Older Adults Interest Research Articles

Advocating for Older Adults in the Age of Social Media: Strategies to Achieve Peak Engagement on Twitter.

Over the last decade, many organizations dedicated to serving the needs and interests of older adults have turned to social media platforms, such as Twitter, subsequently rebranded X, to improve the visibility of age-related issues. However, notwithstanding their growing digital presence and participation, minimal attention has been paid to the use of social media among these advocacy groups. To achieve policy change, advocacy organizations must first be able to engage and mobilize audiences. Our study aims to elucidate how different tweet features affect the time it takes for posts uploaded by age advocacy organizations to reach peak engagement. We collated 204,905 tweets from 53 age advocacy organizations posted over a 12-year period. The engagement score of each tweet was calculated by combining well-established metrics, namely likes, retweets, quote tweets, and replies. We ran Cox models with tweet features as predictors and time-to-peak engagement as the outcome. "Peak engagement" (event) refers to engagement scores above the 75th percentile, and "time" refers to months taken to reach peak engagement per tweet. Approximately 1 in 2 tweets (n=103,068, 50.3%) had either no hashtags or just 1 hashtag. Around two-thirds (n=131,220, 64%) of the tweets included a URL. Visual information was highly underused, with most tweets not including GIFs (n=204,202, 99.7%), videos (n=199,800, 97.5%), or photos (n=143,844, 70.2%). Roughly half (n=101,470, 49.5%) of the tweets contained mentions and 9.3% (n=19,009) of tweets were replies. Only 4.5% (n=9285) of tweets were quote tweets. Most tweets were uploaded in the afternoon (n=86,004, 42%) and on a weekday (n=180,499, 88.1%). As hypothesized, features associated with peak engagement were the inclusion of visual elements like photos, which increased peak engagement by 3 times (P<.001), and the use of 3 or more hashtags (P<.001). Quote tweets increased engagement by 3 times (P<.001), as compared to regular tweets, controlling for account-level covariates. Tweets from organizations with a higher tweet volume were 40% less likely to reach peak engagement (P<.001). Social media as a networked platform has the potential to reach users on a global scale and at an exponential speed. Having uncovered the features that are more likely to reach peak engagement on Twitter, our study serves as an invaluable resource for age advocacy organizations in their movement to create a more age-inclusive world.

Prevention and Treatment of Malnutrition in Older Adults Living in Long-Term Care or the Community: an Evidence-based Nutrition Practice Guideline

Malnutrition in older adults can decrease quality of life and increase risk of morbidities and mortality. Accurate and timely identification of malnutrition, as well as subsequent implementation of effective interventions, are essential to decrease poor outcomes associated with malnutrition in older adults. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Evidence Analysis Center conducted a systematic review of the literature to develop an evidence-based nutrition practice guideline for the prevention and treatment of malnutrition in older adults. The objective of this guideline was to provide evidence-based recommendations to identify, prevent, or treat protein-energy malnutrition in older adults (mean age ≥65 years) living in long-term care and community settings. This guideline provides 11 nutrition recommendations to inform shared decision making among dietitians, members of the health care team, family members or caregivers, and older adults living in long-term care or the community to prevent or treat malnutrition. Topics include dietitian effectiveness, nutrition assessment tools, oral nutrition supplements, food fortification, and home-delivered and congregate meals. Guideline implementation should include consideration of the importance of comprehensive individualized nutrition care for older adults. Future research is needed to address gaps that were identified related to the validity, reliability, and feasibility of nutrition assessment tools, as well as the effectiveness of dietitian interventions on outcomes of interest in older adults living in long-term care and the community.

