Psychological and physical dimensions explaining life satisfaction among the elderly: a structural model examination

Life Satisfaction, Perception of Loneliness and Death Anxiety of Older Adults Living in Container Cities After the 2023 Kahramanmaraş Earthquakes

After the earthquakes in Kahramanmaraş, Turkey, thousands of people started to live in container cities. Determining the life satisfaction levels of older adults living in these cities and investigating the factors that may be effective are of vital importance for individuals. 274 older adults living in container cities in Kahramanmaraş city constituted the sample of this study. Results show that the life satisfaction levels of earthquake victims older adults living in the container city are at a medium level. Additionally, both perceptions of loneliness and death anxiety had a negative relationship with life satisfaction.

Multiple geriatric syndromes in community-dwelling older adults in China

This study aims to assess the prevalence of geriatric syndromes and identify factors associated with multiple geriatric syndromes in community-dwelling older adults in China. We utilized a convenience sampling method to recruit older adults and from one rural and one urban community in Chengdu, China, from October 2022 to March 2023. A total of 706 older adults aged 60 years or older were included. Ten geriatric syndromes were investigated including two mental disorders: depressive symptoms, cognitive impairment; and eight somatic disorders: pain, falls, sleep disturbance, constipation, polypharmacy, multimorbidity, malnutrition and frailty. Multiple geriatric syndromes were defined as an individual having two or more geriatric syndromes. The data obtained were analysed using descriptive statistics. The independent risk factors for multiple geriatric syndromes were assessed using a logistic regression model. This study found that 90.5% of the participants had at least one geriatric syndrome, with 72.8% experiencing multiple geriatric syndromes. The top four geriatric syndromes in our study were polypharmacy (58.5%), malnutrition/at risk of malnutrition (43.1%), multimorbidity (42.1%), and frailty/prefrailty (34.3%). Of the older adults, 368(52.1%) had only somatic disorders, 18(2.5%) had only mental disorders and 253 (35.8%) had somatic-mental disorders. According to the logistic regression analysis, residence, age, marriage, BMI, and self-related health were significantly associated with multiple geriatric syndromes among older adults. This study highlights that multiple geriatric syndromes are prevalent among community-dwelling older adults in China, and underscores the significance of certain demographic factors in their occurrence. Future longitudinal studies are needed to establish the temporal relationship between multiple geriatric syndromes and these demographic factors, as well as to explore causal relationships and effective prevention strategies for geriatric syndrome.

Gender differences in the association between physical frailty and life satisfaction among older adults in India

BACKGROUND

One of the sustainable development goals' (SDGs) primary goals (Goal 3) is to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for persons of all ages. While extensive literature documents the link between physical frailty and low life satisfaction (LLS) among older adults, research of this nature is limited within low and middle-income countries including India. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between physical frailty and life satisfaction among community-dwelling older men and women in India.

METHODS

Data come from the 2017-18 wave 1 of the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI), with a sample of 30 390 individuals aged 60 and above (14 559 men and 15 831 women). Physical frailty was assessed using an adapted version of the frailty phenotype developed by Fried and colleagues. Ordered logistic regression models are employed to examine the association between physical frailty and life satisfaction.

RESULTS

The prevalence of frailty was higher in older women than men (32.2% vs. 27.5%). Nearly 30.4% of men and 33.8% of women reported having LLS. However, after adjusting for the selected confounders, women were less likely (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.92; CI: 0.87-0.97) to report LLS compared to men. The physically frail older adults were more likely (aOR: 1.40; CI: 1.27-1.55) to report LLS relative to their physically stronger counterparts. Moreover, we found that frail older men had higher odds of reporting LLS than non-frail older men (aOR: 1.25; CI: 1.09-1.43). Also, non-frail older women had lower odds of reporting LLS than non-frail older men (aOR: 0.80; CI: 0.67-0.95).

CONCLUSIONS

Findings of our study suggest that policies and programs to address later life well-being need to consider gender differences. Doing so would not only help identify older adults most at risk of LLS, but gender differentiated policies would help streamline health expenditures and costs typically relegated to assist all older adults without proper focus on the uniqueness of their social location.

Reciprocal Effects between Sleep Quality and Life Satisfaction in Older Adults: The Mediating Role of Health Status

OBJECTIVES

to examine the causal relationship between sleep quality and life satisfaction and explore the mediating role of health status on the relationship between sleep quality and life satisfaction.

METHODS

A total of 1856 older Chinese people participating in 2011, 2014, and 2018 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) were included. A cross-lagged panel analysis (CLPA) combined with mediator analysis was utilized.

RESULTS

The average sleep quality levels for the years 2011, 2014, and 2018 were 3.70, 3.63, and 3.47 out of 5, respectively. The corresponding average levels of health status were 3.47, 3.44, and 3.39 out of 5, and the average levels of life satisfaction were 3.75, 3.86, and 3.87 out of 5, respectively. In addition, sleep quality at prior assessment points was significantly associated with life quality at subsequent assessments, and vice versa. Also, health status partially mediated this prospective reciprocal relationship.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a nonlinear decreased trend in sleep quality and health status, while there exists a nonlinear increased trend in life satisfaction for older adults from 2011 to 2018. Reciprocal positive effects between sleep quality and life satisfaction in older adults exist and are mediated by health status.

Living arrangement of Indian elderly: a predominant predictor of their level of life satisfaction

OBJECTIVE

This article aims to examine the level of life satisfaction (LS) among Indian older adults and to determine whether their living arrangement is one of the potential determinants of their level of LS.

METHODS

Data was drawn from the first and most recent wave of Longitudinal Ageing Study in India conducted in 2017-18. Using the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the level of LS was assessed for 30,370 elderly aged 60 + . Bivariate analysis was carried out to see the variation in the level of LS across elderlies with different socio-demographic characteristics. To investigate the association between LS and living arrangements and the selected socio-demographic factors multinomial logistic regression model was fitted.

RESULT

The findings reveal that 25.4% and 45.5% of the elderlies have reported having a low and high level of LS, respectively. Living alone was associated with low level of LS. Co-residing with a spouse was associated with a higher likelihood of reporting high level of LS. The study also found that having both spouse and children as coresident increases the likelihood of reporting high level of LS (RRR = 3.15, 95%CI = 2.3-4.28). Elderly with self-reported poor health, limitation in more than two activities of daily living and presence of depressive symptoms were significantly associated with reporting low level of LS. However, being diagnosed with more than three chronic illnesses was associated with high level of LS (RRR = 1.41, 95%CI = 1.25-1.59). Older adults with the following characteristics were more likely to report a lower level of LS: male, 60-64 years old, no or few years of schooling, unmarried, working, rural resident, living in a poor household, Scheduled Caste and Tribe.

