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The aim of the paper was to study the intellectual profile of 94 gifted elders aged 60–90 years old with an IQ equal to or higher than 130 on at least one of the four primary indexes of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – Fourth Edition. Their performances in the 15 subtests, in the Full Scale Intelligence Quotient, in the primary, supplementary and Cattell-Horn-Carroll theory Indexes, were analyzed. This group exhibited a significantly higher level of performance in all subtests and indexes than the control group matched for gender, age, and education. The differences between the two groups appear higher for the Matrix reasoning and Visual puzzle subtests. Additionally, in the gifted group the strengths seem to be represented more by Processing Speed and Perceptual Reasoning Indexes, in the control group are Comprehension Verbal and Working Memory Indexes. Moreover, gifted elders showed lower discrepancies across intellectual domains. These data provide evidence that, as the difference between the gifted group and the control group revealed in the present study is more due to processing speed, this dimension, which normaly is most affected by aging, on the contrary, is maintained/increased as a strength in the gifted elderly group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the definitions and onset of an old person in South-Western Nigeria. Conventionally, anyone who has reached the age of 60 or 65 years is regarded as the onset of an old person. But on contrary, this recent study is strongly emphasizing that 50 years and above is the onset of an old person in South-Western Nigeria. Obviously, the definitions and onset of an old person are controversial, yet, revealing in this paper. The study captured 13 Local Government Areas in Lagos state while 11 Local Government Areas were covered in Oyo state. The study employed focus group discussions (FGDs) and in-depth interviews (IDIs). However, 938 old persons were interviewed through questionnaire administration in Lagos and Oyo states of South-Western Nigeria. The univariate, FGDs, and IDIs were employed in the analyses of this research. The major findings of this study are the following: firstly, that there are different dimensions of the definitions of an old person that include frailty, inactivity, loss of strength, respect, blessedness, sickness, growing old, and inability to do hard work. Secondly, that someone who has reached the age of 50 years and above can be regarded as an old person, which is the onset of an old person in South-Western Nigeria society. On the basis of earlier findings, the study hereby recommends that anyone who has attained the age of 50 years and above should be recognized, regarded, and honored as an Elder by the State Government of South-Western Nigeria society where they are presently residing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to investigate the association of learning participation with the quality of life (QoL) in older Chinese adults, verifying how the differing types of learning activity participation may influence their QoL. We conducted two studies to gain a better understanding of learning participation and QoL among adults over 55 years of age. In the first study, we conducted five focus groups among 43 older adults about their understanding of learning benefits and their general well-being. In a second study, we assessed the QoL using the EUROHIS-QOL 8-item index, while learning participation was measured through a questionnaire addressing the frequency of involvement in educational activities among 579 Chinese older adults. The results indicate that being engaged in learning activities in old age has the potential to increase the QoL of older adults. Moreover, in contrast to nonformal learning, the results of the hierarchical linear regression model demonstrate that both informal and formal learning have a significant positive influence on QoL. The paper concludes by discussing the implications for research and practice pertaining to the encouragement of learning participation in later life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diversity is what makes a person unique, with the intersection of diversity characteristics potentially a strength or a barrier to accessing healthcare, and thereby affecting health and well-being outcomes. Many older people with diverse needs are not accessing appropriate services to meet their needs, leading to suboptimal health and well-being. Community aged care workers are at the frontline, working with diverse older people with complex needs; yet there is a dearth of training available in this sphere. This paper outlines the development and pilot evaluation of a diversity training workshop for managers and frontline community aged care workers. The aim of the workshop was to empower the workforce to support increased participation of older people with diverse needs in their own care, to ultimately lead to their improved health and well-being. Workshop development was underpinned by sound education principles, a competency framework and research evidence. First iteration of the workshop underwent pilot testing with three groups, two in metropolitan Melbourne (n = 31) and one in regional Victoria (n = 10), Australia. Feedback was gathered via an independent observer (field notes), pre- and post-workshop surveys, and phone interviews with participants 3-month post-workshop. Pilot data and feedback informed changes to workshop content (type of knowledge, application of knowledge and skills), workshop structure and androgogical (adult learning) approach. An evidence-informed diversity training workshop was developed through an iterative process, with the aim of enhancing knowledge, skills and attitudes of community aged care workers. This approach has developed a workshop that aims to better meet the needs of an aged care workforce, so that they may better support older people with diverse needs to increase engagement and participation in their care, optimizing their health and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building on previous self-concept and current physical self-concept (PSC) theories, this paper presents empirical results demonstrating the triad relationship among physical exercise, PSC, and quality of life (QoL) in older adults. Specifically, the results show how PSC mediates the relationship between physical exercise and health-related quality of life (HQoL). A total of 152 older adults participated in this study, completing the Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire, Physical Self-Concept Scale for Older Adults, and 12-Item Short-Form Survey. