Life In Old Age Research Articles

Association between Lifespan Exercise Habits and Cognitive Function in Older Age: the Bunkyo Health Study

AbstractBackgroundPreventing or delaying the onset of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a crucial strategy for maintaining an independent life in old age (Rodakowski J et al., 2014). Exercise habits for ∼ ten years in the 50s or older were associated with preserving cognitive function (Rovio, S., et al., 2005; J Krell‐Roesch, et al., 2021). However, it is still unclear whether continuous exercise habits throughout the 50s to late life are required to prevent MCI. This study aimed to investigate the association between continuity of exercise habits from the 50s to late life and MCI in older age.MethodWe included 1585 participants (669 males and 916 females) aged 65 to 84 years old living in an urban area (Bunkyo Health Study). MCI was defined as the Japanese version of The Montreal Cognitive Assessment score of 22 points or less. Participants were divided into three groups based on continuity of exercise habits in each decade of the 50s to current age: never having exercise habits in their 50s to current [Never group, reference], having exercise habits in one or several of ages from 50s to current [Intermittent group], and having continuous exercise habits in all of ages [Continuous group]. The odds ratio (ORs) for the prevalence of MCI were obtained using logistic regression models while adjusting for potential confounders including age, years of education, body fat percentage, smoking history, alcohol intake, and cognition‐related diseases (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, cerebrovascular disease).ResultCompared with the Never group, none of the ORs for MCI were statistically significant in men (Intermittent group: ORs: 0.60, 95%CI: 0.36 – 1.02; Continuous group: ORs: 0.99, 95%CI: 0.61 – 1.63; P for trend: P = 0.93). In contrast, the ORs for MCI were significantly lower in the Continuous group in women (Intermittent group: ORs: 0.74, 95%CI: 0.47 – 1.17; Continuous group: ORs: 0.50, 95%CI: 0.29‐0.87; P for trend: P = 0.01).ConclusionMore sustained exercise participation from the 50s to late life was associated with a lower prevalence of MCI in women but not in men.

Impact of perceived social support and physical fitness on quality of life of institutionalized and non-institutionalized older adults in Sri Lanka.

Quality of life (QoL) in old age contributes to enhance active aging. This study aimed to assess and compare QoL and associated factors of institutionalized and non-institutionalized older adults (aged 60+ years) in Southern Sri Lanka. A total of 160 older adults (80 institutionalized and 80 non-institutionalized) were surveyed. Physical and cognitive skills were measured using Barthel index, and Mini Mental State Examination scales. Nutritional status and perceived social support were measured using Mini Nutritional Assessment and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression techniques were used in the analysis. The mean age of the institutionalized older adults was higher than that of non-institutionalized older adults (74.9 years versus 72.1 years, p < 0.01). About half of the sample consisted of older men (48.8%). Economically under privileged older adults who were unmarried were more likely to become institutionalized. The mean value of the QoL score was higher in non-institutionalized older adults compared to that of institutionalized older adults (63.1 (SD = 21.9) versus 49.1 (SD = 25.6), p < 0.05). Activities of daily living (ẞ=-0.46, p < 0.01) and perceived social support (ẞ=-0.20, p < 0.05) were found to be significant determinants of QoL of institutionalized older adults while activities of daily living (ẞ=-0.28, p < 0.05) and nutritional status (ẞ=-0.27, p < 0.05) were found to be significant determinants of QoL of non-institutionalized older adults. Cognitive impairments was not a significant determinant of QoL in both institutionalized and non-institutionalized older adults. Promotion of physically active life style especially among young older adults to maintain their independence as they age and improvements of social support and social connectedness among older adults would be practical and cost-effective strategies to promote active aging in Sri Lankan older adults.

