Mental Well-being Of Older Adults Research Articles

Exploring social network typologies and their impact on health and mental well-being in older adults: Evidence from JAGES

BackgroundThe types of social networks, their prevalence, and their relationship to health outcomes in older age have been different across countries and cultures. Most of the literature has focused on USA or in European countries and little is known about the social network typologies among older adults from Japan. This study aimed to identify these patterns of social network typologies and examine the differences in sociodemographic and related to health variables. Methods23894 participants from the JAGES project (2019), aged 65 or older (M = 74.74, DT = 6.39) from Japan. Statistical analyses included Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) followed by ANOVAs, Chi square and multinomial logistic regressions tests to compare the profiles. ResultsFour profiles were identified: family (66.9%), spouse (16.6%), diverse (14.5%), and neighbor/others (1.9%). The profiles differ statistically (p < 0.001) in all sociodemographic characteristics and in the means of depression, loneliness, self-perceived health, and happiness. Compared with the “family” network, younger men, with fewer chronic illnesses but higher levels of depression and loneliness were more likely to be in the “spouse” profile, older women with lower socioeconomic status, but less lonely and happier in the “diverse” profile and adults who still working, have lower socioeconomic status and are less happy into the “neighbors/others” group. DiscussionWe discuss the differences between the profiles found, the potential differences with previous studies and the specific cultural Japanese nuances that may explain the characteristics of the network types founded.

Advancing affordable IoT solutions in smart homes to enhance independence and autonomy of the elderly

There is a growing trend among elderly people to live alone and this trend is expected to increase in the future. Social isolation and limited support can have a negative impact on the physical and mental well-being of older adults. The increasing life expectancy and expanding geriatric population necessitate the development of innovative solutions to support their health, independence, and autonomy. This article addresses the key challenges and issues confronting the elderly and analyzes various IoT technologies and solutions proposed to enhance their lives. Smart home technologies improve the quality of life and enable older adults to live independently in their own homes while their adult children are at work. This article presents a smart home model for the elderly in Kazakhstan, based on their needs, concerns, and financial capabilities. The proposed prototype will be developed using an accessible, open-source intelligent system that includes health monitoring, medication adherence monitoring, alerting family members in case of falls or deteriorating health indicators, and video surveillance. Another advantage of this system is the automation of processes such as automatic lighting control, voice command functionality, home security, and climate control. Preliminary testing of the hardware model shows promising results, with plans for continuous improvement and evaluation as it is deployed. Key criteria for its implementation include affordability, accessibility, and feasibility. Based on Kazakhstan’s unique socio-cultural and economic context, this paper proposes a sophisticated smart home model tailored to the specific needs and financial capabilities of elderly Kazakhs.

Loneliness and social connections: Lived experiences on predictors and coping with loneliness among Indian older adults: A phenomenological study

ABSTRACT Loneliness is a growing public health concern affecting all age groups, with a specific impact on the older population. Qualitative research has been conducted to understand the lived experiences of loneliness among older adults and its effects on the aging population. This study aims to examine the lived experiences of loneliness, the factors contributing to it, and the coping resources available to Indian older adults. To explore these experiences, a qualitative phenomenological approach was adopted, involving in-depth personal interviews with thirty adults aged between 60 and 78 years. The participants were conveniently selected for the study. The findings revealed several risk factors for loneliness, including a lack of meaningful family and social relationships, children living far away, limited social support, frequent health issues, and economic difficulties. On the other hand, the study also identified positive factors that helped individuals cope with loneliness. These included maintaining a positive outlook, engaging in productive leisure activities, staying connected with others, and finding solace in spirituality. In Indian society, older adults are expected to live with their own families due to cultural norms, despite the country’s cultural diversity. Due to lack of alternative living facilities and the stigma associated with living in old age homes, let older adults to continue living with their children families, even in cases of strained interpersonal relationships. The absence of meaningful social relationships and limited family support contribute to decreased social participation and mental health issues in later life. It is essential to study these issues and strengthen the health and social care in order to prevent and promote physical and mental well-being in older adults.

