Perspectives on the Happiness of Community-Dwelling Elderly in Korea

Factors associated with happiness among community-dwelling older adults: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES

To identify factors associated with self-reported happiness among community-dwelling older adults.

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature was conducted. Searches were conducted in the PsycInfo, Web of Science, Scopus and Pubmed databases for relevant articles published in English, Spanish or Portuguese using the following search strategy and Boolean operators: (happiness*) AND (elder* OR (old adult*)). No restriction was imposed with regards to year of publication. This review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42018107302).

RESULTS

Forty-six articles met the eligibility criteria and were included in the review. Economic, social and health-related factors were associated with happiness among community-dwelling older adults. The sociodemographic characteristics of older adults, such as the female sex, being married, an older age, a higher level of schooling and having a religion, were also associated with happiness.

CONCLUSIONS

The articles included in the present systematic review demonstrate that social, economic and health-related aspects have an association with happiness in community-dwelling older adults.

Information communication technology accessibility and mental health for older adults during the coronavirus disease in South Korea

Introduction

As society ages and the digital economy continues to develop, accessibility to information and communication technology (ICT) has emerged as a critical factor influencing the mental health of older adults. Particularly, in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for non-face-to-face communication has significantly increased older adults' reliance on ICT for accessibility. This transition from a self-motivated engagement to a more socially passive mode of interaction highlights the importance of creating a digitally inclusive aging society.

Methods

This empirical study used pooled cross-sectional data from the Digital Gap Survey conducted in South Korea in 2018 and 2020. It aimed to analyze the association between ICT accessibility and the mental health of older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Results

A significant positive relationship was found between ICT and mental health among older adults in South Korea. However, this positive association weakened during the COVID-19 period. Furthermore, the analysis revealed heterogeneity among older adults by age, sex, and place of residence, with older females in their 70s living in rural areas experiencing the greatest weakening.

Discussion

These results highlight the need for tailored interventions and support mechanisms for specific demographic groups of older adults. We recommend that the South Korean government implement various policies to facilitate the post-COVID-19 digital landscape. These include initiatives such as ICT-related education programs, development of user-friendly e-government systems, and creation of social media platforms designed to accommodate the needs and preferences of older adults.

The Impact of Living Arrangements and Social Capital on the Well-Being of the Elderly

This study examines the impact of living arrangements and social capital on the subjective well-being of the elderly, as well as the mutual effects and relationships between the well-being and self-rated health status of the elderly. A total of 369 questionnaires were administered, and the effective recovery rate was 98.10%. The results indicate three key findings: (1) the current location for aging in place, social support, social activities, house ownership, and self-rated health status are indispensable factors affecting the well-being of the elderly. The best location for aging in place was the community, where the elderly's sense of well-being was highest-the next best options were aging at home and institutional care. (2) Elderly people with sole ownership of their homes were more likely to have higher levels of well-being than those owning jointly or who were tenants. (3) There was significant interaction between subjective well-being and self-rated health status.

The relative importance of friendship to happiness increases with age

Happiness is predicted by social relationships in general and contact frequency in particular. This study aims to examine if the relative importance of social contacts with the closest family/relative, friend, and neighbor in happiness changes with advancing age. We used data for all participants aged 19 years and older (n = 229,099) in the 2019 Community Health Survey, which measured the frequency of contact with the closest relative/family, neighbor, and friend among a representative sample of Koreans between August 16 and October 31, 2019. The Shapley value decomposition method was used to measure the relative importance of each predictor of happiness. Overall, contact frequency was positively associated with happiness (p<0.001). The relative importance value of contact with the closest family, neighbor, and friend to happiness increased from 4.70%, 3.98%, and 7.35%, respectively, in the 19-29 years group to 8.09%, 4.44%, and 11.00%, respectively, in the 60 years and older group. Frequent interactions with the closest friend could have a greater impact on happiness in old age than those with the closest family and neighbor.

The effect of Pilates exercise on the happiness and depression of elderly women: a clinical trial study

BACKGROUND

The available approaches for reducing mental problems, particularly for elderlies, include physical activities and exercise. Pilates is a sport that has received much attention during the past few years. The present study was conducted to explore the influence of Pilates on depression and happiness levels of elderly women.

METHODS

This randomized trial work was conducted on 60 elderly women referred to the health center of Rafsanjan city, southern Iran. The participants were randomly assigned into two intervention (Pilates) and control groups, each with 30 members. In the intervention group, participants did Pilates three sessions each week for 8 weeks. The control group did not receive any intervention similar to the intervention group. The happiness level of the participants was measured using the Oxford Happiness Inventory (OHI) and their depression was measured using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) before, one month after, and two months after the intervention. A mixed ANOVA was applied for data analysis.

RESULTS

The majority of the participants were married housewives with primary education and age range of above 62 years. Based on the findings of this study, the mean happiness and depression scores of the participants at the end of months one and two in the intervention groups increased significantly compared to those of the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

Doing Pilates for 8 weeks may positively affect the depression and happiness levels of the elderly. Thus, it is recommended as a healthy exercise for elderlies.

