Different Groups Of Older People Research Articles

Competing at age 55 and over. Reasons why older athletes participate in sport

ABSTRACT This study explores the reasons why older people participate in sports. A total of 463 senior athletes (M = 61.4, SD = 5.5) who are actively engaged in competitive sports disciplines participated in this study. The participants indicated their degree of agreement with reasons for practicing sport on a 4-point Likert scale with 20 items, developed on the basis of a literature review on motivation theories in sports. These items were analyzed psychometrically. The exploratory factorial analysis revealed five components: competitiveness, interpersonal, cognitive, physical and emotional reasons. The most frequently reported reasons for participation were to feel healthier, to improve mood, and to release tension and stress. Analyses of variance showed significant differences in reasons for participating in sport based on sex, age, comparative health status, type of sport and number of competitive events attended per year. These findings could contribute to the development of age-specific sports promotion interventions tailored to different groups of older people.

The Influence of Street Microenvironment on the Walking Activities of Older Adults: A Longitudinal Study Based on the Structural Equation Model and Manipulated Photos

There is growing evidence of an association between the built environment and walking activity, but knowledge of street microenvironmental factors and older adults’ walking is limited and inconsistent. We used a socio-ecological model as the theoretical framework for this study, aiming to investigate longitudinally the important influences of the street microenvironment on older people’s walking by manipulated street photographs and whether there are different groups of older people with different environmental preferences, and to determine the influence of environmental factors in the socio-ecological model. The clustering analysis method was used to divide the samples into four groups, and those four subgroups were put in a comparative analysis regarding their street environments by methods of semantic differential (SD). The preferences of various subgroups were checked by the variance analysis and post hoc tests, and the structural equation model (SEM) was applied to discuss the relations of correlation and influence among each factor. The results showed that “parking on the sidewalk” was rated the lowest in the pre-intervention photos, and “shaded” and “hedge” were rated the highest in the post-intervention photos, and the environmental requirements were different for the older, poorer and higher income and education subgroups. There was a significant positive relationship between residential status and architectural interventions as well as self-efficacy and physical condition. These findings suggest that when developing environmental interventions to promote walking among older adults, priority should be given to those factors that need to be improved most. In addition, attention should be paid to the differences in walking needs among different groups of older adults, with particular attention on the impact of self-selected living environments on street-level environmental interventions.

Postrzeganie srebrnej gospodarki w kontekście wyzwań związanych ze starzejącą się populacją w ujęciu lokalnym. Studium przypadku

An ageing society is a challenge of modern times. One of the areas where there is a chance for the effects of demographic processes to be mitigated, is the silver economy, widely understood as an economy that responds to the changing needs of different groups of older people. This aspect is evident in the development strategies being created at European, national, or regional levels, but to a much lesser extent at the local level. At the local level, actions are implemented that take into account the specificity of a particular social situation, that may differ significantly from the situation at higher levels. When drawing up development strategies, local governments and local opinion formers should have complex information of the demographic situation of a given territorial unit and should know the solutions applied in so-called good practices. The article pre-sents the results of the research (case study) verifying whether the solutions related to an ageing population, implemented at the local level, take into account the use of the potential of the silver economy and the knowledge of local governments and opinion-formers in this respect. A qualita-tive study was applied, based on desk research, the technique of individual in-depth interviews and focused group interviews.

Cost-minimisation analysis of home care reablement for older people in England: A modelling study.

Many governments have introduced or encouraged home-care reablement schemes for older people at home with the aim of improving outcomes and reducing costs. We examined if such schemes have the potential to reduce costs from the perspective of the National Health Service (NHS) and Personal Social Services (PSS) in England. Our study was carried out to inform recommendations of a national guideline. Cost-minimisation analysis was carried out using decision-analytic Markov modelling. Home-care reablement was compared with standard home care. Costs included those of the intervention, home care and hospital admission. Uncertainty was explored using univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Mean costs per person were £56,499 (95% confidence interval 55,690 to 57,307) in the reablement group, and £58,560 (95% confidence interval 57,800 to 59,319) in the standard care group. The mean difference was -£2,061 (95% confidence interval 1,933 to 2,129). The probability that home-care reablement costs less than standard home care was 94.5% (95% confidence interval 93.1 to 95.9). In sensitivity analyses, this probability remained above 85% in all scenarios. Home-care reablement can be a successful cost-minimisation strategy for supporting some older people. More research is needed about the impact of home-care reablement on health outcomes for different groups of older people; and the effects of different durations of reablement on outcomes and costs for different subpopulations.

