Social Support In Older Adults Research Articles

Social support for the elderly. Medical Clinic 3. Viñales

Introduction: the aging of the Cuban population constitutes an important challenge of the present and the immediate future because this population group faces changes and health problems that affect the deterioration of their quality of life. Objective: to evaluate the social support to the elderly in the medical office 3, of the Policlínico Fermín Valdés Domínguez, Viñales municipality, from January 2020 to July 2022. Method: quasi-experimental research was carried out applying an intervention strategy, the universe was formed by 299 older adults of the community, from them a sample was selected by simple random method of 200 older adults, theoretical, empirical and statistical methods were used that allowed processing the information in absolute and relative frequencies. Results: the sample was characterized for being predominantly female with 52 %, with an age range between 70 and 74 years, for 25,5 %, most of them had a basic secondary school level completed, were married, retired; they belonged to complete and small nuclear families, the social resources were classified as excellent in 50,5 % and it was found that 51,5 % of the older adults receive somewhat frequent support.Conclusions: the development of a community intervention to increase social support for older adults in clinic 3 contributed to improve the quality of life of this age group by increasing the social resources available to them, their support networks, and decreasing the incidence and decompensation of chronic diseases.

The relationship between body image dissatisfaction and subjective well-being through the intervening roles of sense of control and social support in older adults

The relationship between body image dissatisfaction and subjective well-being through the intervening roles of sense of control and social support in older adults

Staying connected: smartphone acceptance and use level differences of older adults in China.

In recent years, an increasing number of studies have addressed the older adults' Information and Communication Technology acceptance, the majority of which concentrate on the use of computers and the internet. As smartphone use becomes further integrated into older adults’ daily lives, it is important to investigate how perceptions about and use of smartphones intersect. This study (1) proposes an extended Technology Acceptance Model and tests the relationships between Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, Attitude, Behavioural Intention, Self-efficacy, Technology Anxiety, and Social Support in older adults’ smartphone use by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA); and (2) analyses the specific differences between primary, medium, and advanced use level groups in each construct by Q-cluster and ANOVAs. We conduct a community-based survey with a sample of 1,006 older adults in East China. The data demonstrate that the extended model offered a good explanation of smartphone acceptance among the older adults, and the groups belong to different use levels show significant difference in all constructs. The findings indicate that digital divide is objectively inevitable in smartphone use, but the older adults are extremely diverse groups that do not uniformly conform to technology averse stereotypes.

Global research trends in the subjective well-being of older adults from 2002 to 2021: A bibliometric analysis.

PurposeThis study aimed to explore current developments and trends in the field of subjective well-being (SWB) of older adults at a macro level and identify research hotspots.MethodsWe included reviews and articles on the SWB of older adults in the Web of Science Core Collection published from 2002 to 2021. We used CiteSpace to draw a knowledge map of the authors, institutions, countries, references, and keywords for visual analysis and used Microsoft Excel tables to count basic information details.ResultsA total of 354 papers were included, and the number of papers published over the past two decades showed a pattern of growth. The core force of publications was primarily attributed to studies conducted in Europe, North America, Asia, and Oceania, which have relatively major issues of aging and good economic strength. However, links between states, institutions, and authors were relatively weak. Cluster analysis showed that the research field could be divided into eight topics: the application of social psychology in the study of the SWB of older adults, aging in older adults, health condition of older adults, achieving successful aging, interventions for SWB, age differences in SWB research, an economic perspective of SWB research and social support for older adults. Current research frontiers are socioeconomic status, community, intervention, participation, adjustment, validation, and personality.ConclusionThe results of the present study provided a comprehensive picture in the research field of SWB of older adults. It showed that the mechanism, especially the bidirectional effect, between the SWB of older adults and its influencing factors is still worthy of further exploration. More research on evidence-based and intervention strategies should be conducted in the future.

Who Gets Help? A National Longitudinal Study of Personal Networks and Pandemic Support Among Older Adults.

