Review
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Lena Dahlberg, Kevin J. McKee, Amanda Frank, Mahwish Naseer
Summary: This systematic review aimed to identify longitudinal studies of risk factors for loneliness in older adults. The study found strong evidence for relatively few risk factors, such as not being married/partnered, limited social network, low social activity, poor self-perceived health, and depression. Future research should explore longitudinal risk factors for emotional and social loneliness.
AGING & MENTAL HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Siyun Peng, Adam R. Roth
Summary: This study examined the changes in social isolation, physical isolation, digital isolation, and loneliness among U.S. adults older than 50 during the lockdown. The results showed an increase in physical and social isolation, but no change in digital isolation or loneliness.
JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES B-PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Psychology, Clinical
Yingying Su, Wenwang Rao, Muzi Li, Gabriel Caron, Carl D'Arcy, Xiangfei Meng
Summary: This systematic review and meta-analysis provides estimates of the prevalence of social isolation and loneliness among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and other pandemics in the last two decades. The results show that the prevalence of loneliness and social isolation among older adults significantly increases with the duration of the pandemic. This highlights the need for longitudinal studies to examine the long-term impact of pandemics on loneliness and social isolation among older populations, and suggests the importance of proactive measures to address the psychological needs of older adults in healthcare systems.
INTERNATIONAL PSYCHOGERIATRICS
(2023)
Article
Gerontology
Namkee G. Choi, Diana M. DiNitto, C. Nathan Marti, Bryan Y. Choi
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of telehealth, particularly among individuals aged 70 and above. While older age and lower income were negatively associated with telehealth use before considering technology-enabling factors, the presence of ICT devices and internet access became significant factors in facilitating telehealth usage among older adults.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED GERONTOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Gerontology
Silke F. Metzelthin, Tine Rostgaard, Matthew Parsons, Elissa Burton
Summary: With an ageing society, the demand for health and social care is increasing. Reablement aims to support people to manage their everyday life as independently as possible. However, there is considerable variation in the conceptual understanding of reablement between and within countries, which hinders the development of robust evidence. A Delphi study was conducted to reach agreement on the characteristics, components, aims, and target groups of reablement, leading to an internationally accepted definition. The study resulted in an agreed definition and is a significant step towards providing conceptual clarity about reablement.
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Andres Losada-Baltar, Jose Angel Martinez-Huertas, Lucia Jimenez-Gonzalo, Maria del Sequeros Pedroso-Chaparro, Laura Gallego-Alberto, Jose Fernandes-Pires, Maria Marquez-Gonzalez
Summary: The study found that age is an important predictor of psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic, with older adults reporting less distress. Additionally, negative self-perceptions of aging may put individuals at a higher risk of experiencing loneliness and psychological distress during times of crisis.
JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES B-PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
John R. Beard, Yafei Si, Zhixin Liu, Lynn Chenoweth, Katja Hanewald
Summary: The study examines the structure of intrinsic capacity in the Chinese elderly population, showing that it consists of five subfactors and can effectively predict declining performance in daily activities. This assessment method provides valuable information beyond traditional factors like age, sex, and education level, demonstrating strong reliability.
JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES A-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND MEDICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Mayra Tisminetzky, Christopher Delude, Tara Hebert, Catherine Carr, Robert J. Goldberg, Jerry H. Gurwitz
Summary: Various patient demographic and clinical characteristics have been associated with poor outcomes for individuals with COVID-19. Older adults and patients with chronic conditions have a higher case fatality rate. Additionally, individuals with chronic conditions have an increased risk of dying across different age groups.
JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES A-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND MEDICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Howard Litwin, Michal Levinsky
Summary: The study found that face-to-face social network contact significantly reduced negative mental health changes, while electronic contact increased them. Age interactions were insignificant, and country differences were observed.
AGING & MENTAL HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Gerontology
Josefine Atzendorf, Stefan Gruber
Summary: The study found that epidemic control measures can have negative impacts on the mental well-being of older adults, especially in the medium-term after the first wave of the pandemic. Macro-indicators influence increased feelings of sadness/depression, while individual factors are crucial in explaining increased feelings of loneliness. Models with interaction terms show that macro-indicators have negative consequences on well-being, particularly for the oldest participants in the survey.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF AGEING
(2022)
Article
Gerontology
T. Muhammad, Shobhit Srivastava
Summary: Despite the adverse impact of old age on their health, vulnerable older adults tend to live with their adult children in a shared living arrangement. The study finds that rotational living arrangement in later ages can lead to lower psychological health, lower subjective well-being, and poor self-rated health among older adults. The attention must be paid to promote effective co-residence in old age with adult children without affecting their health through policies and financial incentives. Adult children taking care of their older parents should be provided more assistance to ease their increased responsibility for caregiving.
