Aging in community: home- and community-based services clients’ use of computers as a protective factor for social isolation and loneliness

ABSTRACT

Frail older adults are increasingly being cared for in the community via home- and community-based service (HCBS) programs rather than nursing homes. This policy change challenges psychologists, social workers, and all geriatric practitioners to identify risk and protective factors in order to implement community-based policies in ways which promote the well-being of frail older adults.

The present small-scale exploratory study focused on the risk factors of social isolation and loneliness, and the potential of computer use to act as a protective factor. Forty HCBS clients were interviewed about their social convoys, social isolation, and loneliness, and their use of computers. Family members made up the largest percentage of participants’ social convoys (48%). Forty-two percent of participants were found to be socially isolated or at high risk for social isolation. Twenty-five percent of participants used computers and these participants experienced significantly less loneliness and had significantly larger social convoys. All participants were shown a 2.5 -minute video demonstrating a computer programmed to accommodate older adults and 80% expressed interest in using such a program.

Future action research projects are suggested to replicate the study’s findings. Such projects could involve collaboration between gerontologists and local area agencies on aging and “service-enriched” affordable senior housing sites.     

Education,Functional Limitations,and Life Satisfaction Among Older Adults in South Korea

This study examined the associations of educational level with functioning and life satisfaction among community-dwelling older adults in South Korea (n = 4,152). The sample was drawn from Wave I of the Korean Longitudinal Study on Aging. To examine educational disparities, separate analyses were run to note predictors in less educated (below the 6th grade) and better educated (above the 6th grade) respondents. Educational disparities were found in major predictors of health and well-being. Older age and lower cognition were strong predictors of functional limitations, while being married, receiving public assistance, and better psychological functioning were associated with greater life satisfaction. The health and well-being of less educated respondents were influenced by demographic factors, while social engagement and psychological functioning were more prominent predictors for better educated respondents. These findings highlight the importance of enhancing cognitive functioning and function among older adults in Korea to promote their health and well-being.     

Understanding pickleball as a new leisure pursuit among older adults

For older adults, participating in leisure activities has psychosocial benefits, increases social interactions, and promotes well-being. Among various leisure activities, pickleball is an activity that fosters positive social interaction and health benefits in older adults. Pickleball is regarded as one of the fastest growing sports in the USA, and it is reported to be popular among people of all ages, especially among older adults. The purpose of this study was to gather demographic details of older pickleball participants and elucidate the psychosocial benefits of playing the sport, such as life satisfaction, optimism, and social integration. To this end, we gathered information from 153 older adults who competed in pickleball tournaments. Multivariate analysis of variance and Hotelling’s T² test were used to compare the differences that emerged in experiential factors such as life satisfaction, optimism, and social integration among the different demographic characteristics. The results showed that life satisfaction was significantly different among the following three age groups: 50–59 years, 60–69 years, and ≥70 years. Results of Hotelling’s T² test showed a significant difference in social integration between male and female participants. The test also revealed a significant difference in terms of life satisfaction between retired and employed participants. The results suggest that playing pickleball can be an enriching leisure activity for retirees and may help them cope with the transition that retirement typically entails.     

大学生手机使用状况及对其孤独影响的实证研究

为了了解大学生手机使用的现实状况、大学生孤独的基本特点、大学生手机使用对其孤独的影响作用,大学生孤独与社会支持之间的关系,采用孤独量表、大学生手机使用问卷和社会支持量表对528名大学生进行问卷调查,通过描述性统计、t检验、方差分析技术和相关分析对研究所得数据进行统计处理发现:(1)随着手机时代的到来,几乎所有的大学生都加入了手机用户的行列,成为"手机世代";(2)大学生的整体孤独程度较低,他们的社会孤独倾向尤其不明显;(3)手机媒体使用对降低大学生孤独具有积极的影响作用;(4)大学生孤独与社会支持之间呈显著负相关。研究认为:合理使用手机,增强社会支持,有助于降低大学生孤独感,提高其心理健康水平。     

Nonformal learning and well-being among older adults: Links between participation in Swedish study circles,feelings of well-being and social aspects of learning

ABSTRACT

How does participation in nonformal learning influence the self-perceived well-being among older adults? This article looks into that issue through a study of people aged 65 years or older who have participated in Swedish study circles. The data analyzed consists of a nation-wide survey of study circle participants. The results show that there are beneficial effects from participating in study circles for the well-being of older adults. As could be expected, participants claim that their knowledge and skills have increased; but the main finding is the importance of the social dimension of participating in nonformal learning activities. The fellowship created in study circles is both an important motive for participation and an important outcome of having participated. This, however, is not at the expense of gaining new knowledge. Rather, the two dimensions may strengthen each other. Nonformal settings appear to provide an environment that has positive effects on the well-being of older adults. They do this by fostering a sense of belonging and the opportunity to be part of a fellowship that may work as an aid in avoiding social isolation and loneliness.     

