Syfte och frågeställningar Syftet med denna studie var att få en djupare förståelse för hur äldre personer förhåller sig till styrketräning med särskilt fokus på deras motivationsfaktorer och vad som påverkar deras upplevelse av kompetens, autonomi och tillhörighet. Detta har studerats inom ramen för self determination theory (SDT) och utifrån följande frågeställningar: (1) Vad motiverar äldre till att styrketräna? (2) Av vilka anledningar började seniorerna med just styrketräning? (3) Vilka faktorer påverkar seniorernas upplevelse av kompetens, autonomi och tillhörighet vid styrketräning?   Metod Med ett kvalitativt tillvägagångssätt utfördes sex intervjuer med seniorer över 70 år som är aktiva inom styrketräning. På centret där samtliga deltagare tränar idag genomfördes halvstrukturerade intervjuer utifrån en utarbetad intervjuguide. Intervjuerna spelades in, transkriberades och analyserades med ett tolkande tillvägagångssätt. Genom ett induktivt synsätt framkom meningsbärande enheter och teman som sedan kategoriserades in efter likheter för att gradvis bygga en hierarki.   Resultat Resultaten visar att seniorerna motiveras till att styrketräna av att upprätthålla fysiken och undvika försämring samt hälsovinster. Alla tre behoven var av stor betydelse för motivationen. Kompetens och tillhörighet hade framträdande roller samtidigt som autonomi beskrevs som en självklarhet. En viktig del i behovstillfredsställelsen var det senior-anpassade centret, både personal, redskap och centrets klientel var källor till upplevd kompetens. Centret bidrog även till en hög känsla av tillhörighet då det sociala utbytet var en viktig del i motivationen för många. Att alla hade fysiska begränsningar genererade samhörighet och skapade en prestigelös miljö på centret.   Slutsats Framförallt var kompetens och tillhörighet viktiga komponenter för seniorernas motivation till styrketräning. För att tillfredsställa dessa behov var centrets utformning avgörande, vad gäller både instruktörer, utrustning samt klientelet som vistas där. Förhoppningsvis kan resultatet användas som underlag vid skapandet av arenor och mötesplatser som attraherar äldre.

Physical activity is positively related to cognitive functioning and brain volume in older adults. Interestingly, different types of physical activity vary in their effects on cognition and on the brain. For example, dancing has become an interesting topic in aging research, as it is a popular leisure activity among older adults, involving cardiovascular and motor fitness dimensions that can be positively related to cognition. However, studies on brain structure are missing. In this study, we tested the association of long-term senior dance experience with cognitive performance and gray matter brain volume in older women aged 65 to 82 years. We compared nonprofessional senior dancers (n=28) with nonsedentary control group participants without any dancing experience (n=29), who were similar in age, education, IQ score, lifestyle and health factors, and fitness level. Differences neither in the four tested cognitive domains (executive control, perceptual speed, episodic memory, and long-term memory) nor in brain volume (VBM whole-brain analysis, region-of-interest analysis of the hippocampus) were observed. Results indicate that moderate dancing activity (1-2 times per week, on average) has no additional effects on gray matter volume and cognitive functioning when a certain lifestyle or physical activity and fitness level are reached.

