Happiness In Older Adults Research Articles

Social Engagement and Happiness in Older Adults With and Without Cognitive Impairment.

This study investigated the associations between in-person and remote engagement and self-rated happiness in older adults aged 50 years and above in three cognitive function subgroups: Normal Cognition, Cognitive Impairment not Dementia (CIND), and Dementia. Data were obtained from the 2014 Health and Retirement Study. Results showed that remote engagement was significantly associated with higher self-rated happiness, particularly in the CIND group. However, its association with in-person engagement was less consistent. No significant association was observed among individuals with dementia. However, the direction of the relationship between the two types of social engagement and self-rated happiness was positive. Instrumental activities of daily living, depression, and social capital were identified as potential factors influencing the relationship between social engagement and self-rated happiness. These findings emphasize promotion of both in-person and remote social engagement opportunities to enhance the well-being of older adults across different cognitive function subgroups.

Social influences on the psychological well-being of elderly individuals

PurposeThis research aims to analyze the primary social factors influencing the mental health and happiness of older adults. Specifically, the paper identifies the elements of social influences on the psychological well-being of elderly individuals.Design/methodology/approachEmploying a quantitative research methodology, survey data were collected to examine the psychological well-being of older adults, utilizing SPSS software version 28.0 for data analysis.FindingsPsychological well-being in the elderly is intricately linked to personal, cognitive, emotional and social aspects. Seniors experiencing reduced loneliness, ample communication opportunities, active social engagement and living with family members demonstrate higher levels of psychological well-being. Surprisingly, details of daily activities in senior age showed little impact on psychological well-being.Research limitations/implicationsThe research results may lack generalizability due to the chosen approach, prompting a need for further testing of proposed propositions.Originality/valueThis study fulfills an identified need to explore how psychological well-being is established in an elderly society, shedding light on critical social determinants.

Health-Oriented Evaluation and Optimization of Urban Square Space Elderly Suitability: A Case Study of Yiyang City Center

Urban squares are the main place for older adults’ daily activities. The spatial layout of the urban square is not only related to the construction of a healthy city and the equitable distribution of public resources, but also of great significance in enhancing the sense of gain, security, and happiness of older adults. This essay takes “health needs of older adults” as the perspective, and constructs a multi-dimensional evaluation index system of urban square space for elderly suitability in terms of physiological, psychological, and social health. It also takes six urban squares in Yiyang city center as an example and analyzes and evaluates them using GIS network analysis and the entropy weight method. The results of the study show that (1) Yiyang city center squares show the distribution characteristics of “dense in the middle and scattered around”, and the spatial distribution is not balanced, which leads to a small service area. (2) The overall intervention value of urban square space is mainly distributed between 0.291 and 0.710, with an average value of 0.481, and the overall intervention effect of the square is good. The reasons for differences in health interventions for older adults in urban square spaces centered on six aspects: the quality of the square space, the variety and convenience of travel lines, the tidiness of the environment, physical activities, safety, and social interaction. Based on this, this essay proposes three optimization strategies for the renewal of urban squares, the construction of characteristic squares, and the reconstruction of the urban square space system. The aim is to provide a reference for the future design and renewal of the elderly suitability of urban squares, so as to promote the construction of a healthy city.

The influence of an urban hukou and its acquisition methods on older adults’ happiness: an analysis based on the Chinese General Social Survey

The hukou system is a population management policy in China. However, existing research has paid little attention to the relationships between Chinese urban hukou, its acquisition methods, and older adults’ happiness. This study was based on 10,954 samples from the Chinese General Social Survey in 2013, 2015, and 2017. An ordinary least squares model was used to analyze the influence and differential influence of an urban hukou and its access paths on happiness among older adults. Compared with having a rural hukou, having an urban hukou is correlated with higher levels of happiness in older adults. Moreover, those who had actively converted to an urban hukou or were born with it were happier, while passive conversion to an urban hukou was not significantly correlated with happiness. Additionally, actively converting to an urban hukou and being born with urban hukou influence the happiness of older adults by affecting their class identity and income. To improve older adults’ happiness, it is necessary to narrow the welfare gap between an urban and rural hukou, balance the allocation of public resources in urban and rural areas, and make targeted assessments to solve the difficulties of older adults who passively convert to an urban hukou.

