Psychological Well-being Of Older Adults Research Articles

Sexuality, quality of life and psychological well-being in older adults: A correlational study

This study aimed at analyzing the relationship between general health status, quality of life, and sexual life among older adults. This descriptive-correlational design study was conducted with the participation of 323 (169 female and 154 male) older people at the age of 65+. The participants were clients of the outpatient services in a general hospital in Istanbul. Data were collected with the General Health Questionnaire, Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale, and Quality of Life Scale. Psychological well-being had no association with sexuality scores whereas quality of life had a significant association. Older people with better quality of life had less sexual dysfunctionality. Participants who were up the 75 years old, who have lower education, lower economic status, unemployed, having chronic diseases seemed to experience higher ASEX scores, meaning that higher sexual dysfunction, lower GHQ scores and lower quality of life level. Sexuality in older people changes over time and continues to hold its importance. Less sexual dysfunction seemed to relate with higher quality of life in older people. Researchers should consider the importance of the quality of life on sexual satisfaction in older people.

Exploring the Role of Resilience and Optimism during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Older European Adults.

This study examined how resilience and optimism were related to psychological well-being among older European adults during the early pandemic. The study used data sampled from the Eurofound COVID-19 survey conducted in 27 European countries during the first lockdown (April 2020). The study sample included 10,674 older adults (mean age = 69.71 ± 5.15, 68.6% women, 87.3% retired). Using structural equation modeling, the relationship between pandemic adversities, resilience, optimism, and well-being was investigated. Results indicated that resilience and optimism in part mediated the association between adversities and psychological well-being. Resilience and optimism have the potential to help older adults cope with stressful life events and other adversities. Future studies should more precisely explore the role of resilience and optimism, its formation, and the protective mechanisms that promote the psychological well-being of older adults.

Interpersonal relationships, subjective health, psychological well-being, and quality of life among older adults in South India: Evidence from a population-based study.

Subjective health and well-being are closely linked with quality of life (QoL) in older adults. Self-reported health, happiness, satisfaction with life and interpersonal relationships, social support, loneliness, and social isolation make robust indicators for the psychological well-being of older adults. This study aimed to explore subjective health, psychological well-being and associated factors, and their relationship with QoL in older adults. This was a cross-sectional, community-based survey that included adults aged 60 years and above (n = 260) who were living in selected communities. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data on self-reported health, happiness, satisfaction with family and marital relationships, and felt loneliness and isolation. The relationship between psychological well-being and QoL was identified. Data analysis was carried out by descriptive and analytical statistical applications using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 at P ≤ 0.05. Study findings showed that a significant number of older adults (56%) reported poor general health; 56.4% of men and 59.2% of women were "not at all happy" with their family and interpersonal relationships, and 13.5% of respondents were not at all happy in general. Self-reported health (0.277**) and happiness (0.506**) were positively correlated with the psychological domain of QoL (P ≤ 0.01). The study findings identified the interrelationship between changing family and social relationships and psychological well-being of older adults, which is an immediate public health concern. Inadequate social support and deficient quality of interpersonal relationships predispose loneliness and isolation in later life. Strategies to promote social support and age-friendly social and healthcare resources are urgent needs for healthy aging.

A Model for Predicting the Psychological Well-Being of Older Adults in South Korea

A Model for Predicting the Psychological Well-Being of Older Adults in South Korea

Functional Limitations and Psychological Well-Being Among Older Adults in China: The Critical Role of Hukou as a Stratifying Factor.

Based on a stress process perspective, this study examines how the hukou system and gender intersect to shape the relationship between functional limitations and psychological well-being in older adults. Using the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (N = 17,708 at baseline), analyses are carried out with random- and fixed-effects models. Analyses show that an urban hukou benefits the psychological well-being of Chinese older adults by weakening the relationship between functional limitations and depression, and these differences do not vary significantly between men and women. The relationship between functional limitations and life satisfaction does not differ by hukou region. This study shows that China's household registration system provides an important context for the associations between functional limitations and psychological well-being in later life. The hukou system is an important stratifying agent and should be taken into account in the study of stress and aging in a Chinese context.