CONCLUSION

The level of life satisfaction in Indian older adults is significantly associated with their living arrangements, thus suggesting that the LS of older adults could be facilitated through interventions that consider their living arrangements. Older adults with various personal and household characteristics were identified as vulnerable groups, who should be the prime targets of the existing welfare policies.

The Effects of Multidimensional Poverty on Life Satisfaction Among Older Adults in Hong Kong

Poverty indicators such as income-based poverty, material deprivation, asset-based poverty, and expenditure-based poverty each carries an aspect of economic deprivation. This current study examined and compared the unique effects of each poverty dimension on life satisfaction during old age. We measured four poverty indicators—life satisfaction, social resources, physical health, and mental well-being—in a three-wave sample of older Hong Kong adults ( N = 563). Panel data were fitted to a structural model that involved the constraints of the path coefficients (e.g., effects of poverty indicators on life satisfaction). The model results indicate that while material deprivation and asset-based poverty reduce life satisfaction, income-based poverty and expenditure-based poverty do not significantly shape life satisfaction. Based on these findings, we suggest implementing future-oriented interventions into policy agendas to promote current working adults’ financial preparation for retirement to reduce their risk of falling into asset-based poverty and thus material deprivation after retirement.

How socioeconomic status, social capital and functional independence are associated with subjective wellbeing among older Indian adults? A structural equation modeling analysis

Background

Subjective well-being (SWB) is of particular interest among gerontologists and health researchers with important implications for interventions especially in poor-resource settings. This study aimed to explore the possible pathways from socioeconomic status (SES), functional independence and social capital towards SWB among older adults in India.

Methods

Cross-sectional data from the “Building a Knowledge Base on Population Aging in India” (BKPAI) survey with a total sample of 9231 older adults aged 60 years and above were used. The outcome variable was low SWB (LSWB). The study used univariate and bivariate analysis for reporting the initial results. Further, the study employed the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique using maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) procedure to estimate the covariance matrix.

Results

Overall, about 27% of older adults reported LSWB. Reporting LSWB was more prevalent among older adults who had no income (30.8%) and those who had income but not sufficient to fulfil their basic needs (39.4%, p < 0.001). The prevalence of reporting LSWB was significantly higher among older adults who had no asset ownership (36.5%, p < 0.001) than those who had asset ownership. The path from the SEM shows that LSWB and SES are negatively related to each other. Moreover, LSWB had significant negative relationship with independence (β = -0.032, p < 0.001) and social capital (β = -0.020; p < 0.001). In addition, results found a positive relationship between SES and independence (β = 0.019; p < 0.001), SES and social capital (β = 0.016; p < 0.001), and independence and social capital (β = 0.033; p < 0.001).

Conclusions

The findings highlight that higher SES, good physical functioning as well as favorable social capital are interdependent factors of late-life wellbeing and a multidimensional approach in policymaking can ensure a successful and active ageing among older Indian adults.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-14215-4.

The mechanisms underlying the negative effect of depression on life satisfaction among the elderly: the roles of ostracism and economic income

OBJECTIVES

Depression is prevalent among older persons, which seriously threatens their life satisfaction. This study aimed to explore the internal mechanisms by which depression influences life satisfaction among the elderly, as well as the mediating and moderating effects of ostracism and economic income, respectively, in a sample of rural older adults across China.

DESIGN

This was a cross-sectional survey conducted as part of the project "Thousands of People and Hundreds of Villages (2019)."

SETTING

Participants were rural older adults from 31 provincial-level administrative units across China.

PARTICIPANTS

The sample composed of 1,754 participants aged 60 years and over.

MEASUREMENTS

Depression was assessed with the depression subscale of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales, life satisfaction with the Satisfaction with Life Scale, ostracism with the Ostracism Experience Scale (OES), and economic income and other control variables with related demographic scales. Moderation and mediation analyses were performed using the regression-based approach as conducted by Hayes ().

RESULTS

Depression negatively predicted life satisfaction among the elderly. Ostracism played a partially mediating role between depression and life satisfaction. Economic income moderated the effect of depression and ostracism on life satisfaction: High economic income weakened the negative effect of depression on life satisfaction and enhanced the negative effect of ostracism on life satisfaction.

CONCLUSION

Improving depressed elderly people's interpersonal relationships and financial support could improve their life satisfaction.

Spotlight on the Challenges of Depression following Retirement and Opportunities for Interventions

As a major life transition characterized by changes in social, behavioral, and psychological domains, retirement is associated with numerous risk factors that can contribute to the development of depression in later life. Understanding how these risk factors intersect with overall health and functioning can inform opportunities for mental health promotion during this transition. The objective of this review is to summarize the literature on risk and protective factors for depression during retirement transitions, discuss challenges related to appropriate management of depression in later life, and describe opportunities for prevention and intervention for depression relating to retirement transitions, both within and beyond the health care system. Key implications from this review are that 1) the relationship between depression and retirement is multifaceted; 2) while depression is a common health condition among older adults, this syndrome should not be considered a normative part of aging or of retirement specifically; 3) the existing mental health specialty workforce is insufficient to meet the depression management needs of the aging population, and 4) therefore, there is a need for interprofessional and multidisciplinary intervention efforts for preventing and managing depression among older adults. In sum, both healthcare providers, public health practitioners, and community organizations have meaningful opportunities for promoting the mental health of older adults during such major life transitions.

Development and Assessment of the Validity and Reliability of the Short-Form Life Satisfaction Index (LSI-SF) among the Elderly Population

Background: Elderly care should focus on not only prolonging life but also satisfaction with elderly life. Our study investigated the reliability and validity of the Short-Form Life Satisfaction Index (LSI-SF). Method: Data were drawn from the 2015 Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging. Internal consistency reliability was used to confirm that the items measured the targeted characteristics. Construct validity was established by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Criterion-related validity was examined with the WHO-5 Well-Being Index as an indicator of quality of life. Known-group validity was determined from the difference between frailty stage and quality of life. Results: The high consistency reliability supported the reliability of the LSI-SF. Rigorous CFA validated the construct validity of the LSI-SF. Perfect convergent and discriminant validity supported the validity of the LSI-SF. In addition, there was a significant correlation between the LSI-SF and the WHO-5 Well-Being Index. The LSI-SF appears to be a reliable measure of quality of life in the elderly. We found that frailty status was associated with lower life satisfaction, which supported the known-group validity. Life satisfaction was highest in the non-frailty stage and lowest in the frailty stage. Conclusions: The LSI-SF appears to be a valid and reliable measure of satisfaction with elderly life.

