Activity In Later Life Research Articles

Combatting Ageism with Science: Robert Butler's Shaping of the National Institute on Aging.

The physician, scholar, and activist Robert Butler devoted much of his life to trying to end ageism in order to create a society that provides older persons with equal rights and opportunities. His passion for fighting ageism led to his becoming the founding director of the National Institute of Aging (NIA) and set the stage for many of its achievements during the past 50 years. This article explores how Butler first became committed to overcoming ageism, how he made a strong case for setting up NIA as a headquarters to combat ageism with science, and how he launched NIA as a multidisciplinary organization that could draw on research, training, and public policy as weapons against ageism. Finally, this article highlights how Butler, through his anti-ageism activities in later life, personified the possibilities he had done so much to make available to older persons through his launch of NIA.

Predicting persistent back pain causing severe interference with daily activities among community-dwelling older adults: the OPAL cohort study

BackgroundMany older adults experience disabling back and leg pain. This study aimed to identify factors associated with back pain causing severe interference with daily activities over 2 years.MethodsParticipants were 2,109 community-dwelling adults (aged 65–100 years; mean age 74.2 (SD 6.3)) enrolled in a prospective cohort study who reported back pain at baseline and provided back pain data at 2 years follow-up. Baseline data included demographics, socio-economic factors, back pain presentation and age-associated adverse health states (e.g. frailty, falls, walking confidence). At 2 years follow-up, we asked if they were currently experiencing back pain and if so, asked participants to rate how much their back pain interfered with their daily activities on a scale of 0–10. Severe back pain interference was defined by a rating of 7 or more. The association between baseline factors and severe back pain interference at two years was assessed using logistic regression models.ResultsAt two years, 77% of participants (1,611/2,109) still reported back pain, 25% (544/2,083) also reported leg pain and 14% (227/1,611) reported severe back pain interference with activities. Improvements in symptoms were observed over the two years follow-up in 880/2,109 participants (41.7%), 41.2% (869/2,109) of participants report no change and worsening symptoms was reported by 17.1% (360/2109) of participants. After adjusting for back pain troublesomeness at baseline, factors associated with reporting severe interference were adequacy of income (careful with money [OR 1.91; 95% CI 1.19–3.06]; prefer not to say [OR 2.22; 95% CI 1.11–4.43]), low endorsement of exercise in later life (OR 1.18; 95% CI 1.02–1.37), neurogenic claudication symptoms (OR 1.68 (95% CI 1.15–2.46)], multisite pain (OR 1.13; 95% CI 1.02–1.24) and low walking confidence (OR 1.15; 95% CI 1.08–1.22).ConclusionAfter adjusting for baseline pain severity, we identified five factors that were associated with severe pain limitation at two years follow-up among a cohort of community dwelling older people reporting back and leg pain. These included other pain characteristics, walking confidence and attitude to activity in later life. We also identified a socioeconomic factor (perceived adequacy of income). Future research should focus on whether identifying individuals using these risk factors in order to intervene improves back pain outcomes for older people.

THEATRICAL ART AS A MEANS OF DEVELOPING INTERPERSONAL SKILLS IN PUPILS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS

The article deals with the problem of the effectiveness of correctional work of higher education students with younger students with autism spectrum disorders. The aim of the article is to theoretically substantiate the problem and highlight the results of an empirical study on identifying the level of development of interpersonal interaction skills in primary school children with autism spectrum disorders through the means of theatrical art. The theoretical analysis of the problem has shown that the acquisition of experience of interaction, and skills of contact with children is recognized as one of the priority directions of personality development at the primary school age. In science, communication is considered as the interaction and establishment of contacts between individuals, which results in influencing each other, exchanging information, choosing a certain direction of joint action, as well as perceiving and understanding the interlocutor. It was determined that the artistic and communicative experience gained at the primary school age is a guarantee not only of the child’s general cultural development, but also of his or her liberation, confidence, and personal activity in later life. The emphasis was placed on the fact that theatrical activity proves to be an effective means of socialisation of primary schoolchildren, as it promotes comprehension of the moral implications of a literary work and participation in the game. This form of activity creates favourable conditions for development, focused on the holistic development of the personality of a child with ASD, activation of his/her creativity, and key mental processes. It is emphasised that the solution to the problem will be the implementation of a correctional and developmental program by higher education students aimed at developing interpersonal skills in primary school children with autism spectrum disorders. Under our supervision, students of Oles Honchar Dnipro National University conducted a study of the level of development of interpersonal skills in primary school children with autism spectrum disorders. The study involved primary school children with autism spectrum disorders in grades 1-A: 13 children – experimental group, and 1-B: 14 children – control group. The results of the study allowed higher education students to conclude that the development of interpersonal skills in primary school children with autism spectrum disorders can be successful under conditions of specially organised, systematised, and regular classes in the correctional and developmental program «Young Actors». The empirical study applied methods and strategies for implementing theatrical classes in the educational process with children with autism spectrum disorders. The use of theatrical art helps to improve communication skills, emotional understanding and social adaptation in children with autism spectrum disorders. The results obtained indicate the effectiveness of the correctional work of higher education students with children with autism spectrum disorders. Conclusions have been drawn regarding the effectiveness of the corrective developmental program in shaping interpersonal interaction skills in children with autism spectrum disorders through theatrical art. The practical results of the work can be useful for teachers, psychologists and parents who work with this category of children and seek to improve their quality of life and social interaction. In addition, the educational environment will contribute to social adaptation and the development of interaction skills in children with autism spectrum disorders.

Association of increased participation in social activity in later life with risk of all-cause mortality and heart diseases in older people: results from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS).

Previous studies have shown social activity is associated with reduced risk of health outcomes. However, among older people (≥65 years) who were socially inactive at baseline, limited study explored whether increased participation in social activity in later life was associated with reduced risk of health outcomes; therefore, using the data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, the study was performed. The study outcomes were 10-year all-cause mortality (sample number = 9,984) and 10-year heart diseases (sample number = 7,496). The exposure was the change of social activity frequency. Cox regression analysis was used for data analysis. During the follow-up, there were 6,407 all-cause mortalities and 1,035 heart diseases, respectively. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that cumulative incidences of all-cause mortality were significantly lower in participants with changes into more frequent social activity (log-rank p < 0.001), while no significant difference was observed for heart diseases (log-rank p = 0.330). Compared with the subgroup who never participated in social activity at baseline, adjusted HRs of all-cause mortality were 0.79 (95% CI: 0.70-0.90, p < 0.001), 0.78 (95% CI: 0.63-0.96, p = 0.019), 0.74 (0.59-0.92, p = 0.006), and 0.70 (95% CI: 0.56-0.88, p = 0.002) for the subgroup of switching to sometimes, the subgroup of switching to once a month, the subgroup of switching to once a week, and the subgroup of switching to everyday, respectively. The corresponding HRs of heart diseases were 0.83 (95% CI: 0.65-1.08, p = 0.170), 0.82 (95% CI: 0.51-1.31, p = 0.412), 0.91 (0.58-1.42, p = 0.675) and 0.75 (95% CI: 0.47-1.20, p = 0.227), respectively. Stratified and sensitivity analyses revealed similar results. Among older people who never participated in social activity, increased participation in social activity in later life was associated with reduced risk of all-cause mortality, but was not associated with reduced risk of heart diseases.

Active sex life for older people in Chile: biological, psychological and social variables influencing engagement

Introduction: Sexual activity in later life is increasingly being researched, but there is a gap in knowledge about the Global South, mainly Latin America. Objective: The objective of this article is to evaluate how biological, psychological and social factors influence active sex life in older Chilean people, using a gender-stratified analysis. Methodology: The study is based on secondary data analysis of the fifth National Survey of Quality of Life in Old Age, carried out in Chile in 2019 with a sample of 2,132 people aged 60 and over. Bivariate analysis was conducted to test the influence of biological, psychological and social variables on having an active sex life. Additionally, multiple hierarchal logistic regressions were carried out using a gender-stratified analysis to explore whether the independent variables predict active sex life. Results: Self-perceived health and chronic illness did not have predictive value regarding active sex life in older Chilean adults. However, partner health was a significant factor in predicting active sex life, particularly for women. People who reported being dissatisfied with life had 55 percent lower chance of having an active sex life than those who reported being very satisfied with life. Attitude towards sexuality, relationship status and education level were other variables that predicted an active sex life for older adults in Chile. Still, there were significant gender differences in the results. Conclusion: Interpersonal, psychological and social factors are more relevant than biological factors (except for age) when predicting sexual activity for older Chileans, and gender differences are central when analysing sexual activity.

