Life Satisfaction Of Older People Research Articles

Human values, civic participation, and wellbeing: analysis on their relationship among older Europeans.

So far, both for the general and older population, research on human values and wellbeing mainly shows correlational associations but does not inquire about the direction of this relationship. This is also true for values and civic participation. Therefore, our objective is to identify the directional association between civic participation and Schwartz values, and between values and wellbeing, among older Europeans. A pseudo-panel was created from the cross-sectional data of the European Social Survey (ESS 2002-2018), controlling for gender, age-group, country and level of studies (n = 3926). The data analysis was performed using a cross-lagged model, applying both random-effects and fixed-effects models. On the one hand, the relationship between participation and values is bidirectional, but the effect of civic participation on values is more significant since participating stimulates the development of certain values. On the other hand, although the relationship between values and wellbeing is also bidirectional, the effect of wellbeing on values is stronger since a given level of wellbeing favors the development of particular values. We conclude that civic participation should be promoted within the older population since it directly increases wellbeing, and moreover reinforces those (Growth-oriented) values that positively influence the health, happiness and life satisfaction of older people.

Family support and life satisfaction of older adults: the mediating and moderating role of leisure activities and health

ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to explore the role of leisure activities in the life satisfaction of older people. In addition, the mediating and moderating effects of leisure activities and health on family support and life satisfaction are examined. This study is based on a primary survey of 311 older adults in India. A questionnaire was administered for data collection. PLS-SEM was used to analyse the data. The analysis was done in two phases: measurement model analysis and structural equation modelling. Measurement model analysis estimated that the constructs have adequate reliability and validity. SEM results showed the positive impact of family support on life satisfaction, both directly and indirectly through leisure activities. Health of older adults moderates the relationship between family support and life satisfaction. The novelty and value of the study is the significant role of health and leisure activities between family support and life satisfaction.

Non-standard family histories and wellbeing at older ages

The life course approach emphasizes that health and wellbeing at older ages are influenced by experiences occurred in the previous stages of life. We contribute to the literature by focusing on the role of the non-standardness of family histories and argue that individuals who experienced non-standard trajectories have been exposed to social sanctions throughout their life course with negative long-term consequences on wellbeing.In our study, non-standardness of family histories is the extent an individual's family history differs from those of the others within reference groups, defined combining birth cohort, gender and country of residence. Family histories between age of 15 and 49 are analyzed using Sequence Analysis, thus accounting for events related to fertility and union formation (marriage and cohabitation) and dissolution, and their timing. Dissimilarities between family sequences are measured using optimal matching and are standardized within the reference groups.We use retrospective data from the seventh wave of the Survey of Health Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) and estimate linear regression models to assess the association between non-standardness of family histories and older people's life satisfaction. Quality of life and depressive symptoms are examined in additional analyses.A negative association is found between non-standardness of family histories and wellbeing, which is stronger for lower educated individuals and in Southern European countries.Results are consistent with the idea that uncommon family behaviors may have a long-term negative effect on wellbeing. Individual resources and a more tolerant societal context can reduce or eliminate the negative consequences of engaging in non-standard family behaviors.

The relationship between social inclusion and life satisfaction among Turkish older people

ABSTRACT The study aimed to identify the relationship between social inclusion and life satisfaction among Turkish older people. The data were gathered from 350 older adults selected through convenience sampling method in Turkey using Demographic Information Form, Social Inclusion Scale (SIS) and Satisfaction with Life (SWLS). Regression analysis was performed to determine the variables affecting life satisfaction. The regression analysis results revealed that as social inclusion and the duration of marriage increased, so did life satisfaction in older people. Such variables as age, gender, education level, number of children, living arrangement, amount of income, social media use, and health perception were not found to be significant in terms of life satisfaction of the older people in the presence of social inclusion and the duration of marriage.

