LONGITUDINAL IMPLICATIONS OF SOCIAL INTEGRATION FOR AGE AND GENDER DIFFERENCES IN LATE-LIFE PHYSICAL FUNCTIONING

Abstract

Aging adults may face limitations in physical functioning which can influence their quality of life. Though previous research has documented potential benefits of social integration (SI) for late-life physical functioning, it is not well understood how those benefits may vary over time among women and men of different ages. The present study examined potential age and gender differences in the longitudinal associations between SI and physical functioning by constructing a two-level hierarchical linear model with three waves of data collected over four years from a sample of 403 adults (baseline age of 60 to 98). Whereas age and SI predicted functional limitations, findings also indicated multiple interactions of age, gender, and SI on levels and trajectories of functional limitations. Older people with low SI appeared to experience greater increase in functional limitations than those with high SI, a pattern not found among younger people. Levels and trajectories of functional limitations also differed between genders. Older women showed greater increases in functional limitations than older men in contrast to relatively similar trajectories between younger women and men. In addition, having high levels of SI was associated with fewer functional limitations among men as compared to women. These findings suggest that SI may be more protective for late-life physical functioning among men as well as older cohorts of both genders. This study highlights future directions for longitudinal research on SI in late-life. Moreover, this study highlights the need to explore practical implications for focusing on promoting SI among the oldest old.