Research on Aging最新文献

In this scoping review, our aim was to compile empirical studies, outside of an institutionalized care context, that discuss future care planning (FCP) at old age for and by older adults living in the community. We define FCP as planning behaviours and decisions made in anticipation of a forthcoming period of life in which comprehensive care and support (i.e., financial, emotional, instrumental, and personal) become necessary due to aging and declining health. The search was conducted in eight databases and was limited to empirical papers published in English between 2000 and 2023. Only 12 articles fulfilled our inclusion criteria. The included studies were analysed narratively. The results were structured around six themes: (i) plans about who will provide care in the future when one no longer has the ability to do so themselves; (ii) plans about future housing and living arrangements; (iii) future financial planning; (iv) plans related to future health issues; (v) values communication as a means for planning; and (vi) the impact of formal care systems on FCP. Results highlight significant variability in how FCP is approached and call for further studies on this topic in light of not only demographic changes but also due to contextual differences in care provision and care expectations.

This study explored the relationships among emotion regulation (ER) strategies, received emotional social support, and relationship quality (RQ) in U.S. older adults (65+). A cross-sectional survey of 323 respondents recruited through ResearchMatch, an online participant registry, measured intrinsically- and extrinsically-directed ER strategy use, received emotional social support, and RQ across six social network members. Results indicated that suppression, a response-focused ER strategy, was negatively associated with RQ, with emotional social support partially mediating this relationship. Suppression reduced emotional social support, which in turn decreased RQ, particularly in close relationships. Analysis of specific antecedent-focused ER strategies revealed that emotional social support mediated the relationship between situation modification and situation selection and RQ. These findings highlight the importance of context-specific ER, the adverse effects of suppression, and the role of received emotional social support as a mediator between ER strategies and RQ, particularly in older adults' close relationships.

Friendships are cited as important contributors to physical, mental, and cognitive health, but many studies rely on single-time-point measures and models that conflate within- and between-person variation. Using data from 23,248 middle-aged and older adults in the Health and Retirement Study, we applied advanced longitudinal models-specifically STARTS variants of ARTS and RI-CLPM-to examine reciprocal associations between friendship characteristics (number, contact frequency, quality) and health indicators (self-rated health, depression, cognition) over a 16-year period. Cross-lagged effects were consistently small, and more robust evidence emerged for health predicting friendship outcomes than the reverse. The best-fitting models accounted for occasion-specific variance, suggesting traditional lagged models may overestimate these effects. Our results raise doubts about strong causal claims linking friendships to health and underscore the need for more careful modeling of temporal dynamics. Findings highlight the importance of decomposing trait-like and state-like variation to clarify the role of friendships in healthy aging.

Older adults with Activities of Daily Living (ADL) limitation typically report worse mental health. Friendships may prevent major mental health declines among older adults, and this association may vary by ADL limitation status. Using data from Health and Retirement Study (HRS) (Waves 2006-2020), this research examined whether friendship characteristics, including few close friends, positive and negative support, frequency of contact, and providing help, were associated with mental health declines. Results from discrete-time event history analysis with multiple competing events revealed that the frequency of contact was associated with reduced risk of developing high depressive symptomology or being diagnosed with psychological conditions, whereas negative perceptions were associated with increased risk. Having few close friends increased the risk of high depressive symptomology. Acquiring ADL limitation was associated with increased risk of both outcomes. We did not find compelling evidence of friendship characteristics buffering or amplifying mental health declines following ADL limitation.

This study investigated the effects of subjective health status and grit (a personality trait) on subjective cognitive decline (SCD) in adult people living with HIV (PLWH) in Nigeria, as previous research suggested that these factors may predict cognitive functioning. A total of 150 PLWH (Mage = 55.19) completed paper-based questionnaires at a teaching hospital in Nigeria. Multiple linear regression showed that better subjective health status was negatively associated with SCD. Grit-components (consistency of interest and perseverance of effort) moderated the association between subjective health and SCD. Higher consistency of interest strengthened the protective effect of positive subjective health on SCD, while low perseverance of effort amplified this protective association. The role of personality traits on health and cognitive decline in adults living with HIV in Nigeria warrants more studies to help inform cognitive health intervention programs for middle-aged and older adults with HIV.