Associations of combinations of housing tenure status and household structure with subjective happiness among community-dwelling elderly people: A cross-sectional study with stratified random sampling

AIM

Subjective happiness is an important marker of successful aging, and is associated with housing tenure status and household structure. However, the associations between subjective happiness and combinations of housing tenure status and household structure have not yet been clarified. Therefore, we examined which combinations of housing tenure status and household structure are associated with high or low subjective happiness among community-dwelling elderly people.

METHODS

Subjects were enrolled by stratified random sampling, and comprised of 1602 elderly persons aged ≥65 years as of January 2017 in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. The subjects' data were collected via a self-completed questionnaire (effective response rate: 53.4%), and the associations between subjective happiness and combinations of housing tenure status and household structure were analyzed by chi-squared test and logistic regression analysis, controlling the confounding variables such as care support needs, subjective economic status and health status.

RESULTS

The subjects reported significantly decreased subjective happiness when they were a renter living alone (odds ratio [OR] = 0.427 and 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.249, 0.732) and with others (OR = 0.420 and 95% CI = 0.256, 0.687) after adjustment for confounding variables, compared with owner-occupier living with others (referent).

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the current study revealed significantly decreased subjective happiness when the subjects were renters regardless of household structure. Therefore, housing tenure status may be a stronger determinant of subjective happiness among community-dwelling elderly people than household structure. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; ••: ••-••.

Happiness Strategies for Older Adults: A Qualitative Study

Ensuring happiness in older adults is critical for their mental health. The purpose of the current study was to identify strategies for creating happiness in Iranian older adults. A qualitative study was performed through content analysis and deep semi-structured interviews with 18 adults age 60 and older and one family member. Participants were selected through purposeful sampling, and data were encoded using MAXQDA. Data analyses revealed 187 codes, 23 subcategories, and four main categories: (a) self-centered strategies, (b) inductive strategies, (c) passive strategies, and (d) unselfish strategies. Following the four categories of strategies may lead to happiness in Iranian older adults. Self-centered strategies seemed to achieve better results given that such strategies can be learned and require involvement of older adults themselves. [Research in Gerontological Nursing, 13(5), 254-263.].

Nothing Like Living with a Family: A Qualitative Study of Subjective Well-Being and its Determinants among Migrant and Local Elderly in Dongguan, China

Chinese economic development has led to a significant rise in internal migration over the last 20 years, including large numbers of elderly. When elderly Chinese people migrate, they still register their residency to their place of origin and often do not register with the new administrative office at the destination due to the household registration (hukou) system in China. Thus, most of these migrant elderly do not receive full social services, possibly leading to poor subjective well-being. This study aims to qualitatively examine the level of subjective well-being and its determinants among migrants and local elderly in Dongguan City of Guangdong province, one of the most rapid economically developing areas in China. We also present the results of in-depth interviews among 27 elderly, 15 elderly migrants and 12 local elderly living in Dongguan. The results reveal that the overall subjective well-being of the two groups were good. Most migrants believed their well-being had remained stable or even improved over time due to family reunion and a better physical environment. Elderly’s most valuable needs and the main reason of migration is family reunion; however, inadequacy of social support, including community support and government support (e.g., gift during holiday season, free health examination, healthcare expenditure reimbursement), cannot be neglected for maintaining a good level of well-being. The well-being of migrant elderly can be further enhanced by promoting social services and welfare, recreational activities, and enhancing healthcare reimbursement in their new home.

[Perception of happiness associated to family life in Bogotá- Colombia]

OBJECTIVE

To demonstrate the association between happiness and family functionality in order to promote healthy family relationships and the biopsychosocial health of the people.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Cross-sectional, descriptive study developed over a span of three years. A questionnaire was applied to 8 885 people from Bogotá selected by convenience sampling. The population was divided into those who said they were happy and those who said they felt sad at the time of the survey. Explanatory variables included sex, age, socioeconomic status, functionality (based on the family APGAR), family structure (members of the household), and support network. Odds ratios were obtained and the significant results were subjected to the regression process.

RESULTS

The logistic regression analysis of the odds ratios showed that the perception of happiness decreases with age (60 and over vs. 7 to 10 years; OR: 0.09, 95% CI: 0.03-0.26), that there is a stronger significant association with functionality (severe dysfunction vs. normal functionality; OR: 0.05, 95% CI: 0.03-0.08) than with family structure (extended vs. nuclear home; OR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.37-0.96), and that happiness is related to support networks (low network vs. high network; OR: 0.52 95% CI: 0.31-0.88).

CONCLUSION

This research confirms the importance of the family in happiness perception, which is a sentiment considered as a health benchmark. Based on these results, strengthening family coexistence is essential to promote the health of people.

Are pension types associated with happiness in Japanese older people?: JAGES cross-sectional study

Background

Although many previous studies have examined the determinants of happiness in older adults, few have investigated the association between pension types and happiness. When compared to other conventional socioeconomic indicators, pension types may be more indicative of long-term socioeconomic status as they can reflect a person’s job history over their life course. This study examined the association between pension types and happiness in Japanese older people.

