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Adulthood and aging: a interdisciplinary, developmental view
- Author:
- KIMMEL Douglas C
- Publisher:
- Wiley
- Publication year:
- 1974
- Pagination:
- 484p.
- Place of publication:
- New York
Factors included in adult fall risk assessment tools (FRATs): a systematic review
- Authors:
- DE CLERCQ Hendrika, NAUDE Alida, BORNMAN Juan
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 41(11), 2021, pp.2558-2582.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
Falls often have severe financial and environmental consequences, not only for those who fall, but also for their families and society at large. Identifying fall risk in older adults can be of great use in preventing or reducing falls and fall risk, and preventative measures that are then introduced can help reduce the incidence and severity of falls in older adults. The overall aim of our systematic review was to provide an analysis of existing mechanisms and measures for evaluating fall risk in older adults. The 43 included FRATs produced a total of 493 FRAT items which, when linked to the ICF, resulted in a total of 952 ICF codes. The ICF domain with the most used codes was body function, with 381 of the 952 codes used (40%), followed by activities and participation with 273 codes (28%), body structure with 238 codes (25%) and, lastly, environmental and personal factors with only 60 codes (7%). This review highlights the fact that current FRATs focus on the body, neglecting environmental and personal factors and, to a lesser extent, activities and participation. This over-reliance on the body as the point of failure in fall risk assessment clearly highlights the need for gathering qualitative data, such as from focus group discussions with older adults, to capture the perspectives and views of the older adults themselves about the factors that increase their risk of falling and comparing these perspectives to the data gathered from published FRATs as described in this review. (Edited publisher abstract)
The ratio between positive and negative affect and flourishing mental health across adulthood
- Authors:
- DIEHL Manfred, HAY Elizabeth L., BERG Kathleen M.
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 15(7), September 2011, pp.882-893.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Previous research has suggested that the balance of positive to negative affect is critically relevant to well-being and adjustment, and that, to maintain an optimal level of positive mental health, individuals need to experience approximately 3 times more positive than negative affect. The aim of this study was to address the association between the positivity ratio, age, and mental health status, and particularly to see if the proposed critical positivity ratio of 2.9 discriminated equally well between individuals with different mental health status across the adult lifespan. The participants were 239 adults from north central Florida, separated into 3 age groups: 81 young; 81 middle-aged; and 77 older. The participants completed a self-report questionnaire, followed by 30 consecutive days of daily assessments. The findings showed that the ratio of positive to negative affect differed across adulthood such that age was associated with an increasing preponderance of positive to negative affect. The positivity ratio was also associated with mental health status with higher positivity ratios being associated with better mental health. Although the data supported the notion of a positivity ratio of 2.9 as a ‘critical value’ in young adulthood, this value did not equally well discriminate the mental health status of middle-aged and older adults.
Comparing depression diagnostic symptoms across younger and older adults
- Authors:
- BALSIS Steve, CULLY Jeffrey A.
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 12(6), November 2008, pp.800-806.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Depression in later life has potential grave implications and contributes to heavy emotional, medical, and economic burdens. Therefore, it is not surprising that identifying depression and its symptoms in later life has remained a sustained concern for professionals who treat older patients. Despite this concern, the current diagnostic gold standard may not identify depression symptoms equally well in older and younger adults. The objective of this analysis is to determine whether older and younger adults with equivalent levels of latent depression are equally likely to endorse particular DSM diagnostic symptoms. DSM depression data were analysed using Item Response Theory (IRT)-based differential item functioning analyses. The data came from 1808 older adults (age 65-98 years) and 3,734 younger adults (age 18-34 years) who participated in the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcoholism and Related Conditions in the United States. The analyses confirmed the hypothesis. The DSM items identify depression differently in younger and older adults. Specifically, results showed that older adults were more likely to endorse somatic items and less likely to endorse cognitive and suicide items than their younger counterparts with equivalent levels of depression. Conclusion: These findings provide evidence that the DSM depression items work differently across age groups when controlling for latent depression. It is important to consider, however, that these findings are limited by the sampling methodology and the particular protocol implemented.
Awareness of memory functioning in early Alzheimer's disease: lessons from a comparison with healthy older people and young adults
- Authors:
- OYEBODE J. R., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 11(6), November 2007, pp.761-767.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
To compare awareness of memory in people with early Alzheimer's disease (AD) with older and younger control groups in order to clarify the contributions of disease and ageing. Twenty-one individuals with early AD, 32 older people (OP) and 32 younger people (YP) estimated their performance before and following each of four tests of memory. Those with AD significantly overestimated performance prior to testing, confirming the presence of unawareness for prediction. Their estimates were adjusted for age in a similar way to those of OP, who predicted their performance accurately. Younger people significantly underestimated their performance. Following memory tests, YP and those with AD significantly adjusted their ratings towards greater accuracy but on average those with AD still overestimated. There were variations in post-test ratings from over to under prediction in all three groups. Heightened awareness post-performance may open possibilities of cognitive rehabilitation to consolidate momentary into more long-term awareness, whilst the operation of possible psychosocial influences suggests that emotion oriented interventions to increase acceptance and decrease shame might be helpful.
