Search results for ‘Subject term:"older people"’ Sort:
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Let people loose
- Author:
- LLOYD Mark
- Journal article citation:
- Community Care, 26.10.06, 2006, pp.32-33.
- Publisher:
- Reed Business Information
This article provides a comparison of older care in Finland and the UK, based on a study visit by staff from Kent Community Housing Trust to the combined health and social services department in the Espoo region. The article concentrates on lessons to be learned for older care – particularly residential – in the UK. It focuses on the benefits of nursing and social care combined services, contrasting Finland’s guiding principle that “regulation stifles the soul” in older care, with the UK approach of overregulation.
Improvement in depressive symptoms and changes in self-rated health among community-dwelling disabled older adults
- Authors:
- HAN B., JYLHA M.
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 10(6), November 2006, pp.599-605.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
This study investigated the association between improvement in depressive symptoms and changes in self-rated health among community-dwelling disabled older adults over time. Multivariate logistic regression models were applied using the 1993 and 1995 Assets and Health Dynamics among the Oldest-Old Survey data. Changes in depressive symptoms and changes in self-rated health clearly coincide. Among participants with functional disability in 1993 and 1995, a decrease in depressive symptoms was associated with decreased odds of having decline in self-rated health (odds ratio [OR], 0.85; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.78–0.93) and was associated with increased odds of having improvement in self-rated health (OR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.04–1.27). Similar results were also found among participants with no functional disability in 1993 and with functional disability in 1995. Among community-dwelling older adults who remained disabled at follow-up or who experienced disability only at follow-up, even just a small decrease in depressive symptoms was associated with increased odds of having improvement in self-rated health and with decreased risks of having decline in self-rated health. Reducing the number of symptoms of depression among these disabled older adults would be beneficial in improving their self-rated health as well as maintaining and promoting their quality of life.
Activity as a predictor of mental well-being among older adults
- Authors:
- LAMOINEN P., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 10(5), September 2006, pp.454-466.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
This eight-year follow-up study examines the roles of physical and leisure activity as predictors of mental well-being among older adults born in 1904–1923. As part of the Evergreen project in Finland, 1224 (80%) persons aged 65–84 years were interviewed at baseline (1988), and 663 (90%) persons in the follow-up (1996). Mental well-being factors including depressive symptoms, anxiety, loneliness, self-rated mental vigour and meaning in life were constructed using factor analysis. The predictors of mental well-being included physical and leisure activity, mobility status and number of chronic illnesses. We used a path analysis model to examine the predictors of mental well-being. At baseline, low number of chronic illnesses, better mobility status and leisure activity were associated with mental well-being. Baseline mental well-being, better mobility status and younger age predicted mental well-being in the follow-up. Explanatory power of the path analysis model for the mental well-being factor at baseline was 19% and 35% in the follow-up. These findings suggest that mental well-being in later life is associated with activity, better health and mobility status, which should become targets for preventive measures.