Effect of increasing cognitive activity participation on default mode network in older adults with subjective cognitive decline: a randomised controlled trial

BackgroundHaving more cognitive activities may prevent dementia, but its evidence of modulating the functional brain network is limited. This randomised controlled trial (RCT) investigated the effect of increased cognitive activity participation on the default mode network (DMN) in older adults who had already been having regular cognitive activity participation and experiencing subjective cognitive decline (SCD). MethodsCommunity-living Chinese individuals aged 55 to 75 years with regular practice of Chinese calligraphy and screened positive for SCD (but negative for mild cognitive impairment or dementia) were randomly allocated to either the intervention or control group. Over 6 months, the intervention group doubled their weekly calligraphy practice time, while the control group maintained their usual amount of practice. The primary outcome was functional connectivities (FCs) of DMN, with pre-specified regions of interest including medial prefrontal cortex [mPFC], inferior parietal lobe [IPL], hippocampal formation [HF], posterior cingulate cortex [PCC], and lateral temporal cortex [LTC]. FC changes were compared using repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). This study is registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1900024433. FindingsBetween 15 January 2020 and 31 December 2021, 112 individuals consented and completed the baseline assessment. The participants, who had a mean age of 66·3 [SD 4·3] years, with 83 (74%) being women, had been practising calligraphy for an average duration of 9·7 years before enrolment and, in the preceding six months, for an average of 3·1 hours per week. 96 (86%) completed the post-intervention fMRI scan. Significant between-group differences were observed in the FCs between mPFC and right LTC (group difference=0·25 [95% CI=0·06-0·44], p=0·009), mPFC and right IPL (0·23 [0·06-0·39]; p=0·007), left HF and right LTC (0·28 [0·002-0·57]; p=0·04), and left HF and right IPL (0·34 [0·09-0·60]; p=0·009). InterpretationOur findings, which reveal positive neuromodulatory effects with increased calligraphy practice, highlight the importance of engaging more in cognitive activities in late life for better brain health.

Old but not out: Practical and theoretical implications for a caring and compassionate neighbourhood through civic engagement in later life

Background: The importance of civic engagement for caring and compassionate neighbourhoods is often overlooked in public and academic debate. Especially, civic engagement in later life in neighbourhoods is understudied. Research on this topic can shed light on the various obstacles and enablers that can stimulate or hinder civic engagement in later life at the local level. &#x0D; Aim: This workshop gives insight into the processes of in- or exclusion of civic engagement in later life at a neighbourhood level. Additionally, the goal is to stimulate reflection among participants about civic engagement in relation to caring neighbourhoods and compassionate communities and to jointly advance the state of knowledge. &#x0D; Participants: This session is relevant for people who civically engage in their respective neighbourhoods, as well as for practitioners, civil servants, politicians, researchers, and others who are interested in stimulating and understanding civic engagement in later life at the neighbourhood level. Those who have no experience with the subject are also welcome.&#x0D; Methods: The session starts with presentations of both researchers and a representative of a sociocultural organisation, to ensure both theoretical and practical coverage of the topic. Equipped with the background from the presentations, this workshop will continue by making personas to understand how a neighbourhood can create facilitators and barriers to civic engagement.&#x0D; 1.Introduction (10 min): The session starts with an introduction by prof. Dr. Sarah Dury about the meaning of compassionate and caring communities and how civic engagement activities like informal help and volunteering can play a role in it. &#x0D; 2.Three presentations (30 min): &#x0D; 1) The relationship of civic engagement in later life and the neighbourhood level (Toon Vercauteren, VUB): A presentation on how the neighbourhood interacts with civic engagement in later life with a focus on volunteering and informal helping behaviours.&#x0D; 2) Civic engagement in later life in a socially disadvantaged neighbourhood (Bas Dikmans, VUB): This presentation will focus on how the socially disadvantaged neighbourhood can pose obstacles to but also foster civic engagement in later life. &#x0D; &#x0D; 3) Practical examples of civic engagement in a socially disadvantaged neighbourhood in Schaerbeek (Ingrid Pecquet, Eva Bxl): Practical examples of civic engagement activities in later life that contribute to caring and compassionate communities will be presented. &#x0D; 3.Creating personas in groups (35 min): Together with the participants, we will construct personas, which are imaginary persons with characteristics and experiences of a particular group. In this workshop, we will focus on neighbourhood characteristics to understand how a neighbourhood can shape civic engagement in later life.&#x0D; 4.Plenary and closing session (15 min): The personas of each group will be briefly presented in the closing feedback round. The ideas generated during the session will be collected on a writing board that can be shared with the audience afterwards.&#x0D; End goal: This workshop will inform participants about what civic engagement in later life can look like in a neighbourhood. It will discuss the challenges and opportunities that arise in its practical application linked to caring neighbourhoods and compassionate communities.&#x0D;