The age-shift: observations on social policy, ageism and the dynamics of the adult lifecourse
- Authors:
- BIGGS Simon, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Social Work Practice, 20(3), November 2006, pp.239-250.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Through a critical engagement with policy trends, the authors ask how shifts in ideologies of ageing might influence the possibilities available to adults as they grow older. Of particular interest are the implications for how people are being encouraged to think about the adult lifecourse. These questions are addressed by looking at policy development, taking the 2000–2005 period in the UK as a case example, and by comparing this period to wider regional and international trends. Finally, the implications of contemporary policy are assessed, from a psychodynamic point of view, for the maintenance of a viable identity in later life and for intergenerational relationships.
Gendered trajectories of support from close relationships from middle to late life
- Author:
- LIAO Jing
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 38(4), 2018, pp.746-765.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
This study investigates gender differences in trajectories of support from close relationships among adults in the transition from middle to old age, taking into account stability and change in the identity of the closest persons. Multi-level modelling was used to estimate gendered age-trajectories in three dimensions of support: emotional support, practical support and negative encounters, which were repeatedly measured over ten years amongst 6,718 Whitehall II participants. Men were more likely than women to nominate their partner as their closest person throughout follow-up; whereas women drew support from a wider range of sources. Gender differences were only evident in age-related trajectories of emotional support, and were contingent on stability and change in the closest relationships. Men reported increased emotional support from closest relationships with age, except for those who transitioned out of a partnership. For women, emotional support was stable among those whose closest person remained consistent, but decreased among those who changed their closest person. Further, emotional support increased with age for all married men, which was only the case for married women who nominated their partner as their closest person. Our analysis highlights gender-specific trajectories of perceived support from adults’ closest relationships in late life, and indicate more pronounced socio-emotional selectivity in older men than women. (Publisher abstract)
Perceived social support and mental health states in a clinic-based sample of older HIV positive adults
- Authors:
- KAPADIA Farzana, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of HIV/AIDS and Social Services, 15(4), 2016, pp.417-427.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Despite a high prevalence of mental health problems in older, HIV+ adults (aged ≥ 50), few studies have examined the relationship between perceived social support and mental health burdens in this group. In a clinic-based sample of 100 adults, 23% and 29% met criteria for one and more than one mental health burden, respectively. In multivariable binary logistic models, perceived receipt of positive and emotional social support as well as overall support was inversely associated with the presence of mental health burdens. There is a need for additional investigation of how social support can help mitigate mental health burdens among HIV+ older adults. (Publisher abstract)
Food activities and identity maintenance in old age: a systematic review and meta-synthesis
- Authors:
- PLASTOW Nicola Ann, ATWAL Anita, GILHOOLY Mary
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 19(8), 2015, pp.667-678.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Objectives: Services provided to older people should be developed based on active ageing policies. Nutrition is one aspect of active ageing, but little is known about how food activities contribute to psychological well-being in later life. This is a systematic review of qualitative and quantitative research that answers the question ‘What is known about the relationship between food activities and the maintenance of identities in old age?’. Methods: The authors followed the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines and used quality assessment parameters to complete a systematic review and narrative synthesis. Academic Search Premier, MEDLINE, CINAHL Plus, and PsycINFO databases were searched. Results: 8016 articles were initially identified, of which 167 full-text articles were screened for inclusion. Twenty-two articles were included in the review. There was moderate evidence from nine qualitative and two quantitative studies, of variable quality, that food activities contribute to the maintenance of women's gendered identities, the ethnic identities of men and women, and community identities. There was moderate evidence from 10 qualitative studies, of variable quality, that a change in food choice and deteriorating health changed food activity participation. These changes threatened identities. Most studies included both younger adults and older adults. Conclusion: In later life, there are many life experiences leading to change. Further research is needed to develop understanding of how identity and mental well-being are maintained, despite changes in everyday activities like cooking and eating. This may enable health care professionals to meet psychological needs alongside biological needs during nutritional interventions. (Edited publisher abstract)
Time since birth and time left to live: opposing forces in constructing psychological wellbeing
- Authors:
- DEMIRAY Burcu, BLUCK Susan
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 34(7), 2014, pp.1193-1218.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
Ageing, by definition, involves moving across lived time. Grounded in developmental psychology, particularly lifespan developmental theory, this study examines two time-related factors that may affect psychological wellbeing in adulthood. Particularly, chronological age and perceived time left to live (i.e. future time perspective) are predicted to act as opposing forces in the construction of psychological wellbeing. Young (N = 285, 19–29 years) and middle-aged adults (N = 135, 47–64 years) self-reported their current psychological wellbeing (across six dimensions) and their sense of future time perspective. As predicted, mediation analyses show that higher levels of chronological age (being in midlife), and having a more open-ended, positive future time perspective are both related to higher psychological wellbeing. Note, however, that being in midlife is related to a more limited and negative future time perspective. As such, confirming our conceptual argument, while both age and future perspective are measures of time in a general sense, analyses show that they act as unique, opposing forces in the construction of psychological wellbeing. The current research suggests that individuals can optimise psychological wellbeing to the extent that they maintain an open-ended and positive sense of the future. (Publisher abstract)