The Roles of Life Satisfaction and Community Recreational Facilities in the Relationship between Loneliness and Depression in Older Adults

OBJECTIVES

This study examined the mediating effect of life satisfaction and the moderating effect of the availability of community recreational facilities (CRF) in the association between loneliness and depression in rural older adults and urban older adults, respectively.

METHODS

Quantitative data collected from 7547 Chinese older adults were analyzed using the SPSS macro PROCESS to test a moderated mediation model with life satisfaction as the mediator and CRF availability and residency type (rural vs. urban) as moderators.

RESULTS

Loneliness negatively predicted life satisfaction, life satisfaction negatively predicted depression, and loneliness positively predicted depression. The interaction of loneliness and CRF availability had a significant effect on depression for urban older adults but not for rural older adults. The direct impact of loneliness on depression differed significantly between rural and urban older adults.

CONCLUSIONS

Life satisfaction mediated the association between loneliness and depression in both rural and urban older adults; CRF availability unexpectedly boosted the effect of loneliness on depression in urban older adults but not in rural older adults. Given the same level of loneliness, urban older adults were more likely to be depressed than rural older adults.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Psychogeriatric practitioners may embed life satisfaction into intervention programs to minimize depression among older adults. Public administrators should examine the utilization of public facilities to avoid wasted resources and counterproductive effects on older adults. Lonely urban older adults deserve special attention.

The mediating effect of life satisfaction and the moderated mediating effect of social support on the relationship between depression and suicidal behavior among older adults

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate the effect of depression on suicidal behavior among older adults and identify the mediating effect of life satisfaction on the relationship between depression and suicidal behavior. The moderated mediating effects of social support through life satisfaction were also verified in the relationship between depression and suicidal behavior among older adults.

METHODS

A total of 1375 people aged 65 years or older living in J city, South Korea, were recruited to complete a survey on depression, life satisfaction, suicidal behavior, and social support. Data were analyzed using SPSS24.0 and SPSS PROCESS Macro.

RESULTS

The results showed that the effect of depression on suicidal behavior was mediated by life satisfaction, and the effect of life satisfaction on suicidal behavior varied according to the level of social support. Moreover, depression negatively affected life satisfaction, increasing the risk of suicidal behavior, and social support decreased suicidal behavior. Finally, the mediating effect of depression leading to suicidal behavior through life satisfaction was moderated by social support.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that it is necessary not only to find interventions for older adults to increase their physical, mental, and socioeconomical satisfaction with life, but also to build social networks that increase social support for them.

Do opposite ends of same factors underlie life satisfaction vs. depressive symptoms among older people?

Background

Although depressive symptoms are more common among older than younger age groups, life satisfaction tends to remain stable over the life course, possibly because the underlying factors or processes differ.

Aim

To study whether the factors that increase the likelihood of high life satisfaction also decrease the likelihood of depressive symptoms among older people.

Methods

The data were a population-based probability sample drawn from community-dwelling people aged 75, 80, and 85 years (n = 1021). Participants’ life satisfaction was measured with the Satisfaction with Life Scale and depressive symptoms with the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Physical performance, perceived financial situation, executive functions, loneliness, self-acceptance, and having interests in one’s life were studied as explanatory variables. The data were analyzed using cross-sectional bivariate linear modeling.

Results

Better physical performance, not perceiving loneliness, having special interests in one’s life, and higher self-acceptance were associated with higher life satisfaction and fewer depressive symptoms. Better financial situation was related only to life satisfaction. Executive functions were not associated with either of the outcomes.

Discussion

The opposite ends of the same factors underlie positive and negative dimensions of mental well-being.

Conclusion

Further studies are warranted to better understand how people maintain life satisfaction with aging when many resources may diminish and depressive symptoms become more prevalent.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40520-020-01765-z.

The Scales of Psychological Well-Being - a validation, usability and test-retest study among community-dwelling older people in Finland

Objectives: To validate the Finnish version of the 42-item Scales of Psychological Well-Being among community-dwelling older people. The study also examined the test-retest reliability and usability, i.e. user experience, of the scales in this age group.Method: The 42-item version of the SPWB was administered as part of a face-to-face interview among 968 men and women aged 75, 80 or 85 years. The subsample for test-retest analyses comprised 42 participants, who in addition to 11 interviewers also answered questions concerning the usability of the scales. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, Cronbach's alpha coefficients, Pearson and intra-class correlation coefficients, and Kendal's Tau B were used in the analyses.Results: The factor analyses did not support the theory-based six-factor structure of the scales. The Cronbach's alphas showed high internal consistency reliability for the total scale, but modest for the subscales. The intercorrelations between the subscales were moderate. The total score and the subscale scores of the SPWB correlated positively with quality of life and life satisfaction, and negatively with depressive symptoms. The interviewers reported that while most of the participants responded to the scales without marked difficulties, others could only answer after clarifications of some statements.Discussion: The reliability of the 42-item version of the SPWB was modest. The factor structure was inconsistent among the three age groups studied, but the scales were feasible to use. The current results call for further methodological consideration to optimize assessment of eudaimonic well-being in old age.

Attitudes toward aging, social support and depression among older adults: Difference by urban and rural areas in China

BACKGROUND

The specific impacts of attitudes toward aging on depressive symptoms have not been widely reported in previous studies in China.

OBJECTIVES

The aim is to examine the associations between attitudes toward aging, perceived social support, and depressive symptoms among older adults stratified by rural and urban dwelling.

METHODS

This study used a cross-sectional data including 7209 participants, among which 64.6% were urban adults and 35.4% were rural adults. Several multiple liner regression models were used to analysis the data. Three social support types were analyzed as moderators of the relationship between the attitudes toward aging and depressive symptoms.

RESULTS

Positive attitudes toward aging (β=-0.139, P<0.001), negative attitudes toward aging (β=0.284, P<0.001) were significantly associated with lower depressive symptoms among older Chinese adults. Support from family (β=-0.087, P<0.001), friends (β=-0.047, P<0.01) and the government (β=-0.035, P<0.01) were all significantly associated with urban older adults' levels of depressive symptoms. Only family support (β=-0.109, P<0.001) was associated with lower depressive symptoms among rural older adults'. In addition, family support buffered the effect of negative attitudes toward aging on depressive symptoms for all the older adults, while the moderation effects of support from friends and government only worked for urban elderly.

LIMITATIONS

A cross-sectional design is limited to establish causal associations.

CONCLUSIONS

Addressing depression among older adults should focus on improving attitudes toward aging and expanding the availability of social support. Moreover, deeper reforms are needed to address inequalities between urban and rural areas in China.