Projecting future demand for informal care among older people in China: the road towards a sustainable long-term care system

The long-term care system in China relies heavily on informal care provided by family members. This study makes projections on the demand for informal care among Chinese older people between 2015 and 2035 and quantifies the level of long-term care resources needed to meet their needs. The data come from longitudinal information in a nationally representative sample, China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey 2011 and 2013. The macrosimulation approach (PSSRU model) and the Markov approach are integrated into one Bayesian modelling framework. The Monte Carlo simulation technique is used to capture parameter uncertainty. We project that the demand for informal care will increase from 41.3 million people (95% CI: 39.9-42.7) in 2015 to 82.6 million people (95% CI: 78.3-86.9) in 2035. The long-term care system faces unbalanced pressure of demand for informal care from different groups of older people. The projected demand is sensitive to changes in older people's disability trajectory and the availability of formal care provided by the government, but less sensitive to an increase in singleton households in the future. We discuss possible policy measures to alleviate the mounting pressure on the demand for informal care.

Serotype-specific effectiveness of 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine against pneumococcal pneumonia in adults aged 65 years or older: a multicentre, prospective, test-negative design study

The serotype-specific effectiveness of 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) against pneumococcal pneumonia has not been established in people aged 65 years or older. We assessed the effectiveness of PPV23 in this population. For this multicentre, prospective study, we enrolled all individuals aged 65 years or older with community-onset pneumonia who visited four study hospitals in Japan between Sept 28, 2011, and Aug 23, 2014. Streptococcus pneumoniae was isolated from sputum and blood samples, and serotyped by the capsular Quellung method. Sputum samples were further tested by PCR assay to identify pneumococcal DNA, and positive samples were examined for 50 serotypes by a nanofluidic real-time PCR assay. Urine samples were tested by a urinary antigen test. Serotype-specific vaccine effectiveness was estimated using the test-negative design. 2621 eligible patients visited the study hospitals, of whom 585 did not have sputum samples available and were excluded from our analysis. 419 (21%) of 2036 patients were positive for pneumococcal infection (232 by sputum culture, 317 by sputum PCR, 197 by urinary antigen test, and 14 by blood culture). 522 (26%) patients were judged to be vaccinated in the analyses. Effectiveness of PPV23 was 27·4% (95% CI 3·2 to 45·6) against all pneumococcal pneumonia, 33·5% (5·6 to 53·1) against PPV23 serotypes, and 2·0% (-78·9 to 46·3) against non-PPV23 serotypes. Although no significant differences between subgroups were seen, higher protection was noted in people younger than 75 years, women, and individuals with lobar pneumonia or health-care-associated pneumonia. PPV23 showed low to moderate effectiveness against vaccine serotype pneumococcal pneumonia in people aged 65 years or older. To improve the current pneumococcal vaccination programme, the variability of PPV23 effectiveness in different groups of older people must be further investigated. Pfizer and Nagasaki University.

Sleep Problems of Older People in Bangladesh

Sleep is a vital physiological process with important restorative functions. The proportion of older people is increasing, and many of them experience sleep problems which increase the risk of accidents, falls, and chronic fatigue. The dual purposes of this study, which was conducted in two southern districts of Bangladesh, were to evaluate older people’s sleep problems and to investigate the relationship between this problem and socio-demographic characteristics. Data were collected from 280 older people via the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS-5). Descriptive statistics were used to analyze demographic and sleep problem data. One way classification of analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare different groups of older people with different socio-demographic characteristics. Almost all (87.9%) of the participants reported having severe sleep problems. Being widowed, being illiterate, living in a nuclear family, and having a low income were found to be significant factors associated with older people’s sleep problems. The identification of further factors that affect older people’s sleep problems is recommended to inform improved assessment of sleep problems and the development of prevention and treatment programs.

The normalization of sport for older people?

ABSTRACTOpportunities for older adults in Western countries, particularly women, to participate in physically demanding, competitive sports have increased since the 1960s. Now, coinciding with the neoliberal shift in social policy, older adults live at a time when physical activity is highly encouraged through ‘healthy or active ageing’ discourses in media, policy policies and the sport/exercise sciences. This study sought to understand how 63 Masters athletes (aged 60 and over) explain their participation in sport and, in particular, the extent to which they use neoliberal language of personal moral responsibility and economic efficiency to explain their own participation and the non-participation of older adults in sport. While degrees of moral talk were evident in the older athlete responses, in almost all cases, non-participation in sport was seen as irrational and in need of explanation. Overall, our findings suggest that older people’s participation in sport has been, or at least is in the process of being, normalized among participants in Masters sport. We discuss how this changing idea about sport and ageing might reshape social policy, as well as social relationships, between older people and the state and between different groups of older people.

