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‘It gives you more to life, it's something new every day’: an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of wellbeing in older care home residents who keep a personal pet
- Authors:
- FREEDMAN Shoshanna, PARAMOVA Petia, SENIOR Victoria
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 41(9), 2021, pp.1961-1983.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
There is a substantial amount of literature that suggests that animals, and specifically animals kept as pets, can have a positive effect on wellbeing. Research exploring the impact of animals on wellbeing in care homes mainly concerns visiting animals as well as shared communal pets. In light of the lack of research regarding personal pets in care homes, the aim of this study was to explore what the experience of keeping a personal pet in a care home means for residents’ sense of wellbeing. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven care home residents who were currently living with their pet in a care home. Interviews were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Analysis revealed four master themes deemed to be relevant to participants’ wellbeing. these were: ‘sense of self and identity’, ‘responsibility and ownership’, ‘motivation and desire to live’ and ‘feeling content in the care home’. The analysis indicated that living with a personal pet in a care home has the potential to enhance residents’ wellbeing. At the same time, it also found that the benefits of keeping a personal pet may be dependent on specific circumstances, such as the attitudes of staff and fellow residents at the care home. This study indicates that it may be advisable for more care homes to accept personal pets. (Edited publisher abstract)
A point of connection? Wellbeing, the veteran identity and older adults
- Authors:
- BREWSTER Liz, MCWADE Brigit, CLARK Samuel J. A.
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 41(9), 2021, pp.1984-2005.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
Maintaining good wellbeing in older age is seen to have a positive effect on health, including cognitive and physiological functioning. This paper explores experiences of wellbeing in a particular older adult community: those who have served in the military. It aims to identify the specific challenges that ex-service personnel may have, reporting findings from a qualitative study focused on how older veterans told stories of military service and what these stories revealed about wellbeing. We used a qualitative approach; data are drawn from 30 individual interviews, and from engagement with veterans in workshops. Analysis was conducted using a data-driven constant comparison approach. Three themes are presented: how loneliness affects older adult veterans; how they draw on fictive kinship; and the role of military visual culture. Although participants had diverse experiences of military service, they felt that being a veteran connected them to a community that went beyond association with specific experiences. Using narratives of military experience to connect, both in telling stories and by stories being listened to, was vital. As veterans, older adults were able to access each other as a resource for listening and sharing. However, it was also exclusionary: civilians, because they lacked military service experience, could not empathise and be used as a resource. (Edited publisher abstract)
Older and more mindful? Age differences in mindfulness components and well-being
- Authors:
- MAHLO Leeann, WINDSOR Tim D.
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 25(7), 2021, pp.1320-1331.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Objectives: Empirical research on the processes through which mindfulness affects well-being is in its infancy. Furthermore, few studies have considered the positive effects of mindfulness on psychological functioning from a lifespan perspective. The present study aimed to examine the role of age in moderating associations of mindfulness components with well-being in the context of a proposed model of mindfulness. Methods: A community-based sample of 623 participants aged between 18 and 86 years (M = 48.78, SD = 16.74) was recruited via an internet-based research platform. Participants completed questionnaire measures of mindful characteristics (i.e. present-moment attention, nonjudgment, interoception, acceptance, nonattachment, and decentering), flexible goal adjustment, and well-being. Results: Parallel mediation analyses showed that both present-moment attention and nonjudgment provided significant pathways to (a) flexible goal adjustment through nonattachment and decentering; and (b) well-being through acceptance, nonattachment, and decentering. Furthermore, present-moment attention, nonjudgment, acceptance, nonattachment, and decentering were all positively associated with age. Conditional process analyses revealed that the direct relationships between (1) present-moment attention and well-being, (2) nonjudgment and well-being, and (3) decentering and flexible goal adjustment became stronger with age and were significant for adults from around 40 years of age and older. Conclusions: The findings suggest that the tendency to focus on the present-moment and adopt a nonjudgmental orientation may become especially important for well-being with advancing age, and the ability to appreciate the transitory nature of personal experiences may be particularly important for flexible employment of both goal disengagement and reengagement strategies across the second half of life. (Edited publisher abstract)