Psychosocial Resources for Hedonic Balance, Life Satisfaction and Happiness in the Elderly: A Path Analysis

We explored possible paths from physical and mental health-related quality of life, self-efficacy, optimism, and social support to happiness in older adults, considering hedonic balance and life satisfaction as mediators. A total of 154 Spanish male and female (50%) older adults (65–96 years old, M = 77.44, SD = 8.03; 64% noninstitutionalized elderly) voluntarily participated in this correlational, cross-sectional study. The participants completed self-reports on their perceived health status, self-efficacy, social support, optimism, and global subjective well-being (SWB) as well as its dimensions. Path analysis was used to examine direct and indirect relationships. The final model had an excellent fit with the data (χ2(10) = 11.837, p = 0.296, χ2/df = 1.184; SRMR = 0.050, CFI = 0.994, RMSEA = 0.035), revealing the unique causal effects of all the included predictors on happiness. With the exception of self-efficacy, the psychosocial resources predicted older adults’ current happiness, and this relationship was fully mediated by hedonic balance and life satisfaction, which were found to be putative intermediary factors for SWB. Self-efficacy in turn predicted the remaining psychosocial resources. Our findings extend the existing evidence on the influences of health-related quality of life, self-efficacy, optimism, and social support on SWB. Furthermore, they support the proposal of hedonic balance and life satisfaction as dimensions of SWB, thus supporting the tripartite hierarchical model of happiness. These results may inform future interventions seeking to improve happiness in late adulthood.

Perceived Health and Life Satisfaction of Elderly People: Testing the Moderating Effects of Social Support, Attitudes Toward Aging, and Senior Privilege

As health declines with age, it is critical to explore moderators that could buffer the impact of declining health on life satisfaction of elderly people. This study aims to test the moderating effects of social support, attitudes toward aging, and senior privilege on the relationship between perceived health and life satisfaction among elderly people. The study used a sample of 5809 Chinese elderly people. Multiple regression analyses were performed to test the moderating effects of the study variables along with gender difference. The results show that social support and attitudes toward aging do not moderate the relationship between perceived health and life satisfaction; senior privilege however, amplifies the impact of perceived health on life satisfaction for female elderly people. The findings recommend personalized provision of senior privilege based on health status and types of diseases, rather than only based on age; and suggest tailored female-oriented social services such as psychological counseling and humanistic care.

Living arrangements and life satisfaction: mediation by social support and meaning in life

BACKGROUND

Living arrangements have impact on life satisfaction among older adults. However, the mechanism how it works has received less attention. This study aims to examine the mediating role of meaning in life and social support in the relationship between living arrangements and life satisfaction.

METHODS

A total of 215 older adults from nine nursing homes and three communities were included in this study. The Social Support Rating Scale, Meaning in Life Questionnaire and Life Satisfaction Index A were adopted. Data were analyzed with Hayes' s bias-corrected bootstrapping method.

RESULTS

Both social support and presence of meaning in life had positive correlations with life satisfaction (p<0.001), and they were significant mediators between living arrangements and life satisfaction (p<0.01).

CONCLUSION

To improve the life satisfaction of nursing home residents, more emphasis should be placed on encouraging residents to seek or maintain a meaningful life and creating a more positive climate of social support.

Informal care. European situation and approximation of a reality

INTRODUCTION

In European countries, the increasing of dependency affects individual, family-level and political aspects. The purpose is to analyse the effects on the health of informal carers living with a dependent person and the number of hours taken up by this care. Results between genders will be compared with other situations (time, energy commitments, influential socio-economic factors and differences among countries).

MATERIALS/METHODS

This research is a cross-sectional study analysing secondary data and is carried out as part of the European Social Survey (ESS), 2014/2015. A total of 32,992 participants aged over 25 years took part in the ESS. Using an empirical framework, we have selected a simple logit model (logit) and a logit model with a multilevel structure ranking by country of residence (Xtmelogit).

RESULTS

Being a carer is associated with a decrease in health indicators. Moreover, being a woman is related to an intense load of hours of care, no level of studies and living with difficulties. Living in southern or eastern European countries can also be considered a risk factor for carers. There are also important north-south political differences.

POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS

These results show the need to apply gender policies to reconcile and regulate the distribution of the income of economically more vulnerable families, as well as the provision of social services to help dependents.

Stress-related mental health and growth among first-time grandparents: The moderating role of family support

Grandparents play a significant role in modern society, often while struggling to juggle the expectations, demands, and commitments of career and family. The current study examined the unique and combined contribution of stress-related variables associated with multiple roles, such as work stress over commitment, economic stress, and grandchild care burden, to mental health and personal growth of first-time grandparents. The study also examined the role of family support as a moderator of these associations. One hundred ninety-seven first-time Israeli grandparents were asked to complete a series of self-report questionnaires. Higher levels of work-related stress were associated with lower mental health, whereas grandchild care burden was associated with higher personal growth. Self-mastery and family support contributed to the prediction of mental health. When family support was high, work commitment was positively related to mental health, and economic stress was positively related to personal growth. The findings point to the crucial role of family support in balancing and preserving resources that are important to the mental health of first-time grandparents, while enabling grandparents to be challenged and thrive through their stressors. Therapists who meet with first-time grandparents in the community should take these factors into account when assisting them in adjusting to their new role.

Subjective well-being key elements of Successful Aging: A study with Lifelong Learners older adults from Costa Rica and Spain

Subjective well-being is a major psychological construct in the research tradition. Along with literature, authors have distinguished between hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. The aim of this study is to determine the role of some psychosocial variables plays in the perceived well-being is conceived from a hedonic or a eudaimonic perspective. The sample consisted of 1016 people of 55 years and older in a Spanish sample and 277 people of 55 years old or older from a Costa Rican sample. Both samples were part of the Longitudinal Older Learners (LOL) study. A structural model with latent variables was estimated with Mplus. The results point out that, the traditional variables included on successful aging models are relevant for explaining older adults' well-being in both countries with some differences on the hedonic and eudaimonic approach of successful aging on the Latin cultural context studied.

Positive perception of aging is a key predictor of quality-of-life in aging people

OBJECTIVE

We conducted a cross-sectional survey in France in a cohort over 55 years of age to characterize the impact of psychological dimensions on quality-of-life (QoL).

METHODS

The predictors of QoL in relation with aging were studied using an adapted quality-of-life model, based on emotional, cognitive and physical symptoms, functional status, and general health perception. Adding psychological dimensions such as self-esteem, psychological distress, perceptions of ageing and coping, was hypothesized to improve the QoL model. Responses were analyzed using structural equation modeling and path analysis.

