Thesis (M.G.S.)--Miami University, Dept. of Sociology and Gerontology, 2006. / Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 26-28).

Uppmärksamhets- och arbetsminnesproblematik samt lässvårigheter har visat sig ha samband med livstillfredsställelse. Forskning kring äldre med uppmärksamhetsproblematik är begränsad och likaså hur äldres upplevda livstillfredsställelse samverkar med deras uppmärksamhetsförmåga, arbetsminne och läsförmåga. Som följd undersöktes samband mellan äldre individers uppmärksamhet, arbetsminne och läsförmåga med deras upplevda livstillfredsställelse. Äldre (M = 71,5 år) deltagare (N = 34) från Kronoberg testades utifrån bland annat uppmärksamhet, arbetsminne och läsning samt fick skatta livstillfredsställelse. Data analyserades via korrelationsberäkningar och multipla regressionsanalyser. Låg läsförmåga predicerade låg livstillfredsställelse. Lågt arbetsminne och uppmärksamhetsförmåga predicerade hög livstillfredsställelse. Det finns en möjlighet att vissa salutogena faktorer som ökar äldres livstillfredsställelse samexisterar med brister i uppmärksamhet och arbetsminne. / Attention deficiencies, issues with working memory and, reading disabilities have been shown to be associated with life satisfaction. Research on older adults with attention deficiencies is limited. Specifically, research on how the perceived life satisfaction of older adults correlates with their attention, working memory and reading abilities, is sparse. The attention ability, working memory, reading ability and life satisfaction of 34 older adults (M = 71,5 years old) from the Kronoberg Region was measured. This data was analyzed via correlation and multiple regression analysis. Lower reading performance predicted more cases of self reported, low life satisfaction. Whilst low attention and working memory performance predicted higher, self reported, life satisfaction. There is a possibility that attention and working memory deficiencies, in older adults, can provide certain salutogenic benefits. Strong reading abilities seem to be associated with high levels of life satisfaction in older adults.

abstract: The population of older adults and the percentage of people living in urban areas are both increasing in the U.S. Finding ways to enhance city-dwelling, older adults' social integration, cognitive vitality, and connectedness to nature were conceptualized as critical pathways to maximizing their subjective well-being (SWB) and overall health. Past research has found that gardening is associated with increased social contact and reduced risk of dementia, and that higher levels of social support, cognitive functioning, mindfulness, and connectedness to nature are positively related to various aspects of SWB. The present study was a pilot study to examine the feasibility of conducting a randomized, controlled trial of community gardening and to provide an initial assessment of a new intervention--"Mindful Community Gardening," or mindfulness training in the context of gardening. In addition, this study examined whether community gardening, with or without mindfulness training, enhanced SWB among older adults and increased social support, attention and mindfulness, and connectedness to nature. Fifty community-dwelling adults between the ages of 55 and 79 were randomly assigned to one of three groups: Traditional Community Gardening (TCG), Mindful Community Gardening (MCG), or Wait-List Control. The TCG and MCG arms each consisted of two groups of 7 to 10 participants meeting weekly for nine weeks. TCG involved typical gardening activities undertaken collaboratively. MCG involved the same, but with the addition of guided development of non-judgmental, present-focused awareness. There was a statistically significant increase in different aspects of mindfulness for the TCG and the MCG arms. The interventions did not measurably impact social support, attention, or connectedness to nature in this small, high functioning, pilot sample. Qualitative analysis of interview data from 12 participants in the TCG and MCG groups revealed that both groups helped some participants to better cope with adversity. It was concluded that it is feasible to conduct randomized, controlled trials of community gardening with urban older adults, and considerations for implementing such interventions are delineated. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Psychology 2011

Radical changes in the senior citizen population have been triggered by the addition of the baby-boomer generation, which drastically increased the growth of this cohort group. A determination of needs for this diverse group of people is necessary for clinical professionals to employ evidence-based practices in the daily provision of services. Purpose: The focus of this study was to measure quality-of-life indicators by concentrating on the association of chronic illness and mental well-being in predicting long-term relationship satisfaction. A sample of older adults were studied in relationship with health and wellness concerns guided by previous research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2011a), and the World Health Organization (1991). Methods: The population selected for this study was older adults participating in outpatient mental health services. A representative sample of 111 participants was used in the statistical analysis of this project. The utilization of the Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale (Busby, Crane, Larson, & Christensen, 1995) established relationship satisfaction scores among this varied population. Correlation analysis was used to determine the association between seven variables. The factors of interest were: chronic health, chronic pain, mental health acute or chronic, and scores on mental health screenings routinely used in the outpatient mental health clinics included in this study. These variables were broken down in a hierarchical multiple regression model to find out if any factors predicted overall relationship satisfaction. Results: Hierarchical multiple regression analysis delineated an inverse relationship between mental health status (acute or chronic) and degree of overall relationship satisfaction. Chronic health conditions and pain ratings were positively related, however, did not associate negatively with overall relationship satisfaction as hypothesized. Positive relationships were found among the following variables: anxiety ratings and pain-related impairment, increased reports of anxiety with chronic mental health status, and pain ratings with higher risk for suicide. Low correlation coefficient values found throughout the statistical analysis make these findings tentative. Conclusions: The indications of this study confirmed a negative association between chronic mental illness and overall relationship satisfaction scores. This highlights the importance of addressing long-term psychiatric issues as an integral part of working with older adults. Age-related decline creates a functional need for reliance on others complicating satisfaction in intimate partnerships. Mental health practitioners need to be aware of the struggles found among the growing population of older adults to address their treatment and case management needs. Additional research is necessary to determine the indicators of relationship satisfaction impacting quality-of-life among older adults. Key words: quality-of-life, older adults, generational status, chronic illness, chronic pain, mental health, revised dyadic adjustment scale.