The Impacts of Urban Environment Aspects on The Life Satisfaction of Older Adults

Ageing comes with several discomforts such as a decline in mobility and losses in social networks as well as societal roles. Therefore, improving the life satisfaction of older adults has become a significant policy focus for delivering age-friendliness in national and international movements in the living environment. The hypothesis of the current study is that older people, who live in urban neighbourhoods that provide safe, aesthetic and accessible environments, experience greater life satisfaction. Accessibility, attractiveness and attachment as the three key dimensions of life satisfaction were used to understand the key aspects of the life satisfaction of older people in the neighbourhoods and how the urban environment serves as an indicator. This research consists of two steps. The first step involved in-depth interviews with the older adults aged over 65 in different urban areas, the district of Fatih and Şişli in the city of Istanbul, Turkey, with sampling based on the diversity, heterogeneity and urban functions. Second, these urban areas were analysed using space syntax to understand the street network and connectivity to reveal the urban structure. The qualitative and quantitative findings were analysed comparatively. The study concluded that when attachment to the place is supported by walkability and psychical enticing, the older adults experience a higher level of life satisfaction. Additionally, financial independence serves as a backup solution to access a better environment. This comparative analysis also highlights a mixed method for policymakers to analyse the urban environment and makes room for older adults to raise their voices and participate in the policy and planning process.

Historical and cross-country differences in life satisfaction across retirement in Germany and Switzerland from 2000-2019.

Recent trends, such as changes in pension systems or cohort differences in individual resources, have altered the face of retirement transitions. Little is known about how these trends have affected older people's life satisfaction around retirement age in the past decades. In this study, we investigated how levels and changes in life satisfaction before and after retirement changed over historical time in Germany and Switzerland. We used longitudinal data from the German Socioeconomic Panel Study (SOEP) and the Swiss Household Panel (SHP) from 2000 to 2019. Level, pre-retirement change and short- and long-term change in life satisfaction (0-10) after retirement were predicted by year of retirement (2001-2019) in a multigroup piecewise growth curve model. We found improvements in levels of life satisfaction and pre-retirement changes in life satisfaction with historical time in both countries. Furthermore, we found that in unlike in Switzerland, short-time changes in life satisfaction across retirement improved over historical time in Germany. Our findings imply that life satisfaction trajectories around retirement age have improved over the last 20 years. These findings may be explained by general improvements in the health and psychosocial functioning of older people. More research is needed to show for whom these improvements are stronger or weaker and if they will be maintained in a changing retirement landscape.

The Czech version of the life satisfaction index for the third age-short form (LSITA-SF12): Psychometric properties.

Evaluation of life satisfaction of older people using standardised tools can play a crucial role in evaluating the effectiveness of policy measures aimed at mitigating the effects of population aging. The aim of the study was to verify the psychometric properties of the Czech version of a 12-item scale (the Life Satisfaction Index for the Third Age) for older people living in the community. The research involved 1113 older people from the Moravian-Silesian Region over 60 years of age living in a home environment. For the newly created Czech version of LSITA-SF12, we tested validity (construct validity and convergent validity) and reliability (internal consistency). We confirmed a single-factor model for the LSITA-SF12 scale (χ2 = 71.33, p < .001, CFI = 0.995, TLI = 0.994, RMSEA = 0.065, SRMR = 0.056, GFI = 0.999) by confirmatory factor analysis and load factor analysis (values of explorations ≥0.45). The internal consistency of the scale was satisfactory (α = 0.878). Furthermore, there was a medium correlation rate (r = 0.592; p < .001) between the overall score of the LSITA-SF and quality-of-life score (OPQoL-Brief). We found the Czech version of the LSITA-SF12 questionnaire to have satisfactory psychometric properties. The questionnaire is suitable for use in research and clinical practice to evaluate the effectiveness of preventive measures. ClinicalTrials.gov. PRS Protocol Registration and Results System; NCT05637177. The LSITA_SF12 questionnaire can beadministered by a community gerontological nurse and can be used in clinicalpractice and research.