ACKNOWLEDGING ILLNESS WHEN LIFE IS “CUT SHORT”: INCREASED COMMUNION IN LEGACIES

Abstract Crafting a legacy is meaningful activity in later life (McAdams et al., 1993). Threat of dying affects how individuals frame their life legacy (Hunter, 2007). We argue feeling one’s life is being “cut short” may promote greater communion in legacies. Older individuals with cancer may, however, need to acknowledge their illness to create a communion-focused legacy. To assess being ‘cut short, we calculated expected years of life lost (EYLL): difference between participant age and average U.S. life expectancy for men and women (NCHS, 2022). EYLL and self-reported Acknowledgement of Illness were used to predict extent of communion shared in personal legacies. Participants were 204 older adults with cancer receiving outpatient palliative care (M=65.78 years, Range= 55-88 years, 65.69% women) who narrated their legacy during Dignity Therapy (Chochinov, 2005). Narratives were audio-recorded, transcribed and reliably (κ=.71–1) content-analyzed for communion themes (McAdams, 2001). Hierarchical regression analyses (adjusted for gender and cancer stage) examined EYLL, Illness Acknowledgement and their interaction. Interaction between EYLL and illness acknowledgment showed participants with more expected years to lose narrated more total communion but this was particularly true for those acknowledging they were terminally ill, F(7, 173)=2.42, p=.02. Overall, older adults with cancer appear to value communion as an important aspect of legacy. Note, however, that individuals whose life is ‘cut short’ were especially likely to weave communion into their legacy. This may indicate a need to cement their legacy during DT, given they have had less time to do so in daily life or formal documents.

Understanding Health, Subjective Aging, and Participation in Social Activities in Later Life: A Regional Finnish Survey.

To understand health and well-being in later life, it is vital to consider the meaning of subjective aging. This study aimed to explore how perceived health, self-perceptions of aging, and participation in social activities relate to each other among older persons in the Bothnia region and Åland islands in Finland. Data were analyzed using Spearman's and polychoric correlation and multinomial logistic regression analyses. The perceived good health and the younger physical, psychological, and social dimensions of subjective age were found to be associated with each other and with participation in social activities outside one's home.

Effect of Duration of Education on Sexual Activity and the Mediating Role of Illness in Later Life: A Natural Experiment in English Schooling Reform.

This study aimed to examine the effect of increases in the duration of education on sexual activity in later life using the instrumental variable approach. Cross-sectional data were obtained from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, Wave 6 (2012/2013) for the analysis. The effect of the duration of education on a binary variable for sexual activity in the past month was examined by two-stage least squares estimation using the 1947 schooling reform as the instrument. A total of 1493 participants were included. The 1947 schooling reform significantly extended the duration of education by a mean of 0.86 years (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.52-1.20; F = 24.70) for men and 0.81 years for women (95% CI, 0.54-1.09; F = 33.82). The second-stage regression showed that an additional year of education increased the probability of having sexual activity in the past month by 0.16 points (95% CI, 0.07-0.25) for men and decreased the probability of having sexual activity in the past month by 0.18 points (95% CI, - 0.30- - 0.05) for women. The causal mediation analysis revealed that long-standing illness mediated the mechanism between education and sexual activity, but the mediational effect was clearly observed only for men: the indirect effect for men was 0.10 (95% CI, 0.01-0.20; the proportion mediated, 78.1%) and for women was - 0.16 (95% CI, - 1.23-0.90; the proportion mediated, 97.8%), respectively. This study confirmed the causal effect of education on sexual activity. However, the effect for men and women was completely opposite.