The development and evaluation of a short-term international student research and educational program

ObjectivesThis study aimed to describe the “how-to” details and processes for developing and evaluating a short-term international student research and education program. MethodsThis study included two parts: development and implementation, and evaluation of the program. A foreign doctoral nursing student requested to visit the West Virginia University School of Nursing for research training and academic teaching experience. The global nursing program coordinator and the lead mentor met and identified the program basis and team participants. Learning activities were related to this student’s interest in older adults and in-home end-of-life care, included four contents: research; educational engagement; practice/clinical engagement; special activities & professional development training and courses. The program evaluation was conducted at the end of the six-month visit using a focus group and an anonymous short survey. Participants (n = 10) included the host university’s faculty, graduate students, and one short-term international student. ResultsContent analysis of the participant’s short survey answers and the focus group discussion resulted in three themes: 1) lessons learned from participating in the program (enhanced diversity in education and research, gaining new global healthcare knowledge, and self-reflection on and promoting cultural awareness); 2) program barriers and challenges (the visa application process, the English language barrier, the lack of public transportation in the town, and scheduling conflicts); and 3) strategies to overcome these barriers and challenges (adding cultural diversity information into curriculum; attending English proficiency with others in the class; using different communication techniques; continuous collaboration with the University’s Office of Global Affairs for the Visa application process; providing interactive experiences). All participants rated their engagement in the program as very satisfactory (Mean = 4.67, SD = 0.50), and highly impacted their nursing skills in research, teaching, and clinical practice (Mean = 4.67, SD = 0.50). ConclusionsAll the participants have gained some experience in this program, which can be used for future teaching guidance. Further, international nursing students need assistance to adjust and thrive in the host university learning community. Faculty must be culturally sensitive, understand the visiting foreign nursing student’ learning needs, and advocate for an environment suitable for enhancing the students’ learning.

AI Companion Robot Data Sharing: Preferences of an Online Cohort and Policy Implications

AbstractPolicymakers have recognized the urgent need to create AI data protections, yet the interests of older adults have thus far not been well represented. We report peoples' perspectives on small AI companion robots for older adults, along with attendant issues related to facial expression and conversation data collection and sharing. Data are from a cross‐sectional survey of an online cohort of the Oregon Center for Aging &amp; Technology at Oregon Health &amp; Science University, with a response rate of 45% and analytic sample of 825 (mean age: 63.9, rang: 25‐88). Logistic regressions examined relationships between comfort and data sharing preferences with socio‐demographic characteristics. Just over half (52.3%) were somewhat or very comfortable with an artificial companion robot during the pandemic and 45.2% were under normal circumstances. In adjusted models, being younger, male, and having lower formal education and greater confidence in computer use were associated with greater likelihood of being comfortable with a companion robot. Those who were at least somewhat comfortable with robots recording their conversations (15%) or reported that they would probably want their facial expressions read for emotion detection (52.8%) also selected with whom they want these data shared. Free text comments were thematically analyzed. Primary themes were that robot‐based data collection constitutes over monitoring and invasion of privacy, with participants predicting data privacy, security, and use issues. These findings about the importance potential users place on data protection and transparency demonstrate a need for law and policy to act to enable trustworthy, desirable companion robots.

A playbook for effective age advocacy on Twitter

Central to raising awareness of ageism are advocacy organizations dedicated to serving the needs and interests of older adults. Although many of these organizations have cultivated an online presence, inquiry into the effectiveness of age advocacy work on social media remains an untapped area. Our foray into this topic explores how different tweet features predict the level of engagement of posts uploaded by age advocacy organizations on Twitter. Tweets (N=403,426) were collected from 53 accounts and spanned 12 years from July 2009 to October 2021. After applying our exclusion criteria, 204,905 tweets were retained for analysis. We analyzed the tweet features (predictors) and engagement level (outcome variable) using a linear mixed-effects model. Tweets with higher engagement are those with a URL, with at least three hashtags, with visuals (GIF, photo, or video), which are quote tweets, and which are posted in the evening or at night Central Standard Time (CST), adjusting for account-level variables (e.g., follower count). Conversely, tweets with more than one mention, which are replies and which are uploaded in the morning are associated with lower engagement. The rise of digital media means that advocates have the opportunity to communicate their messages to reach a critical mass. This is the first known study to offer an evidence-informed playbook for age advocacy organizations to optimize outreach efforts by maximizing online engagement. These results represent a crucial step in ongoing efforts to tackle ageism, an issue that has long been under-discussed.