Predictors of life satisfaction in elders living at home in the Czech Republic.

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the life satisfaction of older people living in a home environment and to find out what predictors influence it. The research involved 1,121 older people 60 years and above from the Moravian-Silesian region who live in a home environment. The short form of the Life Satisfaction Index for the Thirds Age (LSITA-SF12) was used to assess life satisfaction. The Geriatric depression scale (GDS-15), the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory Scale (GAI), The Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC-13), and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) were used to evaluate related factors. In addition, age, gender, marital status, education, social support, and subjective health assessment were evaluated. The overall life satisfaction score was found to be 36.34 (s = 8.66). The satisfaction of older people was classified into four grades: high satisfaction (15.2%), moderate satisfaction (60.8%), moderate dissatisfaction (23.4%), and high dissatisfaction (0.6%). The predictors of the longevity of the lives of older people were confirmed, both health factors (subjective health assessment, anxiety, and depression [Model 1: R = 0.642; R2 = 0.412; p<0.000]) and psychosocial factors (quality of life, self-esteem, sense of coherence, age, and social support [Model 2: R = 0.716; R2 = 0.513; p<0.000]). In implementing policy measures, these areas should be emphasized. The availability of educational and psychosocial activities (e.g. reminiscence therapy, music therapy, group cognitive behavioural therapy, cognitive rehabilitation) within the community care of the older people and university of third age is appropriate to increase the life satisfaction of the older people. An initial depression screening is also required as part of preventive medical examinations to ensure early diagnosis and treatment of depression.

The Effect of Social Pension on Material Hardship among Older Adults in Korea: Regression Discontinuity Estimation

Abstract The goal of this study was to examine the effect of a social pension programme for older adults in South Korea, Basic Pension Scheme (BPS) on material hardship and subjective well-being. We apply a regression discontinuity design (RDD) to estimate the effect of the BPS on the material hardship and life satisfaction of older people between the ages of sixty-one and sixty-eight. Data come from Korea Welfare Panel Study (KOWEPS) wave 12 survey (2017, N = 3,932). The BPS benefit reduces the risks of housing hardship, bill payment delay and food insecurity. Interestingly, while the effect sizes of the BPS on mitigating the material hardship increase as income decreases, the lower-income groups were less satisfied with the pension provision than middle- and upper-income groups. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on material hardship for older adults in an Asian country facing persistent old-age poverty and immature public pensions.

Predictive Models of Life Satisfaction in Older People: A Machine Learning Approach.

Studies of life satisfaction in older adults have been conducted extensively through empirical research, questionnaires, and theoretical analysis, with the majority of these studies basing their analyses on simple linear relationships between variables. However, most real-life relationships are complex and cannot be approximated with simple correlations. Here, we first investigate predictors correlated with life satisfaction in older adults. Then, machine learning is used to generate several predictive models based on a large sample of older adults (age ≥ 50 years; n = 34,630) from the RAND Health and Retirement Study. Results show that subjective social status, positive emotions, and negative emotions are the most critical predictors of life satisfaction. The Support Vector Regression (SVR) model exhibited the highest prediction accuracy for life satisfaction in older individuals among several models, including Multiple Linear Regression (MLR), Ridge Regression (RR), Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator Regression (LASSO), K Nearest Neighbors (KNN), and Decision Tree Regression (DT) models. Although the KNN and DT models exhibited better model fitting than MLR, RR, and LASSO, their performances were poor in terms of model validation and model generalization. These results indicate that machine learning is superior to simple correlations for understanding life satisfaction among older adults.