Instruments to evaluate mental well-being in old age: a systematic review
- Authors:
- MARTIN-MARIA Natalia, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 25(7), 2021, pp.1191-1205.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Objective: The aim of this study is to identify and appraise existing instruments to evaluate mental well-being in old age. Method: Systematic literature searches in PubMed, PsycINFO, ProQuest Research Library, AgeLine and CINAHL databases were performed. The COnsensus‐based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) guideline was used to assess the measurement properties, reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement. For each measurement property, results were classified as positive, negative or indeterminate. The quality level of evidence was rated as high, moderate, low or very low following the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Results: A total of 28 instruments were found. Most instruments evaluated different dimensions of mental well-being, including various subscales. The quality was adequate overall. Six instruments showed high quality (Perceived Well-Being Scale-PWB, Salamon-Conte Life Satisfaction in the Elderly Scale-SCLSES, Herth Hope Scale-HHS, Life Satisfaction Index Third Age-LSITA, Meaning in Life Scale-MLS, and SODdisfazione dell’Anziano-SODA), and other six a moderate level (Scale of Happiness of the Memorial University of Newfoundland-MUNSH, Six Scales of Psychological Well-Being-PWBS, Valuation Of Life-VOL, Life Satisfaction Scale for Chinese Elders-LSS-C, Meaningful Activity Participation Assessment-MAPA and Will To Life-WTL). Conclusion: This review provides the first comprehensive synthesis of instruments assessing mental well-being in older populations. The PWB, SCLSES, HHS, LSITA, MLS and SODA were the most appropriated instruments. An instrument that specifically measures mental well-being in the oldest old age group (aged 80 plus) and that considers its multidimensional nature is needed. (Edited publisher abstract)
Carers and physical activity: a study of the barriers, motivations and experiences of unpaid carers aged 55 and over in England
- Author:
- CARERS UK
- Publisher:
- Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2021
- Pagination:
- 32
- Place of publication:
- London
This report looks at ways to support carers over the age of 55 in England to take part in more physical activity, to both reduce loneliness and improve their wellbeing. The research examines the barriers for carers in being active, and shares best practice examples and recommendations to make physical activity more accessible to reduce the health inequalities carers face. This mixed methods research project included a quantitative phase consisting of analysis of over 2,000 responses to the State of Caring 2019 survey as well as a qualitative phase including focus groups and interviews with 37 participants. This was followed by a pilot project, testing the ideas from the research with 27 participants. Key findings include: carers aged over 55 are less active than other adults aged over 55; three quarters (76%) of carers aged over 55 do not feel that they are able to do as much physical exercise as they’d like to do; carers are more likely to be inactive (46% of carers compared with 33% of all adults); carers are much less likely to be active (14% of carers compared with 54% of all adults); carers are much less likely to be active. The biggest barriers to physical activity are: not having the time to take part in physical activity (88%); not being motivated (71%); not being able to afford the costs (67%); not having anyone to go with (59%). For active carers, a pattern of being active leads to an increase in life satisfaction, happiness, feelings of worthwhile; and to a decrease in anxiety. (Edited publisher abstract)
Linking service quality attributes to meaning-in-life outcomes for residents who have transitioned to an assisted living community
- Authors:
- MEJIA Cynthia, SEVERT Denver
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 64(2), 2021, pp.151-174.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
The growing number of persons aged 65 and older, combined with their greater reliance on care outside the family unit, has contributed to the rapid growth of older people residing in assisted living (AL) communities. Given the increased attention paid to service standards in older adults’ housing models, this qualitative study was conducted in AL to generate residents’ perspectives on service and meaning-in-life outcomes. Utilizing the attributes of service quality through a transition theory lens, the data revealed empathy and responsiveness as most essential to the perceptions of service and meaning-in-life among residents. Theoretical results from this study suggest that linking current service theory to meaning-in-life outcomes would be of benefit to AL service standards research. Practical application of the research outcomes revealed how appropriate personalized attention provided in a timely manner to residents is critical to their well-being, and to their successful transition to AL. (Edited publisher abstract)
Benefits of volunteering on psychological well-being in older adulthood: evidence from a randomized controlled trial
- Authors:
- JIANG Da, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 25(4), 2021, pp.641-649.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Objectives: Long-term volunteering has been associated with better physical, mental, and cognitive health in correlational studies. Few studies, however, have examined the longitudinal benefits of volunteering with randomized experimental designs (e.g., intervention studies). Even fewer studies have examined whether such benefits can be shown after short-term volunteering. To fill this gap, we conducted four 1-hour volunteering intervention sessions to promote volunteering among a group of older adults with limited volunteering experience and examined the impact of volunteering on depressive symptoms, meaning in life, general self-efficacy, and perceived autonomy. Methods: A total of 384 participants aged 50–96 years were assigned at random to either an intervention group to promote volunteering behaviors or an active control group to promote physical activity. The participants’ monthly volunteering minutes, depressive symptoms, meaning in life, general self-efficacy and perceived autonomy were measured at baseline and six weeks, three months, and six months after the intervention. Results: Being in the volunteering intervention condition was not directly associated with depressive symptoms, meaning in life, general self-efficacy, or perceived autonomy at the 6-week, 3-month, or 6-month follow-ups after the intervention. However, there was an indirect effect of the intervention on depressive symptoms: participants in the intervention group, who had increased their volunteering at the 3-month follow-up, reported fewer depressive symptoms at the 6-month follow-up. Discussion: Our randomized controlled trial suggests that short-term volunteering does not reliably lead to short-term changes in psychosocial health measures as correlational studies would suggest. Efforts need to be made to encourage older adults to maintain long-term volunteering. (Edited publisher abstract)
Formal versus informal volunteering and wellbeing: does volunteering type matter for older adults?
- Author:
- RUSSELL Allison R.
- Journal article citation:
- Voluntary Sector Review, 11(3), 2020, pp.317-336.
- Publisher:
- Policy Press
- Place of publication:
- Bristol
Although the literature on volunteering and wellbeing among older adults is extensive, it tends to focus on this relationship within spaces of formal volunteering, such as non-profit organisations. However, informal volunteering and other forms of civic engagement may also promote improved wellbeing outcomes for this age group; likewise, these behaviours may be linked to the practice of formal volunteering with an organisation. Drawing on data from the Delaware subsample of the Successful Aging Survey, this article examines whether differences in volunteer engagement influence the relationship between volunteering and wellbeing outcomes among older adults. (Edited publisher abstract)
Elderly volunteering and psychological well-being
- Author:
- HO Hua-Chin
- Journal article citation:
- International Social Work, 60(4), 2017, pp.1028-1038.
- Publisher:
- Sage
This study was designed to construct a model based on the concept of psychological well-being, in order to verify the relationship between Taiwanese elderly volunteering and their psychological well-being. Research data were collected via a questionnaire administered to the target population of this study, senior residents of Pingtung County aged 65 or more. The data were then tested and verified by confirmative factor analysis and structural equation modelling. The overall model showed higher levels of psychological well-being for the elderly who participated in volunteer work than those who did not, which again confirmed the positive relation between volunteer work and psychological well-being. (Edited publisher abstract)
The will-to-live scale: development, validation, and significance for elderly people
- Author:
- CARMEL Sara
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 21(3), 2017, pp.289-296.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Objectives: In old age, the will-to-live (WTL) is one of the most important indicators of subjective well-being (SWB). However, few studies to date have focused on WTL. In these studies, WTL has mainly been evaluated via indirect questions concerning factors that may influence peoples’ WTL, or by measures directed to patients with specific diseases. The current study describes the development and psychometric properties of a new WTL scale. Method: The five-item WTL scale was developed on the basis of previous qualitative and quantitative research, and was evaluated in a longitudinal study of a random sample of 868 adults, aged 75+. Results: Confirmatory factor analytic (CFA) models were computed showing that each of the five items contributed significantly to measurement of a single WTL latent factor. Goodness-of-fit statistics were in ideal parameters for these CFA models at each point of data collection. Moreover, temporal analyses indicated that the relative contribution to measurement for each item was equivalent across time, attesting to reliability of measurement and the construct validity of WTL measurement. Concurrent validity was supported by significant positive correlations between WTL and life satisfaction, happiness, self-rated health, morale, self-rated aging, and, as expected, by inverse associations of WTL with depression and loneliness. Conclusion: The results of these analyses indicate that the WTL scale is a valid and reliable instrument. Considering the importance of the WTL concept in late life, and the psychometric properties of the WTL scale, the authors recommend it for use in research and practice related to older adults’ SWB and end-of-life care. (Edited publisher abstract)