Relocation, a common life event in later life, may affect the nature of intergenerational contact. This study examined changes in contact frequency with adult children across four contact modes (in-person, telephone, email and social media) following relocation. We leveraged data from the Health and Retirement Study (2014-2018) include 3,015 older adults aged 50 or older who either stayed or relocated in the last 4 years. Using ordinal logistic regression, we found there were differential effects of relocation and proximity on changes in intergenerational contact frequency, depending on contact mode. While in-person and telephone contact modes are sensitive to both relocation and proximity to a child, email and social media contact modes, on the other hand, are not sensitive to relocation and proximity to a child. Our findings suggest that digital communication technologies may help overcome the barrier of physical distance and play a vital role in maintaining intergenerational relationships.

This study examines how counter-stereotypical employer communication can reduce prejudice against older workers. In an experiment with Dutch employers and hiring decision-makers (n = 444), participants viewed a video message in which two employers shared positive experiences with workers aged 50 and above. Two message styles and a media literacy instruction were tested to assess how different ways of framing counter-stereotypical information influence perceptions of older workers. Results show that the employer-as-ambassador message, particularly when combined with the instructional element, most effectively improved perceptions of older workers' employability among employers. The employer-as-educator message was least effective, even when compared to the control condition. This study demonstrates the potential of stereotype-reversing employer communication to challenge and reduce age bias in the workplace, addressing a key gap by evaluating the employer's role in shaping perceptions of older workers. The study leverages our collaboration with societal partners to communicate these insights to practice.

Objectives: This study examines health literacy and EOL pro-individualism as cultural health capital, their associations with EOL discussion and subjective well-being (SWB), and the moderating role of education. Methods: Using data from the 2017 Taichung Survey (N = 645) and the 2021 Taiwan Social Change Survey (N = 631), analyses combined logistic and OLS regressions with SEM for mediation testing, and evaluated the moderation by comparing across educational groups. Results: The results show that health literacy relates to higher happiness among the higher-educated and greater life satisfaction overall, whereas EOL pro-individualism relates to lower outcomes. Only formal EOL discussions show a positive link with happiness. Education moderates all associations with happiness. Discussion: Findings indicate that cultural health capital plays a dual role and underscore the relevance of formal EOL discussions. Policies could prioritize strengthening health literacy and promoting formal discussions while addressing cultural tensions between autonomy and family obligations.

Widowhood often leads to increased depressive symptoms, yet the gendered role of adult-child support in moderating these consequences is understudied. We used eight waves of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe and fixed-effects panel regression to assess how three forms of support from adult children - contact frequency, instrumental support, and geographic proximity - affect depressive symptoms in 2,600 widowed women and 896 widowed men. Results show that weekly contact with at least one adult child buffered the increase in depressive symptoms after widowhood, whereas the receipt of instrumental support was associated with larger increases. Additionally, those living within 25 km of the nearest child experienced smaller increases in depressive symptoms compared to those with cohabiting children. No gender differences emerged. The findings emphasize that the effectiveness of adult children's support depends on the specific type; there's no universal solution to helping bereaved parents adapt to widowhood.

The significance of gender identity on informal caregiving for adults ages 18+ by LGBTQ older adults needs increased attention due to the potential for negative outcomes associated with this unpaid labor. Utilizing the 2022 AARP Dignity Survey data, we examine the significance of gender identity, age, and other sociodemographics on caregiving among LGBTQ respondents ages 45+ in the United States. Findings indicate that among LGBTQ older adults, those who identify as a cisgender woman are more likely to have provided care and to expect to do so in the future. Conversely, gender identity does not significantly predict feeling obligated to provide care. Also, a gender diverse identity significantly predicts feeling obligated to care for someone who is unaccepting of that identity, suggesting that gender diverse caregivers face an increased risk for mistreatment. This study thus helps clarify how gender identity affects informal caregiving within the population of LGBTQ older adults.