大学生领悟社会支持与生活满意度的关系研究

为了考察大学生领悟社会支持与生活满意度之间的关系,本文采用《领悟社会支持量表》(PSSS)和《生活满意度量表》(SLS)对368名被试大学生进行问卷调查。结果如下:(1)领悟社会支持和生活满意度在人口学变量上的分析表明,性别在领悟社会支持及其各要素上存在主效应;性别和专业在家庭支持上存在交互效应;专业在生活满意度上存在主效应。(2)领悟社会支持和生活满意度的相关分析表明,大学生的生活满意度与领悟社会支持总分、家庭支持、朋友支持及其他支持均呈显著正相关。(3)生活满意度对领悟社会支持及各因素的回归分析表明,家庭支持、朋友支持和其他支持均能显著预测大学生的生活满意度。通过分析,得出如下结论:大学生领悟社会支持是大学生生活满意度的重要影响因素。     

彝族大学生自尊、社交行为及负性自动思维对孤独感影响的路径分析

彝族大学生自尊、社交行为及负性自动思维均与孤独感显著相关(P<0.01),自尊与社交行为及负性自动思维显著相关(P<0.01);负性自动思维直接影响彝族大学的孤独感,社交行为可直接影响孤独感,也可经由负性自动思维对孤独感产生影响;自尊对孤独感的直接影响作用不显著,其经由社交行为及负性自动思维的中介间接影响孤独感.可见彝族大学生的社交行为及负性自动思维在自尊与孤独感之间起完全中介作用.     

The social convoys of affordable senior housing residents: Fellow residents and “Time Left”

Living in an affordable senior housing site is a viable option for older adults who want to age in a community setting. Affordable senior housing is subsidized housing provided in the United States by the federal government’s Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Such housing is available to people 62-years-of-age and older whose income level is low enough to merit federal assistance. The current study assessed the social convoys of 32 residents of one affordable senior housing site, with interest in the number of co-residents included in participants’ social convoys, as well as participants’ levels of social isolation and loneliness. In the present study, family relationships made up the largest proportion of residents’ social convoys (38.6%); however, co-residents made up 26% of participants’ social convoys. There was a positive correlation between the number of years that participants had lived at the affordable senior housing site and the percent of co-residents in their social convoys r = .39, p = .03. These findings suggest that under certain conditions older adults are willing to invest in creating new relationships with co-residents in congregate settings. The implications of these findings are explored.     

An Innovative Continuing Nursing Education Program Targeting Key Geriatric Conditions for Hospitalized Older People in China

A lack of knowledge in registered nurses about geriatric conditions is one of the major factors that contribute to these conditions being overlooked in hospitalized older people. In China, an innovative geriatric continuing nursing education program aimed at developing registered nurses' understanding of the complex care needs of hospitalized older people with common geriatric conditions was conducted and evaluated. The program consisted of didactic sessions focused on evidence-based practice and unfolding case studies designed to simulate the care trajectory of an older person with a hip fracture and key geriatric conditions. Findings from the program evaluations revealed a significant increase in favorable attitudes towards older people and increased knowledge concerning common geriatric conditions. The satisfaction rate ranked by program participants was 90%. The study, therefore, drew the conclusion that effective geriatric continuing nursing education should target participants' learning needs, support evidence-based practice, and engage participants in active learning.     

Satisfaction with adult children’s achievements is associated with depression and loneliness in later-life: the mediating roles of children’s support and gratitude

We examined the mediating roles of gratitude and children support in the relationship between satisfaction with adult children’s achievements, and depression/loneliness in a sample of 465 community elders of Ekiti State, Nigeria. The sample includes 294 women and 171 men with mean age 74.18 (SD = 9.42) selected by means of multistage sampling method. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results suggested that satisfaction with adult children’s achievements was negatively associated with depression and loneliness. However, these relationships were found to be successively mediated by children’s support and gratitude. Specifically, gratitude fully mediated the relationship between satisfaction with adult children’s achievements and loneliness while children’s support was a partial mediator. Also, gratitude partially mediated the relationship between satisfaction with adult children’s achievements and depression while children’s support did not. The fit indices for the mediation model achieved the acceptable cuff-off for model fitness, CFI = .95, RMSEA = .042, 90% CI = (.033, .05, SRMR = .05, with 46% and 28% variance in depression and loneliness, respectively. In the management of geriatric depression and loneliness, mental health professionals may assess satisfaction with adult children’s achievements and utilize gratitude interventions for a happy and successful aging.     

