Attitudes to ageing among older Norwegian adults living in the community

Exploring physical activity experiences of community-dwelling oldest-old adults with chronic multimorbidity: A qualitative study

AIM

To explore the physical activity experiences of community-dwelling oldest-old adults with chronic multimorbidity.

DESIGN

Descriptive qualitative study.

METHOD

Data collection was conducted through semi-structured interviews with 19 community-dwelling oldest-old adults with chronic multimorbidity. The study was conducted between December 2022 and May 2023. ATLAS.ti software was used for data analysis.

RESULTS

Three main themes with their respective sub-themes and units of meaning were developed from the data analysis: (1) motivational factors for engaging in physical activity; (2) fear of getting hurt during physical activity and (3) confidence in being physically active.

CONCLUSION

Motivation, kinesiophobia and confidence are three core elements that influence the experience of physical activity in oldest-old adults with chronic multimorbidity. Interventions tailored to meet the needs of the oldest-old adults are important for promotion and development of active ageing.

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE

Nurses and other healthcare professionals should design, implement and evaluate interventions that aim to increase oldest-old adults' motivation and confidence, while decreasing their fear to engage in physical activity.

IMPACT

This study provides insights into the way community-dwelling oldest-old adults with chronic multimorbidity experience physical activity in their daily lives. Our findings suggest that motivation, kinesiophobia and confidence are key factors for oldest-old adults to engage in physical activity. These findings could contribute to the design and implementation of interventions that specifically aim at raising the physical activity levels of community-dwelling oldest-old adults with chronic multimorbidity.

REPORTING METHOD

The study findings are reported according to the COREQ guidelines.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

No patient or public contribution.

Social Contact and Belonging Among Older People Receiving Home Care Nursing

Purpose

Support of social contact and a sense of belonging may be essential for older persons who need help, to take care of their wellbeing and reduce the feeling of loneliness. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the features that influence social contact and belonging among older persons who received home care nursing.

Patients and Methods

The study involved nine individual in-depth interviews with older persons residing in Norway. The interviews were analyzed in accordance with a model of content analysis.

Findings

Social contact and belonging among the older persons depended on the availability of necessary resources that foster social activity, contact with family and friends, and housing quality. Interaction with helpers and accommodation of their needs as necessary were important for these persons. Reflecting on the past and considering life in context may be essential as a basis for their present and future life.

Conclusion

The results of the present study indicated that a sense of being cared for and supported are important for social contact and belonging. Social activity, engagement in family and contact with friends and neighbors are valued. However, a proportion of older persons are not engaged in such activities. Volunteer help may be a key factor for improving social contact. Moreover, contact and communication with home care nurses are important for recognition as valued persons and as a link to the community.

Relationship between Self-Perception of Aging and Quality of Life in the Different Stages of Reproductive Aging in Mexican Women

Biological aging has an abrupt beginning in women, changing their body and perceptions, which are not accepted easily because the actual stereotypes are focused on youth and anti-aging. Our interest was to explore what the self-perception of aging (SPA) is in middle-aged women throughout the reproductive aging stages and their association with the quality of life. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 240 women (40−69 years) living in Mexico City, who were separated according to their reproductive aging stage. An electronic version of the Spanish version of the Self-rated Attitudes Towards Old Age (SATO) and the WHO Quality of Life-Bref (WHOQoL) was applied to these women and was sent by WhatsApp or email. Seventeen women of the total sample (7%) had a negative self-perception of aging. There is an association between SATO and WHOQoL (r = −0.273, p < 0.0001), but in the menopausal transition stage, the association is strong in the psychological subscale, and after menopause, early and late postmenopausal women show a better association in the social subscale. Negative SPA impacts the WHOQoL psychological dimension and not the total WHOQoL score. Our findings suggest an association between SPA and quality of life in different reproductive aging stages.

Effects of Horticultural Activities on Attitudes toward Aging, Sense of Hope and Hand-Eye Coordination in Older Adults in Residential Care Facilities

This study investigated the effects of an 8-week horticultural activity intervention on attitudes toward aging, sense of hope, and hand-eye coordination in 88 older adults in residential care facilities. In the experimental group, the mean score for "attitudes toward aging" increased from 3.81 before the intervention to 4.74 points after the intervention (standard deviation SD = 0.24 and 0.27, respectively), and the control group dropped from 3.75 to 3.70 (standard deviations, respectively SD = 0.27 and 0.28). The mean score for "sense of hope" increased from 3.28 before the intervention to 3.81 points after the intervention (SD = 0.49 and 0.26, respectively). In contrast to the control group, the mean score gradually declined from 3.26 to 3.16 points (standard deviation SD = 0.54 and 0.48, respectively). In the test of hand-eye coordination, the time required to complete the cup stacking test significantly decreased from 33.56 to 25.38 s in the experimental group but did not significantly change in the control group. Generalized estimating equation analysis revealed a significant interaction between group and time (p < 0.001). The data trends revealed significant differences in outcomes between the experimental group and the control group. At 3 months after the end of the study, the effect size in the experimental group remained higher than that in the control group.

A Model of Aging Perception in Iranian Elders With Effects of Hope, Life Satisfaction, and Socioeconomic Status: A Path Analysis

BACKGROUND

Aging perception plays a central role in the experience of healthy aging by older people. Research identified that factors such as hope, life satisfaction, and socioeconomic status influence the perception of aging in older populations.

OBJECTIVE

This study sought to test a hypothetical model to quantitatively evaluate the relationship between hope, life satisfaction, and socioeconomic status with aging perception.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional design was used with 504 older aged participants who live in Qazvin, Iran. Data were collected using the Barker's Aging Perception Questionnaire, Life Satisfaction Index-Z, and Herth Hope Index.

RESULTS

The results of path analysis showed that hope was the most important factor affecting aging perception. Results drawn from correlation analysis indicated that there was a positive significant correlation ( r = .383, p < .001) between hope and aging perception. Further analysis found that hope had the strongest impact on aging perception compared with the other variables analyzed (e.g., life satisfaction and socioeconomic status).

CONCLUSIONS

A model of aging perception in Iranian elders is presented. The findings suggested that hope had a significant and positive impact on aging perception. Implications for clinical practice and research are discussed.