Ageing International最新文献

Understanding the intricate interplay between demographic shifts and the profound influence of social networks on the mental health of older adults is crucial amid our rapidly aging global population. As societies evolve, the significance of social connections intensifies, directly impacting the well-being of older individuals. This empirical research, encompassing 50 individuals aged 60 years and above from urban and rural areas in equal proportions, aims to comprehend sociodemographic characteristics, assess social network resilience, evaluate mental health, and investigate how sociodemographic factors shape mental well-being. Utilizing Chi-Square tests, correlation coefficients, independent samples t-tests, and frequency tables, the study reveals nuanced insights into the complex relationship between social network strength and demographic variables among older adults. The research methodology employs a comprehensive set of tools, including a self-prepared interview schedule for socio-demographic details, the Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS-R), and the Mental Health Inventory (MHI). These instruments, recognized for their reliability and validity, offer a thorough assessment of social networks and mental health. The study's outcomes emphasize the necessity of tailored approaches that consider diverse sociodemographic factors in addressing the mental health needs of older adults. In conclusion, this research contributes significantly to the understanding of how social networks influence the mental health of older adults within the context of demographic shifts, underscoring the imperative of personalized strategies to effectively cater to the diverse mental health needs of this population in view of social work practice.

Oftentimes, older adults experience a decline in health as they age. In Nigeria and other African countries, caregiving for older adults is usually a filial responsibility. With the decline in health and increasing demand for care, family members often require the assistance of paid informal caregivers. These are unskilled workers, extended relations and personal care attendants who shoulder the responsibility of providing services to older adults whose family members are not able to provide regular caregiving. This study explored paid informal caregivers’ management of older adults’ health demands and its implication for social work professionals in contemporary Nigerian society. The study employed a qualitative research method. Focus Group discussions (FGDs) were utilized to elicit data from 48 participants residing in Enugu State, Nigeria. Data was coded into parent and child notes. An inductive coding approach was adopted to provide meaning to the coded data as we studied the transcripts. Codes with similar characteristics were grouped thematically. We found that various challenges experienced by paid informal caregivers in the management of older adults’ health demands were gender preference, age, health status of older adults and low financial reward. The reward received is not commensurate with the provided services and so they experience burden, stress and unsatisfied life. It was also found that paid informal caregivers adopt inadequate coping strategies and have no knowledge of health apparatus utilized in care management, owing to lagging care support. It is essential to revitalize the traditional community-based care system since care for older adults is gradually eroding to paid informal caregivers in contemporary Nigerian society. This is a clear indication that care for older adults is threatened. There is a need for social work professionals to work in collaboration with families and caregivers in various community settings. Overall, adequate health policy consideration should be given to all older adults in Nigeria.

The aim of this research is to examine the effect of an intergenerational interaction programme on the life satisfaction, social support and loneliness of older people. Intergenerational interactions have been considered as crucial for the creation of age-friendly societies. This research, conducted in Istanbul, Turkey, used a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test and post-test control group. The sample of the study consists of 80 older persons individuals living in a long-term care centre, consisting of a study group (n = 40) and a comparison group (n = 40). The study group participated in a 6-month intergenerational interaction programme and the comparison group did not participate in any programme. The intergenerational interaction programme was carried out between March 2021 and August 2021. The Ministry of Youth and Sports of Turkey provided financial support for the activities carried out in the project. Scales (Sociodemographic Information Form, Life Satisfaction Scale, Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale, and Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale) were administered to the participants as a pre-test before the start of the programme and as a post-test after the completion of the programme. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS 26.0. The independent groups t-test was used to determine the significant difference between the study and comparison groups, and the dependent groups t-test was used to compare the pre-test and post-test scores of the study and comparison groups. When comparing the pre-test scores of the study and comparison groups, no significant differences were found between the means, but when comparing the post-test scores, significant differences were found between the means. It was found that there were statistically significant differences between the pre-test and post-test scores of the older people who were included in the intergenerational programme and who participated regularly. It was found that participants’ life satisfaction and perceived social support increased and their social loneliness decreased. It is believed that this study will contribute to the relevant literature by providing new information to be conducted in a different culture and to develop a different practice of intergenerational interaction. The findings may have implications for social policies to be developed for older adults in Turkey.

Objectives

The cognitive function of older adults is an important indicator of healthy aging. Living arrangements have been identified as a potentially important factor affecting cognitive function among older adults. This study investigated the relationship between living arrangements and cognitive function among older adults aged 65 years and older in Kermanshah City, Iran.

Methods

The cross-sectional study design was used in this study. Participants aged 65 years and older in Kermanshah City, Iran were recruited for the study. The Neuropsychiatric Unit Cognitive Assessment (NUCOG) was used to assess cognitive function, and demographic information was collected to assess living arrangements.

Results

The study found that cognitive function was generally within the normal range among older adults, and that age, education level, and living arrangements were significantly associated with cognitive performance.

Discussion

These results highlight the importance of considering demographic factors when developing interventions aimed at promoting cognitive health among older adults.

