Life satisfaction among older people in Italy in a gender approach

Is living alone beneficial to older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic? Examining associations between living arrangements and life satisfaction by gender in Korea

OBJECTIVES

This study examines associations between living arrangements and life satisfaction and the associated effects of gender among Korean older adults during the pandemic.

METHOD

Data were drawn from the 2020 National Survey of Older Koreans-a nationally representative survey. Living arrangements were categorized into four groups: living alone; living with spouse only; living with family and spouse; and living with family without spouse. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine associations between living arrangements and life satisfaction measured as a binary outcome.

RESULTS

Older adults living alone were more likely to be satisfied with life compared with those who lived with a spouse only. However, living alone became nonsignificant after controlling for social contact with friends or neighbors and social participation. Interestingly, there was a significant interaction between living arrangements and gender, showing that living alone was beneficial to older women but not to men. Subsample analysis by gender confirmed that older women living alone had a greater likelihood of being satisfied with life than those living with a spouse only, whereas men living alone had lower life satisfaction.

CONCLUSION

Findings suggest that living alone is not always deleterious to older adults, particularly women. During the pandemic, older Korean women living with their spouse and/or family might be less satisfied with life due to the dual burden of family care and housework, associated with traditional gendered norms and social context.

Predictive Models of Life Satisfaction in Older People: A Machine Learning Approach

Studies of life satisfaction in older adults have been conducted extensively through empirical research, questionnaires, and theoretical analysis, with the majority of these studies basing their analyses on simple linear relationships between variables. However, most real-life relationships are complex and cannot be approximated with simple correlations. Here, we first investigate predictors correlated with life satisfaction in older adults. Then, machine learning is used to generate several predictive models based on a large sample of older adults (age ≥ 50 years; n = 34,630) from the RAND Health and Retirement Study. Results show that subjective social status, positive emotions, and negative emotions are the most critical predictors of life satisfaction. The Support Vector Regression (SVR) model exhibited the highest prediction accuracy for life satisfaction in older individuals among several models, including Multiple Linear Regression (MLR), Ridge Regression (RR), Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator Regression (LASSO), K Nearest Neighbors (KNN), and Decision Tree Regression (DT) models. Although the KNN and DT models exhibited better model fitting than MLR, RR, and LASSO, their performances were poor in terms of model validation and model generalization. These results indicate that machine learning is superior to simple correlations for understanding life satisfaction among older adults.

The Relationship between Social Participation and Subjective Well-Being among Older People in the Chinese Culture Context: The Mediating Effect of Reciprocity Beliefs

It is demonstrated that the subjective well-being (SWB) of older people greatly relies on their social participation. However, there are few studies on reciprocity beliefs as a mediating mechanism between social participation and SWB. In this study, 297 participants aged 60 and over in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China, completed a questionnaire of social participation, reciprocity beliefs, and SWB. We used multiple linear regression and mediation analyses to verify the mediating effect of reciprocity beliefs. Results showed that social participation was positively relative to SWB and reciprocity beliefs, and reciprocity beliefs played an intermediary role in social participation and SWB. These findings suggest the importance of social participation for SWB, with reciprocity beliefs (behaviors) playing a positive mediating role, particularly in China. In conclusion, analysis of the mediating effect of reciprocity beliefs provides us with knowledge that could help in achieving a healthy old age. Additionally, this study opens up new perspectives of research.

Family Networks, Social Networks, and Life Satisfaction of Older Adults in China

Older adults’ family networks and social networks are important factors that influence life satisfaction, but their transmission mechanisms have not been adequately discussed. The objective of this study was to examine the mechanisms through which family networks and social networks influence the life satisfaction of older adults. We empirically examined the effects and mechanisms of older adults’ family networks and social networks on their life satisfaction using the 2018 China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey with a sample size of 11,418 older adults aged 60 years and older. In the research sample, 6.47% of older adults were subjected to at least one form of mistreatment. The research results indicate that family networks (β = 0.0060, p < 0.05) and social networks (β = 0.0122, p < 0.01) have a significant positive effect on older adults’ life satisfaction. The mechanism-of-action test found that family networks and social networks enhance older adults’ life satisfaction, mainly by reducing the level of physical mistreatment they experience, but these networks cannot improve the life satisfaction of the elderly by reducing their emotional mistreatment. Further research found that community-provided medical escorts, home chores, and meal delivery services can all alleviate the decline in life satisfaction among older adults due to emotional mistreatment. This study deepens our understanding of how older adults’ family and social networks affect their life satisfaction as we examine the mediating role of the physical and emotional mistreatment of older adults and discuss the effects of potential policy interventions.