BUILDING BRIDGES ACROSS THE GENERATIONS: RESEARCH ON DIVERSE APPROACHES FOR INTERGENERATIONAL CONNECTIONS

Abstract Intergenerational bonds are a unique and critically important set of social connections that have powerful impacts on families and communities, as well as the older and younger people themselves. America is increasingly age-segregated, so that naturally occurring, cross-generational contacts are not as common as they have been in previous eras. Research from the FrameWorks Institute and others suggest that ageist language can further divide the generations, create a sense of “othering,” and contribute to the isolation and minimization of older adults. Conversely, studies also show that meaningful intergenerational programming, which brings to light the strengths of both generations, may reduce social isolation and loneliness and enhance the physical and mental well-being of older adults. This symposium will bring together three research projects each exploring diverse approaches to intergenerational connections. The first paper will present lessons learned from a study of digital communication between grandparents and grandchildren during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the implications this shift in communications has on the psychological well-being of older grandparents. The second paper will present findings regarding the physical and psychosocial outcomes experienced by older adults who provide intergenerational tutoring in elementary school settings. The final session will highlight the process of integrating implementation science frameworks into a multistage study design aimed to assess the implementation of an intergenerational technology program within higher education. The session will wrap-up with a discussion on how these projects fit within the broader scope of intergenerational programs, and will highlight gaps and further opportunities for research in this field.

Prediction of the Health Status of Older Adults Using Oversampling and Neural Network

Self-rated health (SRH) serves as an important indicator for measuring the physical and mental well-being of older adults, holding significance for their health management and disease prevention. In this paper, we introduce a novel classification method based on oversampling and neural network with the objective of enhancing the accuracy of predict the SRH of older adults. Utilizing data from the 2020 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), we included a total of 6596 participants aged 60 years and above in our analysis. To mitigate the impact of imbalanced data, an improved oversampling was proposed, known as weighted Tomek-links adaptive semi-unsupervised weighted oversampling (WTASUWO). It firstly removes the features that are not relevant to the classification by ReliefF. Consequently, it combines undersampling and oversampling. To improve the prediction accuracy of the classifier, an improved multi-layer perception (IMLP) for predicting the SRH was constructed based on bagging and adjusted learning rate. Referring to the experimental results, WTASUWO can effectively improve the prediction performance of a classifier when being applied on an imbalanced dataset, and the IMLP using WTASUWO achieves a higher accuracy. This method can more objectively and accurately assess the health status and identify factors affecting the SRH of older adults. By mining relevant information related the health status of older adults and constructing the prediction model, we can provide policymakers and healthcare professionals with targeted intervention techniques to focus on the health needs of older adults. Meanwhile, this method provides a practical research basis for improving the health level of older adults in China.

Investigating and promoting health behaviors reactivity among Hong Kong older adults in the post-COVID-19 Era: An exploratory network analysis.

Physical distance has increased the risk of developing a variety of health problems, especially among older people. During the COVID-19 lockdown period, physical activity decreased, screen time increased, food consumption increased, as well as exposure to unhealthy behaviour, leading to poorer sleep quality and more negative emotions, which ultimately led to poorer physical health, mental health, and subjective vitality among older adults. Although there were numerous research studies on changes in health behaviours during COVID-19, only a few were targeted at older adults, and none were conducted in Asian countries. The current study is aiming to identify the changes in health behaviours, as well as their associations with older adults' mental health as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic among Hong Kong older adults, using exploratory network analysis. In this study, a random tele-survey was conducted among older adults. A total of 664 participants have been involved in the telephone survey, with 213 males and 451 females, of which mean age was 74.37. The explored network showed strong centrality and edge stability, thus enabling to reveal an overview of the associations between health behaviours and mental well-being of older adults. The lavaan model has also demonstrated the casual paths within the explored network, which indicated the significant impact of sleeping quality, eating habits and social networking on resilience. The outcomes of the study were able to identify the lifestyle changes of Hong Kong older adults due to COVID-19. Although the present study is not regarded as novel internationally, it may be representative of the Hong Kong community. In order to facilitate active aging during the pandemic, a user-friendly electronic platform for healthy living should include older adults in the future.