RESULTS

The study involved 258 participants, mean age 66.9±7.9 years. Psychological distress and positive perception of aging exhibited the strongest direct impact on QoL (p<0.0001). Psychological distress also appeared to be mediator on QoL for perceived health status, self-esteem and negative perception of aging. Coping centred on emotion exhibited direct impact on self-esteem and so, indirect impact on QoL (p = 0.0002). Perception of personal financial situation (p = 0.0007) and coping centred on social support (p = 0.02) appeared as direct mediators influencing QoL.

CONCLUSIONS

Psychological dimensions are predictors of QOL and have to be taken into account to maximize the resources with a view to successful aging. Further interventions targeting successful aging should focus on positive perception aging.

Exploring predictors of life satisfaction and happiness among Siberian older adults living in Tomsk Region

Despite the growing interest in studying factors affecting subjective well-being of older adults, little research has been conducted on vast territory of Siberia (Russia) with large population. To address this lack of evidence, we explored the relationship between subjective well-being and social aspects (social and emotional support, social network, and social activities), living conditions (standards of living and residence area), self-reported health, and demographic characteristics in older adults living in Tomsk Region, Siberia. Subjective well-being was measured by life satisfaction and happiness (each measured with one 11-point question). Sample included 489 community-dwelling respondents, aged 65 or older. We found that mean life satisfaction and happiness reported by our respondents were lower than those of European countries. Higher quality of social interaction, better standards of living, and being satisfied with own health were associated with higher life satisfaction and happiness. This study provides original data on a region barely investigated and suggests that Siberian older adults receive strong benefits from social support and from social network and that similar factors are related to subjective well-being both in Siberian and Eastern European older adults. Future studies should further explore the relationship between different kinds of social support (e.g., psychological vs. material support) and subjective well-being in different Siberian ethnic groups or regions.

Prevalence and Predictive Factors of Depression in Community-Dwelling Older Adults in South Korea

The aims of the study were to investigate the levels of depression and to identify the predictors of depression among older adults in 3 different environments based on their primary place of leisure time activity, including their homes, small community halls, and senior welfare centers. A convenience sample of 833 older adults participated in the study. Instruments for measuring functional independence, social support, life satisfaction, and depression were used. The data were analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multiple hierarchical regressions. The level of depression in older adults at home was significantly greater than the level of depression in those in both small community halls and senior welfare centers. Life satisfaction was the strongest negative predictor of depression in older adults both at home and in senior welfare centers, whereas employment status was the one in those in small community halls. Across the 3 groups, poor subjective health was the strongest positive predictor of depression. The levels of depression and predictors differed among the settings. Nurses should have a thorough understanding of these differences when planning effective strategies for managing depression in older adults.

Age-Friendly Communities and Life Satisfaction Among the Elderly in Urban China

This study aims to examine the extent to which older adults’ perceptions of environmental age-friendliness are associated with their life satisfaction. We used a national representative sample ( N = 9,965) with elders aged 60 and above from urban China and structural equation modeling to analyze the relationship among community characteristics, socioeconomic status (SES), and life satisfaction. Results showed that older people’s perceptions of housing conditions, local amenities, and social inclusion were significantly associated with general life satisfaction. Multigroup comparison tests indicated that no disparities in the aforementioned relationships among SES subgroups. However, the socioeconomically disadvantaged elderly population was shown to have the lowest assessment of community age-friendliness. Findings emphasized the potential role of age-friendly communities as having an influential force on older adults’ subjective well-being, regardless of their SES. Meanwhile, policy makers and practitioners should pay special attentions to improve the living environments of disadvantaged elders.

Factors Affecting Life Satisfaction of Older Adults in Turkey

This study aimed to examine the determinants of life satisfaction of older adults in Turkey. The sample consisted of 2,959 older adults over 65 years. The effects of psychological, daily life and instrumental activity, physical health and health status, and other important variables on life satisfaction were analyzed. The variables lessening life satisfaction for older adults included poverty, a lower self-reported health status, a decline in physical health, ability to chew, ability to do household activities, and an increase in feelings of depression and feeling social withdrawn. In contrast, being married, having a higher education level, and having an income-generating work increased life satisfaction among older adults. This study suggests the necessity of developing local and national policies that enable older adults to become more active in their communities. These policies should be coordinated under the framework of national aging policies that bridge health, social, and economic issues.

Poverty, deprivation and life satisfaction among Hong Kong older persons

This investigation examines the association of four measures of poverty (income-based, expenditure-based and asset-based poverty, and material deprivation) with life satisfaction. Perceived life satisfaction was measured among 1,410 older Chinese persons aged 65 and over. Besides life satisfaction and measures of poverty, the study assessed socio-demographic variables, financial strain, health indicators, and social and community resources. Those who faced expenditure-based poverty, material deprivation and asset-based poverty reported a significantly lower level of perceived life satisfaction, while the association between expenditure-based poverty and life satisfaction was found to be the strongest. Other factors that had an impact on life satisfaction included gender, education and marital status; financial strain; social support; the number of close family members and friends; self-rated health; functional capacity; perceived memory; pain; sleep quality; neighbourhood collective efficacy; and engagement in cultural and entertainment activities. From the theoretical perspective, the findings have strong implications for the understanding of the factors that shape the perception of quality of life in old age. Our results also have important policy implications for the official measurement of poverty, monitoring of the poverty situation and the development of anti-poverty measures to help older persons living in poverty to improve the quality of their lives.

The role of socio-economic status and neighborhood social capital on loneliness among older adults: evidence from the Sant Boi Aging Study

PURPOSE

The aim of the present study is to analyze the role of age in the association between socio-economic status (SES) and loneliness as well as the role of neighborhood social capital (NSC) in the association between individual social capital and loneliness.

METHODS

Data include a representative population-based sample from Sant Boi de Llobregat (a suburb of Barcelona) of 1124 adults aged 50 and over. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the survey data. Interactions between SES and age, and NSC and individual social capital were explored.

RESULTS

Among the poorest older adults, older individuals showed a lower likelihood of loneliness (OR 0.09, 95% CI 0.02, 0.30, p < 0.05) compared with the youngest cohort after adjusting for covariates, while among the richest individuals there were no significant differences among age cohorts. Individuals living in an area with high NSC and high individual social capital showed a lower likelihood of loneliness (OR 0.36, 95% CI 0.17, 0.73, p < 0.05) compared with those with low individual social capital after adjusting for covariates. The effect of individual social capital was not significant among individuals living in an area with low NSC.

CONCLUSION

Interventions focusing on low SES middle-aged (50-59 years old) individuals and those aiming to increase NSC could be effective strategies to reduce the prevalence of loneliness in older people.