Methods

Cross-sectional survey data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study were used to analyze the association between pension types and happiness. The study population comprised 120152 participants from 2013. We calculated the prevalence ratios of happiness for the different pension types using Poisson regression models that controlled for age, sex, marital status, equivalent income, wealth, education level, working status, occupation, depression, and social support.

Results

After controlling for socioeconomic indicators, the prevalence ratios (95% confidence intervals) of happiness for no pension benefits, low pension benefits, and moderate pension benefits relative to high pension benefits were 0.77 (0.73–0.81), 0.95 (0.94–0.97), and 0.98 (0.97–0.99), respectively. However, the inclusion of depression as a covariate weakened the association between pension types and happiness.

Conclusions

While pension types were associated with happiness after adjusting for other proxy measures of socioeconomic status, the association diminished following adjustment for depression. Pension types may provide rich information on socioeconomic status and depression throughout the course of life. In addition to conventional socioeconomic indicators, pension types should also be considered when assessing the determinants of happiness in older adults.

Social capital, socioeconomic status, and depression in community-living elderly

A growing body of evidence has suggested that social capital is an upstream social determinant of mental health. We investigated the association of cognitive social capital, including interpersonal trust and reciprocity, with depressive symptoms in the elderly. We also explored the mediating role of cognitive social capital in the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and depressive symptoms and the moderating effect of SES on the relationship between social capital and depressive symptoms. Data from the 2012 Korea Welfare Panel Study (KOWEPS) was analyzed for 5969 participants aged 60 years or older. Cognitive components of social capital, including interpersonal trust and reciprocity, were evaluated using single-item questionnaires. Socioeconomic and health-related characteristics were investigated and depressive symptoms were evaluated by an 11-item version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Low interpersonal trust and reciprocity levels were significantly associated with depressive symptoms in the elderly. Reciprocity level mediated the association between household income level and depressive symptoms. We did not observe any significant moderating effect of SES on the association between cognitive social capital and depressive symptoms. A significant association between cognitive social capital and depressive symptoms in Korean elderly was found. We elucidated how SES interacted with depressive symptoms through the mediation pathway of cognitive social capital using a representative sample of the Korean elderly population.

Healthy aging from the perspective of the elderly: an integrative review

Abstract Objective: to identify the perspective of elderly persons on healthy aging as described by scientific literature. Method: a descriptive integrative review type study was performed, guided by the question: what knowledge has been produced about healthy aging from the perspective of the elderly? It was carried out using the Scopus Info Site (SCOPUS), Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), Literature of Latin America and the Caribbean (LILACS), EMBASE and WEB OF SCIENCE databases and in the directory of the Scientific Electronic Library Online Journals (SciELO), for literature published in the period between 2005 and 2016. Result: Eleven papers were regarded as eligible for this review. These studies revealed that healthy aging is related to different health dimensions: biological (adoption of healthy habits and behaviors with self-responsibility), psychological (feelings of optimism and happiness), spiritual (faith and religiosity) and social (reciprocity in social support factors and the capacity to live autonomously and independently). Conclusion: the synthesis of knowledge on healthy aging from the perspective of the elderly can support the actions of professionals who work with this population group to encourage and value the social determinants involved, so overcoming the exclusive focusing on the adoption of habits and behaviors inherent to lifestyle to achieve aging in a healthy way.

Factors associated with happiness in the elderly persons living in the community

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present study was to evaluate factors associated with happiness in a sample of Brazilian older adults.

METHODS

A study was conducted with 263 elderly people in the area of coverage of a family health unit located in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The Subjective Happiness Scale was used to measure happiness, the final score of which determined one of three outcomes: not happy, intermediate, and happy. Disability, sociodemographic characteristics, and psychological, cognitive, and physical factors were considered for the multinomial logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

Statistically significant differences were found among the three groups regarding satisfaction with life, disability, social phobia, anxiety, depression, and frailty (p≤0.05). In the multinomial regression analysis, being "not happy" was significantly associated with satisfaction with life (RRR: 0.53), depression (RRR: 1.46), social phobia (RRR: 1.24), and age (RRR: 1.06).

CONCLUSION

The present findings indicate that psychological factors and age influence the levels of happiness in older adults living in the community. Furthermore, better screening, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health disorders could increase the feeling of happiness among older adults.

Second Generation Antipsychotics in the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder: An Update

Less than one third of patients who suffer from major depressive disorder (MDD) report remission following antidepressant treatments requiring more diverse treatment approaches. Augmentation of second generation antipsychotics (SGAs) has been increasingly recognized as an important treatment option. The authors have previously provided a comprehensive review of SGAs for the treatment of MDD in 2013. Since then, numerous additional clinical trials have been conducted to investigate diverse issues regarding the utility of SGAs in MDD. Moreover, a new SGA, brexpiprazole, was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration in July 2015 for the treatment of MDD as an augmentation agent to antidepressants. Thus, the aim of this study was to provide a concise update of all the available SGAs for the treatment of MDD, in particular on the additional clinical trials which have been published since 2013.