Potential Role of Blood Flow Restricted Exercise for Older Adults

Sarcopenia is the age-related loss of muscle mass and strength which is associated with the loss of physical performance, lower quality of life, and other negative health outcomes. Resistance training (RT) is a recognized method to increase muscle strength and mass, however some older adults may be limited in their ability to perform RT with traditionally recommended higher-loads. Occluding blood flow to a limb, commonly referred to as muscle blood flow restriction (MBFR), has been investigated as an adjunct to RT to elicit muscle strength and hypertrophy adaptations while utilizing lower-loads of resistance as compared to traditional training recommendations. This technique could be of particular interest for older adults who may be limited in their ability to otherwise complete RT due to health reasons or may be debilitated due to a lack of muscle mass and strength. The aim of this narrative review is to discuss the current literature investigating the use of MBFR with and without a combination of exercise, in older adults and its effects on skeletal muscle strength, hypertrophy, and physical function.

Discovering silver market segments in cooking courses: The case of Basque Culinary Center

United Nations has confirmed that older populations who are aged 65 years and over now make up the fastest growing age group in the world. Virtually all countries are anticipating an increase in the percentage of older persons in their future population forecasts (United Nations, 2019). These demographic changes have driven the emergence of a large and growing segment of the consumer market whose needs still remain largely unknown and unmet (European Summit on Innovation for Active and Healthy Ageing, 2015).An ageing population and the increasing participation of seniors in tourism and leisure activities have prompted marketers, tourism providers and governments in many developed regions of the world to identify older persons as a fast-growing emerging market.Nevertheless, limited studies have been carried out on cooking, and cooking workshops or lessons for older adults. This paper focuses on profile of the students in cooking classes and, specifically the senior and presenior students at the “Fans program” at Basque Culinary Center, a pioneering academic institution whose main aim is higher education, research, innovation and promotion of gastronomy and nutrition. The purpose of this study is twofold: (1) to explore the growing interest of older persons in experiential cooking lessons and (2) to provide key issues regarding the interest of older adults as a growing market.Following the National Poll of Healthy Eating at the University of Michigan, in recent years, cooking at home has emerged as a key strategy for healthy eating that many older adults already engage in frequently and report as a source of enjoyment https://www.healthyagingpoll.org/reports-more/report/joy-cooking-and-its-benefits-older-adults. Findings generated from this study will help to better understand the importance of cooking and healthy eating linked to older adults. A deeper comprehension on older adults and the benefits of cooking and keeping learning will shed some light regarding gastronomy and older persons and may contribute gastronomy through intergenerational recipe sharing.Hopefully this will lead to the development of innovative services so as to create effective programs tailored to meet the needs and wants of the senior market segment towards a better active and healthy ageing.

Governance networks that strengthen older adults' digital inclusion: The challenges of metagovernance

Studies show that digital skills and literacy training programs for older adults can help to extend digital inclusion, which remains a policy challenge around the world. However existing research provides little insight into how policy-makers can best deliver large-scale programs. This article examines the design and implementation of a nation-wide, state-led digital skills and literacy program in Australia called Be Connected that aimed to empower older adults (50 years and older) to thrive in the digital world. The article combines an exploratory survey (n = 201) with semi-structured interviews of training providers (n = 19) and draws on public management concepts of metagovernance and governance networks to explain and contextualise the program's model of implementation. It explains how policy makers and community-based organisations can successfully address the digital literacy needs and interests of older adults through a metagovernance model. We argue that the effectiveness of the model relies on finding balance between a) provision of standardised resources versus customised support, and b) achieving cohesion through shared goals whilst also promoting the diversity and independence of local organisations. An effective balance can be achieved through processes of co-creation.

Meaning in Life and Meaningful Engagement in the Moment: Lives of Prosocial Leaders and Volunteers

Recent years have seen growing interest in older adults’ sense of meaning in life, a core dimension of eudaimonic well-being throughout adulthood that has been associated in later life with reduced morbidity and mortality. Currently, the relations between this global sense of meaning in life and the experience of meaningful engagement in the moment remain largely unexplored, particularly in later lives that are distinguished by high levels of meaning. Multilevel analysis of ESM data from prosocial leaders and volunteers indicated that feelings of meaningful engagement fluctuated in daily life for both groups, even while questionnaire data showed that global sense of meaning in life was high. Examining basic sources of fulfillment (e.g., sense of relatedness) revealed type of involvement (leadership vs. volunteerism) affected the source(s) of fulfillment that connected meaning at the global and momentary levels. Implications for theory, research, and applied work on meaning and prosocial commitment are discussed.

