Psychological Well-being Of Older Adults Research Articles

Exploring Wellbeing and Creativity Through Collaborative Composition as Part of Hull 2017 City of Culture.

Several studies have highlighted the positive effects of group music-making and have suggested that it may be the creative and social aspects of such activities, which have a positive effect on participants’ wellbeing. Collaborative composition offers strong examples of both aspects as participants work together to create new material. However, although it seems likely that participants’ influence over and ownership of the creative material contributes to these positive effects, studies have yet to examine these elements in detail. Through analysis of video observations, pre- and post-project interviews, video recall interviews, and questionnaires, this article aims to: (1) evaluate the impact of participation in collaborative composition workshops on the subjective and psychological wellbeing of older adults and (2) identify skills and approaches employed by the composer-facilitators in order to understand more fully the approach and skills employed to engage participants effectively in the creative process. This second aim is of particular interest given the current movement toward social prescribing and arts and health interventions in the UK. Analysis revealed that all dimensions of the PERMA framework for subjective and psychological wellbeing were present in this collaborative composition project. The specific nature of collaborative composition is considered in comparison with other forms of group musical engagement. For older adults, collaborative composition has much to offer as an activity encouraging social interaction with others with shared interests, increasing positive affect, and enhancing self-esteem. Analysis of workshop videos and interviews with composers identified various facilitation skills employed by the composers to establish safe creative space and to encourage participants to engage in the process of collaborative composition.

Psychometric evaluation of the Russian version of the flourishing scale in a sample of older adults living in Siberia

BackgroundThe development of measures of psychological functioning has received less attention in Russia compared to other countries. Moreover, despite the growing interest in the psychological well-being of older adults, there is a lack of research on this segment of the population in Siberia. Therefore, in this study we aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Russian version of the Flourishing Scale (FS) and to measure psychological functioning in a sample of older adults living in Siberia.MethodsThe FS was translated and adapted to Russian language and culture using the back-translation procedure. The Russian version was administered to 851 older adults (aged from 65 to 93 years, mean = 75.3; female = 510). A principal axis factor analysis (PFA) and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to assess the structural validity. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients (internal consistency) and item-total correlations were also analysed. To test the convergent validity, the FS was compared with other scales assessing mental well-being.ResultsThe PFA and the CFA showed that the FS had good psychometric properties. A one-factor structure was a good model of fit, even if some items had a low loading (ranging between 0.39 and 0.80). The Cronbach’s alpha value was 0.82 and the Cronbach’s alpha values if an item were deleted ranged from 0.78 to 0.81. The item-total correlation coefficients ranged from 0.54 to 0.76. The FS also showed good convergent and divergent validity with other scales (correlation coefficients ranging from 0.39 to 0.54). The mean flourishing score (40.9) reported by the older adults in our sample is lower than that reported in previous studies.ConclusionsThe Russian version of the FS seems to have good psychometric properties and to be a valid and reliable instrument to evaluate flourishing among Russian older adults. This study provides the first evaluation of an instrument that Russian researchers and policymakers can use to better understand the determinants of successful ageing in this society. Future studies should further assess the validity and reliability of the FS and should generalize these results to different groups (e.g., adolescent or workers).

The impact of “The Art of Happiness” class on community dwelling older adults: a positive psychology intervention

ABSTRACTMental health is often negatively impacted throughout the aging process and declines in psychological health can result in a decreased sense of well-being and overall quality of life in the older adult population. Research has shown that positive psychology interventions can enhance psychological well-being in older adults; however few studies have targeted this population. Researchers sought to evaluate a positive mental health intervention in an older adult population. The Art of Happiness is an 8-week intervention that was conducted at two senior centers. Pre and post intervention assessments of participant subjective happiness, stress, gratitude, life satisfaction, depression, mindfulness, arousal states, and general demographic and health information were completed. Compared to the control group, by the end of the intervention, participants experienced significantly less perceived stress, and were significantly calmer and less tired than before the intervention. Results from this study provide significant contributions to the field of positive psychology and suggest that interventions similar to “The Art of Happiness,” are applicable to older adult populations.

The exercise effect on psychological well-being in older adults—a systematic review of longitudinal studies

The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the longitudinal relationship between physical activity (PA) and the psychological domains of well-being in older adults and to identify possible moderators and mediators of this relationship. Twelve longitudinal investigations were included in this review. The results indicate that there seems to be a positive association between PA and psychological well-being over time. Thus PA may be one possible individual lifestyle factor for the long-term promotion of psychological well-being in older adults. Especially leisure time PA at light intensities conducted in group settings was identified to be beneficial for promoting psychological well-being. Furthermore, longitudinal results indicated that self-efficacy, self-esteem, affect, optimism, and pre-interventional motivation moderated/mediated the relationship between PA and psychological well-being in older adults.