Au Canada, la proportion de la population âgée de 65 ans et plus a augmenté depuis 1980. Bien que la dénutrition ne soit pas inévitable avec le vieillissement, certains changements et facteurs physiopathologiques, environnementaux et psycho socio-économiques peuvent entraîner une détérioration des choix alimentaires et donc, de la qualité de vie des aînés [1]. Plusieurs études font le lien entre l’état nutritionnel et la morbidité ainsi qu’avec les capacités fonctionnelles [2]. Ces observations expliquent l'intérêt de la prévention et du traitement de la dénutrition afin d’optimiser la prise alimentaire et un meilleur état de santé de cette population. Objectifs :1) Explorer les barrières individuelles et socio-environnementales, réelles et perçues, qui peuvent mener à la détérioration des choix et de la qualité alimentaires et entraîner une dénutrition chez les personnes âgées vivant à domicile. 2) Examiner la distribution de ces facteurs dans la population à l’étude. 3) Étudier la relation entre ces facteurs afin de dresser un portrait plus éclairé des déterminants négatifs de l’alimentation chez les adultes âgés pour mieux comprendre les barrières à la prise alimentaire saine. Méthodologie : Il s'agit d'une analyse secondaire réalisée à partir des données recueillies auprès des participants (n=1 602), âgés entre 67 et 84 ans,de l’Étude longitudinale québécoise sur la nutrition et le vieillissement réussi (NuAge) débutée en 2003 et dont le suivi était prévu sur cinq ans [3]. Le but principal de NuAge était de déterminer le rôle de la nutrition dans l’accomplissement d’un vieillissement réussi. Les données comprennent des mesures socio-démographiques, nutritionnelles, fonctionnelles, sociales de même que biologiques et médicales. À partir d'un modèle théorique des déterminants de la prise alimentaire chez la population âgée, ces données ont été mises en lien avec la qualité alimentaire. Cette dernière a été déterminée selon l’adaptation canadienne de l’indice d’alimentation saine (C-HEI), calculé à partir des données alimentaires et nutritionnelles obtenues par le questionnaire de fréquence alimentaire administré aux participants au T1, soit à leur entrée dans l'étude. Résultats : Les barrières qui pourraient freiner la qualité alimentaire des femmes incluent un statut affectif fragile et un fonctionnement social limité. Ce qui ressort, comme étant des barrières au C-HEI chez les hommes, est un revenu perçu comme étant insuffisant pour satisfaire les besoins, le port de prothèses dentaires et le fait de manger souvent au restaurant. Étonnamment, le nombre d’attitudes positives relatives à l’alimentation et un score plus élevé de la composante mentale du SF-36 prédisent un C-HEI plus faible. La nature des réponses auto rapportées pourrait expliquer ces résultats. Conclusion : Les résultats de cette recherche permettent de mieux comprendre les barrières d’une saine alimentation au sein d’une population bien-portante. Il est souhaité que les résultats contribueront au développement d’interventions efficaces ciblant les personnes âgées pour favoriser un apport nutritionnel et un état de santé optimal. / In Canada, the proportion of the population aged 65 and over has increased since 1980. Although under nutrition is not inevitable with aging, some changes and physiological factors, environmental and psycho-socio-economic conditions may cause deterioration in food choices and in the quality of life of seniors [1]. Several studies show the link between nutritional status and morbidity as well as functional capacity [2]. These observations justify the importance of prevention and treatment of under nutrition so as to optimize food intake and improve the health of this population. Objectives : 1) Exploring individual and socio-environmental barriers, whether it is real or perceived that may lead to deterioration of choices and quality food and cause under nutrition in the elderly living at home. 2) Examine the connection of these factors in the population being studied. 3) Examine the relationship between these factors so as to be knowledgeable about the negative determinants of nutrition in older adults to better understand the barriers to a healthy food intake. Methodology: This is a secondary analysis conducted using data collected from participants (n = 1 602), aged between 67 and 84 years in the Quebec’s Longitudinal Study on Nutrition and successful aging (NuAge) that began in 2003 with follow-ups planned over the following five years [3]. The main goal of NuAge was to determine the role of nutrition in the achievement of successful aging. The data include nutritional, functional, social, medical and biological measurements. From a theoretical model of determinants of food intake in the elderly population, these data have been linked to food quality. This was determined by the Canadian adaptation of the Healthy Eating Index (C-HEI) calculated from data of food and nutrition obtained by food frequency questionnaire administered to participants at T1 or their entry into the study. Results : The barriers that might inhibit food quality in women include a fragile emotional status and limited social functioning. What emerges as barriers of the C-HEI among men is an income considered insufficient to meet one’s needs, the use of dentures and eating at restaurant repeatedly. Surprisingly, the number of positive attitudes about nutrition and a higher score of the mental component of SF-36 are predictors of a lower C-HEI. The nature of self-reported responses could explain these results. Conclusion : The results of this research allow the better understanding of the barriers to healthy eating within a healthy community-dwelling elderly population. It is hoped that the results will contribute to the development of effective interventions targeting the older population to promote nutritional and optimal health.