Characteristics and Prognostic Effects of IDH Mutations across the Age Spectrum in AML: A Collaborative Analysis from COG, SWOG, and ECOG

Characteristics and Prognostic Effects of IDH Mutations across the Age Spectrum in AML: A Collaborative Analysis from COG, SWOG, and ECOG

Participatory development of the food literacy intervention “GUSTO” for older adults in Germany

Abstract Background Healthy aging is one of the major challenges currently faced by an aging population. Food literacy (FL) refers to the ability to apply knowledge and practical skills regarding healthy and sustainable nutrition into everyday life. The project “GUSTO” is sponsored by the Bavarian State Ministry of Health and Care and aims to contribute to enjoyable aging by developing the nutritional skills of people aged 65 and over. This community-based program comprises independent working groups of older adults guided by peer moderators. The FL intervention is developed in cooperation with the target group. Methods The nutritional situation of older adults was first established through a literature research. The results of this research were compared to the “self-perceived food literacy scale” by Poelman et al. (2018) and the “nutritional framework for literacy courses” by Johannsen et al. (2019). The resulting data provided a basis for focus group discussions carried out in six municipalities, supported by local practice partners. In six guided focus group discussions, a number of recurring themes were identified and summarized. Results The focus groups consisted of a total of 44 people between 62 and 88 years of age (average age: 73.1 ± 6.1 years). 22.7 % were men. The group discussions revealed resources used and barriers encountered in terms of FL and interests of older adults. It was evident that, due to the high density of information available, the participants found it difficult to identify reliable information and to implement it in their everyday life. At the request of the focus groups, topics such as the best before date and the use of food waste were added to the intervention. Conclusions Older adults find it challenging to identify reliable nutritional information and implement it in their everyday life. With the help of the participatory approach outlined in this study, target group-related issues can be identified and taken into account in the intervention. Key messages Older adults can be involved in the development of an FL intervention. A participatory approach allows target group-related issues and specific needs to be taken into account in the intervention.

Wasted Lives: Aging as an Incentive for Reconstruction of Desistance Intentions Among Older Adults in Prison

There is growing scholarly interest in older adults involved in crime and their lives in prison. However, the specific group of older adults who persistently offend (OAPO) and their desistance intentions has received little attention. The present study aims to explore the lived experiences of OAPO who intend to desist from crime. Seventeen OAPO were interviewed, and an interpretive phenomenological analysis approach was used to analyze the narratives they presented. Participants’ interviews revealed four superordinate themes: (1) insight and change in the lives of OAPO; (2) a series of losses lead to disillusionment with a life of crime; (3) desistance as the only alternative; and (4) fear of death in prison as a catalyst for desistance. The findings suggest that desistance intention among older adults in prison is an individualized process deeply affected by age-related motivations and dynamics.

Older Adults and Covid-19: The Most Vulnerable, the Hardest Hit.

Older adults in the United States have been the age group hardest hit by the Covid pandemic. They have suffered a disproportionate number of deaths; Covid patients eighty years or older on ventilators had fatality rates higher than 90 percent. How could we have better protected older adults? Both the popular press and government entities blamed nursing homes, labeling them "snake pits" and imposing harsh fines and arduous new regulations. We argue that this approach is unlikely to improve protections for older adults. Rather than focusing exclusively on acute and critical resources, including ventilators, a plan that respected the best interests of older adults would have also supported nursing homes, a critical part of the health care system. Better access to protective equipment for staff members, early testing of staff members and patients, and enhanced means of communication with families were what was needed. These preventive measures would have offered greater benefit to the oldest members of our population than the exclusive focus on acute care.