Master of Science / School of Family Studies and Human Services / Jared Durtschi / Much of the literature in sexuality and aging focuses on the physical aspects of the sexual relationship such as dysfunction and decline in frequency. In doing so, aging is viewed in a negative light because of its implied connection to dull sexuality and poor sexual satisfaction. However, despite potential age related sexual changes, many couples remain happy later in life in their relationships. Using data from 3,005 adults over the age of 57 from the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project data, we tested hypotheses using three different age groups: Newly Old (57-64), Young-Old (65-74), and Old (75-85). The results indicated that across each age group physical pleasure was linked with relationship happiness and emotional satisfaction. However, sexual frequency was not linked with relationship happiness or emotional satisfaction. In several cases, emotional accessibility moderated—served as a protective factor—in the associations between the nature of the sexual relationship and the nature of the quality of the romantic relationship. Clinical implications include identifying a clinically modifiable factor—emotional accessibility—that may mitigate the potential risk of changing sexuality to overall relationship happiness within older adult couples.

abstract: Background and purpose: Regular physical activity (PA) provides benefits for cognitive health and helps to improve or maintain quality of life among older adults. Objective PA measures have been increasingly used to overcome limitations of self-report measures. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of objectively measured PA and sedentary time with cognitive function among older adults. Methods: Participants were recruited from the parent REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Study. ActicalTM accelerometers provided estimates of PA variables, including moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), high light PA (HLPA), low light PA (LLPA) and sedentary time, for 4-7 consecutive days. Prevalence and incidence of cognitive impairment were defined by the Six-Item Screener. Letter fluency, animal fluency, word list learning and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (orientation and recall) were conducted to assess executive function and memory. Results: Of the 7,339 participants who provided accelerometer wear data > 4 days (70.1 ± 8.6 yr, 54.2% women, 31.7% African American), 320 participants exhibited impaired cognition. In cross-sectional analysis, participants in the highest MVPA% quartile had 39% lower odds of cognitive impairment than those in the lowest quartile (OR: 0.61, 95% C.I.: 0.39-0.95) after full adjustment. Further analysis shows most quartiles of MVPA% and HLPA% were significantly associated with executive function and memory (P<0.01). During 2.7 ± 0.5 years of follow-up, 3,385 participants were included in the longitudinal analysis, with 157 incident cases of cognitive impairment. After adjustments, participants in the highest MVPA% quartile had 51% lower hazards of cognitive impairment (HR: 0.49, 95% C.I.: 0.28-0.86). Additionally, MVPA% was inversely associated with change in memory z-scores (P<0.01), while the highest quartile of HLPA% was inversely associated with change in executive function and memory z-scores (P<0.01). Conclusion: Higher levels of objectively measured MVPA% were independently associated with lower prevalence and incidence of cognitive impairment, and better memory and executive function in older adults. Higher levels of HLPA% were also independently associated with better memory and executive function. The amount of MVPA associated with lower risk of cognitive impairment (259 min/week) is >70% higher than the minimal amount of MVPA recommended by PA guidelines. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Physical Activity, Nutrition and Wellness 2015

abstract: Numerous psychosocial and health factors contribute to perceived stress, social support, and problem-solving coping relating to overall well-being and life satisfaction in older adults. The effect of social support and problem-solving coping, however, remains largely untested as potential moderators. The present study was conducted to test whether social support and problem- solving coping would moderate the relation between perceived stress and life satisfaction in older adults. First, I anticipated that stress will be negatively related to life satisfaction at low levels of social support, while at high social support; stress will be unrelated to life satisfaction. Second, I expected that with low problem- solving coping, stress will be negatively related to life satisfaction, whereas, at levels of high problem- solving coping, stress will be unrelated to life satisfaction. Using an experimental survey and interview design with hierarchical regression analyses, I found no support that social support would moderate the relation between stress and life satisfaction. I found support that problem-solving coping moderated the relation between stress and life satisfaction. For individuals who engage in higher levels of problem- solving coping, higher levels of stress predicted lower levels of life satisfaction. On the other hand, at lower levels of problem-solving coping, more stress predicted lower levels of life satisfaction. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Psychology 2017