Relationship between functional disability, depression, and social and civic engagement among older European adults: A three wave longitudinal study using SHARE

Abstract Background Studies show that depression has a long-term effect on physical health and functional capabilities. Vice versa, onset of functional disability has a detrimental role in the decline in emotional and mental well-being of older adults. The current study was sought to explore the direction of the association between functional disability and depression, and further examined if social-civic engagement, as a means of coping, moderated the association. Methods Study employed a secondary analysis using data derived from waves 5 (2013), 6 (2015) and 7 (2017) of the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). In total, 36 323 older adults aged 65+ at baseline (mean age 74.41 ± 7.09 years; 54.8% women; 83.2% retired) were followed up over a 4-year period. Analysis included GALI (The Global Activity Limitation Indicator), ADLs (Activities of Daily Living), IADLs (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living), EURO-D depression scale, and different types of social/civic activities (voluntary/charity work; educational or training course; sport, social or other kind of club; and political or community-related organization). Covariates included socio-demographic variables. Results Controlling for the effects of covariates, the association between functional disability and depression is reciprocal over time, but depression had a greater impact on functional disability than the reverse at both follow-up points. Different types of social-civic participation appeared to moderate the association between depression and functional disability, but in varied ways. Conclusions Finding suggests that depression is associated with higher odds of functional disability, and impede recovery from the disability. Early behavioural and psychological interventions and social prescribing including social/civic activities can help develop positive resources, coping strategies, and resilience, and thereby, alleviating the vicious cycle linking functional disability and depression.

Decomposition and comparative analysis of depressive symptoms between older adults living alone and with others in China.

This research dealt with investigating and measuring the contribution of the factors that impact depression in older adults living alone vs. those living with others (hereafter referred to as "not alone") in China. This investigation adopts a cross-sectional research design. The dataset employed for this study comprises data from 2018 the Chinese Longitudinal Health Longevity Survey (CLHLS). The research involved data sourced from China, specifically from 23 of its provinces. From the 8th CLHLS, 12,197 older adults were selected who met the study requirements. Binary logistic regression models were established to delve into the primary factors impacting the depressive symptoms of the individuals. Furthermore, Fairlie models were employed to assess these factors between older adults living alone and those not living alone. This approach facilitated an in-depth analysis of their respective contributions. It was observed that the demographic of Chinese older adults exhibited depressive symptoms at a rate of 11.92%. Older adults who resided alone (15.76%) exhibited a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms in comparison to their counterparts living in not-alone settings (11.15%). Employing Fairlie decomposition analysis, it was determined that this observed disparity in depressive symptoms, amounting to 55.33% of the overall difference, could be primarily attributed to distinct factors. This encompassed variance in marital status (20.55%), years of school (4.63%), self-reported local income status (7.25%), self-reported sleep status (17.56%), and self-reported health status (4.24%). The resulting data indicated that depressive symptoms exhibited an elevated prevalence in older adults living alone than in those living not alone. This discrepancy was predominantly attributed to variance in socioeconomic marital status, years of school, self-reported local income status, self-reported sleep status, and self-reported health status by living alone vs. not alone. Mitigating these influential factors could help develop targeted and meticulous intervention strategies, precisely tailored to improve the mental well-being of older adults at high risk.

Loneliness and depression among community-dwelling older adults in China during the COVID-19 epidemic: The mediating role of social support.

The psychological condition of community-dwelling older adults is a global concern under coronavirus disease 2019. Loneliness is the key risk factor for depression among community-dwelling older adults. This study aims to explore the role of social support as a mediating factor in the relationship between depression and loneliness among community-dwelling older adults. We conducted a cross-sectional study in Chenzhou, Hunan Province, China, from June to December 2021. The sample consisted of 570 community-dwelling adults aged over 60 years. Data were collected through a general information questionnaire, the Social Support Rating Scale, the University of California at Los Angeles Loneliness Scale, and the Center for Epidemiological Survey, Depression Scale. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences PROCESS macro was used to examine the mediating effect of social support between loneliness and depression. This study found that depression was negatively associated with social support (r = -0.381, P < .001), but it was positively correlated with loneliness (r = 0.403, P < .001); loneliness was a predictor of depression (B = 0.333, P < .001). In addition, social support significantly mediated the relationship between loneliness and depression, with an indirect effect of 0.239 (95% Bootstrap CI -0.264 to -0.510), the overall effect value for depression was 0.572, accounting for 56.3% of the total variance in depression within this model. In conclusion, the findings suggest that social support plays a mediating role between depression and loneliness in older adults. This implies that interventions aimed at reducing loneliness and enhancing social support have the potential to alleviate depressive symptoms among this population. By addressing these factors, healthcare professionals and caregivers can promote the mental well-being of older adults and contribute to improved overall quality of life.