Functional limitation and happiness among older adults: the multiple mediating role of intergenerational support and intergenerational relationship.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the functional limitation and happiness among Chinese older people and examined the multiple mediating effects of intergenerational support (instrumental support and financial support) and intergenerational relationship. Data was drawn from the Chinese Family Panel Survey (CFPS) 2018 and 2020. Structural equation modeling was adopted to analyze the association among functional limitations, intergenerational support, intergenerational relationship, and the older adults happiness. There was a significant association between the functional limitations and the lower happiness levels among the older adults. The instrumental support from adult children positively mediated the relationship between the functional limitation and the happiness. However, intergenerational relationships were reduced due to the dysfunction of the older adults, and played a negatively mediated role between the functional limitation and the happiness. In addition, instrumental and financial support play chain-mediating roles between functional limitation and happiness in older adults through intergenerational relationships. Intergenerational relationships and instrumental support enhance the happiness of older adults with functional impairments, but their role is limited by the changing structure of modern families. Long-term care programs combined with the intergenerational support from families for people with functional impairments in old age would be more effective to reduce the burden on adult children and maintain the quality of life of the older adults.

The relationship between social support and happiness in older adults referred to health centers in Zarrin Shahr, Iran

Background: Creasing the older adult population has become a major public health challenge. Social support plays an important role in people's health. Social support helps improve the living conditions of the elderly and brings happiness into the lives of the elderly. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between social support and happiness status in 60–75-year-olds referred to health centers of Zarrin Shahr, Iran in 2019.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 584 samples (female: 62.2%, men: 37.8%) participated in this study. To collect data for this study, Oxford Happiness, and Social Support questionnaires were used. The older adults of the target group were selected through simple multistage random sampling from the health centers of Zarrin Shahr. The collected data were entered into SPSS software version 22. They were described and analyzed by inferential statistics and regressions at a 95% confidence level.Results: Sex, marital status, and level of education influenced total social support (P < 0.05). Moreover, age, marital status, and level of education affected happiness (P < 0.05). There was a significant positive correlation between total social support and components of social support with happiness (P < 0.05). Also, the multi-stage regression test showed emotional social support and education level were highly correlated with happiness (R2 = 0.265).Conclusion: The results highlight the need to increase social support for older adults because it can increase the level of happiness in this age group. In interventions to improve the social support and happiness of older adults, low-educated, unmarried, divorced, or deceased spouses should be prioritized.

The subjective perception of the happiness of older adult residents in Colombia.

Happiness is understood as the perception of subjective well-being, it can be a quality, a result, or a state characterized by well-being or satisfaction that every person wants to achieve. In older adults, this satisfaction is a sum of lifelong achievements and triumphs; However, some factors influence this ideal. Analyze demographic, family, social, personal, and health factors associated with the subjective perception of happiness in older adults, using data from a study conducted in five cities in Colombia, in order to make a theoretical contribution in the search for improvement of their physical, mental and social health. A quantitative, cross-sectional, analytical study was carried out, using primary source information, obtained with 2,506 surveys from voluntary participants aged 60 and over, who had no cognitive impairment, and who reside in urban areas but not in long-term centers. The variable happiness (classified as high or moderate/low) was used for: (1) A univariate explorative characterization of older adult, (2) a bivariate estimation of the relationships with the factors studied, and (3) a multivariate construction of profiles through multiple correspondences. 67.2% reported high happiness levels, with differences by city: Bucaramanga (81.6%), Pereira (74.7%), Santa Marta (67.4), Medellín (64%), and Pereira (48.7%). Happiness was explained by the absence of risk of depression and little hopelessness, strengthened psychological well-being, a perception of high quality of life, and living in a functional family. This study provided an overview of possible factors that can be enhanced and strengthened with public policies (structural determinant), community empowerment, family strengthening (intermediate determinant), and educational programs (proximal determinant). These aspects are included in the essential functions of public health, in favor of mental and social health in older adults.

