Positive Perceptions Of Aging Research Articles

FEAR OF FALLING PREDICTS NEGATIVE PERCEPTIONS OF AGING AMONG LOW-INCOME COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER ADULTS

Abstract Negative self-perceptions of aging (NSPA) are associated with various health-related outcomes, including fear of falling (FOF). Despite the leading cause of injury, disability, and hospitalization among racially diverse low-income older adults, FOF’s predictive potential effect on NSPA is less studied. This was a cross-sectional study with a sampling of 54 independent and cognitively healthy older adults (4 males, 47 females, mean age 73.91, SD: 6.4; 61-87 years old) in a low-income community. A five-item NSPA Likert scale, part of the Brief Ageing Perceptions Questionnaire (B-APQ), was used to assess the negative self-perceptions of aging, with higher scores indicating fewer negative views. The Short Fall Efficacy Scale International questionnaire was used to evaluate the level of concern about falls for a range of activities of daily living. More than half of the participants were African Americans (27 or 50%), completed high school (29 or 53.7%), lived alone (37 or 68.5%), and earned just enough financially (29 or 53.7%). The simple regression results indicated that the model explained 14.9% of the variance (R2=.149, F(1,52) = 9.13, p =.004). Fear of falling (FOF) (β = -.406, p =.004) was negatively associated with NSPA. As FOF scores increased, NSPA scores decreased, signifying higher FOF, accentuating worse perceived aging. Future longitudinal research should focus on the relationship between FOF and NSPA in increasing fall risk and injurious falls, especially in ethnically diverse low-income older adults, to further clarify this relationship and its consequences. Additionally, assessing FOF and providing interventions may enhance positive perceptions of aging.

Purpose in Life Links Positive Aging Views to Life Satisfaction: A Within-Person Analysis Spanning 13 Years.

This study aimed to examine the relationship between positive perceptions of aging, purpose in life, and life satisfaction in older adults. It was hypothesized that purpose in life mediates the relationship between positive perceptions of one's aging and life satisfaction. This hypothesis was tested in a sample of older American adults from four waves of the Health and Retirement Study collected at 4-year intervals between 2008 and 2020 (N = 11,546, mean age in 2008 = 62.772). The random intercept cross-lagged panel model was used to separate within-person and between-person sources of variance. Mediation was tested at the longitudinal within-person level and was supported. Results suggest that an increase in positive perceptions of aging is associated with a future increase in purpose in life, which in turn is associated with higher future levels of life satisfaction. The findings inform interventions promoting positive aging, purpose, and life satisfaction in older adults.

Do partnership transitions affect individual perceptions of aging in later life? Findings from the German Ageing Survey and the NRW80+ study

Objective: The study examines how the individual perceptions of aging (PA) differ by partnership status and develop with the transitions to widowhood, of divorce/separation, and repartnering in later adulthood in Germany. Background: In previous research from other countries, there is contradictory evidence on the association of partnership status/transitions and PA. Although PA are a crucial indicator for the living conditions of older adults, little is known about their associations with partnership transitions in Germany. Method: We use panel data from six waves of the German Ageing Survey (1996-2017, n=4,227) and the first two waves of the NRW80+ study (2017-2020, n=845) for retired respondents. We apply linear hybrid models to analyze inter- and intra-individual differences after widowhood, divorce/separation, and the formation of new partnerships. Results: We observe stable associations of partnership status/transitions and PA only for single dimensions of aging. For example, widowed individuals feel more dependent on others than married individuals. After the transition to widowhood, individuals feel freer to spend their time as they like. Repartnered individuals have more positive PA than singles. Additionally, we found contradictory gender differences for older and oldest old individuals. Conclusion: In contrast to recent findings, we show that there is only little association of partnership status or partnership transitions and PA in Germany. Our findings emphasize the importance of a multidimensional conceptualization of PA in current research.