ObjectivesPersonal networks provide social support for older adults, perhaps especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when traditional avenues may be disrupted. We provide one of the first population-based studies on how pre-pandemic personal networks predict support during the pandemic among older adults, with attention to gender and race variation.MethodWe analyzed longitudinal data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project Round 3 (2015/16) and COVID-19 Round (2020) (N=2622, 55.68% female, 78.75% white, aged 50-99), a nationally representative survey of community-dwelling older Americans. We considered structure (i.e., size, density) and composition (i.e., proportion female and kin) of pre-pandemic personal networks, estimating multinomial logistic models to predict self-reported need and receipt of instrumental help and emotional support during the pandemic.ResultsLarger pre-pandemic confidant networks predicted higher risk of receiving needed pandemic help and support, higher risk of receiving help and support more often than pre-pandemic, and lower risk of being unable to get help. Denser pre-pandemic networks also predicted higher risk of receiving pandemic help and support. Furthermore, how network size and density related to support differed with respondent race, and a greater proportion of kin in pre-pandemic networks predicted higher risk of receiving help for non-white older adults only.DiscussionOlder adults’ pre-pandemic confidant network structure and composition can provide underlying conditions for receiving pandemic social support. Findings speak to policies and programs that aim to foster social support or identify vulnerable groups that suffer the greatest unmet need for support during a global crisis.

Loneliness, social isolation, and social support in older adults with active cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has had a considerable impact on mental health. The social distancing and stay-at-home orders have likely also impacted loneliness, social isolation, and social support. Older adults, particularly those with comorbidities such as cancer, have a greater potential to be impacted. Here we assessed loneliness, social isolation, and social support in older adults undergoing active cancer treatment during the pandemic. Materials and methodsA mixed methods study in which quantitative data and qualitative response items were collected in parallel was conducted in 100 older adults with cancer. Participants completed a survey by telephone with a series of validated questionnaires to assess the domains of loneliness, social isolation, and social support as well as several open-ended questions. Baseline demographics and geriatric assessments were summarized using descriptive statistics. Bivariate associations between social isolation and loneliness and social support and loneliness were described using Spearman correlation coefficients. Conventional content analysis was performed on the open-ended questions. ResultsIn a population of older adults with cancer, 3% were noted to be severely lonely, although 27% percent screened positive as having at least one indicator of loneliness by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Three Item Loneliness Scale. There was a significant positive correlation between loneliness and social isolation (r = +0.52, p < 0.05) as well as significant negative correlation between loneliness and social support (r = −0.49, p < 0.05). There was also a significant negative correlation between loneliness and emotional support (r = −0.43, p < 0.05). There was no significant association between loneliness and markers of geriatric impairments, including comorbidities, G8 score or cognition. DiscussionReassuringly, in this cohort we found relatively low rates of loneliness and social isolation and high rates of social support. Consistent with prior studies, loneliness, social isolation, and social support were found to be interrelated domains; however, they were not significantly associated with markers of geriatric impairments. Future studies are needed to study if cancer diagnosis and treatment may mediate changes in loneliness, social isolation, and social support in the context of the pandemic as well as beyond.

Psychometric properties of the Perceived Social Support Questionnaire (PSSQ), a new measure of perceived social support among older adults

Objective Based on literature and available questionnaires, the present study aimed at creating and validating the Perceived Social Support Questionnaire (PSSQ): a 4-item scale assessing the perceived social support in older adults. Normative scores were also computed. Methods Three hundred and two participants (mean age 87.68) selected from ongoing population-based studies completed a phone interview. Among these, 247 completed a second interview 4 months later allowing assessing the questionnaire fidelity over time. Results The factor analysis evidenced two dimensions: availability of social support and satisfaction with it. Both dimensions had a satisfactory internal consistency but weak intraclass correlation coefficient. Univariate analyses revealed that age, number of calls per week and living environment marginally associated with the availability score. The satisfaction score was associated with perceived health status, sadness, depressive mood, feeling of loneliness, anxiety, and the perception of social support during the pandemic context. The norms computed were stratified on age. Conclusions The PSSQ is a short and easy-to-administer tool allowing assessing perceived social support in older population. Despite a weak fidelity that could actually be explained by changes in perceived social support over time, the questionnaire revealed good psychometric qualities and validity.