From drugs to dry mouth: a rapid systematic review exploring health implications of dry mouth in older adults with polypharmacy

Abstract Introduction Approximately 60% of older adults complain of dry mouth which may be associated with polypharmacy, common in this population. Existing studies have reported treatment approaches to dry mouth but do not address long-term, preventative measures that would more positively benefit the health and wellbeing of older adults.1 Aim This rapid systematic review aims to identify the implications of dry mouth on the physical and psychological wellbeing of older adults with polypharmacy to establish the importance of preventing dry mouth. Methods Studies reporting health implications of dry mouth, in relation to polypharmacy in older adults (>65 years old), were included in this rapid systematic review. MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO and CINAHL databases were searched using Keywords such as ‘polypharmacy’, ‘dry mouth’, ‘oral health’ and ‘quality of life’ (PROSPERO: CRD42021288945). Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools were used to assess study quality. Ethical approval was not required for this project due to the methodology of this rapid systematic review. Results Of the 6,852 citations screened, 9 studies (cross-sectional, n = 8; longitudinal, n = 1) were included which comprised 37,459 participants (mean age range: 68.5-85.0 years). Studies were published between 2005 and 2019. Meta-analysis was not possible due to the heterogenicity of outcomes reported; instead, a narrative synthesis was undertaken. The health implications identified in this review were categorised as ‘physical’, such as tooth loss, or ‘psychological’, such as depression. The main physical health implications reported in the studies related to dental health, such as tooth loss and gingivitis, as well as functional impairments, such as chewing and swallowing difficulties. An increase in the number of medicines taken, from 0 to 5, decreased the number of natural teeth remaining from 16.35 ±8.58 to 11.74 ±7.88, respectively. Additionally, the number of dental complications increased from 1.43 ±2.1 to 2.33 ±2.2 as the number of medicines increased from 1 to >3, respectively. There was a paucity of studies (n = 2) that investigated the psychological health implications of dry mouth upon older adult populations. Depression, was however, identified as a significant consequence of dry mouth in older adults with a prevalence as high as 64%.2 An additional 6 psychological health implications were identified, for example, self-consciousness. Discussion/Conclusion This review examined the health implications of dry mouth in relation to polypharmacy in older adults, including physical health and psychological health implications. There were limitations in this review; for example, the predominant cross-sectional study design restricted findings due to the inability to establish longitudinal associations. High levels of physical health implications of dry mouth were observed in older adults with polypharmacy and, to a lesser extent, psychological health implications. The modifiable nature of polypharmacy could pave the way for prevention strategies of dry mouth. The optimisation of medication regimens, to effectively treat chronic conditions but also limit the likelihood of dry mouth, is a practical approach to achieve this.3

Reconfiguring Social Disconnectedness and Its Link to Psychological Well-Being among Older Adults in Rural China.

Using data from 2015 to 2018 waves of the Longitudinal Study of Older Adults in Anhui Province, China, this study investigated associations between different forms of social disconnectedness (social isolation, loneliness, living alone) and psychological well-being of older adults longitudinally. The results showed that social isolation and loneliness were independently associated with psychological well-being, whereas living alone was not. Different forms of social disconnectedness had additive and interactive effects on psychological well-being of older adults. Those who were exposed to all three forms of social disconnectedness suffered from the lowest level of psychological well-being. Moreover, the adverse effects of social disconnectedness on psychological well-being were found to be stronger for older women than for older men. The results underscore the necessity to consider multiple forms of social disconnectedness as well as their different combinations in explaining psychological well-being in later life.

Effects of self-stereotype on older adults' self-integrity through the intervening effects of sense of coherence and empathy

AbstractSelf-integrity plays a vital role in the psychological wellbeing of older adults. The present study investigated whether or not the confrontation with negative, self-stereotyped information leads to a deterioration of older adults' self-integrity. Additionally, the current study attempted to examine the mediating effects of sense of coherence and empathy on the relationship between self-stereotype and self-integrity. A total of 825 Chinese older adults aged 55 or above from Xi'an and Beijing were recruited as research participants. A self-stereotype scale, sense of coherence scale, interpersonal reactivity index and self-integrity scale were used. Results showed that self-stereotypes are negatively associated with sense of coherence, empathy and self-integrity. Furthermore, sense of coherence and empathy are positively associated with self-integrity and played important roles in mediating the relationship between self-stereotype and self-integrity. Findings of this study can contribute to an improved understanding of the mechanism of associations between self-stereotype and self-integrity in older adults. Lastly, results obtained can provide guidance for effectively improving older adults' self-integrity to limit the negative effects of self-stereotypes.