Who is online? A latent class analysis of internet activities and determinant characteristics of older people

As Italy is the European country with the highest percentage of adults aged over 60, growing concerns have emerged about how the ageing population is living in an era of increasing digitalisation. According to the capability approach framework, Internet services can enable older adults to achieve social inclusiveness and independence, only if the variety of digital activities includes a large number of active ageing parameters. This is the first study that explores Internet use by Italian older adults and identifies latent groups of Internet users. We elaborated 13,597 responses from an Italian representative annual population survey and 40 different online activities were analysed using an Exploratory Factor Analysis and further elaborated together with sociodemographic variables in a Latent Class Analysis. Three classes of older Internet users were identified: Utilitarian, Familiar and Enjoyment users. The findings support the existence of heterogeneous older Internet users, at the same time showing the importance of personal characteristics to predict class membership. Being female, widowed, having a low income, being poorly educated, living alone, and having various comorbidities predicted fewer online activities. From a policy perspective, this study highlights that targeted training programmes together with improvements to digital infrastructures are essential to increase the level of Internet activities in later life as is the need for policies in favour of the disadvantaged groups in the older population.

Physically Constructed and Socially Shaped: Sociomaterial Environment and Walking for Transportation in Later Life.

The predictive power of three intersecting environmental dimensions (built structures, social infrastructure, and social capital) on late-life walking was investigated, conceptually based on the ecological framework of place, which posits that a living environment is simultaneously a physical place, a social place, and a set of social bonds. Multilevel models were used to examine the extent to which environments, defined as interactions of the social and material environmental dimensions, reliably predicted walking for transportation among U.S. adults aged 60 years or older in the 2015 National Health Interview Survey (n = 11,180). Random intercepts representing 221 environments showed an intraclass correlation of 21%, indicating high levels of between-environment variance in walking. Social infrastructure had the highest predictive power for walking, followed by material structures and social capital. Synergistic interventions that incorporate the intersecting nature of the sociomaterial environment may be most effective in promoting physical activity in later life.

What happens behind doors? Exploring everyday indoor activities when ageing in place

Engaging in social interaction and physical movement during everyday activities has a positive influence on wellbeing in later life. For older adults who age in place, the majority of activities occur indoors, yet studies typically focus on outdoors. Gender influences social and physical activities but is understudied in an ageing-in-place context. We aim to address these gaps by increasing insight into the indoor activities in later life, with a focus on gender differences in social interaction and physical movement. Through a mixed-methods approach, data were collected using global positioning system (GPS) trackers, pedometers and activity diaries. Twenty community-dwelling older adults (11 women and 9 men) who were living in Lancashire collected these data over seven days. An exploratory spatio-temporal analysis was conducted on the 820 activities they undertook. We discovered that our participants spend large amounts of time indoors. We also found that social interaction increases the duration of the activity and, conversely, decreases levels of physical movement. When zooming in to gender differences, men's activities took significantly longer than women's activities and were characterised by higher level of social interaction. Based on these results, we argue that there is a trade-off between social interaction and physical movement in everyday activities. We suggest establishing a balance between socialising and moving in everyday activities in later life, specifically because maintaining high levels of movement and social interaction at the same time seems unachievable. In conclusion, it is important to design indoor environments that facilitate choice between being active and resting, and between being social and being on one's own rather than assume they are mutually-exclusive and/or universally “good” or “bad” per se.

Charting everyday activities in later life: Study protocol of the mobility, activity, and social interactions study (MOASIS).

