Age-friendly neighbourhoods and physical activity of older Surinamese individuals in Rotterdam, the Netherlands

Examining dynamic developmental trends: the interrelationship between age-friendly environments and healthy aging in the Chinese population-evidence from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, 2011-2018

BACKGROUND

The objective of this research is to investigate the dynamic developmental trends between Age-Friendly Environments (AFE) and healthy aging in the Chinese population.

METHODS

This study focused on a sample of 11,770 participants from the CHARLS and utilized the ATHLOS Healthy Aging Index to assess the level of healthy aging among the Chinese population. Linear mixed model (LMM) was used to explore the relationship between AFE and healthy aging. Furthermore, a cross-lagged panel model (CLPM) and a random-intercept cross-lagged panel model (RI-CLPM) were used to examine the dynamic developmental trends of healthy aging, taking into account both Between-Person effects and Within-Person effects.

RESULTS

The results from LMM showed a positive correlation between AFE and healthy aging (β = 0.087, p < 0.001). There was a positive interaction between the geographic distribution and AFE (central region * AFE: β = 0.031, p = 0.038; eastern region * AFE: β = 0.048, p = 0.003). In CLPM and RI-CLPM, the positive effect of healthy aging on AFE is a type of Between-Person effects (β ranges from 0.147 to 0.159, p < 0.001), while the positive effect of AFE on healthy aging is Within-Person effects (β ranges from 0.021 to 0.024, p = 0.004).

CONCLUSION

Firstly, individuals with high levels of healthy aging are more inclined to actively participate in the development of appropriate AFE compared to those with low levels of healthy aging. Furthermore, by encouraging and guiding individuals to engage in activities that contribute to building appropriate AFE, can elevate their AFE levels beyond the previous average level, thereby improving their future healthy aging levels. Lastly, addressing vulnerable groups by reducing disparities and meeting their health needs effectively is crucial for fostering healthy aging in these populations.

Age-friendly neighbourhood environment, functional abilities and life satisfaction: A longitudinal analysis of older adults in urban China

The construction of age-friendly neighbourhoods is a priority for practice and policy to promote active ageing and increase life satisfaction for older adults. However, there has been a paucity of longitudinal evidence on the interaction effects of age-friendly neighbourhood environment and functional abilities on life satisfaction among older adults in urban China. This study makes the first attempt to examine the effect of person-environment fit on life satisfaction by the accumulative effects of age-friendliness of the baseline neighbourhood environment (measured within the WHO Age-Friendly City framework) on functional abilities and life satisfaction trajectories and the long-term effects of functioning changes on life satisfaction, drawing from four waves of longitudinal data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) and latent growth curve modelling. Results indicated that the age-friendliness of transportation was positively associated with functional abilities, and housing was the primary factor that shaped life satisfaction at the baseline. Better maintenance of functional abilities could promote life satisfaction over time. For older adults living in recently built neighbourhoods, social environment factors such as associations and facilities for social participation were more important in functional abilities, and communication and information were more important in life satisfaction. For those living in neighbourhoods built before 2000, physical environment factors such as transportation were essential in functional abilities, and housing was more essential in life satisfaction; health-related facilities and services at baseline exerted a cumulative effect on maintaining functional abilities in the long run. Our findings inform policymakers about how to effectively allocate public resources to enhance older adults' life satisfaction in the Chinese urban context.

Managing Age-Related Disability in Indonesia: An Issue That Extends Beyond the Concept of Active Aging

This study evaluates how various village services help older Indonesians perform daily activities and reduce age-related disability. Individual-level data from the 2020 National Socio-Economic Survey (SUSENAS) (N = 121,961 older people) and community-level data from the 2018 Village Potential Data Census Collection (PODES) (N = 83,931 villages in a data aggregation across 514 municipalities) were used in a multilevel binary logistic regression model. The interclass coefficient correlation (ICC) was calculated to determine the variation in characteristics across 514 municipalities to explain the differences in functional status. The ICC was approximately 16.2%, indicating that creating an age-friendly environment would help to delay the onset of disability. Older populations in Indonesia have a high percentage of informal employment, a low educational level, low percentages of affluent households, and few leisure activities. The findings highlight that the development of age-friendly services in the village should consider employment status and leisure activities. Participation in employment is a well-acknowledged concept for promoting active aging in developed nations but is secondary in managing age-related disability in Indonesia. The municipal government must develop an aging-friendly community (AFC) to create a supportive environment to meet the basic health and social needs of older people with age-related disability.