An Investigation into the Relationship Between Perceptions of Aging and Cognitive Engagement

The stereotype embodiment theory suggests that as we enter older adulthood we internalize our feelings about aging. This study explored the association between perceptions of aging and cognitive engagement, which is associated with a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease; it also examined the relationship between age and perceptions of aging. Participants (154) aged between 50 and 75 with a mean age of 64.77 (SD = 6.85) completed validated questionnaires that measured perceptions of aging, level of cognitive activity, depressive symptoms and demographic items. Confounding variables were controlled for. Data were analyzed using bivariate analyses and hierarchal linear regression. A weak association between age and perceptions of aging was identified. Greater engagement in cognitive activities was predicted by more positive perceptions of aging. Age and sex were also found to be significantly related to level of cognitive engagement, with older people and females having a lifestyle higher in cognitive activities. There are no previous publications examining the association between a person’s perception of aging and the level of cognitive pastimes in later life. This study suggests that how one feels about aging may have an important role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle high in cognitive activities in older adulthood

Sexual Activity and Satisfaction in Older Adult Dyads: The Role of Perceptions of Aging.

This study assessed the associations between perceptions of aging (POA) and sexual frequency and satisfaction in older adult dyads. Using dyadic data from up to 1,122 different-sex married and cohabiting couples ages 50-89 (Mmen = 66.63 [7.40]; Mwomen = 64.43 [7.27]), we estimated 2 actor-partner interdependence models. We first examined the association between men's and women's POA and each partner's reports of frequency of partnered sexual activity (e.g., intercourse, oral sex, kissing, petting, and fondling). Then, we tested the link between POA and each partner's sexual satisfaction. Actor effects were detected in both models. Both men's and women's positive POA were associated with their own reports of more frequent sexual activity and greater satisfaction with their sex lives. These findings provide insight into how positive views on aging relate to older couples' sexuality. Future research should consider how attitudes shape later-life sexuality over time.

Awareness of age-related gains and losses as moderators of daily stress reactivity in middle- and older-adulthood.

ObjectivesAssociations between awareness of one’s own aging and wellbeing have received increasing attention in the field of gerontology over the last decade. The current study examines how between-person differences and within-person fluctuations of awareness of age-related change (AARC) relate to daily negative affect and vitality. Of key interest was the extent to which fluctuations in AARC moderated reactivity to stressor exposure. We predicted that higher positive perceptions of aging (AARC-gains) would buffer the relationship between daily stressors and negative affect/vitality. Conversely, we expected that higher negative perceptions (AARC-losses) may exacerbate the relationship between daily stressors and the outcome variables.MethodsData were collected from a community-based sample of 152 Australian adults aged 53–86 (M = 69.18, SD = 5.73). For 10 consecutive days, participants completed surveys on their smartphones measuring daily stressors, AARC, and affect (positive and negative). Bayesian hierarchical linear models were used to examine whether AARC-gains and AARC-losses moderated within-person associations of daily stressors and affect (i.e., stress reactivity).ResultsAt the between-person level, higher AARC-gains was associated with lower negative affect and higher vitality, whereas those reporting higher AARC-losses scored higher on negative affect and lower on vitality. Within-person variables revealed that on days when AARC-gains was higher and AARC-losses was lower, this corresponded with lower negative affect and higher vitality. There was no evidence in support of individual moderating effects of within-person AARC-losses or within-person AARC-gains on stress reactivity. A trend was evident in support of a three-way WP Stress severity × WP AARC-gains × WP AARC-losses interaction in the prediction of negative affect, indicating that on days when AARC-losses was higher, the association of stress severity with negative affect was weaker if AARC-gains was higher. Follow-up analyses modeling quadratic stress severity revealed a trend suggesting an interaction of within-person stress severity and within-person AARC-losses.DiscussionResults indicate that both individual differences and short-term fluctuations in AARC are associated with daily negative affect and vitality. The results provided qualified support for a possible protective role of AARC-gains in the context of stress reactivity.

Remotely Administered Resilience- and Wisdom-Focused Intervention to Reduce Perceived Stress and Loneliness: Pilot Controlled Clinical Trial in Older Adults

Older adults are vulnerable to perceived stress and loneliness, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. We previously reported inverse relationships between loneliness/perceived stress and wisdom/resilience. There are few evidence-based tele-health interventions for older adults. We tested a new remotely-administered manualized resilience- and wisdom-focused behavioral intervention to reduce perceived stress and loneliness in older adults. This pilot controlled clinical trial used a multiple-phase-change single-case experimental design, with three successive 6-week phases: control, intervention, and follow-up periods. The intervention included six once-a-week one-hour sessions. Participants were 20 adults >65 years, without dementia. All 20 participants completed every session. The study indicated feasibility and acceptability of the intervention. While the sample was too small for demonstrating efficacy, there was a reduction (small-to-medium effect size) in perceived stress and loneliness, and increase in resilience, happiness, and components of wisdom and positive perceptions of aging. These preliminary data support feasibility, acceptability, and possible efficacy of a remotely-administered resilience- and wisdom-focused intervention in older adults to reduce stress and loneliness.