The use of the internet by older adults in Poland

It is generally accepted that it is young people who are particularly interested in information and communication technologies (ICT). Older adults remain to be considered less prepared, not only technically, but also mentally, to use the Internet. However, the development of ICT may contribute to extending life activities by facilitating everyday activities such as shopping or improving the health status of older adult generations. This is even more important in light of the latest demographic trends that indicate a rapid increase in population ageing, especially in developed countries. The aim of this study is to examine the use of the Internet by older adults in Poland, taking into account the diversity of these people in terms of belonging to a given generation of seniors and in terms of their sex. The methods include questionnaire surveys and statistical data processing. The results show that older adults are becoming more and more digital. In relation to the respondents surveyed, the hypothesis that the interest of older adults in using the Internet decreases with age was not confirmed. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that future research should focus on the comparison of the use of the Internet by older adults from different countries, and therefore, from different cultural areas or areas implementing different social policies.

WHY DON’T OLDER ADULTS USE SENIOR CENTERS? EVIDENCE FROM A SAMPLE OF MASSACHUSETTS ADULTS AGE 50 AND OLDER

Senior centers are an integral community resource, providing programs and services intended to meet the vast range of needs and interests of older adults. There is a growing literature describing senior center participants and benefits to participation, but little is known about those who choose not to participate at a local senior center. This presentation uniquely characterizes non-users of senior centers, based on a sample of community-dwelling adults aged 50+ from seven communities in Massachusetts (N = 9,462). To date, this is the largest data set that describes senior center usage. Most of the sample were women (60%) and in the 60-69 age group (36%). More than three quarters of the sample do not use the local senior center (77%). The most common reasons for non-usage were lack of interest (27%) and not feeling old enough (26%). There are significant differences in reasons of non-usage among age groups and gender (p < .001). Younger age groups’ (50-69) most popular reasons for non-usage were not feeling old enough, not having time, inconvenient senior center hours, and not knowing what is offered. In contrast, older age groups (80+) more frequently reported having no interest or using programs elsewhere. Men were more likely to report not being interested and not being familiar with what is offered. Women were more likely to report not having time, inconvenient hours of programming, and using programs elsewhere. Based on results from this study, this presentation will outline implications for the future of senior centers and their programming.

Understanding Older Adults’ Wellbeing from a Philosophical Perspective

In spite of the large research interest in older adults’ wellbeing, a theory of older adult’s wellbeing as such is still lacking. I present the outline of such a theory, determining its scope and premises and suggesting avenues for its further development and related empirical research. I assume that wellbeing is a complex and dynamic phenomenon, depending on a subtle interplay between several different factors. Older adults tend to combine and value these factors differently from other age groups, and this should be reflected by a domain-specific wellbeing theory. I argue more specifically that dispositional properties are less important to older adults’ wellbeing; that vulnerability is a second-order disposition, and that this explains why it does not seem to impede wellbeing; that hedonic adaptation takes very different forms, not least in older adults, and that it should be assessed in a correspondingly differentiated manner; that cognition and cognitive impairment can play very different, both positive and negative, roles depending on the context; and that notions like flourishing need modification, and are actually modified in wellbeing assessments and self-assessments.

The gap between desires and reality in sexuality of males and females aged 60 and over: Results from the Berlin aging study II (BASE-II)

Summary Background As the world's population over 60 continues to grow, there is increasing interest in older adults’ sexuality and its impact on their life quality and general health conditions. While sexual behaviour and sexual function have been described previously, desires for intimacy have received less attention. This study aims to explore the gap between desired and experienced sexual activities among individuals of older age in Germany while simultaneously addressing gender differences. Method In total, 751 heterosexual individuals (aged ≥ 60 years, approx. 65% females) sampled from the Berlin Aging Study II completed the Questionnaire on Sexual Experiences and Partnership Quality (Q-SExPQ), which asks about body contact, exchange of touching, sex without intercourse and sex with intercourse, and the desire for these sexual activities. A mixed ANOVA was performed to compare the group differences in the sexual activities, particularly with respect to the desire for sexual contact. Results The older adults experienced less frequent sexual activities than they desired. Men desired and experienced more frequent sexual activities. Additionally, persons in relationships had a stronger desire for sexual activities and experienced more frequent sexual activities, and consequently, they experienced only a moderate gap between their desires and reality. For exchange of touching, the gap of unmet desires was larger for women both in relationships and not in relationships. In contrast, for sex with intercourse, the gap of unmet desires was larger for men. Only those in relationships experienced more frequent body contact than they desired. Conclusion In the group of older adults investigated in this study, a gap between sexual desires and real sexual experience is shown, which varied with gender and relationship status. A lack of sexual fulfilment is likely to influence sexual and general health. Pertinent research, including studies on the effect of support programmes, is needed for clarification.