The long and winding road: A grounded theory of reminiscence among Filipino residents in nursing homes

Although reminiscence is a naturally occurring process in late adulthood, not all older adults reminisce effectively. Notably, feelings of guilt, loneliness, bitterness and regret lead to despair and remorse rather than integrity. In spite of this, little is known about the process of reminiscence among Filipino older adults. This grounded study aims to develop a model that describes how a select group of older Filipino patients residing in nursing homes in the Philippines experience reminiscence.

Strauss and Corbin’s (1990) grounded theory design was employed in this study. A total of eighteen (18) Filipino older adults in nursing homes were purposively selected to participate in one-on-one, semi-structured interviews. These were then transcribed into field texts and analyzed through open, axial and selective coding. Member checking procedure was employed to ensure that the emerged themes were sensible and consistent with the participants’ lived experiences.

Through constant comparative method, the findings of this study presented the development of a three-phase process (Reactivating, Reconstructing and Reframing) that describes the reminiscence experiences of a select group of Filipino nursing home residents. The emergent theoretical model invites nurses as quality care providers to renew and restructure interventions to promote effective reminiscence.     

Why do children not play in nearby nature? Results from a Norwegian survey

Based on a nationwide Norwegian survey among 3160 parents of children aged 6–12 years, this article identifies and discusses barriers for children’s engagement with nearby nature. A set of social factors related to time pressure are evaluated as more significant barriers than environmental factors such as accessibility, safety and landscape quality. Children’s free play in nearby nature does not seem to be an alternative to a target-orientated and time-scheduled everyday life. Instead, parents give themselves, other adults and public institutions more responsibility to stimulate increased nature contact. Despite strong traditions in outdoor life and good accessibility to nearby nature, social and cultural trends seem to influence children’s engagement with nature in the same way in ‘Green Norway’ as it does in many other European countries. Implications of the findings are discussed in terms of policy and promotion according to nature management and adults’ roles.     

Happiness,Life Satisfaction,Resiliency and Social Support in Students with Dyslexia

Many people with dyslexia experience numerous failures in their lifetime. This can reduce their life satisfaction and the sense of happiness. However, external support and one’s personal resources, for example resiliency, aid in dealing with difficult situations. Our study verified the importance of resiliency and perceived social support for the level of life satisfaction and the sense of happiness in Polish students with and without dyslexia, studying at both state and non-state universities. We used the Cantril Self-Anchoring Scale, SHI-PL Questionnaire, Resiliency Scale, and Social Support Questionnaire. The results showed that students with dyslexia demonstrated lower levels of: life satisfaction, positive emotions, resiliency, perceived/expected emotional and practical support, and general social support. The difference in happiness remained at the level of a statistical trend. Therefore, we conclude that dyslexia may be treated a risk factor in terms of happiness and life satisfaction in young adults.     

Developing a Model of Medication Adherence among Filipino Elderly

While adherence to medication remains a problematic area in the care of chronically ill elderly, an extended model that incorporates the interaction of studied variables remains a blank spot. Anchored on Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior, this article details our efforts to develop and test a model of medication adherence among Filipino elderly relative to their medication belief, follow-up visits, consultation satisfaction, memory task, trust with physician, perceived stress, memory strategies, social support, memory load, depression, length of time taking the medication, number of conditions, and self-efficacy with medication adherence. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to study causalities among all parameters. With the participation of 325 older adults located in District IV, Sampaloc, Manila, data needed were gathered through a multiaspect questionnaire consisting of a robotfoto, a memory strategy usage measure, an eight-scale Morisky Medication Adherence Scale, a 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale, a General Self-efficacy Scale, a Consultation Satisfaction Questionnaire, and a Perceived Stress Scale. Data were analyzed using AMOS version 19. Results revealed that depression, trust with physician, and number of conditions affect adherence positively, while event-based memory, consultation satisfaction, memory load, and external memory strategy affect it otherwise. Some suggested variables were found to have no impact at all. As this study reveals, careful consideration should be given to multiple factors, and their interrelationship should be examined well. Because many factors can influence medication adherence behavior of the elderly, and because the reasons for their noncompliance are also varied, multifaceted solutions must be developed.     