Perceptions of aging and wellness engagement among life plan community residents

ABSTRACT Despite the availability, some residents choose not to participate in wellness offerings at their residential communities. Perceptions of aging can influence engagement in healthy behaviors. The purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between perceptions of aging and wellness engagement among Life Plan Community residents. A total of 447 residents (ages 59 to 97; M = 81.82, SD = 6.55) of 10 Life Plan Communities completed surveys that measured their perceptions of aging, self-reported wellness, interest in improving wellness, participation in wellness programs, and barriers to wellness participation. Multiple regression analyses revealed that more positive perceptions of aging were associated with better wellness, higher interest, more frequent participation, and fewer barriers. Follow-up analyses revealed that these effects could be accounted for by specific types of aging attitudes (i.e. psychological growth, psychosocial loss, and physical change). These findings have implications for the development, implementation, and promotion of wellness programs for older adults.

Interplay of Perceptions of Aging, Care, and Technology Acceptance in Older Age

Addressing demographic change, assistive technologies are developed to support people in need of care. So far, little is known about the impact of context-related individual perceptions on the adoption of such technologies. The present study investigates the extent of relationships between (a) aging-, care-, and health-related perceptions and (b) the perception and acceptance of using assistive technologies. In an online survey (N = 1123), the participants assessed individual perceptions of aging, care, health, perceived benefits, barriers, and acceptance of an assistive system. Using structural equation modeling the relationships between individual attitudes and acceptance were investigated. Results revealed that perceptions of care were related to acceptance, perceived barriers, and benefits. Positive perceptions of aging were related to perceived benefits and care. Moreover, perceived vitality correlated with perceptions of aging and perceived benefits. The study provided insights into individual perceptions of aging, care, and health as well as their relationships with assistive technology’s acceptance.

Harnessing progress: Gender, sexuality, and positive self-perceptions of aging in midlife

Drawing on interviews, this article analyzes how lesbians, gay men, straight women, and straight men construct positive views of aging during midlife, a life course period when negative perceptions of aging are salient. Interviewees engaged in harnessing progress—a process of crafting personal aging narratives that emphasize growth and improvement—which helped them to feel positively about their own aging. All interviewees shared these progress narratives, but reports differed across gender and sexuality groups. Men's narratives focused on the wisdom they gained and how that made them more relevant to older and younger generations. Regarding the latter, straight men viewed their children as beneficiaries of their progress and gay men viewed younger LGBTQ people as beneficiaries. Women's progress narratives focused on self-improvement. Whereas straight women described becoming more self-reliant with age, lesbians described learning to stand up for themselves. Overall, findings reveal how gender and sexual identities—and the lifelong benefits and burdens that accompany those identities—influence how people create positive perceptions of aging.

Reframing Aging: A Generation's Work

Changing American culture is challenging and changing attitudes and behaviors around the universal experience of aging especially so. Unless the field of advocates who care about aging issues cultivates a more visible, more informed conversation on older people, it will remain difficult to advance the systemic changes needed to adjust to a society with increased and increasing longevity. Advocates will need to be vigilant to avoid cueing negative attitudes towards aging and aging policies. The Reframing Aging Initiative is a long-term, social change endeavor designed to improve the public's understanding of what aging means and the many contributions older people bring to society. Using evidence-based research, the initiative seeks to teach how to tell an effective story about aging that will promote positive perceptions of aging and reduce ageism.