Abstract P157: Examining Differences in Interest in Clinical Trial Participation Between Those With and Without a Previous Diagnosis of Hypertension or Heart Disease

Purpose: Despite the large impact heart disease has on morbidity and mortality, many are unaware of the risk factors and the steps they can take to reduce their own risk. Participation in clinical trials for discovering new approaches for the prevention and treatment of heart disease is important. This study sought to determine interest in participation in clinical trials of those diagnosed with heart disease and hypertension as compared to those without such diagnoses, and to assess associated sociodemographic characteristics of interest in participation Methods: Analyses were conducted using data from the 2014 administration of the National Cancer Institute's Health Information National Trends Survey . HINTS is a nationally-representative survey of the US adult (18+) population. The primary outcome of interest was whether respondents expressed interest in participating in research. Bivariate analyses were conducted initially to explore potential associations between sociodemographic factors and having had a diagnosis of hypertension or heart disease. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess relationships between sociodemographic factors and outcomes, controlling for relevant sociodemographic characteristics and prior diagnosis of hypertension or heart attack. Weighted analyses were done to obtain population-level estimates. Findings: Of the 3,498 respondents, 1,569 (33.3%,) reported having a prior diagnosis of hypertension; 362 of 3,493 (7.0%,) respondents indicated that they had a previously diagnosed heart condition. Logistic regression showed that younger hypertensive participants had higher odds of being interested in participating in clinical trials as compared to those aged 75 years and older (OR = 3.62, 95% CI = 1.94-6.78). Those with regular care providers had higher odds of being interested in clinical trial participation compared to those without regular providers (OR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.07-2.11). Likewise, younger participants aged 18-34 reporting heart conditions (OR = 3.58, 95% CI = 1.79-7.16) had higher odds of being interested in clinical trial participation compared to those aged 75 and older. No statistical differences were seen in clinical trial awareness, participation, or interest across race or gender. Conclusions: Participants who have a diagnosis of heart disease or hypertension and report being interested in engaging in clinical trial research are generally younger and have a regular health care provider. Therefore, behavioral intervention efforts should focus on translating clinical trial participation interest to participation in younger adults. Clinical trial recruitment efforts should also focus on unique methods to increase interest and subsequent trial enrollment in older adults and those without regularly provided care.

Promoting age friendly universities which are sustainable and open to all: a new challenge for the academy?

The educational needs and interests of older adults have been largely overlooked by universities. Traditionally, universities have geared their curriculum and recruitment drive towards younger adults, yet the number of older adults, as a proportion of the total population, is growing. Many of these older adults want to remain in work longer whether in a paid or voluntary capacity. This article argues that universities have the potential to play a major role in innovation through increasing and widening participation of older adults. It outlines an approach, the Age Friendly University (AFU) which highlights ten principles that offer a possible guide for innovation and institutional change. The integration of AFU's mission and principles is reflected in cases from Ireland and the UK. It argues the AFU has the potential to bring social, personal and economic benefits to older adults and universities alike.

Students' Knowledge of and Interest in Older Adults: Impact of a Geriatrics Course

The number of older adults living with chronic conditions is steadily increasing, so nurses must be prepared to care for the needs of this population. However, only one third of nursing education programs include a stand-alone geriatrics course. A cross-sectional mixed-methods design was used to compare two cohorts of 46 nursing students. Knowledge, attitude, and interest in older adults were examined using an online survey. The control cohort did not complete the geriatric course. No demographic differences were found between groups. Completing the geriatric course was not correlated with having greater aging-related knowledge. Decreased interest in working with the older adult population was found. Findings from this cross-sectional pilot study suggest that previous experience with an aging relative was associated with better aging-related knowledge. Further research exploring students' perceptions is needed to understand the relationship between the geriatric course and attitudes toward aging. [J Nurs Educ. 2018;57(2):106-109.].