faced in later life, as well as issues of diversity and how they might impact psychotherapy with older clients. We also outline several areas in geropsychology that are in need of further investigation, namely the use of technology, post-traumatic stress, and family therapy, and offer some recommendations for future directions in this field of study.

scholarly journals Leisure time physical activity throughout adulthood is associated with lower medicare costs: evidence from the linked NIH-AARP diet and health study cohort

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. e001038
Author(s):  
Diarmuid Coughlan ◽  
Pedro F Saint-Maurice ◽  
Susan A Carlson ◽  
Janet Fulton ◽  
Charles E Matthews
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Healthcare Costs ◽  
Middle Age ◽  
Leisure Time Physical Activity ◽  
Early Adulthood ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Health Study ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Physical Activity Levels ◽  
Medicare Costs

BackgroundThere is limited information about the association between long-term leisure time physical activity (LTPA) participation and healthcare costs. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between LTPA over adulthood with later life healthcare costs in the USA.MethodsUsing Medicare claims data (between 1999 and 2008) linked to the National Institutes of Health-American Association of Retired Persons (NIH-AARP) Diet and Health Study, we examined associations between nine trajectories of physical activity participation throughout adulthood with Medicare costs.ResultsCompared with adults who were consistently inactive from adolescence into middle age, average annual healthcare costs were significantly lower for maintainers, adults who maintained moderate (–US$1350 (95% CI: –US$2009 to –US$690) or −15.9% (95% CI: −23.6% to −8.1%)) or high physical activity levels (–US$1200 (95% CI: –US$1777 to –US$622) or −14.1% (95% CI: −20.9% to −7.3%)) and increasers, adults who increased physical activity levels in early adulthood (–US$1874 (95% CI: US$2691 to –US$1057) or −22.0% (95% CI: −31.6% to −12.4%)) or in middle age (–US$824 (95% CI: –US$1580 to –US$69 or −9.7% (95% CI −18.6% to −0.8%)). For the four trajectories where physical activity decreased, the only significant difference was for adults who increased physical activity levels during early adulthood with a decline in middle age (–US$861 (95% CI:–US$1678 to –US$45) or −10.1% (95% CI: −19.7% to −0.5%)).ConclusionOur analyses suggest the healthcare cost burden in later life could be reduced through promotion efforts supporting physical activity participation throughout adulthood.

scholarly journals Designing Age-Friendly Communities: Exploring Qualitative Perspectives on Urban Green Spaces and Ageing in Two Indian Megacities

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 1491
Author(s):  
Deepti Adlakha ◽  
Mina Chandra ◽  
Murali Krishna ◽  
Lee Smith ◽  
Mark A. Tully
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Healthy Ageing ◽  
World Health ◽  
Social Resilience ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Urban Green ◽  
Activity Promotion

The World Health Organization and the United Nations have increasingly acknowledged the importance of urban green space (UGS) for healthy ageing. However, low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) like India with exponential ageing populations have inadequate UGS. This qualitative study examined the relationships between UGS and healthy ageing in two megacities in India. Participants were recruited using snowball sampling in New Delhi and Chennai and semi-structured interviews were conducted with consenting participants (N = 60, female = 51%; age > 60 years; fluent in English, Hindi, or Tamil). Interviews were recorded, transcribed, translated, and analysed using inductive and thematic analysis. Benefits of UGS included community building and social capital, improved health and social resilience, physical activity promotion, reduced exposure to noise, air pollution, and heat. Poorly maintained UGS and lack of safe, age-friendly pedestrian infrastructure were identified as barriers to health promotion in later life. Neighbourhood disorder and crime constrained older adults’ use of UGS in low-income neighbourhoods. This study underscores the role of UGS in the design of age-friendly communities in India. The findings highlight the benefits of UGS for older adults, particularly those living in socially disadvantaged or underserved communities, which often have least access to high-quality parks and green areas.

scholarly journals Profile Groups Based on Lifestyle and Differences in Mental Health and Cognition

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 404-404
Author(s):  
Joseph Kim ◽  
Kyuree Kim
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Mail Survey ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Final Sample ◽  
Group 2 ◽  
Mean Differences

Abstract The purpose of this study was to identify the profiles of older adults according to lifestyle. Data for the study were from the 2017 Consumption and Activities Mail Survey (CAMS). CAMS 2017 is a questionnaire mailed to a sub-sample of respondents from the Health and Retirement Study. Participants were limited to older adults 65 and older, and the final sample consisted of 1136 older adults. The sample included 443 men and 693 women. Caucasians comprised 82.0% of the participants. Lifestyle was measured through items assessing the amount of time spent on activities. Due to high skewness, the items were dichotomized, 0=no time spent on activity and 1=time spent on the activity. Latent class analysis (LCA) was performed to identify groups based on lifestyle. LCA is a person-centered approach for identifying unobserved subgroups based on similarity in responses to items. Three lifestyle groups were identified. Group 1 was “Outgoing” with 471 individuals. Group 2 was “Adequate” with 229 individuals. Group 3 was “Inactive” with 436 individuals. An ANOVA was then conducted to assess mean differences in self-rated health, cognition, depressive symptoms, and loneliness for the three lifestyle groups. The “Outgoing” and “Adequate” groups had significantly higher scores on self-rated health and cognition, and in addition, significantly lower scores on depressive symptoms and loneliness compared to the “Inactive” group. No significant differences were observed between the “Outgoing” and “Adequate” groups. An implication from this study is the importance of maintaining an active lifestyle in later life for better mental health and cognition.

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