Poster Session (Asynchronous Session)
Impact of Living Arrangements, Healthy Aging, and Well-being among Older Thai Adults: A Exploratory-descriptive Study View Digital Media
Poster Session Usar Suragarn, Glenn Pfaff
The purpose of this study was to identify differences between the outcomes of the Thai Healthy Aging Instrument (HAI) and the Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI) in older Thai adults based on the types of living arrangements. Data were collected from the 139 community-dwelling older adults aged 60 years and older who had been participated in the elderly school. The findings of this study indicate that there were no statistically significant relationships between demographic characteristics between those who lived alone (n=30) and those living with others (n=109), except for marital status. The participants living alone were more likely to be widowers compared to those living with others (p < .05). Results of the Kruskal-Wallis H tests indicated that the different living arrangements had an impact on healthy aging, specifically on the Managing Stress Factor, but no impact on well-being among the participants. The participants living alone with a child nearby reported the lowest scores for the item “I am not worried without reason” while the participants living alone without a child nearby reported the lowest scores for the item “I consult someone when I have a problem” compared to the other types of living arrangements (p < .05). This study provided implications for stress management programs for those living alone to develop a non-kin social relationship or a confidant to receive adequacy of emotional support. The objective was to integrate the findings into existing community-based health promotion programs aimed to address the needs of a specific population per their living arrangements.
“I’m Not Old, Just Aging:”: Perceptions of Subjective Age and Aging amongst Community-dwelling Older Adults View Digital Media
Poster Session Jill Chonody, Barbra Teater
“Old age” is a relatively new phenomenon in the span of human existence, and these socially constructed markers are associated with age-related norms and expectations (Settersten & Hagestad, 2015), which in turn influence how individuals feel about age and aging. In fact, age-related stereotypes are internalized early in life and shape our beliefs about aging (Levy, 2009). The concept of “aging” often carries a negative connotation in many Western societies; however, research suggests collective perceptions may be shifting as people are living longer lives. This cross-sectional study using survey methodology sought to understand how older people (N = 477) perceive their age by analyzing the responses of closed- and open-ended questions through summative content analysis. The mean age of participants was 63 years, and the average age that they felt was approximately 10 years younger. The seven themes for why individuals did not feel old ranged from: maintaining an active and engaged lifestyle to “I don’t act or look old,” and the seven themes for why individuals felt old ranged from: stopped or changed activities to nearing death. Findings illuminate how subjective age is shaped by perceptions of what it means to be old, and the ways in which these micronarratives are reflective of larger macronarratives surrounding age and aging. Activities and interventions based in positive psychology may promote shifts in age perceptions. For example, findings from one program found that participants were less stressed, reported less tiredness, and were calmer compared to the control group (Greenawalt et al., 2019).
Featured Grip Strength as a Key to Longevity: Its Measures and Optimization View Digital Media
Poster Session Tolulope Adeniji
Grip strength is a biomarker of ageing at the level of body function that explains many diseases conditions in older adults such as cognitive impairment, falls, and many other geriatric syndromes, and it has also been noted that a strong grip strength may indicate living a long life. It is therefore critical to provide an overview of how to measure and improve grip strength in order to provide better care for older adults and increase their longevity. A narrative review of the literature on grip strength measurement and intervention in older adults was conducted and PubMed, Cochrane, and Google Scholar databases were searched for themes on mechanism of hand grip strength, grip strength measurement, and novel interventions on non-pharmacological means (physiotherapy) of optimizing grip strength in older adults. Hand grip strength can be measured with a dynamometer, and hand dexterity and coordination, which are required for good gripping ability, can be measured with a box and block test, but special tests like hand nerve supply integrity and blood supply assessment are required during hand function evaluation for optimal gripping ability. Grip strength is a biomarker of aging and element of longevity that necessitates an appropriate combination of interventions in therapeutic exercises, electrotherapy modalities, and biomechanical approaches for an effective therapeutic outcome. With literature pointing to grip strength as a biomarker of aging and an element of longevity, optimizing hand function may be fundamental and should be included in all physiotherapy interventions for older adults.