This study investigates how the introduction of Tele-Health impacts the lives of the frail elderly and older adults, and how their condition influences this experience. This study investigates the underlying issues with the adoption of Tele-health by the patients. It also considers the lived experiences of the patients in reference to their disease and age. Method: A qualitative approach was adopted, which was an in-depth interview conducted in Chorleywood Health Centre, a GP practice to the North West of London. Participants consisted of older adults living with chronic diseases, mainly diabetes and COPD, in order to gain a complex understanding of their reaction towards Tele-Health, as they are usually the target market for such tools. 30 participants took part in the study and were provided with a Tele-health service tool. The data were then thematically analysed using the thematic analysis method and transcribed using NVIVO10. Four databases were searched to find relevant literature namely: ScienceDirect, PubMed Central, Scopus and Medline. Research Design: The study adopted Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to collect and analyse data. In IPA, the researcher transcends or suspends past knowledge and experience to understand a phenomenon at a deeper level (Creswell, 2007). It is an approach, which seeks to explore, describe, and analyse the meaning of individual lived experience: “how they perceive it, describe it, feel about it, judge it, remember it, make sense of it, and talk about it with others” (with a sense of ‘newness’ or ‘rawness’ to obtain descriptive and rich data). Results: Nine main themes emerged as influences on their acceptance and adoption of Tele-health: Attitude to aging and Illness, Coping Strategy, Relationship and Support, Patient-Doctor Interaction, Incorporating Patients, Self-Efficacy, Personality, Personal Meaning and Knowledge. The themes were also reviewed at the end of the study to validate the results. Moreover the themes were observed to be considered explicitly by the patients before accepting and adopting the Tele Health service. A new framework, the Patient Technology Adoption Model (PTAM) is derived from the themes. The PTAM indicates the relationship between the factors and may be used to understand the ways in which the patients made their decision to accept the technology or not. Conclusion: This study encourages healthcare providers and decision makers who are responsible for the innovation and implementation of services to make all efforts to understand the consumer and consider conditions that might influence their decisions to accept, adopt or reject health technologies. The study proposes a new framework (PTAM) that highlights that a patient-centred approach should be adopted by healthcare providers and decision makers, as it would facilitate more successes in the health services provided by the NHS.

abstract: Unintentional falls among community dwelling older adults are a common, serious and potentially preventable public health problem. In the United States, the annual incidence of fall related injuries per 100,000 persons was 4,616 in 2001, rising to 5,252 in 2008. The annual incidence of fall related deaths per 100,000 persons was 29.3 in 2000, rising to 41.86 in 2006. Older adults are particularly vulnerable to falls as they age. Potential consequences include fractures, emergency room, hospital and nursing home admissions, dependence, confusion, immobilization, depression, and death. Significant modifiable fall risk factors include muscle weakness, gait problems, and balance problems. While researchers have demonstrated the positive effects of balance and leg-strengthening physical activities, the majority of older adults do not engage in them, and the rate of falls continues to increase. Older adults participate in regular physical activity and fitness activities less often than younger populations; disparities are greater among those who are poor and living in rural communities. While knowledge about causes, risk factors, and efficacious physical activity to prevent falls has grown exponentially in the last several decades, bridging the gap between research and practice continues to be a challenge. As a strategy to address the gap between research and practice, this feasibility study utilized a tested theory, the wellness motivation theory, to address motivation for behavioral change in combination with instruction for physical activities proven to reduce fall risk. The study sample included rural, community dwelling older adults at risk of falls. The study included an innovative mobile computer to measure physical activity behavior and to augment motivational content of the intervention. Specific aims of this feasibility study were to: (a) examine the acceptability, demand, and implementation of the wellness motivation intervention (WMI) as well as the technology augmenting the WMI; and (b) evaluate the efficacy of the WMI to influence awareness of social contextual resources, behavioral change processes, physical activity, and fall risk. The WMI delivered in combination with proven multicomponent balance and strength activities was feasible and effectively increased motivation for behavioral change (social support from friends, awareness of social contextual resources, behavioral change processes) and physical activity behavior, and decreased fall risk among rural, community-dwelling older adults at risk of falls in this study. This study is the first step in a program of research focusing on enhancing motivation for physical activity that reduces falls and frailty among older adults. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Nursing and Healthcare Innovation 2012

abstract: The aim of this study is to test the feasibility of building a storytelling system for older adults to tell and share their life stories based on email. It is measured by the level of participation and people's acceptance of the system. The central goals were to empower people over 60 years old by providing a platform for them to share their wonderful life experience and perspectives on life and lead social services into the digital age by bridging traditional roundtable interaction and modern digital communication. A prototype was built to test the level of participation of the system and follow-up interviews were conducted in order to deeply understand people's acceptance. Content analysis was used to analyze the stories to ascertain what common themes were present. Key design considerations and key factors that affect the feasibility of storytelling system were discussed. This research expands on current research and implementation of Internet-based storytelling system and shed light on the future of combining storytelling with older adults' existing Internet knowledge. Key findings of this research are :(1) Frequency of reminiscence trigger and the number of active participants affect the level of participation collectively. Frequency is considered to be a key determinant. High frequency indicates high level of participation. (2) Categories of topics do not affect the level of participation significantly but serve as key attractions that enhance people's acceptance of the system. (3) Older adults highly accept and get involved in the new email storytelling system. This storytelling program helps them recall their memories and have a profound effect on their own introspection. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S.D. Design 2014