Self-efficacy and psychological well-being of nursing home residents in China: the mediating role of social engagement

The purpose of this study was to explore the role of self-efficacy and social engagement in psychological well-being of Chinese nursing home residents. A total of 307 residents completed the measurement of social engagement, self-efficacy and psychological well-being. The results showed that satisfaction with physical environment, social support, social activity engagement and self-efficacy were all positively correlated with psychological well-being. At the same time, social engagement partially mediated the effect of self-efficacy on psychological well-being. The results of this study should indicate additional actions for managers of nursing homes and social workers to improve the psychological well-being of older adults.

‘Living Other Lives’: The impact of senior theatre on older adult well-being

Abstract In this article, we discuss the impact of a participatory theatre arts programme on the social, emotional and psychological well-being of older adults in San Antonio, Texas. Using a participatory, collaborative approach, we designed an outcomes evaluation for an eight-week Senior Theatre programme sponsored by The Playhouse San Antonio. Pre/post surveys, focal interviews, and participant observation were used to document participant perceptions of self-confidence and self-esteem, emotional intelligence, memory, social engagement and self-rated physical and mental health, and to assess programmatic influences on outcomes. Eleven of the twelve consistently attending students participated in the surveys, six in focal interviews, and eight in the focus group. Closed-ended survey responses were analysed using univariate and bivariate statistics. Field notes, open-ended survey responses and interview transcripts were analysed using discursive textual analysis. Older adults associated their participation in senior theatre with perceived improvements in all outcomes except memory. Results contribute to older adult programming in participatory arts, as well as applied evaluation methodologies that document the impact of creative engagement through the arts on health and well-being, and social science work on health and ageing.

Evolving parent–adult child relations: location of multiple children and psychological well-being of older adults in China

ObjectiveThis study examines the interplay among intergenerational emotional closeness, location of multiple children, and parental depressive symptoms in the context of massive migration in rural China. Study designThis study is based on a longitudinal survey. MethodsLongitudinal data were collected from a stratified random sample of age 60 years and older living in rural townships within Chaohu, a primarily agricultural municipal district with massive out-migration in China. In 2009, 1224 individuals completed the survey, and 977 (79.8% of the original participants) were followed up in 2012. We estimate fixed-effects models to examine how changing collective emotional cohesion and the total composition of children's location affect parents' depressive symptoms. ResultsDescriptive analyses show that both the composition of children's location and intergenerational emotional closeness are subject to changes during a 3-year survey interval. Results from fixed-effect models further demonstrate that collective emotional closeness and psychological well-being are positively associated with each other. This association is the strongest when all children are local, but it becomes less prominent when there are more migrant than local children. ConclusionsThis study has provided important evidence that both intergenerational cohesion and location of multiple children evolve over time and jointly influence parents' psychological well-being in later life. The left-behind older adults are not necessarily the most vulnerable group in rural China. Those with most adult children living close by could also suffer from a deficit in psychological well-being if the emotional bond between them is weak.

Late-life depression in the older adults living in an institution and at home

Psychological well-being in older adults is an important issue in Geropsychology and there is increasing interest about the older adults living in the community and at home. Understanding markers of well-being associated with either living in an institution or at home would help to explore certain unique variables that make the older adults’ life difficult. Among older adults, depression decreases the quality of life and affect the individual’s lifespan significantly. However, there have been few studies investigating institution-specific or home-specific markers of depression which are the aims of the current study. The present study aims to make a comparison between 924 the older adults residing in institutions to 846 the older adults residing at home in terms of socio-demographic and health-related variables. Women living at home had higher depression scores than women in the institution. Conversely, men living in institutions were more depressed than living at home while married older adults at home have lower depression scores. Education and income are inversely associated with depression scores. As the number of illnesses increases so does the level of depression. Finally, there is a negative relationship with perceptions of prognosis and perceptions of threat regarding their medical conditions and depression. The interaction of gender, income and residence type is discussed in detail within a cultural context. Possible implications are suggested to improve the psychological well-being of older adults and the specific needs of different populations of older adults based on their residence type are addressed. Key Practitioners Message Investigating the influence of residence type (institution versus home) on the older adults’ psychological well-being helps practitioners to understand the psychological effect of the environment. Examining the association between socio-demographic variables (gender, education, income, marital status) or health-related variables (perceptions of prognosis and threat regarding their medical conditions) and late-life depression reveals individual markers in relation to depression. Older adults residing at home are more vulnerable to suffer from depression due to their difficulty in accessing health services and a tendency to disregard their health care needs. Older adults having physical illnesses had higher scores than their counterparts. Perceptions regarding physical illness might be one of the important topics for health care professionals. Perceptions about physical illness might be a focal point to explore a relationship with mental health.

