Buddy or burden? Patterns, perceptions, and experiences of pet ownership among older adults in Switzerland
This study investigates pet ownership and corresponding perceptions and experiences in a nationally representative sample of adults aged 55 years and older in Switzerland. We use data from a questionnaire on human-animal interactions from 1832 respondents administered during wave 7 (2017) in the Swiss country study of the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe. Multivariable associations between pet ownership and pet owner s’ corresponding perceptions and experiences with respondents’ socio-demographic characteristics were estimated using probit and ordered probit models. Slightly more than one-third of a...
Source: European Journal of Ageing - April 2, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
The health advantage of volunteering is larger for older and less healthy volunteers in Europe: a mega-analysis
AbstractThere is a vast literature on the health benefits associated with volunteering for volunteers. Such health advantages are likely to vary across groups of volunteers with different characteristics. The current paper aims to examine the health advantages of volunteering for European volunteers and explore heterogeneity in the association between volunteering and health. We carry out a mega-analysis on microdata from six panel surveys, covering 952,026 observations from 267,212 respondents in 22 European countries. We provide open access to the code we developed for data harmonization. We use ordinary least squares, f...
Source: European Journal of Ageing - March 30, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
A social exclusion perspective on loneliness in older adults in the Nordic countries
This study examines the associations between social exclusion indicators and loneliness in older adults (60+ years) in four Nordic countries. Data from four waves of the European Social Survey were pooled, providing a total of 7755 respondents (Denmarkn = 1647; Finlandn = 2501, Norwayn = 1540; Swedenn = 2067). Measures of loneliness, demographic characteristics, health, and eight indicators of social exclusion were selected from the survey for analysis. Country-specific and total sample hierarchical logistic regression models of loneliness were developed. Significant model improvement occurr ed for all m...
Source: European Journal of Ageing - March 29, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
No clear associations between subjective memory concerns and subsequent change in cognitive function: the PATH through life study
AbstractThe literature on subjective memory concerns (SMC) as a predictor for future cognitive decline is varied. Furthermore, recent research has pointed to additional complexity arising from variability in the experience of SMC themselves (i.e. whether they are remitting or sustained over time). We investigated the associations between SMC and objectively measured cognition in an Australian population-based cohort. Four waves (4-year intervals between waves) of data from 1236 participants (aged 62.4 ± 1.5 years, 53% male) were used. We categorized participants as experiencing SMC, when they indicated that their me...
Source: European Journal of Ageing - March 28, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Age integration in later life social networks and self-perceptions of aging: examining their reciprocal associations
AbstractRelying on the age segregation theory (limited contact between age groups), this study examined the temporal reciprocal associations between age integration —the inclusion of older and younger people in one’s personal network—and one's self-perceptions of aging (SPA). Data came from the 2014 and 2017 waves of the German Ageing Survey and focused on adults aged 60 and above (N = 5239). Age composition of the network was assessed as the number of kin and non-kin in the social network who are either more than 10 years older or more than 10 years younger than the respondent. A latent change score model asse...
Source: European Journal of Ageing - March 14, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Trends in activities of daily living disability among Chinese older adults from 1998 to 2018: an age-period-cohort analysis
This study aims to investigate the age, period, and cohort effects on trends in activities of daily living (ADL) disability among Chinese older adults; and to explore these three temporal effects on gender and residence disparities in disability. We utilized multiple cross-sectional waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey data (1998 –2018), including 89,511 participants aged above 65 years old. Our measurement of disability is the number of ADL items (dressing, bathing, indoor transferring, toileting, eating, and continence) participants can’t perform independently. Hierarchical age-period-cohort cr...