Examining the Structural Relationship of Chronic Illness,Physical Function,Life Satisfaction,and Social Support in the Development of Depression Among Filipino Elderly in Institutionalized Settings

Considering the increasing prevalence of chronic illness in the Filipino elderly, this study seeks to test a model that describes the relationship between chronic illness and depression and how this link might interact with physical functioning, life satisfaction, and social support. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the causalities among these variables. With the participation of 151 respondents, data were gathered using a five-part instrument consisting of the robotfoto, Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living, Life Satisfaction Checklist, Social Support Scale, and Geriatric Depression Scale. Data were analyzed using AMOS version 19. Results showed that the duration and number of present chronic illness will not lead to an increase in social support, although those things proved to have a negative effect on physical functioning and life satisfaction. Social support from the family also showed to have a direct impact on life satisfaction while social support from the caregivers revealed a negative effect on physical functioning. Life satisfaction had a negative influence on depression while other suggested variables have no impact on depression at all. Through this model examining the variables relating to depression, holistic care must be provided to manage not only the medical conditions of the elderly but also their physical, social, and psychological well-being.     

Relationship between social capital and lifestyle among older adults

ABSTRACT

Objective: This study was designed with the purpose of determining the relationship between social capital and lifestyle and their sub-variables among older adults.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study using interviews that was conducted in 2017. This study was performed with randomly selected older people over 60 years of age in an urban area of Iran. Data were collected using a questionnaire in 3-month duration. The relationship between the study variables (lifestyle and social capital) was assessed through correlation analysis (in the case of non control of the underlying variables) and general linear modeling (in the case of control of the underlying variables). Data were analyzed using SPSS v.24 software at a 0.05 significant level.

Results: A total of 512 questionnaires were filed out. According to the Pearson correlation test, all social capital variables were associated with lifestyle components. However, in the general linear model test, feeling of trust and safety (p < 0.001), value of life (p = 0.030), and social participation (p = 0.004) had a significant relationship with the lifestyle.

Conclusions: The results indicated that social capital and lifestyle in the older adults were interconnected. Therefore, there is a need to improve social capital factors, especially social participation, feeling of trust and safety, and value of life, which is in-line with the strategies of achieving healthy older population. The results can be used to learn how to increase lifestyle in older adults.     

大学生成人依恋、社会支持与孤独感的关系

为探究大学生成人依恋、社会支持与孤独感的关系,采用亲密关系经历量表、社会支持评定量表和UCLA孤独量表对326名大学生施测。结果发现:(1)大学生成人依恋比较积极,依恋回避和依恋焦虑程度均较低。(2)大学生社会支持存在年级和生源地差异,大四学生对支持的利用度显著高于大三学生,来自农村的大学生其主观支持高于来自城市的大学生。(3)大学生孤独感程度较低,但大三学生孤独感显著高于大四学生。(4)成人依恋与孤独感呈显著正相关,社会支持与孤独感呈显著负相关,成人依恋与社会支持呈显著负相关。(5)依恋回避和依恋焦虑对孤独感具有显著正向预测作用,主观支持和支持利用度对孤独感具有显著负向预测作用。(6)主观支持和支持利用度在依恋回避和孤独感之间具有部分中介效应。     

Factors affecting information and communication technology use and eHealth literacy among older adults in the US and South Korea

ABSTRACT

This study examined ways in which Information and Communication Technology (ICT) plays a role in contexts between two countries: the US and South Korea, comparing individual situations and structural factors that support the use of ICT among older adults. Surveys were administered to 113 US and 104 Korean community-dwelling respondents, inquiring about their ICT use, eHealth Literacy, and Social Capital. Significant differences between the two countries were found in respondents’ educational levels, marital status, and types of social activities. A vast majority of Korean elders (77.9%) reported being current users of the Internet, compared to 63.7% of their US peers. A greater level of eHealth literacy was found among Koreans. In both groups, factors affecting eHealth literacy included educational levels and confidence in using ICT. In both countries, ICT can provide a diverse array of online resources for low-income elders to manage their health problems and maintain social connections. Hence, further services are needed to help older adults become more involved in technology in order to maximize the utilization of ICT.