노년기 장소안도감이 생활만족도에 미치는 영향 연구

The purpose of this study is to examines the effect of the elderly's place experience on the satisfaction of life in old age. We measured the ‘Sense of IBASHO’ by the elderly at home and in the ‘third place’ with a Korean version of the sense of IBASHO scale(K-SIS). Sense of IBASHO includes complex elements and it means ‘a place where you can feel like yourself'. The subjects were elderly people over the age of 65 years living in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do. Results Showed that the Sense of IBASHO had a positive effect on the life-satisfaction of the elderly. First, physical and social factors in the Sense of IBASHO experienced at home are factors that increase life-satisfaction and lower negative emotions. Second, the higher the physical aspect of Sense of IBASHO in the third place, the higher the life-satisfaction and positive emotion. In addition, the higher the personal aspect of Sense of IBASHO, the lower the negative emotion and the higher the self-worth perception. In conclusion, in order to increase the life-satisfaction of the elderly, it is important to consider the difference between home and the third place to obtain the Sense of IBASHO. Based on the results, we discussed the policies and practical approaches of social welfare.

Quality of life and social contacts in old age

Abstract Background Changes in lifestyle, housing and social relationships have a verifiable impact on aging. Older adults of today have different ideas about housing and residential mobility than previous generations. Consequently, the importance of innovative types of housing for senior citizens, which allow largely independent housekeeping and provide integration into preexisting social structures, is increasingly in the focus of public health debates. Methods Face-to-face interviews with 32 tenants of Wohnoase Robert Stolz in Graz were conducted between July 2018 and December 2020. The subjects were interviewed twice (T1: at move-in, T2: 6-12 months after moving-in). WHOQOL-BREF and WHOQOL-Old were used to assess health-related quality of life. Furthermore, the ego-centered social network map and a questionnaire to assess subjective sense of safety at home were applied. Results Tenants’ health-related quality of life improved by an average of 11% after 6-12 months in the area of environmental conditions for health promotion ((T1: 3.83; T2: 4.25). Residential satisfaction (T1: 3.44; T2: 4.3; +25%) as well as subjective feeling of safety in their own homes (T1: 4.19; T2: 4.81; +14.8%) rose significantly. Tenants on average had about 6 more social contacts than before moving in (52.2%). In contrast, no significant changes were evident in tenants’ self-assessment of their physical, mental, and social health. Conclusions Results indicate that moving into assisted living can lead to psychosocial stabilization and an increased sense of security. Over time, deteriorations in physical health can be observed, which can most likely be attributed to advanced ageing. Conducting an evaluation study with a higher number of participants and a control group is recommended. Key messages

Posledice življenja starih ljudi v samoti in kako jih lahko preprečimo

Old people living alone: consequences and prevention Important findings in the field of solitary life in old age and the problem of loneliness are presented. Difficulties experienced by old people due to loneliness should not be neglected and their impact on their physical and mental health and general wellbeing needs to be addressed. Therefore some interventions are described that proved to be effective in preventing negative consequences of loneliness among the elderly. As the social network is very important for the health of the old, the most successful interventions are those based on strengthening the social support of old people (for example cooperation within associations, providing support to others, multigenerational households).

시니어의 사회적 자본이 삶의 질에 미치는 영향에 관한 연구

It can be said that seniors’ social capitals have large effects on leading a happy life in old age and the development of local communities and the nation. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to present social capital, self-efficacy, and intention to participate in social activities as determinants of the quality of happy life of seniors in the local community, and analyze the effects of these determinants on the quality of life of seniors in the community. To that end, based on previous studies, a questionnaire survey was conducted with 316 seniors in the local community, and the hypothesis was verified through statistical analysis based on the data from the survey.BR As a result of the study, first, it was shown that while network and trust, which are sub-factors of social capital, have positive effects on self-efficacy and intention to participate in society, but norms do not have any significant effect on self-efficacy and intention to participate in society. Second, the self-efficacy of seniors was found to have a positive effect on the quality of life. Third, the intention of seniors to participate in society was found to have a positive effect on the quality of life. Finally, it was found that self-efficacy and intention to participate in society had mediating effects on the relationship between social capital and the quality of life. This study is meaningful in that it identified that seniors’ social capital, self-efficacy, and intention to participate in society are prerequisites for maintaining the quality of life thereby providing basic data for improvement of the quality of life of seniors.