Emotional intelligence in older adults: psychometric properties of the TMMS-24 and relationship with psychological well-being and life satisfaction

BACKGROUND

Aging is a process during which important changes occur in different areas of development and emotional intelligence plays an essential role. The objective of this study was twofold: first, to validate the TMMS-24 in an older population; and second, to examine the mediating role of life satisfaction in the relationship between emotional intelligence and psychological well-being.

METHODS

The sample consisted of 215 older adults (60.15% women) with a mean age of 69.56 (SD = 6.42), without cognitive impairment. Data on emotional intelligence, satisfaction with life, and psychological well-being were obtained through the TMMS-24, the SWLS, and Ryff's psychological well-being scales, respectively. Confirmatory factor analyses and structural equation modeling were conducted.

RESULTS

Confirmatory factor analyses confirmed the three-dimensional structure of the TMMS-24. The total scale showed an internal consistency of 0.90, ranging from 0.84 to 0.85 for the subscales. Structural equation modeling indicated that emotional intelligence exerted an influence on psychological well-being both directly and indirectly through life satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings show that the TMMS-24 has adequate psychometric properties for assessing emotional intelligence in elderly participants, and they indicate that emotional intelligence influences cognitive and affective judgments of life satisfaction, with these judgments of life satisfaction predicting psychological well-being.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis for the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support in a Sample of Early Retirees Enrolled in University Programs

OBJECTIVE

The aims of this study were twofold-first, to use confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to help assess which of the previously identified factor structures (identified through exploratory factor analysis) best fits a Spanish-language version of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and second, to validate the MSPSS (and its subscales) for use among early retirees.

METHODS

The psychometric properties of the MPSS were analyzed in a sample of 991 Spanish early retirees enrolled in university programs. Participants had an average age of 62.7 years (SD = 5.89). An exploratory factor analysis and second-order confirmatory factor analysis were developed to identify the factorial solution and the best model fit.

RESULTS

The three factors identified were MSPSS significant others, MSPSS friends, and MSPSS family. Regarding reliability and validity, internal consistency indices were above .92 and the correlation between perceived social support subscales and measures of satisfaction with life in retirement were significantly positive.

CONCLUSION

The Spanish language version of the MSPSS demonstrates acceptable psychometric properties in relation to internal structure and reliability, and all but one of the goodness-of-fit indices emerging from the CFA also supported this factor structure. The practical implications of the scale in different populations and the problems in relation to the three-factor solution and the index values obtained are discussed.

The association between death anxiety with spiritual experiences and life satisfaction in elderly people

Introduction

Death anxiety is a concept with greater importance among the elderly as they approach inevitability of death. Identifying the correlates of death anxiety among old people is important in order to reduce the burden of this problem. Therefore, the present study was performed with the aim to examine the association between spiritual experiences and life satisfaction with death anxiety in this stage of life.

Method

This cross-sectional study with descriptive-analytical design included 190 elderly people visiting the health and medical centers of Neyshabur city, Iran, during fall and winter, 2016. Participants were asked to complete three questionnaires including a 16-item spiritual experiences scale, life satisfaction index proposed by Wood and Shifor with 13 items, and a 27-item death anxiety scale developed by Aminpour. Analytical statistics (Spearman’s correlation coefficient, Pearson’s correlation coefficient) were conducted using SPSS software version 22.

Results

Fifty-eight percent of participants were in younger elderly age group with mean age of 68.18±7.13 years and the number of men and women was the same (95). A significant positive association between spiritual experiences and life satisfaction (r=0.2, p<0.05), a significant negative association between spiritual experiences and death anxiety (r=−0.184, p< 0.05) and a significant negative relationship between life satisfaction and death anxiety (r=−0.2, p<0.05) was found.

Conclusion

Based on results, it seems that reducing stressors in this stage of life including reduction of death anxiety, is possible through use of spiritual experiences and increasing life satisfaction.

Resilience and Coping as Predictors of Well-Being in Adults

Well-being is one of the keys to successful and optimal development across the lifespan. Based on the idea that development involves changes in individuals' adaptive capacity to meet their needs over time, the changes that occur in the second half of life require effort to adapt to the new reality. This study used a structural model to test the effects of coping strategies and resilience on well-being in a sample of 305 mid-life adults. Several constructs were measured: coping strategies, resilience, and well-being. A final model was obtained with good fit indices; psychological well-being was positively predicted by resilience and negatively by emotional coping. Moreover, positive reappraisal and avoidance form part of both coping strategies (problem-focused and emotion-focused). Considering the characteristics of the model, educational intervention programs could be developed to promote skills that favor good adaptation at this stage in the life cycle and contribute to promoting successful aging.

Sex differences in the association of physical function and cognitive function with life satisfaction in older age: The Rancho Bernardo Study

OBJECTIVES

This study examines the cross-sectional associations of cognitive and physical function with life satisfaction in middle-class, community-dwelling adults aged 60 and older.

STUDY DESIGN

Participants were 632 women and 410 men who had cognitive function tests (CFT) and physical function tasks (PFT) assessed at a clinic visit between 1988 and 1992, and who responded in 1992 to a mailed survey that included life satisfaction measures. Cognitive impairment was defined as ≤24 on MMSE, ≥132 on Trails B, ≤12 on Category Fluency, ≤13 on Buschke long-term recall, and ≤7 on Heaton immediate recall. Physical impairment was defined as participants' self-reported difficulty (yes/no) in performing 10 physical functions. Multiple linear regression examined associations between life satisfaction and impairment on ≥1 CFT or difficulty with ≥1 PFT.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS; range:0-26) and Life Satisfaction Index-Z (LSI-Z; range:5-35).

RESULTS

Participants' average age was 73.4 years (range=60-94). Categorically defined cognitive impairment was present in 40% of men and 47% of women. Additionally, 30% of men and 43% of women reported difficulty performing any PFT. Adjusting for age and impairment on ≥1 CFT, difficulty performing ≥1 PFT was associated with lower LSI-Z and SWLS scores in men (β=-1.73, -1.26, respectively, p<0.05) and women (β=-1.79, -1.93, respectively, p<0.01). However, impairment on ≥ 1 CFT was not associated with LSI-Z or SWLS score after adjusting for age and difficulty with ≥1 PFT.

CONCLUSIONS

Limited cognitive function was more common than limited physical function; however, limited physical function was more predictive of lower life satisfaction. Interventions to increase or maintain mobility among older adults may improve overall life satisfaction.