A personalized diet intervention improves depression symptoms and changes microbiota and metabolite profiles among community-dwelling older adults.

The impact of diet on mental well-being and gut microorganisms in humans is well recognized. However, research on the connections between food nutrients, gut microbiota, and mental health remains limited. To address this, the present study aimed to assess the effects of a personalized diet, based on individual needs and aligned with the Mediterranean diet principles, on depression symptoms, quality of life, nutritional intake, and gut microbiota changes among older adults living in the community. The intervention involved regular visits from a registered dietitian, who provided tailored dietary recommendations. During the 6-month study, participants completed questionnaires to evaluate their depression levels, quality of life, and dietary habits. Additionally, they provided stool samples for analysis of gut microbiota and metabolites. The results demonstrated that the personalized dietary intervention reduced depression symptoms and improved the quality of life among older adults. Furthermore, significant changes in the intake of certain nutrients, such as folate, lutein, zeaxanthin, EPA, and DHA, were observed following the intervention. Moreover, the intervention was associated with increased diversity in the gut microbiome and reduced total short-chain fatty acids, the main metabolites produced by gut microorganisms. The study also revealed correlations between food nutrients, gut microbiota, and mental health parameters. In conclusion, this research highlights the potential advantages of personalized dietary interventions in managing depression and enhancing overall well-being among older populations. It also sheds light on the role of gut microbiota and its metabolites in these effects. The findings offer valuable insights into the significance of nutrition and gut health for mental well-being in older adults.

O.4.5-7 Inactive by force? Barriers and motivation to exercise in older adults during a pandemic

Abstract Purpose The lockdown restrictions over the Covid-19 pandemic have accelerated the ongoing ‘physical inactivity pandemic’ and significantly affected physical and mental well-being in older adults (Eime et al., 2022; Pérez et al., 2021; Sjöberg et al., 2022, Peterson et al., 2021). This study aimed to elucidate the factors that limit or facilitate physical activity in inactive older adults. The main objectives were to identify: (1) the perceived barriers that influence motivation to exercise or physical activity; (2) physical activity patterns when living under lockdown restrictions; (3) how the restriction impacted the motivation and exercise behaviour in older adults. Methods Participants were 24 older adults (M = 74 years, SD = 5.0) either physically active or inactive before the pandemic. Semi-structured interviews and self-reported physical activity measures were taken during lockdown and followed up at eight weeks. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Results The three main themes were: sense of purpose for being physically active, routes for engagement, and inactive by force. The sense of purpose was found to be a key source of motivation to exercise influenced by both the belief in the importance of exercise and the affective valence participants assigned to it. Active participants valued exercise due to its health benefits and enjoyment. With the closing of exercise settings, they missed the social context that gave their exercising a purpose. However, both active and inactive participants found purpose in walking outdoors for exercise, as a response to lockdown. Conclusions Overall, we suggest that enjoyment and the maintenance of physical function should be targeted in all recommendations and interventions because these are the benefits of exercise most highly valued by older adults. Exercise recommendations and interventions at each socio-ecological level should be tailored specifically to older adults. Supporting older adults to find a valued activity that suits their needs and preferences should be the focus of these strategies. Inactive older adults should be intensively supported by their social and physical context to implement more physical activity in their lives. Our main recommendations include emphasising the importance and benefits of physical activity, supporting and enabling exercise for all ages and levels of mobility.

Perceived Anxiousness About COVID-19 and Preventive Behaviors Among Dyads of Older Adults and Family Caregivers.