Addressing social care needs and wellbeing of older migrants and ethnic minorities in the UK

Population ageing is a phenomena happening all over the world. In the UK, all groups of the population are growing older. These include people from different background, migration history, life experience and culture. Many studies highlight the relationship between the experience of people during various stages of their life, including childhood and adulthood working lives, on their health at older age. It is not a surprise then to observe an increasing policy and practice interest in migrants ageing in the UK. The latest UK census (2011) shows that more than half of London’s population identified their ethnicity not to be ‘White British’ and one in six people in the UK aged 65 or over. However, older people from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) groups vary considerably between themselves and cannot be viewed as a homogenous group. How people migrated, their level of involvement in the labour market, their education and their participation in various activities are some of the factors that impact on their experience of ageing. Additionally, culture norms and perceptions are directly related to expectations from family, community and the wider health and social care system in providing care support. In this presentation I will draw on various studies related to ageing among different groups of older people from BME background, reflecting on some strengths and challenges that different groups may encounter. The paper aims to provide a more sympathetic understanding of subjective and structural barriers that some groups may face when accessing and receiving health and care services. It will conclude by a discussion of various strategies that materialise on various cultural norms to facilitate more effective communications and service acceptance.

Media portrayal of older people as illustrated in Finnish newspapers

Media portrayals of older people, such as those in newspapers, both inform and reflect public attitudes. By becoming aware of culturally influenced attitudes about older people, and how these attitudes are reflected in the ways older people are viewed, treated, and cared for in society, the healthcare profession can better understand how to provide high-quality care. By applying an ethnographic approach in textual reality, this paper explores how newspaper articles focusing on health portray older people in society, using Finland as an example. The data consist of articles selected from three of the main Finnish daily newspapers during a 3-month period in the spring of 2012. The findings show that, overall, the society regards older people and their care as important. However, there were suggestions of paternalistic attitudes towards older people. Furthermore, the perceptions regarding different groups of older people could lead to the possibility of inequality. The media portrayals of older people worldwide seem to share similarities, although the findings of this study are particularly in accordance with the cultural attributes of the Nordic countries and societies.

Imagery and imaginary of islander identity: Older people and migration in Irish small-island communities

This article examines the imagery and imaginaries of islander identity and makes an original contribution to the fields of gerontology and nissology. Drawing on data collected through in-depth interviews with 19 older residents of two small-island communities located off the island of Ireland, we address the central roles played by older people in creating and sustaining islander identities. Reflecting both public and private representations of islander identity, the article contrasts an island ‘imagery’ with an island ‘imaginary’, resulting in a complex ‘imag(in)ery’ of islander identity. We explore three main themes. To what extent do older residents of island communities perceive an ‘imag(in)ery’ of islander identity? In what ways do older islanders contribute to, substantiate or perpetuate the imag(in)ery of the islander identity? Are there alternative imag(in)eries of the islander identity for different groups of older people who live in island communities? Our analysis identified two imag(in)eries of islander identity. An historical islander identity was structured by the shared hardships and enforced self-sufficiency associated with residence in remote communities. Contemporary islander identities are founded on the positively perceived isolation of islands, an historical and cultural sense of belonging, frequent social interaction within cohesive, safe and secure communities, and a persistence of ‘traditional’ values. Older people were actively engaged in the (re)production of islander identity, such as helping visitors discover their island origins, producing traditional cultural artefacts, passing knowledge of culture down through the generations, and acting to maintain the civic life of the island community. Knowledge of local and traditional skills imbued some older islanders with the ability to perform island-specific symbolic rituals. Our study revealed subtle forms of differentiation between over-arching categories of island residents based on migration histories. In particular, older people's narratives revealed a hierarchy in relation to claims to islander status.

Transport resources, mobility and unmet transport needs in old age

ABSTRACTPrevious research has shown that mobility and the ability to leave the home are among the essential aspects of older people's quality of life. However, surveys of older people's access to transport resources and the impact of mobility on welfare and wellbeing are few. Many previous studies are based on small samples or qualitative data. The questions addressed in this paper are how transport resources are distributed among different groups of older people, to which degree the transport needs of these groups are met and how this is related to their wellbeing. The empirical analysis is based on a Norwegian nationwide survey among 4,723 respondents 65 years and older. The respondents were asked about their access to transport resources, both private and public, health problems connected to use of transport modes, their daily activities and mobility, their uncovered transport needs and the importance of different activities for their life quality. The analysis reveals great differences between groups; especially between men and women, but also between different age groups and by different place of living. The special transport offered by the local authorities is seen as insufficient, and with increasing age a great deal of older people have low mobility and an uncovered transport need that reduces their life quality.

Inventory of Life Satisfaction (ILS): A validation study among Portuguese middleaged and older people

The construct of life satisfaction assumes increased relevance with the awareness that ‘live longer’ is not the only desirable result of the increase of longevity. The main goal of this study is to provide descriptive information about prevalence of three factors with respect to life satisfaction – Health and Safety, Services and Resources, Residence and Sociability. The construction and validation for the Portuguese middle-aged and older population (N=1321) of a life satisfaction instrument was carried through. The proposed three-factor solution provides standard and adequate psychometric requirements for reliable and valid measurement. Therefore Services and Resources, Health and Safety, and Residence and Sociability may be used as determinants of life satisfaction of middle-aged and older people not only considering the heterogeneity of the ageing process itself but also because different groups of older people even within a similar cohort might differ in their experience of life satisfaction.