Attributional retraining: Promoting psychological wellbeing in older adults with compromised health.

Older adults make up the largest portion of the population of physically inactive individuals. Health challenges, and psychological barriers (e.g., maladaptive causal attributions), contribute to reduced activity engagement and low perceived control. This pilot study tested an attributional retraining (AR) intervention designed to increase control-related outcomes in a physical activity context for older adults with compromised health. Using a randomized treatment design, we examined treatment effects on a sample of older adults attending a day hospital (N = 37, Mage = 80). We employed ANCOVAs, controlling for age, sex, and morbidity, to assess differences in post-treatment outcomes between AR and No-AR conditions. AR recipients (vs. No-AR) reported lower post-treatment helplessness and more perceived control over their health. Our study offers evidence for AR to increase control-related outcomes and lays the groundwork for further research into supporting older adult populations with compromised health.

Friendships, loneliness and psychological wellbeing in older adults: a limit to the benefit of the number of friends

AbstractLoneliness is linked to many negative health outcomes and places strain on the economy and the National Health Service in the United Kingdom. To combat these issues, the determinants of loneliness need to be fully understood. Although friendships have been shown to be particularly important in relation to loneliness in older adults, this association has thus far not been explored more closely. Our exploratory study examines the relationship between number of friends and loneliness, depression, anxiety and stress in older adults. Data were obtained from 335 older adults via completion of an online survey. Measures included loneliness (UCLA Loneliness Scale version 3), depression, anxiety and stress (Depression Anxiety Stress Scales DASS-21). Participants also reported their number of close friends. Regression analyses revealed an inverse curvilinear relationship between number of friends and each of the measures tested. Breakpoint analyses demonstrated a threshold for the effect of number of friends on each of the measures (loneliness = 4, depression = 2, anxiety = 3, stress = 2). The results suggest that there is a limit to the benefit of increasing the number of friends in older adults for each of these measures. The elucidation of these optimal thresholds can inform the practice of those involved in loneliness interventions for older adults. These interventions can become more targeted; focusing on either establishing four close friendships, increasing the emotional closeness of existing friendships or concentrating resources on other determinants of loneliness in this population.

Predictors, Types of Internet Use, and the Psychological Well-Being of Older Adults: A Comprehensive Model.

This study aims to evaluate a comprehensive model that includes predictors of use, types of Internet use, and psychological well-being outcomes in the older population. The total sample comprised 650 older Internet users. Structural equation modeling was used to estimate the effect of predictors (i.e., effort expectancy, performance expectancy, social influence, and ageism) on types of Internet use (i.e., information seeking, communication, instrumental use, and leisure) and the impact of the type of use on the psychological well-being of older adults (i.e., depressive and anxious symptomatology). In addition, the indirect effect of different types of Internet use was evaluated, that is, they were considered as mediator variables. Effort expectancy, social influence, and ageism predicted different types of Internet use. The relationship between effort expectancy and anxious symptomatology had an indirect effect via information seeking, whereas the relationship between ageism and anxious symptomatology showed an indirect effect via leisure. The findings support the importance of differentiating the types of Internet use to understand its impact on psychological well-being. Information seeking is associated with anxious symptomatology and is predicted by effort expectancy. On the contrary, leisure is crucial because of its relationship with anxious symptomatology, and less ageism can promote it. This information is useful for developing effective interventions that promote the well-being of older adults through the Internet, including strategies to cope with some online challenges that could lead to negative consequences, such as information overload.

Ageism and Psychological Well-Being Among Older Adults: A Systematic Review.