Racial disparities in visitation and health among older adults incarcerated in prison

Objectives I sought to identify racial disparities in visitation and health between Non-White and White older adults incarcerated in prison and to examine the contribution of visitation to health among this vulnerable population. Methods Descriptive and bivariate statistics were calculated to describe the cross-sectional sample and relationships between visitation and health. Independent t-tests, Chi-square tests, and effect sizes were used to identify racial disparities in measures of and relationships between visitation and health. Hierarchical multiple linear regression was used to examine the contribution of visitation to physical functioning, chronic disease, and mental health. Results Older adults rated their physical functioning higher than their mental health. Over 70% of older adults received zero visits during their current incarceration (∼13 years) and White older adults received 10 times the number of visits than Non-White older adults. Increased visitation related to decreased physical functioning among Non-White older adults, a relationship distinct from that of White older adults (z=-3.14, p<.001) and visitation contributed to variation in older adults’ mental health. Conclusion Future scholars are encouraged to examine factors associated with visitation and the quality of such visits for older adults. Further, visitation policies warrant amendment to increase visits and to enhance social support for older adults.

Assessing psychological health and social support in older adults with cancer, a how-to guide – A Young International Society of Geriatric Oncology and Nursing & Allied Health Interest Group initiative

Older adults with cancer frequently have several unmet needs related to overlapping vulnerabilities caused by medical and social health challenges which are often overlooked in typical oncological assessments 1. Social support and psychological health are critical considerations for older adults with cancer and are therefore key components of a geriatric assessment.

Fear of Falling and Environmental Factors: A Scoping Review.

Fear of falling is a geriatric condition that must be understood from both a clinical perspective and from the environment in which older adults live. This review aimed to describe the scientific evidence reported in the last 5 years regarding the fear of falling in older adults and its relationship with environmental factors. The relationships between fear of falling and environmental factors are mainly evidenced in the built environment. Older adults with a fear of falling are described as perceiving the built environment as dangerous when they do not meet the requirements of safety, accessibility, and comfort; they also report the importance of living in communities with controlled crime levels and available social support for older adults to improve their insecurity and feelings of vulnerability.

A Study on Social Support of the Elderly with Normal Hearing and Elderly Wearing Hearing Aids

Purpose: This study investigates the social support in both elderly who wear hearing aids and elderly who do not report any hearing loss.Methods: The study subjects were 48 seniors age 65 or older who wore hearing aids and 48 seniors who did not wear hearing aids. A Lubben social network scales survey was conducted. The Korean Version of International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids, Puretone Audiometry, and Word Recognition Score tests were carried out on the elderly who were wearing hearing aids.Results: A statistical analysis represented that the total social support scores were not significantly different between the two groups. Of all the social support factors, social network was statistically significant between the groups (p &lt; 0.05), but social support was not statistically significant. The correlation between social support and the degree of hearing loss was not statistically significant. Further, there were no significant relationships found for the social support of older adults’ wearing hearing aids and satisfaction with hearing overall, and the level of social support.Conclusion: The results of the study indicated that users hearing aid users have a smaller social network than those who do not wear hearing aids. However, this result can be interpreted as an independent factor regarding satisfaction with hearing aid use and the degree of hearing. As a follow-up study, it will be necessary to proceed to study the diversity of the background factors for those elderly who do have hearing loss.

Psycho-Social Factors in Older Adults’ Mental Health: A Narrative Review

Health promotion is a top priority worldwide. This includes mental health in older adults, who are at risk due to the ageing process, associated with deteriorating health status. Notwithstanding the importance of the topic, psycho-social factors are often neglected in the implementation or formulation of advanced age health promotion programs. In this context, it is imperative to reach a better understanding of the main psycho-social aspects involved in mental health promotion in older adults. The main objective of this narrative review was to identify documents that made a core contribution to the understanding of psycho-social factors related to mental health in community-dwelling older adults. To achieve this, a narrative review was carried out that included a total of 40 articles published between 2018 and 2022. This review was performed through an interpretive stance. Ethical approval was not required for this review. Three main categories were derived from thematic analysis: (i) mental health interventions; (ii) mental health and frailty in older adults, and (iii) social support in older adults. To conclude, understanding the main protective psycho-social factors involved in mental health in community-dwelling older adults is of paramount importance. Identifying the implications of the psycho-social factors in this population is vital to elaborate specific interventions, therefore enhancing their mental health.