Adopting preventive behaviors is crucial to avoiding coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection, and perceived anxiousness may influence such behaviors among older adults and their caregivers. This study investigated the relationships between perceived anxiousness about COVID-19 and preventive behaviors in older adult-caregiver dyads. A cross-sectional study was conducted using 1,565 older adult-caregiver dyads from the 2020 National Health and Aging Trend Study (NHATS)/National Study of Caregiving (NSOC) COVID-19 Supplements data. Actor-partner interdependence models were estimated to examine the associations between older adults' and family caregivers' perceived anxiousness about COVID-19 and their engagement in personal (e.g., wearing masks, washing hands) and social (e.g., avoiding contact with friends, limiting grocery shopping) preventive behaviors. Separate models were estimated based on older adults' dementia status. We found significant actor effects of anxiousness about COVID-19 on preventive behaviors of both older adults and caregivers in nondementia dyads. The anxiousness about COVID-19 of older adults had significant partner effects on both personal and social preventive behaviors of caregivers, whereas caregivers' anxiousness about COVID-19 only had a significant partner effect on social preventive behaviors of older adults. No significant partner effect was found in dementia dyads. Our findings highlight the critical role of caregivers in promoting older adults' health behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic and maintaining mental well-being of older adults. The study also implies future efforts to explore the dyadic relationship of dementia care dyads in promoting health behaviors and mental health.

Information Cocoons on Short Video Platforms and Its Influence on Depression Among the Elderly: A Moderated Mediation Model.

As the elderly increasingly engage with new media, particularly short video platforms, concerns are arising about the formation of "information cocoons" that limit exposure to diverse perspectives. While the impact of these cocoons on society has been investigated, their effects on the mental well-being of the elderly remain understudied. Given the prevalence of depression among the elderly, it is crucial to understand the potential link between information cocoons and depression among older adults. The study examined the relationships between information cocoons and depression, loneliness, and family emotional support among 400 Chinese elderly people. The statistical software package SPSS was used to establish a moderated mediation model between information cocoons and depression. Information cocoons directly predicted depression among the elderly participants. Family emotional support moderated the first half and the second half of the mediation process, whereby information cocoons affected the depression of the elderly through loneliness. Specifically, in the first half of the mediation process, when the level of information cocoons was lower, the role of family emotional support was more prominent. In the second half of the process, when the level of family emotional support was higher, such support played a more protective role in the impact of loneliness on depression. The findings of this study have practical implications for addressing depression among the elderly population. Understanding the influence of information cocoons on depression can inform interventions aimed at promoting diverse information access and reducing social isolation. These results will contribute to the development of targeted strategies to improve the mental well-being of older adults in the context of evolving media landscapes.

An assessment of self-rated life satisfaction and its correlates with physical, mental and social health status among older adults in India

Life satisfaction refers to the assessment of one’s own life in terms of self-perceived favourable qualities. It is an integral part of healthy and successful course of ageing. It is widely associated with the health status and social well-being. The present study attempted to determine the constructing factors of self-rated life satisfaction, such as socio-demographic, physical, social, and mental well-being of older adults. We analysed information from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI-1), the initial phase conducted during 2017–18 for the population of older adults in India. We applied descriptive statistics for prevalence assessment and association was checked using chi-square test. Further, to determine the adjusted outcome of predictor covariates on the likelihood of an individual being satisfied from life estimated by applying hierarchical multiple logistic regression models. Several noteworthy affirmations on the relationship between the socio-demographic variables and health risk behaviours with life satisfaction were observed. The results were consistent with studies showing change in life satisfaction subject to the state of physical and mental health, presence of chronic diseases, friends and family relations, dependency, and events of trauma or abuse. While comparing respondents, we found varying degrees of life satisfaction by gender, education, marital status, expenditure and other socio-economic features. We also found that besides physical and mental health, social support and well-being play a pivotal role in achieving higher life satisfaction among older adults. Overall, this work contributes to the study of the subjective well-being of older adults in India based on self-reported levels of life satisfaction and further narrows the gap in knowledge about associated behaviour. Hence, with on-going ageing scenario, there is need for multi-sectorial policy-oriented approaches at individual, family, and community level, which helps to take care of older-adults’ physical, social, and mental health for the betterment of healthy ageing.

Experiences of Older Adults During COVID-19: Loss, Boredom, Uncertainty, Worry, and Resilience.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and resulting instructions to stay home and social distance enhanced concerns of the impact of social isolation on the physical and mental well-being of older adults. Eighteen community-dwelling older adults participated in interviews describing their experiences early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants experienced loss of activities, routines, and social connection, and feelings of worry and uncertainty. Nevertheless, participants were hopeful about the future and demonstrated resilience in overcoming boredom as they became intentional in finding new activities and using technology to maintain connection with others. Older adults may need support in such situations to manage boredom and uncertainty and avoid social isolation. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 49(6), 27-32.].