How Does Religious Belief Affect Happiness of Older Adults: The Participation Effect and Support Effect

Religion can influence the realization of happiness in older adults. However, the relationship between religious belief and happiness of older adults and its mechanisms are not very clear. Using 5177 individuals aged ≥ 60 years in China for empirical analysis, the results show that there is a significant positive relationship between religious belief and older adults’ happiness. The frequency of religious participation has a significantly moderating effect on the relationship between institutional religious affiliation and happiness; participation has an effect on happiness for those involved in institutional religion, but not an affect for those with diffused beliefs, which reflects the participation effect. Social support plays a mediating role between religious belief and older adults’ happiness. People with religious beliefs are more likely to form social relationships and gain social support from religious members and groups to improve their happiness, which reflects the support effect. In addition, the influence of religious belief on happiness with low socioeconomic status is more significant, and the influence in rural areas is also more significant, showing the heterogeneity of individual socioeconomic status and registered residence. The freedom of older adult-religious believers to participate in the legal activities of religious organizations should be fully guaranteed. The religious faith of older adults in the process of active aging should be given attention.

Causal Relationships between Daily Physical Activity, Physical Function, and Cognitive Function Ultimately Leading to Happiness

Frailty is a common age-related condition linked with mobility disorders, long-term care, and death. To prevent frailty, physical activities are considered effective. Several studies have indicated that physical activity can influence mental health as well as body function. Physical activity, cognitive function, and subjective mental health must relate to each other. However, most studies only focus on one-to-one interactions. This observational study aims to clarify the overall relationship and causality between subjective mental health, daily physical activity, and physical and cognitive functions. We recruited 45 people (24 males and 21 females) over 65 years old. Participants visited the university twice and were subjected to activity measurements at home. To examine the causal relationships and related structures between the indicators, structural equation modeling was performed. The results suggest that daily physical activity explains physical function, physical function explains cognitive function, and cognitive function explains subjective mental health, quality of life, and happiness. This study is the first to clarify interactive relationships as an axis that start from daily physical activity to happiness in older adults. Upregulating daily physical activity may improve physical and cognitive functions as well as mental health; this might protect and ameliorate physical, mental, and social frailties.

Happiness of Older Adults in Haemodialysis: Findings from a Comparative Study

ABSTRACT Happiness is related to longevity and better health; nevertheless, there is a lack of knowledge about the construct, understood as subjective well-being (SWB), of older adults undergoing hemodialysis. This cross-sectional study investigated the extent to which hemodialysis treatment affects the SWB of older adults, compared to non-dialysis older adults. Regarding this, a total of 126 participants have interviewed: all the older adults in the hemodialysis service, 42 patients, from a city in Brazil, and 84 older adults from the Community, age- and gender-matched, predominantly men (64.3%), aged between 60 and 81 years. Participants respond to pattern questionnaires about SWB (life satisfaction, positive affect, negative affect), depressive symptoms, sociodemographic characteristics, and physical health status. Analysis of variance presented in hemodialysis had no effect on SWB and depressive symptoms. Furthermore, participants in the hemodialysis had fewer years of schooling, and those in the community presented more diseases. The high number of illnesses and low educational level demonstrate effects on SWB, as well the length of hemodialysis is negatively associated with SWB. Therefore, hemodialysis by itself does not make older adults unhappier and depressive, but some variables depending on the socioeconomical status and length of treatment are associated with depression and worst SWB.