Mediating Aging: A Case Study in Taiwan View Digital Media
Poster Session Shu Ling Chen Berggreen
Taiwan is experiencing rapid population aging. With the dramatically increasing dependency ratio, it is predicted that by the mid-2030s, every three working-age persons will have to support one aged citizen. In addition to the potential economic burden, there are other concerns. Traditionally, family members cared for their elders, especially when multi-generational households were common and men dominated the workforce. But this has changed in recent decades. With the decrease of multi-generational households and the rise of women in the workforce, home-based care is unfeasible to most families. Long-term elder care has become an urgent issue socially, economically, and politically in Taiwan. Responding to this social and economic demand, the government initiated a foreign live-in caregiver program in 1992. As of 2021, foreign live-in caregivers—mostly from the Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia—make up a large share of the more than 700,000 migrant workers in Taiwan. These caregivers usually sign 3-year contracts at a time and, therefore, become quasi-members of the family, creating new patterns of family dynamics and social interaction. Oscillating between the two ends of the continuum of cultural convergence and cultural hybridization, one can observe the emergence of as well as the resistance to multiculturalism within the family unit and in society in general. This tension, in turn, contributes to the social anxiety about aging. This study examines how the media reflect and cover this new social phenomenon in Taiwan and their potential in shaping public opinion and government policies about aging and elder care.
Understanding Needs of Chinese American Family Caregivers Through a Life Story Project View Digital Media
Poster Session Man Wai Lun
The aim of this paper is to explore the needs of Chinese American family caregivers of older adults through a pilot life story project. Through life story narratives, a grounded theory approach revealed that the needs of Chinese American family caregivers, including effect of stress, varied by the following: type of relationship with care receivers, perceived cultural values, relationship quality between caregiver and care receivers, cognitive distortions and conflict strategy in caregiving. Discussion on methods of assisting Chinese American family caregivers and possible self-care training and supports is included.
Featured Major Depressive Disorder in Elderly South Asian Immigrant Populations in the U.S. View Digital Media
Poster Session Jeevan Jain Cocks
As the number of immigrants and proportion of elderly grows in the population, mental health outcomes for these populations is an increasingly important topic. The purpose of this literature review is to collect the available research about Major Depressive Disorder in elderly South Asian immigrant populations in the U.S., with respect to biological, psychological, and social factors. Risk factors (both individual and systemic) are explored that may be connected to MDD, and common misdiagnoses, assessments, and interventions that may help address MDD will be discussed. Relational factors and interventions are focused on as an area of potential use in the work of systemic therapists. Finally, limitations of research and directions for future research are uncovered.
End of Life Among African Americans: Systematic Review View Digital Media
Poster Session Chesney Ward
People who are Black and African American are at a substantial disadvantage when it comes to healthcare, and our current initiatives are insufficient. Rooted in systems of racism and inequality, healthcare disparities in the United States continue to be alarming. Among all racial or ethnic groups in the United States, adults who are Black or African American have the highest rates of mortality and are less likely to complete advance directives and engage in end-of-life planning. As life expectancy has increased among all races in the United States over recent decades, people who are Black or African American need the ability to have a quality end of life experience that is not a burden to themselves or their families. Further, minorities have less access to resources and a lack of knowledge about these resources available due to being displaced in lower income communities and restricted education regarding necessary end-of-life planning. Social workers must seek to understand factors around barriers to quality end-of-life preparation among this disadvantaged population in order to employ critical initiatives to reduce these healthcare disparities. The purpose of this systematic review is: 1) to explore the extent to which socioeconomic status (SES) impacts end-of-life care planning among people who are Black or African American; 2) to ascertain which key people are most involved (i.e., families, friends, healthcare providers); and 3) to identify specific barriers related to SES that might inform treatment planning and policy reform.
Prime Now: Determining Peak Performance in Women’s National Basketball Association Players View Digital Media
Poster Session Sean Pradhan, Bastien Grunenwald
The process of aging among athletes has vast economic implications for the labor market of professional sports. Specifically, determining the peak performance of athletes can be useful for franchises, practitioners, and the athletes themselves. Previous research in the context of the National Basketball Association has found that performance is maximized at approximately 26 years of age (Simmons & Berri, 2011). Analyses of European men’s professional soccer have found similar results, with peak performance occurring between 25 – 27 years (Dendir, 2016). In men’s professional hockey, research has reported that although scoring peak age occurs between 27 – 29 years for skaters (forwards and defensemen), near-peak performance may last from 24 – 34 in such athletes (Brander, Egan, & Yeung, 2014). However, investigations on the effects of aging in women’s professional team sports are relatively scant. Thus, this study contributes to the existing literature by analyzing peak performance of Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players (n = 641) using data spanning 23 different seasons. We implement mixed-effects regression models with random effects of player, team, and season, controlling for team winning percentage, games played, minutes played, usage percentage, and pace. Given the emphasis on scoring in basketball (Berri, Brook, & Schmidt, 2007), we examine points per game and true shooting percentage in our analysis. We also investigate the impact of age on offensive rating, defensive rating, and the composite player impact estimate (PIE). Practical applications and future directions for research are also discussed.