Exploring Life Satisfaction Among Older Adults in Dakar

Studies on correlates of subjective well-being of older adults are virtually non-existent in sub-Saharan Africa. Yet, understanding and improving the well-being of older adults should be a focal point of research and policy directed at this fast growing population. The aim of this study was to assess the links between socio-demographic factors, economic conditions, health, social relations, and the life satisfaction of older adults in Dakar. To this end, a survey was conducted on a sample of 500 dwellers of the Senegalese capital, aged 50 to 100, using the quota method for greater representativeness. Results revealed that with advancing age older adults expressed greater life satisfaction, and that older women were more satisfied than older men. As well, economic conditions were a main predictor of life satisfaction, along with good social relations. In contrast to findings with Western populations, neither self-rated health nor physical disabilities were associated with aging adults' life satisfaction. Findings suggest a number of avenues for future research.

Socio-economic position and subjective health and well-being among older people in Europe: a systematic narrative review

OBJECTIVES

Previous studies of older European populations have established that disability and morbidity vary with indicators of socio-economic position (SEP). We undertook a systematic narrative review of the literature to ascertain to what extent there is evidence of similar inequalities in the subjective health and well-being of older people in Europe.

METHOD

Relevant original research articles were searched for using Medline, Global Health, Embase, Social Policy and Practice, Cinahl, Web of Science and International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (IBSS). We included studies of SEP and indicators of subjective health and well-being (self-rated health; life satisfaction; quality of life) conducted since 1991 using population-based samples of older people in Europe and published 1995-2013.

RESULTS

A total of 71 studies were identified. Poorer SEP was associated with poorer subjective health and well-being. Associations varied somewhat depending on the SEP measure and subjective health and well-being outcome used. Associations were weaker when social support and health-related behaviours were adjusted for suggesting that these factors mediate the relationship between SEP and subjective health and well-being. Associations tended to be weaker in the oldest age groups. The patterns of associations by gender were not consistent and tended to diminish after adjusting for indicators of health and life circumstances.

CONCLUSION

The results of this systematic narrative review of the literature demonstrate the importance of social influences on later life subjective health and well-being and indicate areas which need further investigation, such as more studies from Eastern Europe, more longitudinal studies and more research on the role of mediating factors.

Associações entre significados de velhice e bem-estar subjetivo indicado por satisfação em idosos

Resumo Objetivos: Investigar os significados atribuídos por idosos aos conceitos de velhice saudável e de ser feliz na velhice, bem como as associações entre os significados e suas avaliações sobre satisfação global e referenciada a domínios. Método: Esta investigação foi realizada a partir dos dados de um estudo multicêntrico, de corte transversal. As emissões verbais provenientes de amostras representativas de idosos comunitários (N=1.242, com 65 anos e mais), registradas no banco de dados de duas cidades brasileiras, foram submetidas à análise de conteúdo e comparadas com indicadores de satisfação, considerando-se sexo, idade e renda familiar. Resultados: Quatro temas e 14 categorias explicaram os dois conceitos: saúde física e funcionalidade (42,1% das emissões), bem-estar psicológico (25,4%), relações interpessoais (23,5%) e recursos materiais e acesso a serviços de saúde (9,0%). Exceção feita à satisfação e prazer, não foram observadas diferenças quanto às razões de prevalência entre as categorias de significado e pontuação alta em satisfação global. Conclusão: Os dois conceitos suscitaram significados comuns associados a aspectos positivos da velhice e refletiram sobre as avaliações de satisfação, evidenciando que, envelhecer de forma saudável e feliz é mais do que ter saúde, pois envolve também bem-estar psicológico e relações interpessoais.

Socio-Demographic Variables and Successful Aging of the Angolan Elderly

The proportion of elderly people is growing faster than any other age group. Amongst them, the group of oldest old is indeed the segment of the elderly population with the fastest growth rate. The increase in the proportion of elderly in the Angolan population makes research on this area badly needed. Within the theoretical framework of successful aging, the study aims to test for sociodemographic group differences in perceived health, life satisfaction, and social relations in Angolan elderly. The dependent variables are three of the components of what has been called successful aging. Data came from a cross-sectional survey of elderly people living in Luanda. 1003 Angolan elderly were surveyed on sociodemographic information, perceived health, life satisfaction, and social support. MANOVAs were calculated to test for mean differences in the dependent variables. Results permit to conclude that the factors associated with the largest differences on the Angolan elderly's quality of life and social relations were age (becoming oldest old) and institutionalization. The interactions of several factors with age pointed out that the oldest old were clearly a group in which the decreased quality of life due to becoming oldest old could not be compensated by other factors, as it was the case in the group of young old.

Urban and rural factors associated with life satisfaction among older Chinese adults

OBJECTIVE

This study compared urban and rural factors associated with life satisfaction among older adults in mainland China.

METHOD

Study data were extracted at random from 10% of the Sample Survey on Aged Population in urban/rural China in 2006 for 1980 participants aged 60 and older, including 997 from urban cities and 983 from rural villages.

RESULTS

In this study, 54.6% of urban older adults and 44.1% of rural older adults reported satisfaction with their lives. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that financial strain, depressive symptoms, filial piety, and accessibility of health services were significantly associated with life satisfaction for both urban and rural participants, but age and financial exchange with children were only associated with life satisfaction among urban older adults.

CONCLUSION

Findings are consistent with some previous studies that indicated the importance of financial strain, depressive symptoms, filial piety, and accessibility of health services to life satisfaction among the older adults in both urban and rural areas. This study also demonstrated the importance of age and family financial exchange to the life satisfaction of urban older adults.

Factors associated with the life satisfaction amongst the rural elderly in Odisha, India

Background

Life Satisfaction (LS) is an indicator of subjective well-being (SWB) among the elderly, and is directly associated with health and mortality. Present study deals with the factors associated with the LS among the rural elderly in Odisha, India.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey using multi-stage random sampling procedure was conducted among elderly (60+ years) in Bargarh district of Odisha. The survey was conducted among 310 respondents. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to assess the adjusted effect of various socio-economic, demographic, health conditions (physical and mental), social support and effects of multi-morbidity on LS.

Results

Cognitive health was the most influential factor in determining LS among both men (β = 0.327) and women (β = 0.329). Individual’s social support also plays an influential role in LS among rural elderly. Elderly who are living alone and have any sort of disability and had low score of activities of daily living (ADL) have also reported significantly lower perceived LS for both the genders.

Conclusion

It is necessary to analyze and identify the major factors which can improve upon the level of LS among the elderly population. Better understanding of these factors can help in removing the superfluous anxiety of old age in the mindset of people which is pervading in the society.