Prominent theories of aging emphasize the importance of resource allocation processes as a means to maintain functional ability, well-being and quality of life. Little is known about which activities and what activity patterns actually characterize the daily lives of healthy older adults in key domains of functioning, including the spatial, physical, social, and cognitive domains. This study aims to gain a comprehensive understanding of daily activities of community-dwelling older adults over an extended period of time and across a diverse range of activity domains, and to examine associations between daily activities, health and well-being at the within- and between-person levels. It also aims to examine contextual correlates of the relations between daily activities, health, and well-being. At its core, this ambulatory assessment (AA) study with a sample of 150 community-dwelling older adults aged 65 to 91 years measured spatial, physical, social, and cognitive activities across 30 days using a custom-built mobile sensor ("uTrail"), including GPS, accelerometer, and audio recording. In addition, during the first 15 days, self-reports of daily activities, psychological correlates, contexts, and cognitive performance in an ambulatory working memory task were assessed 7 times per day using smartphones. Surrounding the ambulatory assessment period, participants completed an initial baseline assessment including a telephone survey, web-based questionnaires, and a laboratory-based cognitive and physical testing session. They also participated in an intermediate laboratory session in the laboratory at half-time of the 30-day ambulatory assessment period, and finally returned to the laboratory for a posttest assessment. In sum, this is the first study which combines multi-domain activity sensing and self-report ambulatory assessment methods to observe daily life activities as indicators of functional ability in healthy older adults unfolding over an extended period (i.e., 1 month). It offers a unique opportunity to describe and understand the diverse individual real-life functional ability profiles characterizing later life.

Supporting Physical Activity in Later Life: Perspectives From Older Adults

The older population, especially those living alone, is less likely to meet recommended physical activity levels than other age groups and deserves more attention in this era of population ageing. However, existing technologies for supporting physical activity have been generally poorly aligned with the needs of older adults. Reasons for such problem are manifold, including the lack of involving older adults in design and evaluation, prevalent technology-driven perspectives, and the complexity of designing behavior change technology. Therefore, this research project aims to investigate how to better design behavior change technology to support the needs of older adults living alone for physical activity, which will address four main aspects: meeting user needs, investigating the rationale of technology design, improving co-design practice, and evaluating designed technology. To this end, this project will employ a human-centered iterative design methodology and actively involve the target group in the design process to let their voices heard and incorporated in design. This research will not only contribute to a deeper understanding towards the needs and preferences of this insufficiently studied group, but also identify implications for improving co-design practices as well as design opportunities for future behavior change technology.

Caring masculinities at work in later life: Exploring relational care work in retirement

AbstractThe paper reports on research that investigates older men's care practices and how their caring for others opens new ways of exploring the intersections of aging, gender, and care work. Using the concept caring masculinities as a sensitizing concept, the onus is on exploring patterns of power, interdependence, and relationality within men's care practices. Aging masculinities often remain constructed around paid‐for occupational work (in opposition to unpaid care work) despite the transition into retirement. Little work exists on how caring is at work in later life potentially transforming gender relations and enacted masculinities. Moreover, much of the research on aging masculinities have not considered the expansiveness of retirement and the discourses as well as subjective expectations around the activity in later life that create an uncertain terrain of socioculturally structured mandates to be navigated. This paper draws on data from two qualitative interview studies conducted with retired men in England and Germany, in which the role of caregiving emerged as an inductive theme in their narratives. The paper makes a specific contribution to developing empirical and theoretical knowledge of caring masculinities and power relations by providing insights on men's trajectories into caring, and how they make sense of their caring for and about others.

EXPLORING ADJUSTMENT TO RETIREMENT: LEISURE IN THE LIVES OF FIRST-GENERATION KOREAN IMMIGRANT MEN

Abstract Baby boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, comprise a significant portion of the United States’ older adult population. Retirement is also a hallmark of their current life stage. While a body of literature points to the benefits of leisure activities in later life, the roles and relevance of leisure during the retirement transition among first-generation immigrant baby boomers are not well understood. The purpose of this study was to explore leisure throughout the lifespan among first-generation Korean immigrant men (N = 19) and how their cultural values and leisure involvement played out during the retirement transition. Guided by continuity theory of normal aging (Atchley, 1989) and leisure innovation theory (Nimrod, 2008), findings from interview data through interpretive phenomenological analysis (Smith et al., 1995) indicated that (1) perceptions and definition of leisure is shaped by their cultural backgrounds; (2) leisure in the working years mostly involved family leisure activities with an emphasis on providing their children with educational values; (3) leisure activities such as golf and fishing were a particular interest for this demographic, but meanings changed over time; (3) leisure provided continuity during the retirement; and (4) retirement was viewed as an opportunity for new leisure activities, but limited availability of sport and recreation programs was perceived as a barrier. These findings yield meaningful implications in that (a) leisure engagement can provide continuity in maintaining their social roles over the lifespan; and (b) more community-based sport and recreation programs targeting older adults would help them successfully transition to retirement.