JOURNAL OF POPULATION AGEING
(2022)
Review
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Kristie Rebecca Weir, Nagham J. Ailabouni, Carl R. Schneider, Sarah N. Hilmer, Emily Reeve
Summary: Harmful and unnecessary medication use in older adults is common, indicating a lack of deprescribing. This study aimed to understand patients' attitudes towards deprescribing through the analysis of the PATD questionnaire and its variations. The findings showed that the majority of participants were willing to stop taking medication, which could potentially increase the adoption of deprescribing recommendations in clinical practice.
JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES A-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND MEDICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Galit Nimrod
Summary: This study examines the technostress levels and individual and contextual factors among older ICT users. The findings show that poor health, shorter years of use, fewer hours of use per week, and smaller use repertoire predict higher technostress levels. The technostress level in 2020 is significantly higher than that in 2016, which can be explained by the COVID-19-related Hostile World Scenario.
AGING & MENTAL HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Samantha M. Loi, Anita M. Y. Goh, Ramon Mocellin, Charles B. Malpas, Shaun Parker, Dhamidhu Eratne, Sarah Farrand, Wendy Kelso, Andrew Evans, Mark Walterfang, Dennis Velakoulis
Summary: This study identified predictors of delay to diagnosis in people with younger-onset dementia (YOD) and found that younger age at onset, dementia type other than Alzheimer's disease (AD) and behavioral-variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), and increased number of services consulted were significant predictors of diagnostic delay. Additionally, the study showed that a specialist YOD service can reduce time to diagnosis, highlighting the importance of such service in reducing diagnostic delay and providing post-diagnostic support.
INTERNATIONAL PSYCHOGERIATRICS
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Geoffrey J. Hoffman, Preeti N. Malani, Erica Solway, Matthias Kirch, Dianne C. Singer, Jeffrey T. Kullgren
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to worsened physical function and increased risk of falls, particularly impacting older individuals with reduced physical activity and social isolation. Public health interventions to address decreased physical activity and social isolation among older adults are crucial.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Eun Young Choi, Mateo P. Farina, Qiao Wu, Jennifer Ailshire
Summary: The study found that cancelling or postponing social activities and avoiding close contact with cohabitants are associated with higher levels of loneliness among older adults. Limiting close contact with coresidents increases the probability of loneliness more for males, non-Hispanic Whites, and those with higher levels of education and income.
JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES B-PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Paul A. Strutt, Carly J. Johnco, Jessamine Chen, Courtney Muir, Olivia Maurice, Piers Dawes, Joyce Siette, Cintia Botelho Dias, Heidi Hillebrandt, Viviana M. Wuthrich
Summary: This study found that during the COVID-19 lockdown, one-third of older adults experienced depression, and one in five experienced anxiety and/or psychological distress. Additionally, specific emotion regulation strategies, better social and family engagement, and new technology use were associated with better emotional health and quality of life.
CLINICAL GERONTOLOGIST
(2022)
Review
Gerontology
Andrea Gilmore-Bykovskyi, Raina Croff, Crystal M. Glover, Jonathan D. Jackson, Jason Resendez, Adriana Perez, Megan Zuelsdorff, Gina Green-Harris, Jennifer J. Manly
Summary: Significant advancements in reducing racial and ethnic inequities in chronic diseases of aging are unlikely without better inclusion of minoritized populations in aging research. Current studies mostly focus on individual-level factors and behavior, neglecting the impact of study design, structural factors, and social determinants of health on participation. This article examines the factors driving health inequities in aging and disparate participation in aging research among minoritized populations and proposes frameworks to foster equitable inclusion.
Article
Gerontology
Atsushi Nakagomi, Koichiro Shiba, Katsunori Kondo, Ichiro Kawachi
Summary: Evidence on the association between internet usage and depression incidence remains mixed. However, this study found that online communication with friends and family has a protective effect in preventing clinical depression, particularly during the COVID-19 crisis.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED GERONTOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Rosanne Freak-Poli, Joanne Ryan, Thach Tran, Alice Owen, Joanna McHugh Power, Michael Berk, Nigel Stocks, David Gonzalez-Chica, Judy A. Lowthian, Jane Fisher, Julie Byles
Summary: This study found that social isolation, social support, and loneliness have independent associations with health-related quality of life (HRQoL), with loneliness showing the strongest negative impact. Women with high social support and not feeling lonely had the best HRQoL outcomes.
AGING & MENTAL HEALTH
(2022)