Percepcija kroničnih bolesti u kontekstu psihološke dobrobiti starijih osoba

Percepcija kroničnih bolesti u kontekstu psihološke dobrobiti starijih osoba

Autobiographical Narration as a Tool for the Empowerment of Older Adults’ Subjective and Psychological Wellbeing in Nursing Homes

ABSTRACTObjectives: Conceiving narration as a resource to promote older people’s wellbeing, the present work aimed to implement a narrative-based intervention to empower the subjective and psychological wellbeing of older adults living in nursing homes.Methods: Twenty-one nursing-home residents took part in a narrative training experience consisting of three weekly interview sessions. During each interview, a psychologist helped the participants to construct an autobiographical narrative about their present life in the nursing home based on a Deconstruction-Reconstruction technique. Subjective and psychological wellbeing variables were assessed before and after the intervention.Results: Subjective but not psychological wellbeing increased over the course of the intervention. The participants reported to appreciate the intervention.Conclusions: Although preliminary, the results suggest that brief narrative training based on narrative therapy can positively affect nursing-home residents’ subjective wellbeing.Clinical Implications: Brief narrative interventions implementing deconstruction-reconstruction techniques are feasible for long-term care residents.

Effects of a museum-based social prescription intervention on quantitative measures of psychological wellbeing in older adults

To assess psychological wellbeing in a novel social prescription intervention for older adults called Museums on Prescription and to explore the extent of change over time in six self-rated emotions ('absorbed', 'active', 'cheerful', 'encouraged', 'enlightened' and 'inspired'). Participants ( n = 115) aged 65-94 years were referred to museum-based programmes comprising 10 weekly sessions, by healthcare and third sector organisations using inclusion criteria (e.g. socially isolated, able to give informed consent, not in employment, not regularly attending social or cultural activities) and exclusion criteria (e.g. unable to travel to the museum, unable to function in a group situation, unlikely to be able to attend all sessions, unable to take part in interviews and complete questionnaires). In a within-participants' design, the Museum Wellbeing Measure for Older Adults (MWM-OA) was administered pre-post session at start-, mid- and end-programme. A total of 12 programmes, facilitated by museum staff and volunteers, were conducted in seven museums in central London and across Kent. In addition to the quantitative measures, participants, carers where present, museum staff and researchers kept weekly diaries following guideline questions and took part in end-programme in-depth interviews. Multivariate analyses of variance showed significant participant improvements in all six MWM-OA emotions, pre-post session at start-, mid- and end-programme. Two emotions, 'absorbed' and 'enlightened', increased pre-post session disproportionately to the others; 'cheerful' attained the highest pre-post session scores whereas 'active' was consistently lowest. Museums can be instrumental in offering museum-based programmes for older adults to improve psychological wellbeing over time. Participants in the study experienced a sense of privilege, valued the opportunity to liaise with curators, visit parts of the museum closed to the public and handle objects normally behind glass. Participants appreciated opportunities afforded by creative and co-productive activities to acquire learning and skills, and get to know new people in a different context.

Information and communicative technology use enhances psychological well-being of older adults: the roles of age, social connectedness, and frailty status

ABSTRACTObjectives: Information and communicative technology (ICT) use is a potential vehicle for improving the psychological well-being (PWB) of older people. We examined the roles of age, frailty, and social connectedness in the relationship between ICT use and PWB.Method: Telephone interviews were conducted in mid-2016 with 1201 participants aged 50 and above (55.7% female) residing in Hong Kong, China. The participants reported PWB, ICT use (frequency of using the Internet and smart devices), frailty status, contact with family, friends, and neighbors, self-rated health, subjective financial sufficiency, education level, and employment status.Results: We found that the association between ICT and PWB was moderated by age: ICT was associated with PWB only among old-olds (75+), but not in other age groups. This moderation was mediated by contact with family, but not with friends or neighbors. The moderation was further qualified by frailty status: the ICT-by-age moderation was found only among frail, but not pre-frail or robust older adults.Conclusion: The findings suggest that ICT use can potentially enhance the PWB of older adults aged 75+ through facilitating their contact with family members. These benefits might be particularly salient for those who were frail. Improving ICT access and literacy among older adults may be promising.