Caring for Frail Older People Living Alone in Italy: Future Housing Solutions and Responsibilities of Family and Public Services, a Qualitative Study

When frail older people age alone in place, with increasing functional limitations, they require support in performing daily living activities. In this respect, it is important to assess their preferences in terms of future housing solutions, and their opinions/orientations on the care responsibilities of both family and public services. The present study aimed to explore these aspects in Italy. Qualitative interviews were carried out in 2019 within the “Inclusive ageing in place” (IN-AGE) research project, involving 120 frail older people who lived at home in three Italian regions (Lombardy, Marche, and Calabria). A content analysis was conducted, and some quantifications of interviewees’ statements were provided. The results revealed that the majority of seniors prefer ageing at home, at least with a personal care assistant (PCA), whereas moving to a nursing home is typically deemed as a last option. Moreover, they considered the family to be primarily responsible for taking care of them, even with the support of public services. In addition, some territorial differences emerged. Strengthening an integrated model of long-term care (LTC) for older people, where both formal and informal supports allow frail older people to age at home, seems thus a good overall policy solution to pursue, with interventions based also on the needs and preferences of both seniors and their respective families.

The lasting impact of war experiences on quality of life in long-lived retirement homes residents: The birth cohort 1906–1928

Only a few studies have been conducted so far on the long-term impact of war. We investigated whether a life-long impact of the war experiences could be detected in advanced-agers who have successfully overcome all life's challenges. The participants in this study were oldest-old (80+ years) residents of retirement homes in Zagreb (Croatia), who were divided into two groups – ‘war-exposed’ and ‘not-exposed’ – according to their direct war experience (First World War, Second World War, Croatian Homeland War). Within this 1906–1928 birth cohort, a higher percentage of participants with war experiences reached extreme longevity (95+ years). We found no significant difference (p < 0.01) between the two groups concerning demographic and socio-economic characteristics, their life satisfaction, their self-rated current health and functional ability status. Despite numerous similarities, several traits related to life-history, current quality of life, attitudes and reflections distinguish the group of participants with direct war experience. The kind of war involvement – active military service, imprisonment in concentration camps or prisons, forced migration due to war and war-related death of close family members – stretched through various aspects of the life-history features, quality of life and attitudes. It differed for men and women, so it is no wonder that the significance pattern in the two genders mostly seems mutually exclusive. Socio-economic situations strongly differed by gender and according to the kind of war exposure, amplifying the differences within the ‘war-exposed’ group in terms of the life-long impact of wars on their lives. Therefore, we could claim that the war experiences were not the same for everybody, and that they had lasting consequences on the lifecourse of persons who directly faced war-related events. The results also point to the high resilience capacity as a common feature among persons who survived direct exposure to at least two wars and yet survived to exceptionally old age.

Life satisfaction and depressive symptoms of mentally active older adults in Poland: a cross-sectional study

Background

For older adults, life satisfaction and depressive symptoms are related to quality of life. In this group of society, life satisfaction is particularly associated with the emotional area. The notion of life satisfaction is related to many factors, such as personality traits, moods and various life events, and poses challenges in various aspects of everyday life. Given that mental health is one of the determinants of the quality of life of older adults, it is reasonable to conduct research among this growing group of the population. The aim of this study was to assess life satisfaction and depressive symptoms in mentally active older adults in Poland.

Methods

The study covered 125 attendees at the University of Healthy Senior (UHS) and 125 auditing students at the University of Psychogeriatric Prophylaxis (UPP), organised by the Faculty of Health Sciences at the Medical University of Bialystok, of whom 78.3% were female and 21.7% male. The study was conducted using four standardised scales: the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Beck Depression Inventory, Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).

Results

Seniors who participated in the study were satisfied with their lives; the average SWLS score was 23 points. Men rated their level of satisfaction higher than women: the median score on the SWLS was 26 points for men and 23 points for women. Life satisfaction and mental disorders did not differ on the basis of sex, age, or education (the type of place of education attended). As the level of depression increased, life satisfaction decreased. Statistically significant correlations of average strength were found between the point values of the four measures of depression under consideration and were evenly distributed from 0.57 to 0.69.

Conclusions

The high level of life satisfaction and a low level of mental disorders should be maintained in this population, and additional educational activities should be organised among seniors on a large scale. There were no differences in the distribution of psychometric measure scores among the three compared age groups of respondents in this study. Each of the questionnaires used measured of different aspects of depressive conditions, and it is worth using them in parallel rather than interchangeably.

Gender Differences in Factors Affecting Life Satisfaction of the Elderly with Multimorbidity in Korea

To enhance the life satisfaction of the elderly with multimorbidity, it is necessary to investigate the relevant factors and to examine the differences in factors according to gender. The aim of this study was to identify factors affecting life satisfaction of the elderly with multimorbidity in the community by gender in Korea. We analyzed data from 2140 participants with multimorbidity who were aged 65 or older and participated in the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing (KLoSA) in 2016. A multivariate linear regression analysis was conducted to examine the factors affecting life satisfaction among male and female older participants with multimorbidity. The most common pattern of multimorbidity of women was hypertension and arthritis/rheumatism, while that of men was hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Some factors, such as depression, exercise, and number of chronic diseases, affected both male and female participants, but others related to life satisfaction varied by gender. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the characteristics of multiple chronic diseases, and policy support should be provided in consideration of gender differences to improve the life satisfaction of the elderly.