Source: European Journal of Ageing - March 14, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
The longitudinal relationship between meaning in life, depressive symptoms, life satisfaction, and cognitive functioning for older adults with Alzheimer ’s disease
AbstractStudies show the importance of the personal experience of meaning in life for older adults, but adults with dementia have been largely excluded from this research. The current study examined the longitudinal predictive effect of meaning in life for the psychological and cognitive functioning of older adults with Alzheimer ’s disease and whether cognitive decline predicted presence of meaning in life. On three yearly measurement occasions, presence of meaning in life, depressive symptoms, life satisfaction, and cognitive functioning were assessed in structured interviews with a convenience sample of 140 older adul...
Source: European Journal of Ageing - March 4, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Correction to: The concept of disability and its causal mechanisms in older people over time from a theoretical perspective: a literature review
(Source: European Journal of Ageing)
Source: European Journal of Ageing - March 3, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Internet use and cognitive frailty in older adults: a large-scale multidimensional approach
AbstractAlthough research on sociodemographic correlates of internet use in older adults without and with pronounced cognitive impairment is already quite extensive, much less is known about the relationship between cognitive frailty (CF) and this behaviour. As CF is associated to multidimensional frailty aspects, this study explored the relationship between internet use and CF, operationalised as Subjective Cognitive Impairment, in older adults by means of a comprehensive explanatory model including sociodemographic factors and multiple frailty measures. The dataset included a sample of community-dwelling 60 + older ...
Source: European Journal of Ageing - March 2, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Perceived neighbourhood environment and falls among community-dwelling adults: cross-sectional and prospective findings from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE)
In conclusion, adverse neighbourhood environments may account for inequality in falls risk among middle-aged and older adults and could be added to fall risk stratification tools. (Source: European Journal of Ageing)
Source: European Journal of Ageing - March 2, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Cohort-specific disability trajectories among older women and men in Europe 2004 –2017
In this study, we compare cohort-specific disability trajectories in old age across subsequent birth cohorts in Europe, during the period 2004 –2017.We used data from seven waves of data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Mixed effects logistic regression models were used to model trajectories of accumulation of ADL limitations for subsequent birth cohorts of older women and men in different European regi ons. The results showed that there were sex differences in ADL and IADL limitations in all regions for most cohorts. Women reported more limitations than men, particularly in Eastern and...
Source: European Journal of Ageing - February 19, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
The European Journal of Ageing and the importance of science
(Source: European Journal of Ageing)
Source: European Journal of Ageing - February 11, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Exposure to the troubles in Northern Ireland, memory functioning, and social activity engagement: results from NICOLA
AbstractWe investigated the potential impact of a cohort traumatic exposure, the Troubles in Northern Ireland, on memory functioning in later life, and the potential moderating effect of social activity engagement. Using data from 6571 participants aged 60 + in the Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing (NICOLA) cohort, we used a structural equation modelling framework to explore associations between traumatic exposure during the Troubles and memory functioning. As expected, social activity engagement was positively associat ed with memory functioning,β = .102. Traumatic exposure was also po...
Source: European Journal of Ageing - February 10, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Differences in awareness of positive and negative age-related changes accounting for variability in health outcomes
AbstractHigher awareness of positive age-related changes (AARC gains) is related to better mental health, whereas higher awareness of negative age-related changes (AARC losses) is related to poorer mental and physical health. So far perceived gains and losses have been explored separately, but people report gains and losses concurrently in varying degrees, and different profiles of gains and losses may be differentially associated with health. We identified profiles of gains and losses and explored whether different profiles differed in physical, mental, and cognitive health. We used cross-sectional data from the PROTECT s...
Source: European Journal of Ageing - February 4, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
The concept of disability and its causal mechanisms in older people over time from a theoretical perspective: a literature review
AbstractAgeing with a disability increases the risk of hospitalization and nursing home admission. Ageing in place interventions aiming to reduce disability are often not sufficiently effective and inadequately theory-based. There are many models available on disability, but it is unclear how they define disability, what their differences are, and how they evolved throughout the years. This paper aims to provide an overview of the evolution of these models and to elaborate on the causal mechanisms of disability. A literature review was conducted as part of the TRANS-SENIOR international training and research network. PubMe...
Source: European Journal of Ageing - January 29, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