SOCIAL NETWORK FUNCTIONS RELATED TO CO-ENGAGEMENT IN SOCIAL ACTIVITY AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING

Socially engaging with others has been shown to be important for the well-being of older adults. However, little is known about how co-engaging in activity with someone may facilitate well-being. This study investigated whether network functions (i.e., social support, companionship, social influence) are more likely to occur in relationships involving co-engagement in activities, versus relationships without co-engagement, and whether these functions may explain well-being. Adults ages 60 years and older were interviewed once in-person or by phone in a rural US Midwestern city. A total of 133 respondents provided information on 1,740 relationships within their social networks. Respondents identified 68% of enumerated network members as someone they interacted with at least once a month. Focusing on those who interacted at least monthly, 57% co-engaged in social activities with the respondent. Results of the generalized linear mixed model analyses showed the relationships involving co-engagement were more likely to also involve emotional support (OR=3.69, p<0.001), informational support (OR=2.91, p<0.001), companionship (OR=9.38, p<0.001), and encouragement for healthy behaviors (OR=2.55, p=0.002) than those not involving co-engagement. Having more members providing companionship was associated with better psychological well-being: Ryff’s environmental mastery (p=0.01) and positive relations with others (p<0.01) scales. Co-engagement in social activity brings social benefits like support, companionship, and encouragement. Companionship may contribute to the psychological well-being of older adults. Future research may explore how other aspects of older adults’ well-being, such as physical health and health behaviors, may be facilitated by functions like social influence and support arising from co-engagement in social activity.

IMPACT OF PRESENT-ORIENTED SAVORING ON OLDER ADULTS’ PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING

AbstractSavoring is the use of positive emotion regulation strategies to increase awareness, enjoyment, and appreciation of positive experiences. Savoring can encompass past (positive reminiscence), present (savoring the moment), or future (positive anticipation) positive experiences. According to socioemotional selectivity theory, older adults tend to prioritize emotional goals in the present moment. The current study examined whether the ability to savor the moment may be more strongly associated with measures of well-being in older adults compared to the ability to savor past or future experiences. Participants (n = 266, mean age = 73.4 years, 81% female, 74% White) completed a survey that measured past-, present-, and future-oriented savoring ability, happiness, depression, and resilience. Multiple regression analyses were conducted with past, present, and future savoring ability predicting psychological well-being (i.e., happiness, depression, or resilience). Higher levels of present-oriented savoring were significantly related to greater happiness, lower depression, and higher resilience, = .65, β = .57, < .001, = -.23, β = -.45, < .001, and = .51, β = .43, < .001, respectively. Past- and future-oriented savoring were not significant predictors after accounting for present-oriented savoring. These findings suggest that the ability to savor the moment contributes to greater psychological well-being in older adults. Interventions designed to enhance older adults’ savoring the moment may be more beneficial for enhancing psychological well-being than interventions focused on positive reminiscence or positive anticipation.

Wellbeing of Chilean older adults is associated with group participation

Subjective aspects such as personal growth and the development of their potential are relevant for the perception of wellbeing of older adults. These dimensions appear to be connected with meaningful group participation. To assess the perception of psychological wellbeing of older adults in a Chilean region and determine its association with socio-demographic variables and participation in organizations. Ryff's scale of psychological wellbeing perception was applied to 101 adults (43 men) from Magallanes, aged 60 and 88 years. Sociodemographic data was also collected. Mean wellbeing scores reported were 193.7 ± 20 (maximum score: 234). Those older adults who participated in organizations had higher scores than those who did not take part in them. Participation in organizations appeared to be specifically associated to positive relationships (p = 0.03) and personal growth (p < 0.01). The number of organizations in which older adults participated was positively correlated with the perception of wellbeing (p < 0.01). Greater personal wellbeing was associated with leadership roles in organizations (p = 0.01). Significant differences between level of schooling and personal growth (p = 0.01) were also observed found. There were no differences associated with sex, age and marital status. The perception of wellbeing of older adults is influenced by their participation in organizations. Leadership is associated with the highest levels of wellbeing.

Perceived Social Support, Affect and Psychological Well-Being in Married and Widowed Older Adults

The objective of the present study is to observe whether there is a relationship between perceived social support, positive and negative affect and psychological well-being among married and widowed older adults. A non-probability purposive sampling technique was used to select a sample of 120 older adults, aged above 60 years, out of whom 60 were men (30 married and 30 widowed) and 60 women (30 married and 30 widowed). The Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL-12) (Cohen &amp; Hoberman, 1983), Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) (Watson, Clark, &amp; Tellegen, 1988b) and Ryff’s Scales of Psychological Well-Being (Ryff, 1989) were administered to measure perceived social support, positive and negative affect and psychological well-being respectively. Significant differences were found between married and widowed older adults with respect to positive and negative affect and psychological well-being (p &lt;0.05) There were no significant gender differences with respect to perceived social support, affect and psychological well-being. The study also showed significant correlations between the dimensions of perceived social support, positive and negative affect and psychological well-being (p&lt;0.05). Details are discussed in the paper. The study brings to light that affect plays a significant role in the psychological well-being of older adults and encouraging of social networks can help sustain successful aging.