Meaning Over Things: How Objects and Places Matter to the Residential Happiness of Older Adults

In previous research on aging and place, it comes forward that many people mainly prefer to age in place because they feel connected to their homes and secure in a familiar environment. This paper aims to understand how older adults living independently at home construct their residential happiness. We used photo-elicitation to explore how objects and places are considered important for their residential happiness by older adults (n = 37) in various residential settings in The Netherlands. The findings demonstrate that places and objects either directly evoke unique feelings of residential happiness or via attached personal stories.

Association between Happiness and Economic Status among Older Adults in Two Myanmar Regions.

Few studies have examined whether objective or subjective economic status (ES) has a greater association with the happiness of older adults, despite concerns regarding the growing economic cost of morbidity and their functional dependence in developing countries with aging populations. Thus, this study examined whether objective/subjective ES was associated with happiness in older adults in two Myanmar regions. A multistage random sampling procedure and face-to-face interviews were conducted in the urban and rural areas of Myanmar. The happiness of 1200 participants aged >60 years was evaluated using a single happiness score ranging from 0 (very unhappy) to 10 (very happy). The wealth index, used as an objective ES, was calculated from 17 household asset items, such as radio, washing machines, and television. Subjective ES was assessed by asking “Which of the following best describes your current financial situation in light of general economic conditions?” Responses ranged from “very difficult” to “very comfortable”. Both low objective and subjective ES were negatively associated with happiness, after adjusting for confounding variables and stratification by region (urban and rural areas). Although objective and subjective ES had similar associations with happiness in urban areas, subjective ES had a stronger association in rural areas.

Factors Associated with Happiness in Rural Older Adults: An Exploratory Study.

.Introduction: Aging is a phenomenon that has increased worldwide as a result of a higher life expectancy, evidencing situations typical of this stage, which can impact the happiness of individuals, who deserve attention and approach from mental health and public health.Objective: to explore the association between sociodemographic characteristics, medical history and symptoms, emotional state, social support, cognitive performance, and functional dependence, in relation to happiness in older adults in a rural area of Túquerres, Nariño.Method: cross-sectional study of association. Results: There were 252 records in total, corresponding to the data of rural older adults. A multivariate linear regression was performed, finding an association with happiness in the variables of age (βa = .41; CI95% .09 - .73), socioeconomic level (βa = -.22; CI95% -.58 - .13), education level (βa = .41; CI95% .68 - 1.49), occupation (βa = .59; CI95% -.48 - 1.67), having chronic disease (βa = .42; CI95% .12 - .73), breathing difficulties (βa = -.25; CI95% -.51 - .02), joint pain (βa = .55; CI95% .26 - .83), depression symptoms (βa = -.21; CI95% -.48 - .06]) or anxiety (βa = .40; CI95% .72 - .07), and social support (βa = -.27; CI95% -.52 - -.02). Discussion: this population has unfavorable socioeconomic and health conditions that impact their perception of happiness. Conclusion: happiness is a multicausal phenomenon that in older adults is part of the result of the interaction of variables and historical decisions at a political, economic, and social level.

An Integrative Review of Experience of Well-Being and Happiness: Insights from Older Adults in the Community

Well-being and happiness are the ultimate goals of older people. Having a good quality of life is very important for this age group, in which well-being can be predicted through life experiences. Research on the older adult group demonstrates that well-being is positively associated with happiness. In turn, happiness is linked with better coping, lower morbidity and lower mortality. Therefore, studying to understand this phenomenon, according to the experiences and perceptions of older adults, is the key to preparing for an aging society. The objective of this integrative review for nurses was to synthesize information from academic literature to provide insight into the experience and perception of well-being and happiness in older adults. The authors searched 5 databases - CINAHL, PUBMED, CLINICAL KEY, SCOPUS and SAGE journals - using the following key search terms: “(experience or perception or perspectives), AND (happiness or well-being), AND (older adults or elderly or late adulthood).” Only articles published between January 2010 and April 2020 were considered. The preferred reporting items for the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal tools were adopted for quality assessment. The authors finally selected 12 out of 651 references for integrative review. The results show that the key points of view associated with the well-being and happiness of older people consist of 3 important issues. The first issue includes the challenges and concerns about late life involving independence, life quality, fear of squandering free time, being left out, and having a good death. Second are the strategies for living a meaningful late life through doing regular daily activities, creating self-esteem, finding life satisfaction, engaging in subjectively perceived activities, being optimistic, relying on religious attachment, and setting life goals. The last issue includes resources and support for older adults to reach their goals, which are family support, social support, and religious support. A challenge for future research is how to create interventions that promote the independence that leads to freedom in late life.