Locus of Control (LOC) is operationalized as a dispositional trait remaining stable throughout life, but may also be conceptualized as a domain specific state. Widowed persons' support groups, consisting of recently conjugally bereaved older adults (N=22) and one high functioning, long-term widowed peer group leader, were utilized to test LOC malleability. A significant increase in one State measure subscale, Desire for Control, was noted. Trait LOC remained stable. The change in State and Trait LOC change did not significantly relate to psychological symptom reduction. However, Trait LOC Internality related to fewer symptoms whereas State LOC Internality related to more symptoms.

A group of 101 older adults (sixty-five years of age and over) who lived independently in three retirement apartment residences in Denton, Texas, were asked about their patterns of reading, television viewing, and radio listening habits for two periods in their lives: (1) at age forty to fifty-five and (2) at the present. Respondents were asked about their use of external information sources (public library, grocery store, newsstand, etc.) and their use of proximate information sources (radio, friends/relatives, television, etc.) They were also asked about access to transportation, income satisfaction, status of general health, vision, hearing, physical mobility and reasons for utilizing various information sources. Four hypotheses relating changes in health, environment, economic status, and education to reasons for reading and use of information sources were tested through the use of t-tests, regression analysis and analysis of variance. Within this group of older adults, use of external information sources decreased from the past to the present. There was, however, no change in the use of information sources located in or near the residence as difficulties in these areas increased. A relationship was found between educational level and reading for pleasure earlier in life. Also, those with higher educational levels reported fewer differences in their reasons for reading in the present and in the past.

5 Summary This thesis presents education opportunities for older adults. First part of the thesis is focused on an old age characteristic and all changes that this period of life brings, describes position of older adults in the society and elderly education specifics. Final chapter of this part of the thesis is dedicated to the list of institutions, where older adults can be educated. The thesis is written in a sense of comparison of scholarly sources from both Czech and foreign authors. The second part of this thesis presents empirical study, which was created by quantitative questionnaire survey. Main goal of this part is to find out, which institutions in Region of Ústí, that provides education for older adults, are well known for the respondents. Key words: ageing, elderly education, education opportunities for older adults, old age, Region of Ústí

Older adults have an increased risk for illness and disease, factors that can lead to functional impairment and intensify the need for reliance on supportive services. Planning for long-term care needs is a vital component of healthy aging and continued autonomy. Yet, many older adults fail to make plans in advance, perhaps due to differences in personal characteristics. The moderating effects of trait hope on the relationship between health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and preparation for future care needs (PFCN) was studied in a sample of 65 older adult primary care patients (<65 years) in western New York. Participants completed a questionnaire on 5 dimensions of PFCN (awareness of risk, information gathering, decisions about care preferences, concrete planning, and active avoidance). In addition, data were collected on five HRQoL domains (physical function, physical role function, emotional role function, social function, and bodily pain) and trait hope. Moderated multiple regression was used to test the moderator hypothesis controlling for personal characteristics. Post-hoc probing was used to further examine significant interactions. At the bivariate level, social functioning, physical functioning, and emotion-based role were inversely related to PFCN and positively related to hope. Multivariate moderation models covarying age, sex, race, education, illness burden, and functional impairment indicated that hopefulness, particularly agentic thinking or goal identification, moderated the relationship between those three HRQoL dimensions and PFCN behaviors. Among those with greater role limitations, lower hope was associated with more awareness of risk and information gathering and less concrete decision making, whereas among individuals with fewer role limitations and better social and physical functioning, higher levels of hopefulness were associated with increased decision making. These results highlight the need for health professionals to gain a better understanding of their patients'intrapersonal characteristics when discussing issues related to future care planning.

Abstract available through Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy.

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