The Benefits of Savoring Life: Savoring as a Moderator of the Relationship Between Health and Life Satisfaction in Older Adults.

We investigated the protective impact of savoring capacity on the relationship between physical health and psychological well-being among older adults. A total of 266 adults over 55 years old ( Mean = 73.4 years) completed measures of savoring ability, self-reported health, and life satisfaction. Savoring ability moderated the relationship between health and life satisfaction in older adults. Among people with less savoring ability, poor health was associated with lower life satisfaction. In contrast, people with greater savoring ability maintained higher life satisfaction, regardless of their level of health. These effects were consistent across a variety of different aspects of health, including general health, pain, limitations due to physical health, energy, and social functioning. These findings have direct implications for developing positive interventions to support the psychological well-being of older adults.

Life Satisfaction and Psychological Well-Being of Older Adults With Cancer Experience: The Role of Optimism and Volunteering.

Promoting health and well-being among individuals of advancing age is a significant issue due to increased incidence of cancer among older adults. This study demonstrates the benefits of expecting positive outcomes and participating in volunteer activities among older adults with cancer. We used a nationally representative sample of 2,670 individuals who have experienced cancer from the 2008 wave of the Health and Retirement Study. We constructed a structural equation model to explore the associations of optimism, volunteerism, life satisfaction, and psychological well-being. The level of optimism was a significant predictor of volunteerism, which in turn affected life satisfaction and psychological well-being. The level of engagement in volunteer activities was found to have significant path coefficients toward both life satisfaction and psychological well-being. Our study provides evidence that older adults who have experienced cancer and maintained a positive outlook on their lives and engaged in personally meaningful activities tended to experience psychological well-being and life satisfaction.

‘Accepting where I'm at’ – a qualitative study of the mechanisms, benefits, and impact of a behavioral memory intervention for community-dwelling older adults

ABSTRACTObjective: Gain novel, in-depth insight into therapeutic mechanisms, benefits, and impact of a multi-modal behavioral memory intervention for older adults with concerns about memory.Methods: Participants were11 community-dwelling older adults (aged 63–88) who completed the Memory and Aging Program, an evidence-based multi-modal group intervention for normal age-related memory change. Semi-structured interviews were administered post-intervention. Responses were analyzed using qualitative content analysis until meaningful themes were agreed upon.Results: Analyses revealed a main theme of normalization as the overarching benefit of participation. The mechanism for this comprised both specific intervention content and the process of participating with others. A positive impact of the intervention was demonstrated at emotional (feelings of reassurance, hope, and confidence) and functional (increasing motivation for lifestyle change) levels; for some, there was a direct link between emotion and function.Conclusion: This study highlighted a single, prominent therapeutic benefit of normalization, illustrated a dual mechanism for achieving this, and characterized a nuanced inter-relationship of the emotional and functional impact of the intervention for participants. Results support the notion that group behavioral interventions can educate, empower, and promote psychological well-being in older adults and may be an effective avenue to reduce risk of disease and promote sustained functional independence.

The attitudes, impact, and learning needs of older adults using apps on touchscreen mobile devices: Results from a pilot study

Despite the proliferation in understanding older adults’ acceptance and limitations of Internet technology, the learning needs of older adults living in low Internet usage areas and their acceptance of touchscreen-based apps have lagged behind. This study describes an embedded mixed-method research evaluation of an eight-week touchscreen mobile device training for thirty-nine older adults who were recruited from a community center in a low Internet usage area in southern Taiwan. Among the participants, 20 completed both the pre-test and the post-test and 16 attended the focus group interviews. The design of the training course was based on constructs informed by the diffusion of innovation theory and the technology acceptance model, and it incorporated both a classroom-based and small group tutoring approach. After the training session, the participants reported significantly lower depressive symptom scores compared to baseline. Qualitative interviews reveal the participants’ learning needs related to extended practice, usefulness, and compatibility in adopting touch-screen apps. Findings from this study shed light on the possibility of touchscreen-based apps, including health-, entertainment-, transportation-, and social media-related apps, for improving psychological well-being in older adults with limited Internet experience living in the community. Discussion on their learning needs was also provided.