Impact of Balance Training on Fear of Falling and Fall Rate in Older Women

Background: Fear of falling is one of the factors that threaten the quality of life in old age and increases the risk of falling by limiting physical activity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of balance training on the efficacy of fear of falling and the rate of falling in older women. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 70 aging women with a fear of falling were selected and randomly assigned to experimental (n=35) and control (n=35) groups. The intervention group received 10 sessions of 1-hour balance exercise, along with training in falling prevention strategies, but the control group received only routine care. Data were collected using the Falls Efficacy Scale-International questionnaire and the new elderly health services package of the Ministry of Health of Iran. Fear of falling was evaluated as the primary outcome 1 month and 3 months after balance training, and frequency of falling was assessed as a secondary outcome one year after the intervention. Data were analyzed by ANOVA, independent t test, and paired t test. Results: The results showed that the mean score of fear of falling in the experimental group was significantly lower than in the control group 1 month (P = 0.005) and 3 months (P &lt; 0.001) after balance training. The mean score of fear of falling in the control group represented no significant difference between the three times (P = 0.64). Finally, one year after the balance training, the frequency of falling in the experimental group was significantly lower in comparison to the control group (P = 0.035). Conclusion: A balance training program is recommended as a preventive approach for reducing the frequency of falling in older women.

Benefits of sustained physical activity from middle age to early old age on quality of life in early old age

This study aimed to examine changes in physical activity (PA) over time (2009–2017) in the same participants and to determine an association between changes in PA and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in early older adults (n = 994) using data from the Korea Health Panel Survey. HRQoL was measured using the EuroQol system, and the amount of PA was grouped into four activity levels: remained inactive, became inactive, became active, and remained active. The association of changes in PA over 8 years with HRQoL was examined using logistic regression analysis while controlling for socioeconomic and behavioral factors. Total PA decreased from 1859.72 ± 1760.01 MET-minutes in 2009 to 1264.80 ± 1251.14 MET-minutes in 2017 (P < 0.001). In 2017, 142 (14.3%) remained inactive, whereas 419 (42.2%) remained active. Participants who remained inactive in early old age were more likely to be in the lowest 10% HRQoL of the sample (odds ratio = 1.95, 95% confidence interval = 1.09–3.48). These findings indicate that health education and promotion must be prioritized for middle-aged adults, who are relatively inactive, so that they increase their current PA and improve their HRQoL to maximize the benefits of PA in old age.

Research on the Realistic Path of Rural Mutual Aid for the Aged under the Background of Rural Revitalization

The No. 1 Central Document in 2021 pointed out that "if the nation is to rejuvenate, the countryside must be rejuvenated." In the context of rural revitalization, the problem of old-age care for the elderly in rural areas has become increasingly prominent. At present, with the increasingly prominent problem of population aging, people from all walks of life and the government are exploring innovative models to deal with the elderly in rural areas. The underdevelopment of China's rural economy is a prominent problem for the elderly in rural areas, which has resulted in the pattern of "getting old before getting rich" in rural areas. Therefore, in order to better cope with the problem of old-age care for the elderly in rural areas, various regions have actively carried out mutual-aid care programs in rural areas according to local conditions. Based on mutual assistance, the elderly have the characteristics of providing old-age care on the spot without leaving the village, which enables the elderly in rural areas to truly enjoy the old-age life of "being supported by the elderly".

How Active Ageing Dimensions are Associated with Mental Health of Older People in the Iranian Context?