The Life Satisfaction Index-A (LSI-A): Normative Data for a General Swedish Population Aged 60 to 93 Years

PURPOSE OF STUDY

To gain Swedish norm value for the Life Satisfaction Index-A (LSI-A) in a population 60-93+ years old stratified for sex and age and to relate these norm values with respect to number of chronic diseases and functional impairment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study population included a random sample of 2656 men (45.7%) and 3159 (54.3%) women from the longitudinal national studies' "Good Aging in Skåne" (GÅS) and SNAC-B, both part of the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care (SNAC). Data on Neugartens Life Satisfaction Index-A (LSI-A), medical history, activities of daily life (ADL) and socio-demographics were collected through structured interviews and questionnaires.

RESULTS

Men scored significantly higher than women; 28.5, sd=6.9, and 27.3, sd=6.6, respectively, out of maximum 40 points. For both genders the scores decreased with age, mean score 6.0 points, lower for men and 7.1 points lower for women between 60 and 93+ years. The highest score was noted for healthy individuals where both men and women scored 29.5 points, sd=6.2. Increased number of chronic diseases and dependency in ADLs were associated with lower LS.

CONCLUSION

Norm values here presented may facilitate assessments and evaluation of life satisfaction in the general elder population and as reference values to clinical trials. Female sex, rising age, morbidity and impaired functional ability were all associated with impaired LS.

Getting Old Well in Sub Saharan Africa: Exploring the Social and Structural Drivers of Subjective Wellbeing among Elderly Men and Women in Uganda

While literature attempts to explain why self-reported subjective wellbeing (SWB) generally increases with age in most high-income countries based on a social determinants of a health framework, little work attempts to explain the low levels of self-report SWB among older persons in sub-Saharan Africa. Using the 2013 Uganda Study on Global Aging and Health with 470 individuals, this research examines (i) direct and indirect effects of age on SWB through social and structural determinants, and (ii) how direct and indirect effects vary by gender. Results show a significant direct and negative effect of age on SWB (β = 0.42, p = 0.01). Six indirect paths were statistically significant and their indirect effects on wellbeing varied by gender. Providing support, education, working status, asset level, financial status and financial improvement were significantly positively associated with men’s SWB, whereas younger age, providing community support, participating in group activities, number of close friends/relatives, government assistance and all socio-economic variables were significantly positively associated with women’s SWB. Strategies to address gendered economic, social and political inequalities among and between elderly populations are urgently needed.

The Interaction Effect of Gender and Residential Environment, Individual Resources, and Needs Satisfaction on Quality of Life Among Older Adults in the United Kingdom

Objectives: To examine the difference in gender and its impact on selected quality-of-life (QoL) domains of Social Production Function theory among older adults in England. Method: Based on an annual national adult social care service user survey conducted in the United Kingdom in 2016. QoL was assessed by a single-item construct, and independent variables were home design, access to information and local area, self-rated health, perceived pain/discomfort, perceived anxiety/depression, activities of daily living, use and satisfaction of formal and informal care, and demographic variables. Results: A total of 28,955 respondents aged 65+ years were interviewed. Multinomial logistic regression analysis found four interaction effects for predicting a very good/good QoL: (a) Female receiving non-co-residing informal care (odds ratio [OR] = 1.501, p < .01), (b) female feeling safe (OR = 1.499, p < .01), (c) female feeling satisfied with social contact with people (OR = 1.465, p < .05), and (d) female being helped in the use of time (OR = 1.370, p < .05). Conclusion: Findings suggest gender differences in QoL as men and women are heterogeneous with different health and disease patterns, health-/help-seeking behaviors, roles and responsibilities, and levels of resilience, needs, risks, and access and control resources. Practitioners should adopt a gender-specific assessment and personalized interventions to promote gender equality, empowerment, and long-term sustainable development for an aging society.

Social relations and life satisfaction: the role of friends

Social capital is defined as the individual’s pool of social resources found in his/her personal network. A recent study on Italians living as couples has shown that friendship relationships, beyond those within an individual’s family, are an important source of support. Here, we used data from Aspects of Daily Life, the Italian National Statistical Institute’s 2012 multipurpose survey, to analyze the relation between friendship ties and life satisfaction. Our results show that friendship, in terms of intensity (measured by the frequency with which individuals see their friends) and quality (measured by the satisfaction with friendship relationships), is positively associated to life satisfaction.

Self-image and intergenerational relationships as correlates of life satisfaction in Chinese older adults: will gender make a difference?

Promoting life satisfaction in later life has long been both a policy and practice challenge. This study examined the association between older adults' self-image and life satisfaction, and that between their intergenerational relationships and life satisfaction. Given that sources of wellbeing for older men and women may vary due to socially constructed realities in early life, gender differences were also investigated in the correlates of life satisfaction. A face-to-face questionnaire survey was conducted in 2014 with a sample of 1,099 older adults aged 60 years and over from four cities in China. Findings of this study showed that older adults’ self-image and intergenerational relationships were significantly associated with their life satisfaction after controlling for certain socio-demographic characteristics, and health and self-care ability. The correlates of life satisfaction were shown to differ between older men and women. Programmes and Services should be developed for older adults to explore and identify positive aspects of themselves, to improve their relationships with their adult children, and to foster a more positive image of ageing in wider society. In addition, service providers should take gender differences in correlates of life satisfaction into account in service and intervention programme development.