Inventory of Life Satisfaction (ILS): A validation study among Portuguese middleaged and older people

The construct of life satisfaction assumes increased relevance with the awareness that ‘live longer’ is not the only desirable result of the increase of longevity. The main goal of this study is to provide descriptive information about prevalence of three factors with respect to life satisfaction – Health and Safety, Services and Resources, Residence and Sociability. The construction and validation for the Portuguese middle aged and older population (N=1321) of a life satisfaction instrument was carried through. The proposed three-factor solution provides standard and adequate psychometric requirements for reliable and valid measurement. Therefore Services and Resources, Health and Safety, and Residence and Sociability may be used as determinants of life satisfaction of middle aged and older people not only considering the heterogeneity of the ageing process itself but also because different groups of older people even within a similar cohort might differ in their experience of life satisfaction.

Mobility in different generations of older persons: The development of daily travel in different cohorts in Denmark, Norway and Sweden

In the Scandinavian countries Denmark, Norway and Sweden, the proportion of older people in the total population is expected to reach about 25% in 2060. The ageing of the population has a variety of social implications. One aspect of population ageing that has relatively little attention in the Scandinavian countries is the question of everyday mobility. The purpose of this paper is to get a better understanding of the activity and travel patterns of different groups of older people, examine how travel- and activity patterns are developing during the life course, study the changes over time and how the “new” generations of older people behave compared to the older ones. The method used is cohort analysis of National Travel Surveys from the three countries in a 20 years perspective. Results show a significant period effect in car ownership and use among older people in Denmark, Norway and Sweden with a clear increase during the past 20 years. This is especially true for women. The increase in the number of driver’s licence-holders and car availability is reflected in travel mode choice among older people: both men and women maintain their car-use habits at old age. Another clear finding is that older people today travel more than the comparable age groups 20–25 years ago: everyday trip rates are higher and activities outside home are more common. While commuting and work-related trips decline after retirement, shopping and leisure trips do not start to decline before high age. From the cohort analysis we see that leisure and shopping trips are maintained in the period after retirement, and the car is important to reach shopping malls, health service, leisure activities, visit relatives and other social company.

Groupwork as a tool to combat loneliness among older people

One of the current care strategies aims to keep older people in their own homes, however independent living and caring for an ageing partner can exacerbate loneliness. Loneliness has been described as an unwelcome feeling or lack of companionship. Help the Aged has pointed out that participation in meaningful activities can reduce isolation and loneliness. The case studies of two different groups of older people show the positive impact of groups on older group members and the staff working with them. By providing companionship, engagement, support and activity, groupwork can bring structure to the lives of older people and their carers who may be feeling 'lonely' and 'isolated' and consequently can impact upon their quality of life. Groupwork is by no means the solution to reducing social isolation for everyone, however for some people it is a positive step in the right direction.

Gathering the requirements for a fall monitor using drama and video with older people

A system providing fall detection and movement monitoring to support older people living at home using computer vision technology is being developed. Sensitive design with user involvement is important if such a system is to be experienced as supportive rather than invasive. Four scenarios, based o n material from focus groups and anecdotal evidence, have been developed and performed by a theatre group. These feature older people falling at home with different outcomes and carers discussing an older person's needs. They were filmed and shown to three different groups of older people and a group of sheltered housing wardens to provoke discussion. This method of user requirements gathering provided a shared user context which enabled groups to focus very effectively on the details of a system at the pre-prototyping stages. The results of the discussions are described and the use of this methodology is discussed.

Population ageing in developed and developing regions: implications for health policy

Population ageing is now recognised as a global issue of increasing importance, and has many implications for health care and other areas of social policy. However, these issues remain relatively under-researched, particularly in poorer countries, and there is a dearth of specific policy initiatives at the international level. For example, the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development agreed to 15 key principles for future policy, but none of these even make indirect mention of the aged ( International Conference on Population and Development, 1995, Documents. Programme of action of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development. Population and Development Review, 21(2), 437–461). This paper seeks to highlight some of the key issues arising from population ageing. It begins with a brief overview of international trends in demographic ageing, and considers the health needs of different groups of older people. It sketches out some implications for policy, paying particular attention to the financing and organisation of health services. The final part of the paper contains a discussion about how older people have been affected by, and have adapted to, processes of social, economic and political change. Given the wide scope of these concerns, it is not possible to discuss any issue in detail, and the paper does not claim to give the subject matter a comprehensive or global treatment. It must be stressed that patterns of ageing and their implications for policy are highly complex and variable, and, as such, great care should be taken in generalising between the experiences of different groups of older people, and between different settings.