Active Aging (AA), which is the process of health promotion, collaboration, and increasing the quality of life in old age, may be a strategy to prevent many future challenges in countries like Iran that have a rapidly aging population. This study aimed to measure AA dimensions in Iran and examine their associations with the quality of mental health among Iranian elderly. A quantitative cross-sectional survey of a random sample of 623 community residents of Tehran aged 55 years or older was conducted. In total, 590 people responded. AA was measured using the Active Aging Index (AAI), including four domains, and mental health of the participants was measured using the 15-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) scale. Associations between AA and GHQ was examined using Mixed-Effect Linear Regression analysis. The overall AAI score was calculated at 26.8 (men 33.9 vs. women 20.6) out of 100. Higher scores in the first domain (employment) and lower scores in the third domain (independent, healthy, and secure living) and the fourth domain (enabling environment) were linked with poorer mental health, but the second domain (participation in society) showed no association. Different aspects of AAI showed different associations with mental health. In addition, it seems that the AAI, as a tool for measuring AA, needs a profound modification in the Iranian context, using qualitative studies in Iran.

Rediscovering Allergic Rhinitis: The Use of a Novel mHealth Solution to Describe and Monitor Health-Related Quality of Life in Elderly Patients

Introduction: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a disease characterized by IgE-mediated hypersensitivity responses akin to allergic asthma. Although common in children and young adults, AR can be particularly vexing in the elderly: several studies have underlined its impact on the patient’s self-perceived health-related quality of life (HR-QoL). Available literature data on AR-affected elderly patients remain sparse and often focused on specific characteristics. mHealth solutions such as MASK-air® can be used in assessing salient clinical characteristics and unique shifts in self-perceived HR-QoL in old age people. With this pilot study, we aim to assess these variables in two cohorts of AR-affected elderly patients – one actively involved in the daily use of mHealth applications and the other having never used such a solution – by applying a widespread, validated, and standardized tool. Methods: AR-affected patients aged ≥65 years accessing the outpatient clinic of the Bari Geriatric Immuno-allergology Unit between March and July 2021 were enrolled and assigned to “mHealth” (MASK-air®) and “non-mHealth” cohorts accordingly. Each participant was given a 19-item questionnaire delivered via a custom software solution, with the EuroQoL EQ-5D-5L used to assess HR-QoL. Results: 93 patients (51 mHealth users, 43 non-mHealth users) were enrolled. AR was often either standalone or associated with asthma and conjunctivitis, and 57.4% of the participants reported a negative influence of AR on daily activities. Analysis of HR-QoL showed significantly worse scores in mobility and anxiety/depression dimensions for female patients regardless of app usage, while male non-mHealth users had worse self-care scores. Female mHealth users had worse scores for the self-care and activity dimensions, whereas female non-mHealth users showed worse scores on the pain scale. In general, mHealth users showed a greater degree of anxiety/depression when compared to non-mHealth users, relating to a greater awareness of their health status. Conclusion: The use of an mHealth solution, along with a concise, clinically-validated, comprehensive HR-QoL assessment toolset such as the EQ-5D, can prove beneficial in defining the unique characteristics of AR in the elderly. It can enable a detailed exploration of the impact on specific aspects of quality of life in old age. Raising patient awareness towards a health condition can improve compliance to treatment as well as follow-up. A lack of uniformity in approach, along with missing data pertaining to the general population are critical issues that require further studies. A more thorough diffusion of mHealth usage is also necessary among the geriatric population.

Well-being right before and after a permanent nursing home admission.

Permanent nursing home (NH) admissions are a frequent and major life event aimed at maintaining quality of life in old age. Yet, insights into the impact of a NH admission on well-being are scarce and inconclusive. We evaluate the effect of a NH admission on domains of well-being among those who are admitted using event study methodology for cross-sections combined with inverse probability weighting. We apply this doubly robust approach to Dutch survey data on well-being linked to extensive administrative data on NH admissions, health, and socio-economic status. We find that a NH admission leads to a temporary increase in loneliness, the risk of anxiety and depression, and a loss of control over one's life. However, these scores revert to pre-admission levels after 6months. These findings may contribute to better-informed individual-level and policy decisions about potential NH entry and aging in place policies.

Lipid metabolism and ageing in Caenorhabditis elegans: a complex interplay.

