Validity and reliability of the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale among Turkish elderly people

Bem-estar psicológico, sintomas de depressão e forças do caráter em idosos da comunidade

Em um mundo com um número crescente de idosos, envelhecer bem se torna cada vez mais importante, e as forças do caráter podem contribuir para que isso seja alcançado. A fim de analisar forças na velhice, associando-as com sintomas depressivos e bem-estar psicológico, 188 idosos responderam às versões reduzidas e em português dos instrumentos Values-in-Action Inventory of Strengths, Escala de Depressão Geriátrica e Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale. As forças Amor, Esperança, Curiosidade, Perdão e Vitalidade se associaram tanto a níveis mais elevados de bem-estar psicológico quanto a mais baixos de sintomas depressivos. Foram obtidas correlações significativas entre seis forças e sintomas depressivos – negativas fracas – e entre 11 delas e bem-estar psicológico – positivas fracas. Os resultados deste estudo ampliam, ainda que limitadamente, o conhecimento sobre forças de idosos, especialmente como elas se relacionam com dois construtos que influenciam a velhice. Ademais, fornecem uma base para o desenvolvimento de intervenções futuras.

Systematic review of 29 self-report instruments for assessing quality of life in older adults receiving aged care services

BACKGROUND

Quality of life (QoL) outcomes are used to monitor quality of care for older adults accessing aged care services, yet it remains unclear which QoL instruments best meet older adults', providers' and policymakers' needs. This review aimed to (1) identify QoL instruments used in aged care and describe them in terms of QoL domains measured and logistical details; (2) summarise in which aged care settings the instruments have been used and (3) discuss factors to consider in deciding on the suitability of QoL instruments for use in aged care services.

DESIGN

Systematic review.

DATA SOURCES

MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library and CINAHL from inception to 2021.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Instruments were included if they were designed for adults (>18 years), available in English, been applied in a peer-reviewed research study examining QoL outcomes in adults >65 years accessing aged care (including home/social care, residential/long-term care) and had reported psychometrics.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

Two researchers independently reviewed the measures and extracted the data. Data synthesis was performed via narrative review of eligible instruments.

RESULTS

292 articles reporting on 29 QoL instruments were included. Eight domains of QoL were addressed: physical health, mental health, emotional state, social connection, environment, autonomy and overall QoL. The period between 1990 and 2000 produced the greatest number of newly developed instruments. The EuroQoL-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) and Short Form-series were used across multiple aged care contexts including home and residential care. More recent instruments (eg, ICEpop CAPability measure for Older people (ICECAP-O) and Adult Social Care Outcomes Toolkit (ASCOT)) tend to capture emotional sentiment towards personal circumstances and higher order care needs, in comparison with more established instruments (eg, EQ-5D) which are largely focused on health status.

CONCLUSIONS

A comprehensive list of QoL instruments and their characteristics is provided to inform instrument choice for use in research or for care quality assurance in aged care settings, depending on needs and interests of users.

Scaling Down the PGCM Scale to Assess Views on Ageing More Efficiently: Finding a New Alternative

The aim of the study is to present a new and efficient way of measuring the quality of life among older populations, with special attention to morale, positive outlook on life and ageing. The measure is based on the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale (PGCM), originally consisting of 22 items. The growing numbers and proportions of older people among European populations has increased the need to obtain more reliable data on their needs, values, life experiences and overall quality of life. Using data from six surveys conducted in the Czech Republic, we have formulated a three-item positive outlook on life and ageing (POLA) scale. Our analyses are divided into three steps: (1) constructing the scale and testing its internal consistency; (2) testing the scale's external validity using mean comparisons and correlation coefficients; and (3) determining the factors affecting a positive outlook on later life, such as gender and education. We have confirmed that the three-item approach to measuring positive outlook on ageing as a part of morale is highly applicable to surveys, producing compelling results in assessing important quality-of-life sub-concepts, such as subjective health, subjective age, and loneliness.

Emotional distress mediates the relationship between cognitive failures, dysfunctional coping, and life satisfaction in older people living in sheltered housing: A structural equation modelling approach

OBJECTIVES

Little is known about the relationship between cognitive failures, emotional distress, and life satisfaction in late life. Experiencing cognitive failures is a known risk for declining life satisfaction in older people, although the mechanisms that may explain cognitive failures remain unclear. This study investigated the associations between psychosocial factors, cognitive failures, and coping strategies and their influence on life satisfaction in older people living in sheltered housing.

METHODS

A total of 204 older people living in sheltered housing in London were recruited (mean age = 75.08 years). We used structural equation modelling path analysis to test several hypotheses based on theories of emotional distress (anxiety and depression) and cognitive failures and their influence on life satisfaction.

RESULTS

Self-reported depressive symptoms (29.5%), anxiety symptoms (33%), and cognitive failures (41%) were common. The final model had a good fit (X²  = 2.67; DF = 2; P = 0.26; NFI = 0.99, CFI = 0.99; RMSEA = 0.04); analyses showed that both cognitive failures and dysfunctional coping were significantly associated and exerted a moderate effect on emotional distress. Cognitive failures and dysfunctional coping had an indirect effect on life satisfaction through emotional distress which directly decreased levels of life satisfaction (β = -0.70, P ≤ 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

This study found that experiencing emotional distress helped to explain the association and negative effects of cognitive failures and dysfunctional coping on life satisfaction in older people living in sheltered housing. These findings contribute to our understanding of the key mechanisms of experiencing cognitive failures in late life and can help guide future interventions of well-being in later life.

Construct validation and test-retest reliability of a mealtime satisfaction questionnaire for retirement home residents

Mealtime satisfaction is an important component of quality of life (QOL) in residential care, yet there currently is no self-administered tool described in the literature. The purpose of this study is to investigate internal and test-retest reliability, and construct validity of a mealtime satisfaction questionnaire (MSQ) designed for residential care, more specifically retirement homes. A 15-item MSQ was developed and eligible participants from four retirement homes (n = 749) were invited to participate. The participation rate was 24% and the median age was 88 years for respondents. The internal consistency of the MSQ was high (Cronbach Alpha = 0.83) and the test-retest reliability was also high (Intraclass coefficient = 0.91, P < 0.01). The MSQ was associated with a valid and reliable QOL instrument for older adults (Mann Whitney Test = 1595.5, P < 0.01). The MSQ is reliable and is content and construct valid. QOL can be enriched by improving mealtime satisfaction in retirement homes.