On the Meaning of Aging and Ageism: Why Culture Matters

Like any form of discrimination, ageism does not exist in a void; it is expressed through cultural values and social beliefs. Some studies show that ageism intersects with other discriminatory attitudes, including those based on race or culture, leading to negative outcomes. However, the way older individuals, who are members of diverse cultural groups, experience and acknowledge age-based discrimination and react to ageist stereotypes may also be culturally dependent. The purpose of this paper is to further explore perceptions of aging and ageism among cultural groups of older adults in Canada. Findings from group discussions conducted among Chinese, Arab, and South Asian Indian older adults reveal that seniors living in Canada share relatively positive perceptions of aging and maintain their physical and psychological well-being, in part, because of their family and community engagement. Participants highlighted the respect that is offered to older adults in their culture and, in most cases, were grateful for their families and the policies supporting older adults in Canada. While participants were often not familiar with the term “ageism,” they had experienced a few instances of age discrimination, especially in the workplace. Results suggest that participants’ identities as older people may prevail over identities related to culture. As Canada’s society ages and becomes more diverse, these findings shed light on how culture influences the experience of aging and ageism.

Reimagining Senior Centers for Purposeful Aging: Perspectives of Diverse Older Adults.

Senior centers must re-envision their programs to appeal to today's increasingly older and more diverse older adults. Using a purposeful aging framework, this study aims to inform senior center programming by capturing diverse older adults' perspectives on future goals, perceptions of aging, attitudes about senior centers, and experience with technology. Participants age 70 and older (N = 64) joined one of eight focus groups organized by race/ethnicity and preferred spoken language. Transcripts were coded using a grounded theory approach to identify perspectives in each domain. Across groups, shared perspectives included aspirations to make a difference, maintain health and independence, continue learning, and embrace positive perceptions of aging. However, both positive and negative attitudes about participating in senior centers and the effects of technology were presented. We discuss how to redesign senior center programming to meet members' proactive approach to aging and future goals, and facilitate more confidence with new technology.

Relationship between self-perceptions of aging and ‘living well’ among people with mild-to-moderate dementia: Findings from the ideal programme

ObjectiveA primary goal for dementia research is to understand how to best support people to live well with dementia. Among cognitively healthy older individuals, more positive attitudes toward their own aging (ATOA) and/or feeling younger than their chronological age (i.e. having a younger subjective age: SA) are associated with better quality of life (QoL), satisfaction with life (SwL), and well-being (which are indicators of capability to live well), and fewer depressive symptoms. We tested whether people with dementia (PwD) with more positive ATOA and/or with a younger SA report better QoL, SwL, and well-being, and are less likely to experience depression. MethodsWe used cross-sectional data from the IDEAL cohort baseline assessment (conducted between 2014 and 2016), comprising 1541 PwD residing in Great Britain [mean (range) age= 76.3 (43 to 98); 43.6% women]. ResultsMore positive ATOA was associated with better QoL, SwL, well-being, and less likelihood of depression. Younger SA was associated with better QoL, SwL, well-being, and less likelihood of depression. ConclusionsMore positive ATOA and younger SA may be beneficial psychological resources that enhance capability to live well with dementia. Promoting more positive perceptions of aging at the societal level may help to equip people with the resilience needed to cope well after a diagnosis of dementia, and enhance the support available to people with dementia. Focusing on retained abilities and achievable goals may help to counteract the impact of negative age-related stereotypes on people with dementia, and enhance person-centered care.

Perceptions of Aging and Inflammation in the Context of Older Adult Married Couples

The current study takes a dyadic perspective to understand how self-perceptions of aging are associated with C-reactive protein, an inflammation marker, among older adult married couples. The potential moderating role of marital support and strain are also examined. Respondents include 668 married couples who participated in the 2014 wave of the Health and Retirement Study. Actor-Partner Interdependence Models were conducted in Mplus. Age, functional limitations, income, and race served as covariates. Husbands’ greater positive perceptions of aging were significantly associated with their own lower levels of inflammation. Husbands’ greater positive perceptions of aging were significantly associated with lower levels of inflammation for women who reported lower levels of marital strain; this was not the case for women who reported higher levels of marital negativity. This study exemplifies how relationship factors are necessary to consider when examining age perceptions and health among marrieds.