Life satisfaction and perceived and objective neighborhood environments in a green-accredited township: Quantile regression approach

The characteristics of one's neighborhood have a significant impact on life satisfaction in older people, as a properly designed neighborhood can support aging in place. Although there are various aspects subsumed under neighborhood environment, this study examines perceived and objective neighborhood environmental characteristics, such as accessibility, neighborhood safety, environmental quality, neighborhood problems, and third places. Using a questionnaire survey as well as an in-depth interview, this paper examines the effect of neighborhood environment attributes on life satisfaction among older people living in a green accredited township. The quantile regression estimates show that different quantiles of respondents attach different importance to the determinants of life satisfaction. As for third places, visiting neighborhood shopping centers and taking lifelong learning courses at school may be determinants of life satisfaction when controlling for sociodemographic characteristics. By revealing the environmental determinants of life satisfaction among Malaysian older people, this study provides information for housing associations and urban planners to design an age-friendly neighborhood.

Factors Affecting the Life Satisfaction of Older People with Care Needs Who Live at Home.

The number of older people is increasing rapidly, and the number of older people with care needs who live at home is also increasing in Japan. Maintaining their life satisfaction has been a primary challenge. This study aimed to identify factors affecting the life satisfaction of older people with care needs. The study was conducted among older people using homecare services; 126 participants (mean age, 79.33 ± 7.51 years, 54 male) were included in the analysis. Logistic regression analysis with adjustment for age, sex, and economic status was conducted with life satisfaction as the objective variable and the Japanese version of occupational gaps questionnaire (OGQ-J), sense of coherence, functional independence measure, and environmental factors as explanatory variables. The variables that significantly affected life satisfaction were the OGQ-J (p = 0.0352, OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.81–0.99) and environmental factors (p = 0.0083, OR 4.41, 95% CI 1.52–14.11). This study’s results indicate the importance of focusing on environmental factors and facilitating the participation of older people with care needs in activities they want to do to maintain and improve their life satisfaction.

The effects of health insurance and physical exercise participation on life satisfaction of older people in China-Based on CHNS panel data from 2006 to 2015.

BackgroundIn China, the problem of aging population has become more and more serious. The factors influencing life satisfaction of older people are becoming a significant issue. This study explores the effects of health insurance and physical exercise on life satisfaction of older people in China.MethodThis study used an unbalanced panel dataset (n = 6,393, T = 4) of older adults aged 60–80 years from the 2006 to 2015 China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS). A panel ordered logistic regression model was developed to examine the effects of health insurance and physical exercise on older people' life satisfaction. Mediation tests were used to examine the mediating role of physical exercise in the effect of health insurance on life satisfaction of older people.ResultLife satisfaction of older people was positively associated with participation in health insurance (OR = 1.439) and physical exercise (OR = 1.033). Participation in government health insurance, urban employee health insurance (UEBMI), new rural cooperative health insurance (NRCMI), and other commercial health insurance all have positive effects on life satisfaction of older people. Physical exercise plays a masking role in the effect of health insurance on life satisfaction of older people.ConclusionParticipation in health insurance and physical exercise are important means to promote life satisfaction among older people. Physical exercise affects the impact of health insurance on older people's life satisfaction.

СРАВНИТЕЛЬНОЕ ИССЛЕДОВАНИЕ ЧАСТОТЫ ЗАНЯТИЙ ПОВСЕДНЕВНЫМ ТВОРЧЕСТВОМ И СУБЪЕКТИВНОГО БЛАГОПОЛУЧИЯ В ПОЖИЛОМ ВОЗРАСТЕ

Statement of the problem. The increase in the proportion of elderly people in the population makes the problem of subjective well-being in old age urgent. This article examines everyday creativity as a way to increase the subjective well-being and life satisfaction of older people. The purpose of the article is to present comparative research of the frequency of daily creative activities and subjective well-being in old age. The methodology of the study consists of the subject-activity approach; the interview method; the scale of self-assessment of creative activity; the scale of subjective happiness of Lubomirski and Lepper; the Life satisfaction Index (by Neugarten, Havinghurst, and Tobin). The Kruskel-Waliss criterion was used for comparative statistical analysis. The study involved respondents (N = 189) aged 60 to 90 years (M = 68.76; SD = 7.54), of which 71 were men (37.57 %). Research results. Higher indicators of subjective well-being, hedonistic well-being and life satisfaction were revealed in those elderly people who often or daily engage in creativity (p &lt; 0.001). Conclusion. The conducted comparison between the frequency of creative activities among elderly respondents and well-being scales showed that creatively active elderly people have significantly higher levels of well-being than those who never or rarely engage in creativity. The results obtained can be used by socio-psychological services in the development of coping strategies to maintain or increase the level of subjective well-being and life satisfaction in old age.