The structural equation modeling of personal aspects, environmental aspects, and happiness among older adults living alone: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundThe happiness of older adults living alone warrants attention because they are more vulnerable to unhappiness than those living with families. The present study aimed to construct and test a structural equation model to elucidate the relationship among participation in social activities, satisfaction with the neighborhood environment, subjective health status, and happiness in older adults living alone in South Korea.MethodsSecondary data of 2768 older adults (605 males and 2163 females) living on their own were extracted from the 2017 Korean Community Health Survey and used in this cross-sectional study. Data were collected via self-reported questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 and AMOS version 20.0.ResultsThe hypothetical model exhibited a good fit: χ2 = 342.06 (df = 58, p < .001), goodness-of-fit index = .98, adjected goodness-of-fit index = .97, root mean square error of approximation = .04, and nonstandard fit index = .92. Participation in social activities had a significant effect on participants’ subjective health status (path coefficient = .45, p = .001) and happiness (path coefficient = .20, p = .003).ConclusionsInterventions to improve the health and happiness of older adults living alone should aim to enhance their social and physical environmental dimensions based on the participants’ various social activities and their neighborhoods’ characteristics.

Increased Social Interactions Reduce the Association Between Constricted Life-Space and Lower Daily Happiness in Older Adults With and Without HIV: A GPS and Ecological Momentary Assessment Study

Older persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (PWH) are particularly susceptible to life-space restrictions. The aims of this study included: 1) using global positioning system (GPS) derived indicators as an assessment of time spent at home among older adults with and without HIV; 2) using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to examine real-time relationships between life-space, mood (happiness, sadness, anxious), fatigue, and pain; and 3) determining if number of daily social interactions moderated the effect of life-space on mood. Eighty-eight older adults (PWH n = 54, HIV-negative n = 34) completed smartphone-based EMA surveys assessing mood, fatigue, pain, and social interactions four times per day for two weeks. Participants' smartphones were GPS enabled throughout the study. Mixed-effects regression models analyzed concurrent and lagged associations among life-space and behavioral indicators of health. PWH spent more of their time at home (79% versus 70%, z = -2.08; p = 0.04) and reported lower mean happiness (3.2 versus 3.7; z = 2.63; p = 0.007) compared to HIV-negative participants. Controlling for covariates, more daily social interactions were associated with higher ratings of real-time happiness (b = 0.12; t = 5.61; df = 1087.9; p< 0.001). Similar findings were seen in lagged analyses: prior day social interactions (b = 0.15; t = 7.3; df = 1024.9; p < 0.0001) and HIV status (b = -0.48; t = -2.56; df = 1026.8; p = 0.01) attenuated the effect of prior day time spent at home on happiness. Accounting for engagement in social interactions reduced the significant effect of time spent at home and lower happiness. Interventions targeting social isolation within the context of constricted life-space may be beneficial for increasing positive mood in older adults, and especially relevant to older PWH.