Espiritualidad, esperanza y dependencia como predictores de la satisfacción vital y la percepción de salud: efecto moderador de ser muy mayor

Objetivo: analizar algunos predictores de la calidad de vida en personas mayores, diferenciando entre mayores jóvenes o muy mayores. Esto es, se estudia un potencial efecto moderador debido a ser muy mayor, dado que este sector de la población está en rápido crecimiento en todo el mundo. Materiales y métodos: estudio transversal analítico de encuesta a 224 personas mayores, en dos grupos diferenciales, menores de 75 años y 75 años o más, que viven en la ciudad de Valencia (España). Resultados: se ajustó un modelo estructural multimuestra donde las dimensiones de espiritualidad y la esperanza predicen dos indicadores de calidad de vida en personas mayores: satisfacción vital y percepción de salud. Se han encontrado relaciones estadísticamente significativas (p < 0,05) entre la espiritualidad y la esperanza, y los dos indicadores; especialmente potente es la predicción de la satisfacción vital. Asimismo, los resultados multimuestra indican que la fe juega un papel diferencial relevante en los muy mayores. Discusión: se ponen en relación los hallazgos con la literatura. Conclusiones: existe un importante impacto, en algunos casos diferencial para los muy mayores, de la espiritualidad sobre indicadores de envejecimiento con éxito tales como la satisfacción vital y la salud, y la capacidad para realizar actividades, ya sea instrumentales de la vida diaria, o en general todo tipo de actividades productivas.

Dimensional model for estimating factors influencing childhood obesity: path analysis based modeling

The main objective of this study is to identify and develop a comprehensive model which estimates and evaluates the overall relations among the factors that lead to weight gain in children by using structural equation modeling. The proposed models in this study explore the connection among the socioeconomic status of the family, parental feeding practice, and physical activity. Six structural models were tested to identify the direct and indirect relationship between the socioeconomic status and parental feeding practice general level of physical activity, and weight status of children. Finally, a comprehensive model was devised to show how these factors relate to each other as well as to the body mass index (BMI) of the children simultaneously. Concerning the methodology of the current study, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was applied to reveal the hidden (secondary) effect of socioeconomic factors on feeding practice and ultimately on the weight status of the children and also to determine the degree of model fit. The comprehensive structural model tested in this study suggested that there are significant direct and indirect relationships among variables of interest. Moreover, the results suggest that parental feeding practice and physical activity are mediators in the structural model.

Life satisfaction among older people in Italy in a gender approach

Over the last few decades, increasing attention has been paid to the issue of wellbeing among older people, and life satisfaction has been used as an indicator to evaluate older people's life conditions. This paper sheds some light on this topic with reference to Italy, a country characterised by an increasing ageing population. The aim is to examine life satisfaction among people aged 65 and older and its predictors. We adopt a gender approach to examine whether – as suggested by the literature – older men and women have different sources of satisfaction. We test this hypothesis in Italy, a country still characterised by an unbalanced public and private gender system. In doing this, we also control whether living arrangements – specifically living alone – influence the determinants of life satisfaction of older men and women. The data used are from the cross-sectional surveys ‘Aspects of Daily Life’, undertaken in Italy by the National Statistical Institute. The results do not show clear gender differences in the determinants of life satisfaction, with only some slight gender differences among those living alone. This suggests that the social and cultural environment may play a relevant role for older people's life satisfaction.

Exploring the concept of optimal functionality in old age

Background

Aging is characterized by loss of function and represents a perspective that puts the focus on the negative aspects of aging. Thus, it is fundamental to shift the focus from loss of function to maintaining good health and personal satisfaction through life; in other words, to promote optimal functionality at a level appropriate for older adults. However, it is not yet known what constitutes optimal functionality from the older adult’s own perspective.

Objective

To explore the concept of optimal functionality in old age from the older adult’s perspective (ie, people over 65 years of age) in industrialized Western countries.

Methods

We undertook a scoping review and searched two electronic databases (PubMed and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature [CINAHL]) from January 2002 to July 2013 for scientific studies, using the key search term personal satisfaction. In total, 25 scientific studies were analyzed.

Results

Only six of the included articles applied a qualitative methodology. By analyzing the results of these articles, three major themes were identified as cornerstones in the concept of optimal functionality at old age: 1) self-related factors (eg, mental well-being); 2) body-related factors (eg, physical well-being); and 3) external factors equal to demographic and environmental factors.

Conclusion

There is a lack of qualitative studies in the current literature, and hence of what constitutes optimal functionality from the older adult’s perspective. The results outlined in this review identify three cornerstones (self-related factors, body-related factors, and external factors) of what constitutes optimal functionality at old age. However, it is vital that these findings are taken further and are evaluated through qualitative studies to reflect older adults’ opinions.

A satisfação com a vida e a funcionalidade em idosos atendidos em um ambulatório de geriatria

O envelhecimento pode vir acompanhado de limitações funcionais que influenciam a autoestima, rebaixando o nível de satisfação com a vida. Estudos destacam a satisfação com a vida como preditor na qualidade de vida e tem forte relação com a queda da funcionalidade. Portanto, este estudo teve como objetivo verificar a relação entre a satisfação com a vida e a independência funcional e o desempenho de membros inferiores (força muscular, velocidade de marcha e equilíbrio) de idosos em seguimento ambulatorial, em relação a grupos etários e de gêneros. Foram avaliados 125 idosos de ambos os sexos com idade mínima de 60 anos, atendidos em um ambulatório de geriatria. Os instrumentos utilizados foram: 1) Medida da Independência Funcional (MIF) para avaliar a dependência funcional; 2) Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) para medir o desempenho físico; 3) Satisfação com a vida. A amostra utilizada foi de conveniência, com predomínio do sexo feminino, os idosos mais velhos apresentaram maior comprometimento funcional. Na análise de regressão logística univariada e multivariada, a satisfação global com a vida autorrelatada e comparada foi mais satisfatória entre os idosos mais velhos. Os resultados sugerem que indivíduos mais velhos apresentam melhor satisfação com a vida mesmo com maior comprometimento funcional.

Predicting life satisfaction of the Angolan elderly: a structural model

Satisfaction with life is of particular interest in the study of old age well-being because it has arisen as an important component of old age. A considerable amount of research has been done to explain life satisfaction in the elderly, and there is growing empirical evidence on best predictors of life satisfaction. This research evaluates the predictive power of some aging process variables, on Angolan elderly people's life satisfaction, while including perceived health into the model. Data for this research come from a cross-sectional survey of elderly people living in the capital of Angola, Luanda. A total of 1003 Angolan elderly were surveyed on socio-demographic information, perceived health, active engagement, generativity, and life satisfaction. A Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes model was built to test variables' predictive power on life satisfaction. The estimated theoretical model fitted the data well. The main predictors were those related to active engagement with others. Perceived health also had a significant and positive effect on life satisfaction. Several processes together may predict life satisfaction in the elderly population of Angola, and the variance accounted for it is large enough to be considered relevant. The key factor associated to life satisfaction seems to be active engagement with others.