Encouraging prosocial behavior from older adults through robot teleoperation: A feasibility study

IntroductionIn Japan, the social climate surrounding older adults has gotten worse as a result of the spread of COVID-19 and the growing isolation of older adults who are increasingly unable to engage in prosocial behavior through work and volunteering. This is detrimental to the physical and mental well-being of older adults. The purpose of this study is to look into robot teleoperation for older adults as a viable way to deal with these issues and overcome the barriers preventing older adults from engaging in prosocial behavior.Materials and methodsWe designed and tested a remote-control approach for dialogue agents that is appropriate for older adults as well as evaluating their impressions in a real-world setting. Twelve older adults participated in experiments in two separate locations, a children's center and the city ward office, where they could remotely teleoperate a robot and have conversations with the visitors. In the city ward office, the older adults had a conversation with the visitors and gave them information and trivia quizzes about the city. In the children's center, older adults had conversations with children regarding their age, family, their likes, and dislikes. A questionnaire and interview were set up after the experiments to understand their impressions of the system and to clarify how older adults feel about certain issues regarding remote-controlled work, starting a new job, social interaction, to what extent have older adults been affected by the pandemic, how and in what ways has it affected their involvement in society, and whether teleoperating a robot can be a suitable approach to encourage prosocial behavior from them through volunteer work and social engagement.ResultsThe results show that older adults have a strong desire to engage in volunteer work, but are hampered mainly by physical isolation resulting from COVID-19 restrictions and their declining physical and mental health. Their impressions of the teleoperation system were highly positive, as they enjoyed having conversations with children through the robot. With this teleoperation system, older adults were able to remote control a robot by themselves without major issues. It made interaction simpler as conversing with children through a robot added a layer of anonymity that allowed older adults to express themselves freely without worrying about how they are perceived by others in public.DiscussionOlder adults were able to successfully engage in prosocial behavior through remote-controlling a robot. The system seems to be effective at easing the physical barriers preventing older adults from engaging in volunteer work, which have worsened since the spread of COVID-19.

How COVID-19 News Affect Older Adults' Mental Health-Evidence of a Positivity Bias.

Media affects the trajectory of many individuals' mental health-with media news, individuals experience negative bias more than positive bias. However, there is also evidence of an age-related positivity effect, with negativity bias generally fading with age. With the rise of COVID-19 cases, older adults (aged 55 years and older) who consume media frequently are at a high risk for declining mental health. To date, there has been no research on the positivity vs. negativity bias of media news on older adults. Here, we investigated whether positivity or negativity bias plays a larger role in affecting how older adults react to COVID-19 news. Sixty-nine older adults (aged 55-95) answered questions about their weekly media consumption and how closely they followed news relating to COVID-19. They also completed a general health questionnaire. They were then randomly assigned to read either positive or negative COVID-19 news (n = 35 and 34, respectively). The adults were asked if the news made them feel happy or fearful, and if they wanted to read more about the news or ignore the news. An analysis revealed that the more often older adults consumed media and the more closely they followed COVID-19 news, the more they felt unhappy and depressed. Importantly, older adults who read positive news reported stronger responses than those who read negative news. Older adults appeared to have a strong positivity bias for COVID-19 news, reporting feeling happy and wanting to read about positive news. In contrast, negative COVID-19 news did not evoke similar levels of response from the older adults. Media consumption of COVID-19 news does negatively impact the mental well-being of older adults, but older adults appear to have a strong positivity bias and a lack of negativity bias for COVID-19 news. These findings suggest that older adults can remain hopeful and positive during periods of public health crises and intense stress, which is essential to sustaining their mental well-being during difficult times.