The study aimed to explore the relationship between social support and perceived stress, considering self-efficacy as a mediator, in caregivers of older adult hemodialysis patients. This descriptive, cross-sectional study involved 252 primary caregivers of older patients. Participants were selected through a convenience sampling method from dialysis centers in Qazvin province, Iran. Data were collected using demographic checklists, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, general self-efficacy, and Cohen’s Perceived Stress questionnaires. The collected data were analyzed using multivariable regression models. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was run to determine the mediating role of self-efficacy in the relationship between social support and perceived stress. The mean age of caregivers who participated in the study was 44.9 ± 13.16 years. Most were women (144; 57.10%) and married (200; 79.4%). The results of the regression model showed a significant association between perceived stress and both social support [β (SE): -0.24(0.07), p < 0.001] and self-efficacy [β(SE): -0.58(0.06), p < 0.001]. The results also confirmed the mediating role of self-efficacy in the association between social support and perceived stress (p < 0.001). The results of the present study showed a significant and negative association between social support and perceived stress with self-efficacy as a mediator among caregivers of older patients under hemodialysis. Greater attention should be given to promoting caregivers’ self-efficacy to reduce their perceived stress.

The pandemic has undoubtedly affected almost every aspect of life for people around the world. However, the most affected are older adults living in developing countries like India. In fact, the second wave of the pandemic in India was the most devastating wave so far. Now that the worst appears to be over, there is a need to study the impact of the pandemic on the wellbeing of older adults recovering from the virus in the country. Hence, the aim of the present study is to examine the long-term impact of covid 19 on older adults, its connection with wellbeing, and the role of social workers in their recovery. A total of 203 older adults from India took part in the study. The results show that the majority of the respondents have poor wellbeing and have been more frequently plagued by chest pain, fatigue, and isolation, ever since they became infected. Moreover, respondents who are female, those with co-morbidities, and are suffering from other problems such as frequent chest pain, fatigue, and feelings of isolation, have lower levels of wellbeing. The implications of social work practice have also been discussed in the full paper.

The rapid pace of ageing raises concerns regarding financial security, health and long-term care and place for older people to live as they age. This paper examined the factors associated with preference to age in place (AIP) among 2231 respondents aged 60 and older from the Malaysia Ageing and Retirement Survey (MARS). The Categorical Principal Component Analysis (CATPCA) was utilized to identify variables that represent family supports, social connectedness and social participation. 75% of the respondents indicated that they would like to age in place with the binary logistic regression showing a greater likelihood among respondents with strong family and social connectedness, having a spouse, being non-Chinese and being in a good health condition. Urban respondents, with a high individual capacity and social participation, are less likely to age in place. There is a need to strengthen the family institutions and communities, providing incentives and support to promote ageing in place and empower them to remain sustainable for future generations.

Unresolved family conflicts regarding caring for older adults can devastate their overall health, well-being, and the quality of care from their support networks. To better understand conflict in the context of caring for older populations, this study developed and piloted a new screening tool, the Eldercaring Conflict Checklist (ECC). The ECC was developed to help professionals provide targeted responses and interventions. The ECC is based on a literature review focusing on the factors associated with the typologies of family conflict in caring for older populations. A diverse sample of 157 professionals serving older populations in conflict answered an online survey using a case study vignette and the ECC. The ECC's validity, reliability, and factor structure were analyzed and explored quantitatively and by coding emerging themes in open-ended qualitative questions in the survey. The respondents reported that the ECC is comprehensive and useful, indicating its value as an intake screening tool and helpful for reliably and thoroughly assessing and measuring conflict within older adult family relations. Results show that the ECC demonstrates very high internal validity and model fit indices for the entire ECC, and each of the eight factors showed promising results. Implications are discussed regarding working with families within eldercaring coordination and elder mediation.

Dementia affects 50 million people worldwide and that number may treble by 2050, yet there are not many studies for this population, especially when they are living in homes for the aged. Regarding the latest published evidence, this study is a systematic review to investigate the effects of exercise on the physical, functional and cognitive capacity of institutionalized older adults with dementia. Searches were performed on Medline, PEDro, Lilacs, Scielo and Cochrane Library and this review follows the PRISMA guidelines, including only randomized controlled trials. The quality of studies was graded according to PEDro and the strength of the current evidence using the GRADE approach. This study is registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021232166). A total of ten studies met the inclusion criteria, with a sample of 876 participants with a mean age of 80 years old. The interventions were diversified, with multicomponent exercises, high-intensity functional training and activities of daily living training. The duration varied from three to six months and frequency averaged from two to three times a week. Studies suggested interventions with low technology, easy to implement and observed improvement in physical, functional and cognitive capacity, however there is no consistent evidence of which is the most suitable intervention. More studies should be encouraged considering the different types of dementia and levels of impairment, considering this is a diverse population that could benefit from physical exercise.

This literature review explores the impact of COVID-19 upon the residential aged care (RAC) workforce during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, including the workforce from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. It also considers COVID-19 related interventions for the RAC workforce. The databases ProQuest, PubMed, Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Google Scholar and Cochrane Central were searched in April and May 2022. Twenty-six studies were identified which were related to the impact of COVID-19 on the RAC workforce, including four studies on the CALD workforce. Many studies highlighted the impact of COVID-19 upon workforce shortages, workplace demands, worker wellbeing, and intention to quit the profession. The importance of workplace communication and support strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic were also underlined. Issues pertinent to the CALD workforce included understanding dementia, vaccine hesitancy and the impact of aged care, migration and labour market policies on the workforce. Workforce factors, including poor working conditions (and lack of paid leave) had a significant impact upon COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. Conversely, responding to COVID-19 impacted workforce mental health. There is a need for workforce support policies and research which consider organisational communication, work-life balance, and specific training and support needs of workers from CALD backgrounds, who comprise a significant proportion of the aged care workforce in Australia and many other countries.