Social Interactions among Community-dwelling Older Adults with Pet Dogs in Urban Areas: A Scoping Review View Digital Media
Poster Session Liliana Sousa, Miguel Padeiro, Helena Luz, Suellen Costa
Companion dogs are part of families and households. Research has focused on the role of therapy and service dogs in people’s lives. Dogs have been involved for therapeutic purposes in interventions targeting older adults with depression and dementia, mostly in institutional settings, and have shown effectiveness. However, literature on the impact of pet dogs on community-dwelling older adults is scarce. Since many older community-dwelling adults have a companion dog, it is important to better understand how companion dogs contribute to active and healthy aging. This study mapped the impact of having a companion dog on the social interactions of community-dwelling older adults living in urban areas using a scoping review. Electronic databases were searched, and studies written in English, Portuguese, and Spanish that were published in a peer-reviewed journal were identified. After a careful review, 10 eligible studies were identified, and relevant findings were extracted. The main findings indicated that having a dog may promote or hinder social interactions and that having a dog is about routines and sharing affection. Older adult that have a pet dog may spend more time at home to ensure their dogs are not alone, thus limiting social interaction. Dog characteristics (in particular size, age, and behavior) have been scarcely explored and may mediate dog–owner social interactions. Outdoor spaces, including dog-friendly spaces, increase the frequency and quality of activities outside the home, including with the companion dog. More research is needed to clarify what makes having a companion dog key to promoting healthy aging.
Relationship-Building in Care Management Practices for Old Public Assistance Recipients View Digital Media
Poster Session Takako Ayabe
The objective of this study is to examine how care management practices are affected by the building of relationships to support old public assistance recipients. For this purpose, we conducted in January and February 2021 a survey with self-administered questionnaires, that were mailed to 800 randomly selected care management centers and comprehensive community support centers in Osaka City, Japan. The response rate was 19.1% (N=153). Independent variables: Relationship-building with informal and formal care support personnel. Informal care referred to Supporters Rather than the client’s family (SR) and members of the Client’s Family (CF). Formal care referred to institutions that provided daily Monitoring and Money management (MM) and Legal and Financial support (LF). Dependent variables: Care planning and Implementation (CI), Assessment (A), Financial support and Evaluation (FE), Contract and Explanations in care management (CE), coordinating informal support and formal services in Care Planning (CP), and arrangements in Financial supports for Formal service costs (FF). We performed structural equation modeling to examine the relationships between the independent and dependent variables. The goodness of the fit indices was acceptable, and we retained the models. In correlational analyses, CI, A and CE significantly correlated with CF and MM. FE significantly correlated with MM. CP significantly correlated with SR, CF and MM. Finally, FF significantly correlated with SR and MM. These results suggest that the relationships to family members, daily surveillance and money management, and informal community support are important factors to improve the care management for older public assistance recipients.
Elder Organisational Abuse in Long-term Care Homes: An Ecological Perspective View Digital Media
Poster Session Marie-Michèle Lord
Organisational abuse, which is the inability to provide a good level of care to an individual or group of people in a care setting because of practices in an organisation, is growingly documented. This paper identifies sources of organisational abuse faced by older adults living in long-term care homes (LTCH). This study uses a phenomenological approach to conduct individual interviews with occupational therapists (n=23) working in LTCH. Individual semi-structured interviews have been transcribed and analyzed by co-analysts to identify issues related to organisational abuse. Two main themes and six sub-themes have been identified: (1) lack of resources which causes a (a) difficulty to address the needs of older adults and (2) inadequate environments which brings (b) a lack of respect for autonomy and human dignity, (c) an insufficient response to basic needs, (d) an over-emphasis on safety, (e) occupational deprivation, which is prolonged restriction from participation in meaningful activities. These issues can be examined in a broader ecological perspective, where the macrosystemic context strongly influences the choices of LTCH managers and how care and services are organized. Addressing macroscopic issues is a promising avenue of action to reduce organizational abuse in LTCHs.