Mental health status and factors related on mental health status of the older adults living alone

Purpose This study aims to describe the mental health status and factors related to the mental health status of older adults living alone. Design/methodology/approach This is a descriptive correlational study. Older adults living alone from the urban area of the Northeast of Thailand were recruited randomly from within a stratified sampling frame and received a questionnaire. Data were collected using a demographic form, way of coping, social support, family relationship, and Thai Mental Health Indicator-15 (TMHI-15). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, and Chi-square test. Findings The mental health status related to personal factors at p &lt; 0.05 including gender, education level, income, health status, coping strategies, social support and family relationship are related to mental health status. Research limitations/implications This study provides further empirical support for older adults who are living alone, especially females who have low income and have a disease. Consequently, policy on social support in older adults should be directed to developing a range of divergent intervention strategies. Practical implications This study requires some form of long-term care as well as utilization of treatment and support services, enhanced quality of life for older adults living alone. Social implications This study requires some form of long-term care as well as utilization of treatment and support services, enhanced quality of life for older adults living alone. Originality/value This study provides further empirical support for older adults who are living alone.

Interventions and development strategies towards intensive social support among the participants of activity center for older adults in Malaysia

AbstractSocial support is essential for improving the lives of older adults. However, some respondents of other literature reported receiving less adequate financial support from family, a lack of comprehensive policies to protect older adults, and a smaller social network as they age. In order to address this issue, more intense social support is required as older adults are at risk of obtaining insufficient social support from their social network. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the interventions and development strategies for social support for older adults. The qualitative case study method was used in this study, and in‐depth interviews were conducted with 24 older adults aged 60 and above who participated in Pusat Aktiviti Warga Emas (PAWE), an activity center for older adults, for more than 5 months. Four PAWE supervisors and three policymakers from Department of Social Welfare Malaysia (JKMM) were also interviewed. The data were then thematically analyzed. The study highlighted three intervention and development strategies to improve social support for older adults namely in the areas of personal development, policy, and social connectivity of older adults. As Malaysia is expected to become an aging population by 2035, it is vital to establish a supportive environment for older people.

HIV-related Stigma, Personal Mastery, Mindfulness, and Social Support in Older Adults Living with HIV in Coachella Valley, California

HIV-related Stigma, Personal Mastery, Mindfulness, and Social Support in Older Adults Living with HIV in Coachella Valley, California

Quality of life related to functional dependence, family functioning and social support in older adults.

to determine the relationship between quality of life and functional dependence, family functioning and social support in older adults in northeastern Mexico. this is a quantitative, descriptive and analytical study, with 205 older adults. The Barthel Index, Lawton and Brody Scale, APGAR test, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and WHOQOL-BREF were applied. the physical, psychological and social dimensions of quality of life are related to functional capacity, family functioning and social support (p< 0.05). Functional capacity and social support predict physical and psychological quality of life. Basic activities, family function and social support predict social quality of life. Instrumental activities and social support predict environmental quality of life. quality of life depends on functional independence, family function and positive perceived health. Independence in basic activities and adequate social support improve physical quality of life. Being independent in basic activities and social support improve psychological quality of life. When presenting a decrease in independence in instrumental activities, perceived quality of life decreases.

Social support among older adults understood through structural equation modeling.

to analyze factors associated, directly and indirectly, with lower social support of older adults, according to sex. a cross-sectional study, with 941 older adults from a health micro-region in Minas Gerais. Descriptive and trajectory analyzes were carried out (p<0.05). in groups of women and men, direct and significant associations were observed between a smaller social network (p<0.001;p<0.001), single-person housing (p=0.046;p<0.001), greater number of depressive symptoms (p<0.001;p=0.010) and lower participation in advanced activities (p<0.001;p=0.005) with lower social support. In women, younger age was directly and significantly associated with outcome (p<0.001). In men, older age, mediated by lower participation in advanced activities, was indirectly associated with outcome. men and women showed less social support associated with social network, housing arrangement, depressive symptoms and participation in advanced activities. Understanding the context of social support among older adults makes it possible to establish more effective measures to improve care.

Difference of sociodemographic characteristics among the disabled population in Cambodia: a cross-sectional study of the demographic and health survey data.