Taking Action Against Ageism through the Arts

Ageism was first coined in 1969 by psychiatrist, Robert N. Butler, to describe prejudicial attitudes and discrimination against older adults based on age. Today, over 50 years later, ageism is not only still highly prevalent, but is recognized as a health issue of global concern. In recent years, the World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a global campaign to combat ageism. While the United States has been undergoing a long overdue “reckoning” and reconsideration of the impacts of racism and sexism, ageism remains largely socially sanctioned and tolerated. Ageism can be found in society in general as well as in medicine, among medical trainees and among older adults themselves. Like racism and sexism, structural ageism has deleterious consequences, especially for the health and well-being of older adults. Yet, combatting ageism continues to be particularly challenging and prior attempts to change ageist attitudes have often been unsuccessful. Recent work suggests that using the arts may be an effective way to bring about change in attitudes and behaviors, both for medical trainees and for older adults.In this symposium, geriatric psychiatrists Kirsten M. Wilkins, Mary C. Blazek, and Susan W. Lehmann will explore the impacts of structural ageism in society and healthcare and will evaluate the role of the arts in effecting attitudinal change. Dr. Kirsten M. Wilkins will provide an update and review of ageism in society and healthcare, especially since the advent of the recent Covid-19 pandemic, and its negative effects on older adults. Dr. Mary C. Blazek will discuss the potential for engagement with music and visual arts as a mechanism for effecting ageist attitudinal change in medical trainees. Dr. Susan W. Lehmann will discuss how engagement in music and the visual arts may promote both mental well-being in older adults and stimulate change in stereotyped ideas about aging. Dr. Dennis Popeo will discuss the implications of current research and will moderate discussion with the audience.

Reciprocal Associations between Depressive Symptoms, Life Satisfaction, and Eudaimonic Well-Being in Older Adults over a 16-Year Period.

The dual-continua model of mental health distinguishes between mental illness (presence of mental disorders, such as depression) and mental well-being (presence of positive traits and abilities). This model also distinguishes between hedonic well-being (e.g., affect balance and life satisfaction) and eudaimonic well-being (i.e., optimal psychological and social functioning, as indicated for example by having a purpose in life). We examined the relationships between depressive symptoms (a common indicator of mental illness), life satisfaction, and eudaimonic well-being. The study used a sample of 17,056 participants from England whose data were collected at eight intervals of approximately two years over a 16-year period, from 2004 to 2019. The mean age of the sample in the first wave was 58.843 years, with a standard deviation of 12.617 years (women = 55.2%). We disentangled within- and between-person sources of variance to examine whether increases or decreases in one variable preceded changes in the other variables at the next time point. We found positive reciprocal relationships between life satisfaction and eudaimonic well-being and negative reciprocal relationships between the two well-being dimensions and depressive symptoms. These results suggest that within-person increases in well-being are followed by future decreases in depressive symptoms, and within-person increases in depressive symptoms are followed by future decreases in well-being. Therefore, low levels of mental well-being in older adults may be considered a risk factor for depression, and well-being interventions (such as those focused on meaning-making) may serve as a protective factor against depression in older adults.

NEIGHBORHOOD PREDICTORS OF MENTAL HEALTH OF OLDER AMERICANS: EVIDENCE FROM A 5-YEAR LONGITUDINAL STUDY

Abstract With increasing dependence on other people in old age, environmental resources become an important asset for older adults to experience healthy aging. Data on the longitudinal relationship between neighborhood and mental health in late life is scanty. This study utilized hierarchical multiple regression model analysis to investigate whether and which neighborhood factors predicted depression and anxiety among older Americans followed up for over five years within the same neighborhood. Two waves of data containing a cohort of 1,731 older adults from the NSHAP project were used. Outcome measures were depression and anxiety. Predictors were four neighborhood factors: Social cohesion (NSC), social ties (NSC), neighborhood problems (NP), and perceived neighborhood danger (PND). We adjusted for demographic and physical health characteristics. The mean age of the respondents was 71.4 ± 6.5 years and were mostly females (55.5%). Lower NSC and a higher PND significantly predicted depression. However, the model only explained 2.8% of the variance in depression. In the covariate-adjusted model, none of the neighborhood factors predicted depression, but the model significantly improved to 32.5%. NP was the only significant predictor of anxiety in the final model and explained 27.8% of the variance in anxiety. Covariates, which are primary determinants of mental health disparity, have a much larger role to play. This study sheds some light on the complexity of the relationship between neighborhood and mental health in older adults. Future policy development and interventions should target improving both physical and social environments to enhancing the mental wellbeing of older adults.