Life expectancy in Western countries is increasing, with concomitant rise in ageing-related pathologies, including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, as well as other neurodegenerative diseases. Consequently, the medical, psychological and economic burden to society is increasing. Thus, understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the association of ageing with elevated vulnerability to disease is crucial towards promoting quality of life in old age. Caenorhabditis elegans has emerged as a versatile model to study ageing, due to its simplicity, fast life cycle, and the availability of a wide range of biological tools to target specific genes and cells. Indeed, recent studies in C. elegans have revealed that lipid metabolism plays a key role in controlling longevity by impinging on a plethora of molecular pathways and cell types. Here, we summarise findings relevant to the interplay between lipid metabolism and ageing in C. elegans, and discuss the implications for the pathogenesis of age-related disorders in humans.

The impact of place attachment on well-being for older people in high-density urban environment: a qualitative study

ABSTRACT Aging in place has become a popular social policy worldwide. This paper argues that well-being is an important outcome of aging in place, upon which older people develop autonomy and environmental proactivity. The temporal dimension of aging in place highlights development of place attachment, which includes place identity and place dependence. The study explores how older people, who live inhigh-density urban environments, make sense of well-being and place attachment by articulating their daily lives. Community dwelling older people aged 65 and above, who came from neighborhoods with high aging population and residential density but high and low median household incomes, were invited for focus group discussions. Multifaceted meanings of well-being include various dimensions that cover individual-collective and material-spiritual (psychological) construct. Meanings of place attachment include values of, bonding ties to, and memories about places. Three pathways are identified linking place attachment and multifaceted well-being. The study finds that social welfare and material richness are not the only determinants of well-being. Fulfillment of higher psychological needs, such as positive evaluation of life and self-actualization, should be emphasized by which older people can make the most of their life in old age.

Supplemental Material for Attention-Focused Emotion Regulation in Everyday Life in Adulthood and Old Age

Supplemental Material for Attention-Focused Emotion Regulation in Everyday Life in Adulthood and Old Age

Estimation of Functional Fitness of Korean Older Adults Using Machine Learning Techniques: The National Fitness Award 2015-2019.

Measuring functional fitness (FF) to track the decline in physical abilities is important in order to maintain a healthy life in old age. This paper aims to develop an estimation model of FF variables, which represents strength, flexibility, and aerobic endurance, using easy-to-measure physical parameters for Korean older adults aged over 65 years old. The estimation models were developed using various machine learning techniques and were trained with the National Fitness Award datasets from 2015 to 2019 compiled by the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation. The machine-learning-based nonlinear regression models were employed to improve the performance of the previous linear regression models. To derive the optimal estimation model that showed the best estimation accuracy, we developed five different machine-learning-based estimation models and compares the estimation accuracy not only among the machine learning models, but also with the previous linear regression model. The coefficient of determination of the FF variables was used to compare the performance of each model; the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and standard error of estimation (SEE) were used to evaluate the model performance. The deep neural network (DNN) model presented the best performance among the regression models for the estimation of all of the FF variables. The coefficient of determination in the HGS test was 0.784, while those of the others were less than 0.5 meaning that the HGS of older adults can be reliably estimated using easy-to-measure independent variables.

Active ageing profiles among older adults in Spain: A Multivariate analysis based on SHARE study.

BackgroundFollowing the active ageing model based on the Health, Lifelong Learning, Participation and Security pillars, this research has a twofold objective: i) to classify older adults according to active ageing profiles, taking into account the four pillars, and ii) to ascertain the relationship between the profiles and personal and contextual factors, as well as well-being and quality of life in old age.MethodsA study sample of 5,566 Spanish older adults who participated in wave 6 of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) was included. Data were analysed in different steps applying several statistical analyses (Principal Component, Cluster, Discriminant, Multiple Correspondence and bivariate analysis with Pearson chi-square and ANOVA).ResultsFive older adult profiles were obtained (I: with moderate activity; II: quasi-dependents; III: with active ageing-limiting conditions; IV: with diverse and balanced activity; V: with excellent active ageing conditions). The first three profiles were characterised by subjects with a high average age, low educational level, who were retired or housewives, and who perceived a moderate level of loneliness, satisfaction with the social network and quality of life, as well as having a larger family network, but living in small households or alone. In contrast, the latter two profiles showed better personal and contextual conditions, well-being and quality of life.Discussion and conclusionsThe multidimensional approach to active ageing followed in this article has revealed the presence of several older adult profiles, which are confined to groups with better or worse active ageing conditions. In this context, if ageing is a process that reflects the previous way of life, intervention priorities will have to consider actions that promote better conditions during the life cycle.