Objective: There is an urgent need to raise awareness of the significance of the social security system for vulnerable populations in developing countries and identify the widening disparities among people with disabilities. This study determined the sociodemographic characteristics of people with disabilities in Cambodia.Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Data from the Cambodia Demographic and Health Survey were used to determine the association between disability and sociodemographic characteristics such as age, gender, number of family members, residence (rural/urban), and economic status.Results: The results showed that the proportion of people with disabilities greatly increased with age. The rural-urban residence difference affected the disability proportion in univariate analysis; however, the effect was not significant after adjusting for covariables in multivariate analysis. The odds of having a disability were 0.85 times lower for the high economic status group than for the low economic status group.Conclusion: Raising awareness to expand the capacity of social support for older adults with disabilities, especially those who do not receive care from their families, may be an urgent issue in Cambodia. Therefore, a well-designed and disease-specific study is required. This study was the first to determine the sociodemographic disparities among people with disabilities in Cambodia.

Gender differences in family support to older adults and implications for social work in south-east Nigeria

The increase in the number of older adults in Nigeria is a significant demographic trend, requiring adequate and sustainable attention. Usually, these older adults depend on family members for support due to increasing frailty and/or disengagement from the civil service or other income-earning pursuits. Studies that depict differences in gender vis a vis access to social support from family networks are limited. This study will attempt to contribute to filling this gap. Four focus group discussions and 16 in-depth interviews were conducted on a sample of (N = 56) older adults aged 70 years and above and their 23 to 46 year old family carers. The generated data were analysed in themes. Findings revealed no differences in access to health support by gender; however, females received more financial, emotional as well as material support, and were more involved in social activities than their male counterparts. This study will facilitate a better understanding of gender differences in social support for older adults in Nigeria. This could, in turn, inform inclusive social policies guided by social workers which have greater focus on the needs of older adults.

Social Support in Older Adults With CKD: A Report From the CRIC (Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort) Study

Rationale & ObjectiveSocial support in older adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a potentially modifiable factor that may affect important clinical outcomes such as health-related quality of life, cognitive function, and frailty. However, limited data about the effects of social support in older patients with non–dialysis-dependent CKD exist. Our objective was to evaluate the association of social support with health-related quality of life, cognitive function, and frailty in older adults with CKD.Study DesignCross-sectional analysis of a prospective cohort study.Setting & Population1,851 participants older than 65 years with CKD enrolled in the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) Study.ExposureSocial support (Lubben Social Network Scale [LSNS]).Outcomes(s)Health-related quality of life (Kidney Disease Quality of Life-36), cognitive function (Modified Mini-Mental State Examination, Trail Making Test A & B, and Buschke Selective Reminder Tests), and frailty (modified Fried frailty criteria).Analytic ApproachMultivariable, linear, and logistic regression to determine the association between social support and health-related quality of life, cognitive function, and frailty.ResultsLow social support, defined as LSNS score < 12, was present in 22% of participants. On multivariable analysis, higher social support was associated with higher health-related quality of life (β coefficient per 1-SD increase in LSNS score; burden subscale, 2.57 (95% CI, 1.57-3.56); effects subscale, 2.21 (95% CI, 1.52-2.9); symptoms subscale, 1.64 (95% CI, 0.88-2.41); mental health composite subscale, 1.91 (95% CI, 1.40-2.43); and physical health composite score, 0.64 (95% CI, 0.03-1.24)). Higher social support was associated with better cognitive function (β coefficient per 1-SD increase in LSNS score; Modified Mini-Mental State Examination, 0.81 (95% CI, 0.44 to 1.19); Trail Making Test A & B, −2.53 (95% CI, −4.29 to −0.76) and −6.53 (95% CI, −10.07 to −2.99), respectively; Buschke Selective Reminder Test 1, 2, and 3, 0.19 (95% CI, 0.07 to 0.30); 1.59 (95% CI, 0.96 to 2.22); and 0.40 (95% CI, 0.23 to 0.56), respectively. Higher social support was associated with higher likelihood of being nonfrail (OR, 1.77; 95% CI per 1-SD higher LSNS score, 1.24-2.53).LimitationsConclusions about causality cannot be drawn from an observational cross-sectional study.ConclusionsIn older patients with CKD, higher social support was associated with higher health-related quality of life and cognitive function and less frailty.