Social cohesion and an age-friendly environment determine the life satisfaction of elderly people in rural areas: an integrative review of the literature

Abstract Introduction. As the global population is ageing and life expectancy is gradually increasing, we wanted to use a literature review to study what determines the life satisfaction of older people in rural areas. In doing so, we focused on age-friendly communities that enable older people to live as actively and independently as possible and allow quality ageing. Methods. The integrative literature review method in accordance with PRISMA guidelines was used. The selection of articles in English was made according to the following inclusion criteria: scientificity, content relevance and topicality. The literature search covered the bibliographic-catalogue databases Web of Science and PubMed, from 2010 to 2020. After selection, a qualitative content analysis was applied to the data. Results. From the initial twenty-one articles, we gained an insight into the life satisfaction of the elderly in rural areas through a substantive analysis of nine scientific articles. Two content categories were identified: social cohesion of the elderly and age-friendly environment. Discussion and conclusion. Social cohesion and an age-friendly environment are important for ensuring the life satisfaction of elderly people in rural areas. Based on a review of the literature, we found out that literature focusing on ageing in urban areas predominates. In the future, it will be necessary to study the factors that affect the life satisfaction in geographical locations that are similar in size and cultural and social characteristics.

Urban greenery mitigates the negative effect of urban density on older adults' life satisfaction: Evidence from Shanghai, China

The influence of high-density environment on urban residents is controversial, and its effect varies with specific contexts. Meanwhile, urban planners and policy-makers are increasingly aware that urban greenery may mitigate the detrimental effects of crowded environments on quality of life in high-density cities. However, little empirical evidence is available in the context of China. This study aims to examine the complex relationship between urban density, urban greenery, and older people's life satisfaction, with survey data collected from 1,594 older adults in 129 neighborhoods in Shanghai, China. Urban density was assessed using floor area ratio and building coverage ratio respectively, and urban greenery was measured by street view greenery, greening rate, Normalized Differential Vegetation Index (NDVI), and accessibility to nearest parks. Results from structural equation modeling showed that higher urban density was related to lower life satisfaction, and a reduced sense of community was a significant pathway between higher urban density and lower life satisfaction. Furthermore, eye-level greenery cushioned the negative effect of urban density on life satisfaction. Our findings highlighted the necessity of optimizing high-density neighborhood environments and promoting eye-level greenery in high-density urban areas to create aging-friendly cities.

Психологические предикторы удовлетворенности жизнью людей старшего возраста (на примере клиентов благотворительного фонда)

Background. Life satisfaction in older age is widely studied in connection with family and professional factors. However, the role of non-professional volunteer activity of older people in connection with the peculiarities of personal resource complex (meaningfulness, resilience, proactive coping) has not been studied enough yet. Objective. The study of psychological predictors of life satisfaction in older people (on the example of clients of a charity fund). Design. The study participants were 60 unemployed clients of the charity center aged 65–85 years (µ = 74.8 years), 44 women. 50% of the respondents are not only clients, but also volunteers of the Center. The design of the study is cross-sectional. Life satisfaction in different life spheres was assessed with the “Technique for diagnosing the level of social frustration” by L.I. Wasserman. The supposed personal predictors of life satisfaction were diagnosed by the following methods: “Indicator of coping strategies” by D. Amirkhan (adaptation by N.A. Sirota and V.M. Yaltonsky), “Test of Life Orientations” by D.A. Leontiev, “Test of resilience” by S. Maddi (modification by E.N. Osin and E.I. Rasskazova). Results. Comparative and multiple regression analysis have shown that the level of satisfaction with the life of older people is not as much related to the nature of the family situation, as to an active life position. It is significantly higher with involvement in socially significant volunteer activities and with the productive use of the personal resource complex (meaningfulness, resilience, proactive coping), especially in terms of the belief in the ability to control behavior, relationships with others and the life situation as a whole. Conclusion. The results of the presented study can be used in the practice of Russian gerontopsychology while organizing social assistance to older people on the basis of state and non-profit organizations.