Moving more, ageing happy: findings from six low- and middle-income countries.

low levels of well-being (including happiness) in the older population are major global concern given rapid population ageing especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Physical activity may increase levels of happiness, but data on the older population are scarce, while there are no data from LMICs. we investigated the relationship between physical activity and happiness, and the influential factors in this association among older adults employing nationally representative datasets from six LMICs. community-based cross-sectional data from the Global Ageing and Adult Health study were analysed. Physical activity was assessed with the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. Participants were grouped into those who do and do not meet physical activity recommendations. Happiness was assessed with a cross-culturally validated single-item question (range 0-4) with higher scores indicating higher levels of happiness. Multivariable ordinal logistic regression and mediation analyses were performed. the sample included 14,585 adults aged ≥65years (mean age = 72.6 ± SD 11.4years; 55% female). After adjusting for multiple confounders, meeting physical activity guidelines was positively associated with more happiness (fully adjusted model, odds ratio = 1.27; 95% confidence interval = 1.04-1.54). The physical activity-happiness association was largely explained by difficulties in mobility, cognitive impairment, disability and social cohesion, which explained ≥20% of the association. meeting recommended physical activity levels was positively linked with happiness in older adults from LMICs. Longitudinal and interventional studies among older people in LMICs are warranted to assess directionality and the potential for physical activity promotion to improve mental well-being in this population.

Psychosocial Resources for Hedonic Balance, Life Satisfaction and Happiness in the Elderly: A Path Analysis.

We explored possible paths from physical and mental health-related quality of life, self-efficacy, optimism, and social support to happiness in older adults, considering hedonic balance and life satisfaction as mediators. A total of 154 Spanish male and female (50%) older adults (65–96 years old, M = 77.44, SD = 8.03; 64% noninstitutionalized elderly) voluntarily participated in this correlational, cross-sectional study. The participants completed self-reports on their perceived health status, self-efficacy, social support, optimism, and global subjective well-being (SWB) as well as its dimensions. Path analysis was used to examine direct and indirect relationships. The final model had an excellent fit with the data (χ2(10) = 11.837, p = 0.296, χ2/df = 1.184; SRMR = 0.050, CFI = 0.994, RMSEA = 0.035), revealing the unique causal effects of all the included predictors on happiness. With the exception of self-efficacy, the psychosocial resources predicted older adults’ current happiness, and this relationship was fully mediated by hedonic balance and life satisfaction, which were found to be putative intermediary factors for SWB. Self-efficacy in turn predicted the remaining psychosocial resources. Our findings extend the existing evidence on the influences of health-related quality of life, self-efficacy, optimism, and social support on SWB. Furthermore, they support the proposal of hedonic balance and life satisfaction as dimensions of SWB, thus supporting the tripartite hierarchical model of happiness. These results may inform future interventions seeking to improve happiness in late adulthood.

Happiness Strategies for Older Adults: A Qualitative Study.

Ensuring happiness in older adults is critical for their mental health. The purpose of the current study was to identify strategies for creating happiness in Iranian older adults. A qualitative study was performed through content analysis and deep semi-structured interviews with 18 adults age 60 and older and one family member. Participants were selected through purposeful sampling, and data were encoded using MAXQDA. Data analyses revealed 187 codes, 23 subcategories, and four main categories: (a) self-centered strategies, (b) inductive strategies, (c) passive strategies, and (d) unselfish strategies. Following the four categories of strategies may lead to happiness in Iranian older adults. Self-centered strategies seemed to achieve better results given that such strategies can be learned and require involvement of older adults themselves. [Research in Gerontological Nursing, 13(5), 254-263.].

The effectiveness of an educational intervention to enhance happiness in Iranian older people: Applying social support theory.

The aim of this study was to explore the effectiveness of an educational program based on social support theory (SST) to enhance happiness in older adults (60-75years) in Hamadan (Iran) in 2017. This study was a quasi-experimental intervention with a control group, consisting of 60 participants and an intervention group of 40 participants. The research instruments included the Oxford Argyle Happiness Inventory and a questionnaire derived from SST. The findings showed that there was a significant difference between the scores of happiness, social support and their components in the intervention group compared to the control group three months after the intervention. The study results indicate that an educational intervention to promote happiness using social support can play a pivotal role in the mental health, life satisfaction and happiness of older adults.