Ageism may have harmful effects on the psychological well-being of older adults, leading to mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety. However, there are insufficient data to establish this hypothesis, and most work on the subject has appeared only in the form of conceptual or theoretical papers. This study reviewed quantitative studies of the relationship between ageism and psychological well-being of older adults. We conducted a comprehensive review using searches of academic databases, the grey literature, hand searches, and reference mining. A total of thirteen articles were selected using the inclusion criteria. All the reviewed studies showed a negative association between ageism and the psychological well-being of older adults. The study confirmed a negative association between ageism and older adults’ psychological well-being, finding that older adults with a high level of psychological well-being may be less negatively affected by ageism, especially those who were proud of their age group, experienced less negative emotions, were more optimistic about aging and their future, were more self-confident about their bodies, and were flexible in setting goals. The identified mediators of the association can inform intervention development to the effects of ageism and improve older adults’ psychological well-being.

Cognitive Health Worries, Reduced Physical Activity and Fewer Social Interactions Negatively Impact Psychological Wellbeing in Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The Coronavirus pandemic has significantly affected psychological wellbeing in older adults, with cases of depression, anxiety and loneliness rising in the general population. Cognitive health has also potentially been affected, as social isolation can lead to cognitive decline. Worrying about cognitive health can be damaging to psychological wellbeing and is especially relevant to explore in the context of the Coronavirus pandemic. The objective of the present study was to explore the associations between cognitive health worries and wellbeing, and to investigate whether physical activity and social contact can mitigate negative effects of the pandemic on psychological wellbeing. Older adults (N = 191) completed an online survey which included measures of cognitive health worries, depression, anxiety, loneliness, social isolation, fatigue, impact of the Coronavirus pandemic, quality of life, subjective vitality, and physical activity. Analyses indicated that cognitive health worries, lower levels of physical activity and smaller amounts of social interaction were associated with poorer psychological and physical wellbeing. Results showed that worrying about cognitive health is associated with poorer wellbeing, and so interventions are needed to encourage positive cognitive functioning in times of social isolation. Promoting physical activity and social interaction is also beneficial, as results show that exercise and social contact are linked with improved wellbeing.

How does long‐term care impact the psychological wellbeing of older adults in different care policy contexts in the Netherlands?

Receipt of long‐term care (LTC) is generally associated with worse psychological wellbeing for community‐dwelling older adults. In addition to objective features of care use (e.g. formal vs. informal care), the subjective evaluation of care provision in terms of perceived sufficiency might be particularly predictive of one's wellbeing but is seldomly considered in the literature. Substantial changes in the availability of long‐term care in past decades raise the question to what extent these effects, if present, are consistent over historic time. The present study, therefore, aims at better understanding the associations between types of LTC use and perceived care sufficiency on psychological wellbeing in a changing LTC context in the Netherlands. Data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA) were used from three points in time: 1998 (N = 582), 2008 (N = 459) and 2018 (N = 415). At each wave, participants were between 75 and 85 years of age and living independently. The results show that after adjusting for age, gender, education and health, using formal LTC had a negative effect on depressive symptoms only in 2018, but that this effect was not significantly worse compared to previous cohorts. Perceived care sufficiency was consistently negatively associated with depressive symptoms in all three points in time. This suggests that despite a less generous Dutch LTC system, psychological wellbeing among LTC users remains stable. Perceiving care provision as sufficient, however, can help older adults maintain psychological wellbeing and should be considered by researchers and policymakers that aim to improve care recipients’ wellbeing.

Impact of Housing and Neighborhood on Depression Among Older Adults in the Health and Retirement Study

Prior research has suggested that poor neighborhood and housing conditions can lead to worse psychological wellbeing. Most studies examine either neighborhood or housing conditions, but not both. Since neighborhood and housing conditions may be correlated it raises the question of whether one is a proxy for the other. We use data from the 2006 and 2008 waves of the Health and Retirement Study to examine associations between perceived neighborhood and housing conditions in 2006 and depressive symptoms (CES-D 8) score in 2008. We find that worse housing conditions and neighborhood safety are associated with more depressive symptoms two years later, even when controlling for prior depressive symptoms. Furthermore, housing and neighborhood conditions are independently related to increased depression symptoms over time. Our research contributes to a deeper understanding of the relationship between home and neighborhood environments and psychological wellbeing in older adults.