Rural age-friendly ecosystems for older adults: An international scoping review with recommendations to support age-friendly communities

Background and Aims

The population of older adults in rural areas is rising, and they experience higher rates of poverty and chronic illness, have poorer health behaviors, and experience different challenges than those in urban areas. This scoping review seeks to (1) map the state of the science of age-friendly systems in rural areas regarding structural characteristics, processes for delivering age-friendly practices, and outcomes of age-friendly systems, (2) analyze strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats of age-friendly system implementation, and (3) make person, practice, and policy-level recommendations to support active aging and development of age-friendly communities.

Methods

An international scoping review was conducted of articles that used age-friendly framing, had a sample age of 45 years of age or older, self-identified as rural, and reported empiric data. Searches were conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, AgeLine, PsychINFO, EMBASE, Scopus, and Academic Search Elite on October 26, 2021, and rerun March 10, 2023. Data were charted across three analytic layers: socioecological model, Donabedian's framework, and SWOT analysis.

Results

Results reveal limited data on outcomes relevant to organizations, such as return on investment or healthcare utilization. While the SWOT analysis revealed many strengths of age-friendly systems, including their impact on persons' outcomes, it also revealed several weaknesses, threats, and gaps. Namely, age-friendly systems have weaknesses due to reliance on trained volunteers and staff, communication, and teamwork. System-level threats include community and health system barriers, and challenges in poor/developing areas.

Conclusions

While age-friendly systems in this review were heterogeneous, there is an opportunity to focus on unifying elements including the World Health Organization age-friendly cities framework or 4Ms framework for age-friendly care. Despite the many benefits of age-friendly systems, we must acknowledge limitations of the evidence base, pursue opportunities to examine organizational metrics to support implementation and sustainability of age-friendly systems, and leverage improvements in age-friendliness at a community level.

Linking Urban Planning, Community Environment, and Physical Activity: A Socio-Ecological Approach

Lack of physical activity is a growing concern among public health advocates and urban planners. Our socio-ecological model incorporates urban planning and World Health Organization actions on physical activity to identify key factors related to leisure-time physical activity at the community level. Our 2019 nationwide US survey of 1312 communities enables examination of the influence of individual, community, and policy levels on physical activity. Individual factors-poverty, aging, minority population, and longer commuting time-result in lower physical activity. Community-level factors have both positive and negative effects. Physical activity is lower in rural and suburban communities, but higher in communities with more transportation services, recreation and social activities, and safety. Communities with mixed-use neighborhoods and complete streets also show higher levels of physical activity. At the policy level, zoning and cross-agency collaboration have an indirect effect on physical activity by increasing these community-level factors. This suggests an alternative approach to promoting physical activity. Local governments can promote transportation, recreation and safety, especially in rural and minority communities lacking active-friendly built environments and facing challenges from aging population, poverty, and longer commuting time. This socio-ecological approach can assess multilevel factors related to physical activity in other countries.

Health behaviours and well-being among older adults with a Surinamese migration background in the Netherlands

Background

This study aims to identify the relationships between health behaviours (healthy diet, physical activity, not smoking and social activity) and well-being among older adults with a Surinamese background.

Methods

Community-dwelling older adults (≥ 70 years) with a Surinamese background living in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, were identified by the municipal register. A survey study was conducted to assess background information, health behaviours (healthy diet, physical activity, not smoking and social activity) and well-being. Multiple regression analyses were performed to assess the relationships of health behaviours with well-being while controlling for background characteristics.

Results

Average age of participants was 76.2 (4.9) years, slightly more than half of them were female (54.2%). Almost half of the participants had a low-income level (49.6%). More than half of the participants met the Dutch guidelines of fruit intake (63.0%) and vegetable intake (62.8%). Less than half of the participants met the guidelines of fish intake (40.9%) and physical activity (39.8%). The majority of the participants were non-smokers (87.9%). Most of the participants had daily contact with family/friends (90.9%) and slightly more than half of the participants visited family/friends often (53.6%). Looking at the health behaviours, a positive relationship was found between eating enough fruit (β = .109; p ≤ 0.05) and vegetables (β = .135; p ≤ 0.01), physical activity (β = .164; p ≤ 0.001) and often visiting family/friends (β = .158; p ≤ 0.001) with well-being.

Conclusion

This study suggests that next to traditional health behaviours also social activity is an essential health behaviour for the well-being of older Surinamese adults. Research about health promotion should expand its focus by including social activity as health behaviour.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-14414-z.