Childhood deprivations predict late-life cognitive impairment among older adults in India

Large population-based studies on the associations of childhood factors with late-life cognition are lacking in many low and middle income countries including India. In this study, we assessed the prevalence of late-life cognitive impairment and examined the associations of childhood socioeconomic status (SES) and health conditions with cognitive impairment among older adults in India. Data for this study were derived from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India conducted in 2017–18. The effective sample size was 31,464 older adults aged 60 years and above. Cognitive functioning was measured through five global domains (memory, orientation, arithmetic function, executive function, and object naming). The overall score ranged between 0 and 43, and the score was reversed indicating cognitive impairment. Descriptive statistics along with mean scores of cognitive impairment were presented. Additionally, moderated multivariable linear regression models were employed to examine the association between explanatory variables, including childhood SES and health conditions and late-life cognitive impairment. The mean score of cognitive functioning among the study participants was 21.72 (CI 2.64–21.80). About 15% of older adults had poor health conditions, and 44% had lower financial status during their childhood. Older adults who had a fair health during their childhood were more likely to suffer from cognitive impairment in comparison to older adults who had good health during their childhood (Coef: 0.60; CI 0.39, 0.81). In comparison to older adults who had good childhood financial status, those who had poor childhood financial status were more likely to suffer from cognitive impairment (Coef: 0.81; CI 0.56, 1.07). Older adults who had fair childhood health status and poor childhood financial status were more likely to suffer from cognitive impairment in comparison to older adults who had good childhood health and good financial status (Coef: 1.26; CI 0.86, 1.66). Social policies such as improving educational and financial resources in disadvantaged communities and socioeconomically poor children and their families, would help to enhance a better cognitive ageing and a healthy and dignified life in old age.

The Association Between Depression and Death Anxiety Among Older Adults: Moderating Effect of Ego-Integrity.

This study verifies the relationship between depression and death anxiety in older adults and the moderating effect of ego-integrity on this relationship. The survey was conducted with 236 participants aged 65years and older through a combination of online and offline surveys. The final data were analyzed using the PROCESS macro for SPSS 2.16. The main findings of this study are as follows: First, depression in old age was positively related to anxiety about death. Second, the moderating effect of ego-integrity was observed on the relationship between depression and death anxiety. Third, on examining the moderating effect of each sub-variable of ego-integrity, the moderating effect of satisfaction with one's life was observed to be significant. Conversely, the moderating effect of attitude toward life and acceptance of old age was not significant. The results of this study are meaningful in examining the moderating effect of ego-integrity on the relationship between depression and death anxiety. Furthermore, the results of this study can provide basic data for the development and application of psychological intervention programs for older adults experiencing psychological problems due to depression and death anxiety in old age.

Quality of Life of Older Persons: The Role and Challenges of Social Services Providers.

Considering the growing number of older persons, ensuring the quality of life of them, as well as the social services designed for this population category, has become more and more important. Especially in the case of dependent older persons, social services are essential components, as they contribute to a better quality of life. The aim of this paper was to examine the perspectives of social services providers for older persons with respect to their role and the challenges encountered in ensuring the quality of life of older beneficiaries. In order to answer our objectives, we employed a qualitative methodology, using the focus group method to collect information from social services providers (both residential and home care). Multiple factors are related to a good quality of life in old age: some are related to individual characteristics, while others are related to the provision of services. The provision of quality social services that adequately respond to the needs of beneficiaries contributes to increasing the degree of independence and maintaining the physical and mental health of dependent older persons.