Using Self-determination Theory to Understand Challenges to Aging, Adaptation, and Leisure among Community-dwelling Older Adults

Impact of Documented Fall-Risk, Self-Reported Health and Confidence to Prevent Falls on Concern About Falling Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial

Purpose

Individuals identified as high fall risk are expected to have high concern about falling. However, perception and individual factors that influence concern about falling have yet to be thoroughly studied. We aimed to understand factors that influence concern about falling among older adults with increased risk for falling.

Patients and Methods

This was a secondary analysis of a clinical trial among community-dwelling older adults (age ≥65 years old) at high risk for falls (n = 178). Descriptive and regression analyses were used. We analyzed the relationship between participants' baseline concern about falling - categorized into three groups: low (7-8), moderate (9-13), and high (≥14) - and factors that may impact their concern. Exploratory factors included age, sex, self-reported health status and confidence to address fall risks, fall risk scores, and physical performance measures.

Results

Among these individuals, 15.2% reported low concern about falling. On average, individuals in higher concern about falling groups had higher fall risk scores (low [5.7], moderate [6.4], and high [8.0]; p < 0.001). Our regression model showed that the odds of being in a higher concern group increased by 21% for every one unit increase in fall risk score and increased by 67% for every one unit increase toward poorer health rating. Conversely, for every one unit increase in self-reported confidence, the odds of being in a higher concern group decreased by 27.5%.

Conclusion

Knowledge of older adults' fall risk, health status, and concerns about falling can be used to assist in the personalization of fall prevention interventions for a more holistic approach.

The Association Between Depression and Death Anxiety Among Older Adults: Moderating Effect of Ego-Integrity

This study verifies the relationship between depression and death anxiety in older adults and the moderating effect of ego-integrity on this relationship. The survey was conducted with 236 participants aged 65 years and older through a combination of online and offline surveys. The final data were analyzed using the PROCESS macro for SPSS 2.16. The main findings of this study are as follows: First, depression in old age was positively related to anxiety about death. Second, the moderating effect of ego-integrity was observed on the relationship between depression and death anxiety. Third, on examining the moderating effect of each sub-variable of ego-integrity, the moderating effect of satisfaction with one's life was observed to be significant. Conversely, the moderating effect of attitude toward life and acceptance of old age was not significant. The results of this study are meaningful in examining the moderating effect of ego-integrity on the relationship between depression and death anxiety. Furthermore, the results of this study can provide basic data for the development and application of psychological intervention programs for older adults experiencing psychological problems due to depression and death anxiety in old age.

Older adults in virtual communities: understanding the antecedents of knowledge contribution and knowledge seeking through the lens of socioemotional selectivity and social cognitive theories

Purpose

As older adults are increasingly active in virtual communities (VCs), these platforms for knowledge exchange present opportunities for companies to use elder human capital. The purpose of this study is to understand the antecedent factors that motivate older adults’ knowledge contribution and knowledge seeking (KS) behaviors in VCs.

Design/methodology/approach

Rooted in socio-emotional selectivity and social cognitive theories, this study included five key variables and developed models for older adults’ knowledge contributing (KC)/KS behaviors. This paper tested the hypotheses using data from a sample of 204 older adults in 3 VCs in China.

Findings

The results provide support for most of the hypotheses and show that while other members’ participation (MP) acts as a substitute for meaning in life and attitude toward aging, it acts as a complement for outcome expectations (OE) focused on others and OE focused on oneself in their impacts on KC/KS activities.

Practical implications

The study provides practical insights for developing elder human resources via VCs to avoid knowledge loss.

Originality/value

This study described older adults’ unique characteristics when modeling their information and communication technologies-related behaviors and built two models to explain their KC/KS behaviors. It confirmed that the same factor has different levels of impact on older adults’ KC/KS behaviors in VCs. In addition, it confirmed and reinforced the complementary and substitutive effects of other MP as an environmental factor on these behaviors.

Older People's Experiences of Living with, Responding to and Managing Sensory Loss

(1) Background: Ageing is associated with a decline in sensory function (sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell), which play an important role in the maintenance of an older person’s health, independence and well-being. (2) Methods: This qualitative study obtained data through face-to-face semi-structured interviews with a convenience sample of thirteen community-dwelling adults 65 years and older. Themes were derived inductively, guided by semi-structured interviews. (3) Results: Twelve participants had two or more sensory impairments, mainly concurrent hearing and vision, which became apparent when a situation/individual alerted them to change/s occurring. They were less aware of impaired smell, taste and touch. Sensory changes impacted on important life functions, prompting many participants to take measured risks in maintaining their independence. Half (seven) of the participants lacked motivation to manage sensory function through goal-directed behaviour, taking remedial actions only when this was relevant to lifestyle preferences. (4) Conclusions: Internal and/or external triggers of sensory changes did not generally motivate remedial action. Health professionals can help to improve older people’s attention to sensory impairment by routinely discussing sensory function with them, screening for sensory changes and facilitating early intervention and support.

Theatrical Performance as Leisure Experience: Its Role in the Development of the Self

Theater has been used in psychological intervention and as a metaphor for social life, tendencies that affect the self, highlighting how influential theatrical performance can be for individuals. Their limitations - in terms of the empowerment of the self and its authenticity, respectively - can be overcome by treating theatrical performance as a leisure experience, which considers that freedom and satisfaction play a central role in a more comprehensive understanding and development of the self. With this in mind, we present the conceptual and empirical bases of the leisure experience as an alternative conception of theatrical performance. To do so, we organized a 20 h theater exercise workshop with 16 university students (15 women, one man), aged between 18 and 21 years old (M = 19.06 years; SD = 1.06). The instruments used were: the Time Budget Technique (questionnaire about the activities carried out in the workshop, valued in relation to two items: perceptions of freedom and satisfaction); the Twenty-Statement Test (where people list characteristics of themselves - self-descriptions - related in this case to the theatrical exercises); and, as a third instrument, a combination of the other two - specifying which exercises were more closely related to the self-descriptions. The results showed that group discussion was the activity with the highest perception of freedom, followed by obstacle exercises; as regards the perception of satisfaction, the highest value was observed in the relaxations. In the case of the self-descriptions, the acquisition of practical and intellectual skills was significant, as well as emotional outlook and the expression of self-esteem. In sum, this empirical support - using instruments that invite an exploration of the self - revealed, on the one hand, which specific characteristics of the self are manifested by doing theatrical exercises and, on the other hand, which exercises - when experienced as leisure - have a more decisive impact on the self. Thus, this paper shows what aspects must be taken into account when deciding which activities to include in a psychosocial intervention addressed to the development of the self from the standpoint of theatrical performance as a leisure activity.