Reframing Aging: A Generation's Work

The Reframing Aging initiative, led by GSA on behalf of the Leaders of Aging Organizations, is a long-term, grant-funded social change endeavor designed to improve – or “reframe” the public's understanding of what aging means and the many contributions older people bring to society. Using evidence-based research, the initiative seeks to teach advocates how to tell an effective story about aging that will promote positive perceptions of aging and reduce ageism. This session will explore GSA's efforts to address ageism through Reframing Aging and the policy implications of this important initiative and will include lessons learned from experts who are utilizing reframing aging in their teaching and practice.

Reframing Aging in Contemporary Politics: Building Momentum

Changing American culture is challenging and changing attitudes and behaviors around the universal experience of aging especially so. Unless the field of advocates who care about aging issues cultivates a more visible, more informed conversation on older people, it will remain difficult to advance the systemic changes needed to adjust to a society with increased and increasing longevity. Advocates will need to be vigilant to avoid cueing negative attitudes towards aging and aging policies. The Reframing Aging Initiative is a long-term, social change endeavor designed to improve the public’s understanding of what aging means and the many contributions older people bring to society. Using evidence-based research, the initiative seeks to teach advocates how to tell an effective story about aging that will promote positive perceptions of aging and reduce ageism. The time to change the conversation is now.

Subjective Age in Older Korean Americans: The Impact of Functional Disability Mediated by Attitudes Toward Aging.

The present study aims to examine how subjective age of older Korean Americans would be affected by functional disability and attitudes toward aging. We hypothesized that (a) both functional disability and attitudes toward aging would have a direct effect on subjective age and (b) the effect of functional disability on subjective age would be mediated by attitudes toward aging. Our analyses of the survey data with 208 community-dwelling Korean Americans aged 60 and older (mean age = 69.6, SD = 7.51) showed that the indirect effect of functional disability on subjective age through attitudes toward aging [-.020 (.009)] was significant (bias-corrected 95% confidence interval [-.039, -.006]). The findings suggest that functional disability fosters negative attitudes toward aging, which in turn leads to the feelings of being older than actual age. Our study suggests ways to preserve and promote positive perceptions of age and aging.

ATTITUDES TOWARDS AGING PERCEPTIONS OF AGING AND HEALTH OF OLDER ADULT SPOUSES

Evidence suggests that negative perceptions of aging are associated with worse health outcomes. Research also shows that marital partners can mutually influence each other’s health; however, limited research has explored perceptions of aging within couples. The purpose of the current study was to examine the association between self and partner perceptions of aging and health among married older adult couples. Both members of 452 couples (average age: wives = 80.6 years, husbands = 82.7 years) completed a survey that measured perceptions of aging and health (i.e., self-reported health, healthy diet, physical functioning, stress, and physical activity). Data were analyzed using actor-partner interdependence models, and analyses were conducted separately for positive and negative perceptions of aging, controlling for self and partner’s age, depression, and chronic health conditions as well as gender and income. Consistent with previous research, analyses revealed that one’s own positive perceptions of aging were related to better health across all measures, and the opposite pattern was found for negative perceptions of aging. An examination of partner effects revealed that people reported better physical functioning and greater physical activity when their spouses had more positive perceptions of aging. Similarly, husbands reported less stress when wives had more positive perceptions of aging, but there was not a partner effect for wives. In contrast, people reported lower subjective health and less healthy diets when their spouses had more negative perceptions of aging. These findings suggest that health-promotion efforts should consider partners’ perceptions of aging as a potential resource or risk factor.

KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES: SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND SUBJECTIVE PERCEPTIONS OF AGING

Money may not buy happiness, but can it buy a more positive outlook on aging? Past research examining the associations between indicators of socioeconomic status (SES) and subjective perceptions of aging have been mixed with some finding greater socio-economic resources predict more positive aging perceptions, whereas others find no connection. We examine objective (i.e., income and education) and subjective social status (i.e., MacAurthur ladder) and their connections to subjective age, attitudes towards aging, and awareness of age-related changes using hierarchical multiple regression analyzes. Participants (n =296, age range 60-90) completed survey measures online. Results indicate minimal connection between income, education, and aging perceptions. However, perceiving oneself to be higher in social standing compared to one’s community was consistently related to more favorable perceptions of aging. Higher community standing may indicate favorable development, fewer stressors, or more resources compared to others, which could contribute to more positive perceptions of aging.