Physical Health Of Older Adults Research Articles

Health Literacy, Social Support, and Health Status Among Older Adults

The study examines whether social support interacts with health literacy in affecting the health status of older adults. Health literacy is assessed using the short version of the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults. Social support is measured with the Medical Outcome Study social support scale. Results show, unexpectedly, that rather than buffering the negative effect of low health literacy, social support has a more positive impact on physical health in older adults with high health literacy. Implications for improving the health status of older adults through health literacy and social support are discussed.

Self-Efficacious Behaviors for Reducing Stress in Older Adulthood

Current gerontological scholarship focuses on both stressors and protective characteristics of late adulthood. Repeatedly, studies demonstrate that self-efficacy is a powerful resiliency resource for coping with the stressors affecting mental and physical health of older adults. Using qualitative research methodology, this study explores the role of self-efficacy as a resiliency resource in reducing stress for vulnerable older adults who strive to maintain active lives and meaningful interactions with their families and communities. Results demonstrate the beneficial power of efficacious behaviors such as reaching out to family and friends, engaging in relaxing behaviors, and maintaining health-promoting activities for an empowered and engaged approach to daily living. Implications for practice with older adults and future research are discussed.

The effects of a Simplified Tai-Chi Exercise Program (STEP) on the physical health of older adults living in long-term care facilities: A single group design with multiple time points

Background Studies support the positive effects that Tai Chi has on the physical health of older adults. However, many older adults residing in long-term care facilities feel too weak to practice traditional Tai Chi, and a more simplified style is preferred. Objective To test the effects of a newly-developed, Simplified Tai-Chi Exercise Program (STEP) on the physical health of older adults who resided in long-term care facilities. Design A single group design with multiple time points: three pre-tests, one month apart; four post-tests at one month, two months, three months, and six months after intervention started. Settings Two 300–400 bed veteran homes in Taiwan. Participants The 51 male older adults were recruited through convenience sampling, and 41 of them completed six-month study. Inclusion criteria included: (1) aged 65 and over; (2) no previous training in Tai Chi; (3) cognitively alert and had a score of at least eight on the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire; (4) able to walk without assistance; and (5) had a Barthel Index score of 61 or higher. Participants who had dementia, were wheel-chair bound, or had severe or acute cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, or pulmonary illnesses were excluded. Methods The STEP was implemented three times a week, 50 min per session for six months. The outcome measures included cardio-respiratory function, blood pressure, balance, hand-grip strength, lower body flexibility, and physical health actualization. Results A drop in systolic blood pressure ( p = . 017 ) and diastolic blood pressure ( p<.001) was detected six months after intervention started. Increase in hand-grip strength from pre to post intervention was found (left hand: p<.001; right hand: p = . 035 ). Participants also had better lower body flexibility after practicing STEP ( p = . 038 ) . Conclusions Findings suggest that the STEP be incorporated as a floor activity in long-term care facilities to promote physical health of older adults.

PROTOCOL: Personal assistance for non‐demented older adults (65+) with impairments

PROTOCOL: Personal assistance for non‐demented older adults (65+) with impairments

Does marital status and marital status change predict physical health in older adults?

Evidence for the effects of marital status and marital status change on physical health is equivocal. Structural equation models examined whether marital status predicted physical health. Six groups were examined simultaneously: married (M); widowed (W); divorced (D); never married (NM); newly widowed (NW); and newly divorced (ND). There were four annual measures (T1-T4). Both NW and ND were married at T1, but had lost their partners by T2. Four physical health variables were examined: Problems, Limitations, Service use, and Self-rated health (SRH). Age and gender were included. Previous health predicted future for all measures and for all groups. However, the specific strengths and time-courses varied between marital status groups and between health measures. The most marked patterns were associated with marital status change. Service use was influenced most strongly by NW, whilst Limitations was influenced by ND. Problems distinguished NW and ND from stable marital status groups but also from each other. SRH was influenced by W and not by recent marital status change. The effects of age and gender were modest and restricted to specific health variables and specific marital statuses. The results demonstrate that marital status and marital status change, in particular, influence health longitudinally. The impact of a change to divorced or to widowed status is not the same. No two health variables responded in the same way, suggesting that marital status has a differential effect on health.

Do Depressive Symptoms Predict Declines in Physical Performance in an Elderly, Biracial Population?