Relation Between Volunteering and Suicidal Ideation Among Older Adults

Abstract Suicide disproportionally affects older adults, necessitating further investigation into potential protective factors for suicide in late life. Volunteering is associated with psychological well-being in older adults. However, there is scant literature examining the association between volunteering and suicidal ideation or behavior in this age group. The present study involved a cross-sectional examination of volunteering and suicidal ideation using baseline data from the Helping Older People Engage study. This sample (N = 245, 88% White, 68% female, 60-92 years old) was recruited from primary care practices. Inclusion criteria included clinically significant loneliness (UCLA loneliness scale M = 49.5; SD = 5.7). Forty-three percent of the sample reported engaging in recent volunteer activity. Passive and active suicidal ideation in the past month were endorsed, respectively, by 20% and 9% of the sample. Results of hierarchical linear regression analyses examining the association between volunteering and suicidal ideation, controlling for covariates, will be discussed.

The Effects of Social Support on the Psychological Well-Being of Older Parents: A Longitudinal Study

Abstract This study examines whether parental support (the provision of social support by older parents to adult children) and filial support (older parents’ receipt of social support from adult children) influence two orthogonal dimensions of older adults’ psychological wellbeing: positive feelings and negative feelings. This study also highlights the importance of accounting for parental need as a mediator of social support. A longitudinal design is used to examine the effects of social support on the psychological wellbeing of older adults at Wave 6 (1998) and Wave 8 (2004) of the Longitudinal Study of Generations. Parental support significantly increases parents’ positive feelings, which suggests that, when it comes to positive feelings, it is better to give support than to receive it. Filial support findings indicate that older adults with greater level of disability demonstrate a decrease in negative feelings when they received filial support. However, this effect does not hold for older adults with lesser levels of disability, suggesting that, when it comes to older adults’ negative feelings, it is better to receive support (rather than to give it) when parents are in need. Although parental and filial support have the potential to buffer stressful life transitions in old age, most parents wish to remain independent, even in later life, making them reluctant to accept filial support. The parent-adult child relationship is crucial for psychological wellbeing, especially because of increased life expectancy.

Gender and psychological well-being in older adults - ERRATUM.

Gender and psychological well-being in older adults - ERRATUM.

Psychological Well-Being of Older Adults With Cognitive Deterioration During Quarantine: Preliminary Results From the GeroCovid Initiative.

Objectives: The spread of COVID-19 has undeniably unsettled the social, psychological and emotional life of the entire world population. Particular attention should be paid to older adults with dementia, given their vulnerability to emotional stressors. The aim of this retrospective study is to evaluate the impact of the first wave quarantine related to Covid-19 on psychological and affective well-being of older adults with mild/major neurocognitive disorders and of their caregivers.Methods: Data on participants' assessment before the quarantine (PREQ) were retrospectively collected. Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or dementia were recruited from different Centers for Cognitive Decline and Dementia in Italy. During the quarantine, psychological and affective well-being were evaluated by phone through the administrations of scales measuring anxiety and depression (DASS), perceived stress (PSS), coping strategies (COPE) and the caregivers' burden (CBI). The scales' results were compared across participants' PREQ cognitive level (Mini Mental State Examination, MMSE ≥25, 23–24, and ≤ 22) with multiple linear regression models.Results: The sample included 168 patients (64% women) with a mean age of 79 ± 7 years. After adjusting for potential confounders, more severe cognitive impairment was independently associated with higher DASS and PSS score, and poorer coping strategies (p < 0.05). Cognitive functioning was also inversely associated with CBI.Conclusions: The impact of the quarantine on the psycho-affective well-being of individuals with MCI and dementia and on caregivers' burden varies according to the PREQ cognitive functioning with more severely impaired patients having worse outcomes.

Disaster stressors and psychological well-being in older adults after a flood.

We examined the inoculation and stress sensitization explanations concerning mental health outcomes in 223 predominately middle-aged and older adults after a flood (M age = 49.6 years, SD = 17.7 years, range: 18-88 years). In multiple linear regression models, having flood damage was associated with higher levels of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depressive symptoms, while social support was associated with fewer symptoms. Greater lifetime trauma and flood-related stress were associated with more symptoms of depression and PTSD, respectively. Older age was associated with more religious coping and fewer depressive and worry symptoms. Future directions for research on postdisaster vulnerabilities and resilience are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).