The devil's in the details: Variation in estimates of late-life activity limitations across national cohort studies.

Assessing activity limitations is central to aging research. However, assessments of activity limitations vary, and this may have implications for the populations identified. We aim to compare measures of activities of daily living (ADLs) and their resulting prevalence and mortality across three nationally-representative cohort studies: the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), the Health and Retirement Survey (HRS), and the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS). We compared the phrasing and context of questions around help and difficulty with six self-care activities: eating, bathing, toileting, dressing, walking inside, and transferring. We then compared the prevalence and 1-year mortality for difficulty and help with eating and dressing. NHATS, HRS, and MCBS varied widely in phrasing and framing of questions around activity limitations, impacting the proportion of the population found to experience difficulty or receive help. For example, in NHATS 12.4% [95% confidence interval (CI) 11.5%-13.4%] of the cohort received help with dressing, while in HRS this figure was 6.4% [95% CI 5.7%-7.2%] and MCBS 5.3% [95% CI 4.7%-5.8%]. When combined with variation in sampling frame and survey approach of each survey, such differences resulted in large variation in estimates of the older population of older adults with ADL disability. In order to take late-life activity limitations seriously, we must clearly define the measures we use. Further, researchers and clinicians seeking to understand the experience of older adults with activity limitations should be careful to interpret findings in light of the framing of the question asked.

Trajectories of intimacy in later-life: a qualitative study of Czech and Polish narratives

Intimacy has been identified as an important component of satisfying sexual activity in later life. While the existing literature reports that the importance of intimacy increases with age, the mechanisms behind this process have not been extensively researched. Even less is known about later-life sexual intimacy among women and men from former communist countries. This study explored the nuances of sex and intimacy by interviewing 50 Polish and Czech women and men aged 60 to 82. Data were analysed thematically using an inductive approach. Three main themes were developed to represent the extent to which intimacy was part of participants’ lives: 1) lifelong representation of sex as an intimate connection between individuals; 2) later-life shift towards intimacy-oriented sex for two main reasons: health-related necessities and a new relationship context; and 3) no intimacy whatsoever. The study findings indicate that a later-life refocus from an instrumental, penetrative-oriented view of sex towards a wider variety of intimate behaviours may be beneficial, not only for improving quality of sexual life, but also to gain new ways to express emotional connections between the partners.

Effect of increasing participation in habitual intellectual activities on cognitive function in older adults without clinical dementia ‐ preliminary findings from a randomized controlled trial

AbstractBackgroundBased on our longitudinal observational study of &gt;15,000 community‐living older adults, we previously reported that those with regular participation in intellectual activities in late life are at a lower risk of developing clinical symptoms of dementia in six years. Nevertheless, the dose‐response relationship between intellectual activities and cognitive benefits remains unclear. To address this knowledge gap, we have designed a two‐arm, parallel‐design, single‐blind randomized controlled trial, with the aim to test whether doubling calligraphy practice results in more cognitive benefits in older adults without clinical dementia.MethodCommunity‐living older adults without clinical dementia and with prior practice of calligraphy as defined by one hour of calligraphy per week were randomly allocated into either the control group where they continued their usual practice of calligraphy or the intervention group where they doubled their practice. Cognitive outcomes were assessed before and after the six‐month intervention.ResultThe preliminary data of the fourteen subjects who completed our study showed that a decreasing trend in the ADAS‐Cog score (pre = 7.1±3.2, post = 5.3±4.8, p = 0.23), an increasing trend in the delayed recall test score (pre = 8.8±0.5, post = 9.3±1.0, p = 0.48), less errors in word recognition (pre = 3.1±0.8, post = 1.7±1.2, p = 0.005), and an increasing trend in the category fluency test score (pre = 17.1±4.7, post = 18.3±2.9, p = 0.52) were found in the intervention group. Repeated measures analysis of variance showed that the improvement in word recognition was greater in the intervention group than in the control group (p = 0.01).ConclusionOur study, which is currently still ongoing, will shed light on whether increasing the “dosage” of intellectual activities could provide additional cognitive benefits to older adults and help them achieve cognitive maintenance.