We investigated whether depressive symptoms, assessed by the 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), predicted change in physical function in elderly adults. Participants were from a biracial, population-based sample of adults aged 65 and older (N: 4069; 61% black; 61% female). Physical function was assessed as a summary performance measure of tandem stand, measured walk, and repeated chair stand (mean [standard deviation], 10.3 [3.5]; range, 0-15), commonly used measures of overall physical health in older adults. Generalized estimating equation models estimated physical function across 3 assessments over 5.4 years of follow up as a function of CES-D scores at baseline. Adjusting for age, sex, race, and education, each 1-point higher CES-D score was associated with a 0.34-point lower absolute level of physical performance (p < .0001), but there was no evidence of a CES-D by time interaction (p = .84), indicating that depressive symptoms at baseline were not associated with greater physical performance decline over time. In secondary analyses, with CES-D scores modeled in 4 categories, overall physical performance showed a graded, inverse association across CES-D categories (p's < .0001). However, we observed no threshold effect for depressive symptoms in relation to change in physical performance. Compared with the referent group (CES-D = 0), the 2 middle CES-D categories (CES-D = 1 or 2-3) evidenced some decline in physical performance over time, but the highest CES-D group (CES-D > or =4) showed no significant physical decline over time (p = .89). We observed a strong cross-sectional association between depressive symptoms and overall physical performance. Physical function declined over time, yet depressive symptoms did not consistently contribute to greater decline over an average of 5.4 years of follow up among older adults. Findings highlight the importance of longitudinal models in understanding the relation between depressive symptomatology and physical health.

Problem and pathological gambling are associated with poorer mental and physical health in older adults

To evaluate the prevalence and correlates of problem and pathological gambling in older adults. Adults (n = 343) aged 60 years and older attending senior centers, bingo sites and other community activities completed a screening form containing the South Oaks Gambling Screen and the Short Form-12 Health Survey, to evaluate physical and mental health. Overall, 6.4% of the respondents were classified as problem gamblers and an additional 3.8% as pathological gamblers. Problem and pathological gamblers evidenced significantly greater physical and mental health problems than non-problem gamblers. These data suggest that about 10 percent of active older adults experience gambling problems, which are associated with poor physical and mental health.

Leisure participation amongst Hong Kong Chinese older adults

Gerontologists have recognised the important influence of leisure activity on the mental and physical health of older adults. To date, however, there have been few studies of the patterns of participation in leisure activity among older adults in Hong Kong. This study examines a large representative sample of Hong Kong older adults and the associations between their socio-economic and health characteristics and their leisure activities. The data are from a cross-sectional survey of 2,180 respondents aged 60 or more years, conducted in 2000 by the Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department. There were full records for 2,144 respondents. Among the participation rates in the seven categories of leisure activities, watching television or listening to radio was the highest, while the lowest was for playing mahjong or cards. The characteristics that significantly correlated with the level of participation differed by the activity. Although no consistent pattern emerged, gender, education, employment status, receiving welfare benefits, self-rated health and functional impairment were the strongest correlates for most types of leisure activity. The paper is concluded by comparing the results with previous findings, and by discussing the service implications of the findings, the limitations of the study, and directions for future research.

Practical geriatrics: possible association of posttraumatic stress disorder with cognitive impairment among older adults.

Practical geriatrics: possible association of posttraumatic stress disorder with cognitive impairment among older adults.

Religion, religiosity and spirituality in the biopsychosocial model of health and ageing

Religiosity/spirituality and the tendency to use these in coping are common in older adults. We review evidence that these are positively associated with mental and physical health in older adults, as well as evidence that members of different religious groups differ in levels of health. Studies on mental health include those that examine well-being and depression. Physical health outcomes include mortality, cancer, stroke, and physical functioning. We discuss the issue of causality and possible mediators of effects of religiosity/spirituality on health outcomes, paying special attention to possible psychological mediators. Last, we discuss possible differences in these associations between members of various cultural and religious groups, and caution that there may be theological problems with the use of religion to promoting health.

Intergenerational Programs: HPERD's Role in Fostering the Mental and Physical Health of Older Adults

(1998). Intergenerational Programs: HPERD's Role in Fostering the Mental and Physical Health of Older Adults. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 69, No. 8, pp. 20-23.

Effects of bereavement/loss and pre-event status on subsequent physical health in older adults.

Males and females aged fifty-five and older were interviewed before and after three types of bereavement/loss: attachment bereavement (child, spouse, parent), nonattachment bereavement (sibling, grandchild, close friend), and other losses (nonbereavements). Five measures of health were used. Before pre-event health was accounted for on self-report measures of health status and medical conditions, pre-event measures of environmental factors and impact measures of bereavement/loss events had significant but modest effects on post-event health. However, after pre-event health was taken into account, the effects of bereavement and other losses were pale in comparison. Bereavement/loss events were not related to subsequent deaths, health events, or the use of medical services. Environmental factors were modestly predictive of nonattachment bereavements and other losses. An unexpected finding was that other losses had stronger effects on health than bereavements. Trend analysis over eighteen months showed a modest decline in health status immediately after a loss event, followed by an improvement in health. In general, this older adult sample handled bereavements and other losses with minimal morbidity and mortality.