The Effect of Child Quantity and Education on Parents' Well-Being in Vietnam.

Background: Vietnam currently has a rapidly aging population, while formal social protection has only covered a small fraction of older people. Therefore, many older people with insufficient income or poor health must rely on their children's support.Method: This study uses the Vietnam National Aging Survey 2011 to determine whether the quality of children's education/employment and the number of children in a family impact older people's life satisfaction and health.Results: We find that the number of children has no effect on parents' life satisfaction but is adversely related to parents' health across a range of physical and mental health measures. In contrast, children's education has beneficial impacts on the well-being of elderly parents. Parents with better-educated children are more satisfied with their lives and report better health and fewer illness issues. Among other factors, income and wealth are strong and consistent predictors of older people's life satisfaction and self-perceived physical and mental health.Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to explore the relationship between quantity and quality of children and the well-being of elderly parents. Our results show that the number of children has an adverse effect on older people's self-reported health and life satisfaction in Vietnam. Meanwhile, parental health and life satisfaction are significantly related to children's education. The findings of this study provide several practical implications. Most importantly, investment in education for children will have long-lasting impacts on the health and well-being of elderly adults. In addition, our paper indicates that the government program for reducing fertility has contributed to the longer-term health of people.

Balance in time use and life satisfaction of older people in Korea

This paper explores the relationship between the way older people use their time and well-being in later life in Korea, applying the ‘life balance framework’. This framework was developed to examine how patterns of time use change across the life course in terms of the balance between constraints (constrained time), freedom of choice (discretionary time) and time spent on biological maintenance (regenerative time), this paper illustrates how the time use of Korean people aged 65 and older varies by gender, age, and economic activity status. Using data from the 2014 Korean Time Use Survey, the study shows that the balance in time use in Korea shifts towards having greater discretionary and less constrained time in later life as shown in previous studies in other countries such as the UK, yet with a considerably larger gender gap which persists even in very old ages. More importantly, the study found a negative relationship between having too much discretionary time and older people’s level of life satisfaction, which supports the assumption of the life balance framework that having too much free time can also be detrimental to well-being.

Older People’s Life Satisfaction, Health and Intergenerational Relationships in Vietnam

Health is considered one of the domains to assess people’s life satisfaction. However, other factors including social relationships are also as crucial as health in determining their life assessment, particularly among older adults in Asia. This paper used the data of Vietnam National Ageing Survey 2011 (VNAS 2011) to examine life satisfaction of Vietnamese older people’s (aged 60 and older) in rural and urban areas in relation to their health conditions and their social relationships, including with adult children. Logistic regression was employed and revealed that sufficient income had positive influence on older people’s satisfaction of life in both rural and urban areas (Rural OR 2.27; 95% CI 1.72–2.99; Urban OR 2.30; 95% CI 1.47–3.58). Difficulties with mobility and sleeping were negatively associated with older person’s life satisfaction, however, affectual solidarity was the most influential factor (Rural OR 5.88; 95% CI 4.40–7.83; Urban OR 5.92; 95% CI 3.52–9.93). Therefore, intergenerational relationships are vital to older people’s life satisfaction beyond health, income, household socioeconomic status, which varied between rural and urban areas. Living in multigenerational households, and children daily call positively shapes the assessment of life among older people who live in urban areas, while it is social and entertaining activities that significantly contribute to life satisfaction of older people in rural areas.