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to test the mediating effects. Older adults’ physical exercise, PSC, and QoL were all correlated. The components of older adults’ PSC (strength, flexibility, and independent functioning) fully mediated the relationship between physical exercise and the physical as well as mental aspects of HQoL. This study thus suggests that PSC plays an important explanatory role in the effect of older adults’ physical exercise on their QoL. Health-care professionals may use various strategies to enhance older adults’ self-perception during physical exercise in order to promote their global well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to discuss how university-community partnerships can be utilized to provide affordable and accessible health care for the elderly at community health clinics. A review of community health clinics, usage data from 2013 to 2014 by a sample of aging individuals will be described along with faculty perspectives about the usefulness of the university partnership and suggestions for improving future partnerships. Recommendations for future university-community partnerships are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aim: Even though the beneficial effects of elderly learning are widely acknowledged, many older Chinese people are still not involved. This paper aims to examine the barriers that affect the level of educational participation of older adults in China. Methodology: Using a focus group methodology, 43 older participants (aged 55 years and over) were assigned to five focus groups based on gender and (in)activity rate in Xi’an, China. The focus groups were conducted to identify the individual learning experiences including motivation, learning preferences, and, especially, participation barriers between older adults who have already participated in the Universities of the Third Age (U3As) and others who have not. Strategies to overcome or minimize these barriers were also raised in focus group interviews. Results: The results have demonstrated that barriers associated with situational factors were reported the most; informational barriers and dispositional barriers were perceived as the least obstructive. The active group was characterized by a more optimistic mood in dealing with these learning barriers. The study also suggests that the Selective Optimisation with Compensation Model of successful ageing can be useful in explaining older adults’ strategy for coping with the barriers. Conclusion: The findings of the study provide policy makers and U3A practitioners an insight into the barriers to educational participation. These findings provide input to develop targeted intervention strategies and tailor-made measures to reduce these constraints and increase participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the population ages, so does the number of older patients encountered by paramedics. It is vital that paramedics are adequately prepared to meet the unique and growing needs of these patients. Experience and education play key roles in the formation of attitudes that impact behavior, and ultimately patient care. The aim of this study was to determine the level of student paramedic experience with knowledge of, and attitudes toward, older adults and to examine the relationship between these factors. This was a cross-sectional study utilizing three paper-based questionnaires; Experience with Older Adults Questionnaire, Australian Facts on Aging Quiz 2 (FAQ2), and Aging Semantic Differential (ASD). Of the 871 paramedic student participants, 79% had an oldest living grandparent 65 years old or above, and 63% had encountered older adults on clinical placement. The mean (SD) score for the FAQ2 was 12.7 (3.0) out of a possible 25, indicating a low level of knowledge about older people. The mean (SD) score for the ASD was 120.3 (17.77), indicating slightly positive attitudes toward older adults. Knowledge (β = −0.06;p = .058) and experience (β = −0.06;p = .058) had weak associations with attitudes. Student paramedics have some prior experience with older adults, relatively low knowledge and generally positive attitudes. There is some association between these factors; however, the impact on patient care requires further investigation. Paramedic educators should strive to provide students with broad quality experiences and education that increases awareness and understanding of older people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) postintentional constructs (maintenance self-efficacy, recovery self-efficacy, action planning, coping planning) and medication adherence among phase II cardiac rehabilitation (CR) patients. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 91 phase II CR patients age 50 years and over. All respondents completed paper and pencil questionnaire examining HAPA postintentional constructs (action planning, coping planning, maintenance self-efficacy, recovery self-efficacy), medication adherence, and demographic characteristics. Validity and reliability were confirmed for all scales included in the questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to describe respondents’ characteristics. Bivariate statistics (correlation, Mann-Whitney U-test, Kruskal Wallis test) were used to examine associations between medication adherence and each HAPA postintention construct as well as medication adherence and respondent demographic characteristics. Better medication adherence was associated with greater maintenance self-efficacy (r = −.290, p = .006) and better action planning skills (r = −.233,p = .027) and coping planning skills (r = −.277,p = .008) as indicated by higher scores on the maintenance self-efficacy, action planning, and coping planning scales. There was no significant linear relationship between medication adherence and recovery self-efficacy (r = −.103,p = .335) or medication adherence and any of the respondents’ demographic characteristics (p > .05). Only maintenance self-efficacy remained significant in a multivariate model predicting medication adherence. Greater maintenance self-efficacy was associated with increased medication adherence; health professionals working in CR settings might consider opportunities to enhance maintenance self-efficacy for medication adherence. Additional research is needed to identify strategies for promoting maintenance self-efficacy for medication adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Job satisfaction is a frequently studied topic among scholars, but only few have taken into account the job satisfaction of older workers. This study aims to develop a model that describes the mediating effect of happiness on job satisfaction specifically on a select group of aging Filipino workers. This paper utilized structural equation modeling (SEM) for its data analysis to test what impact happiness has on job satisfaction. Three hundred aging Filipino workers, both from public and private organizations in the Philippines, took part in this study by completing a five-part research tool that consists of aRobotfoto(a Dutch term that describes a photo-like picture drawn by police to describe a suspect from a witness's illustration) and adopted questionnaires for physical and mental well-being, employee recognition, happiness, and job satisfaction. The structural equation model revealed that physical and mental well-being and employee recognition significantly affect—and are predictors of—happiness. Moreover, it was found that happiness has an impact on the job satisfaction of older workers. Findings generated in this study cater relevant ideas in developing programs and practices for the aging workforce in the field of Human Resource Management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the effects of different writing interventions on late middle-aged and older adults' positive affect (PA) and meaning in life (MIL) and explored the mediating role of MIL in the relationship between PA and physical health. A total of 162 participants from China who were over 55 years old participated in this 3 × 3 mixed experimental design. The between-subjects variable constituted the participant group, including the expressive writing intervention (EWI) group, neutral task writing intervention (NTWI) group, and blank control group. The within-subject variable was time, including pre-intervention, post-intervention, and follow-up. PA, MIL, physical health, and perceived benefits were measured at each time point. We used a mixed linear model from SPSS on the entire sample data to examine the effects of writing interventions. To determine the mediation effect, we conducted structural equation model analysis using the "lavaan" package in R. MIL showed significant interaction with time and group, but PA showed no significant interaction. Compared with the blank control group, EWI buffered the decline of MIL and had no significant intervention effect on PA. NTWI had no significant intervention effect on MIL and PA. Considering the entire sample, MIL mediated the relationship between PA and physical health. This study is the first to demonstrate the effectiveness of EWI on healthy late middle-aged and older adults' MIL. The mediating effect of MIL facilitated a better understanding of the relationship between PA and physical health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While traditional media portrayals of older people are widely documented, social media representations have not been adequately examined. This is an undesirable oversight considering the prominence of social media in contemporary times. Further, such representations remain markedly unexplored in the Indian context. Given India's burgeoning population aging, the changing nature of Indian society, and the increasing use of social media, particularly YouTube which has the second largest user base among Indians, an analysis of the nature of portrayal of older persons on YouTube was deemed important. Through an inductive content analysis of 65 YouTube videos, we identified six primary categories and five sub-categories. These were – 'A vulnerable population' comprising three sub-categories the perils of old age, India is aging but do we care? and victims of crime and abuse; 'A collective responsibility;' 'The Incredibles: stories of resilience and new beginnings;' 'Toward an elder-sensitive society' encompassing two sub-categories namely gerontechnology and social initiatives and elder-friendly physical environment; 'Healthy aging;' and lastly 'Productivity in old age: respect and economic compulsion.' Broadly, our results revealed a far more differentiated, complex, and mixed portrayal of older people than early studies that found a predominantly negative portrayal. However, we also observed the potential for a greater, more balanced and heterogenous representation of the older Indian population on YouTube. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of Health Belief Model-based education on determinants of intention to perform influenza prevention behaviors among the older adults. In this experimental controlled randomized study conducted on 100 rural older adults (50 in each group), four education sessions were conducted for the experiment group. Data were collected by a researcher who made the questionnaire, before and 2 months after intervention. The data were analyzed in SPSS 21. The level of significance was set at 0. 05. Two months after the intervention, the mean scores of perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived barriers, and perceived benefits in the intervention group significantly changed (P <.001) but mean scores of cues to action perceived self-efficacy, and intention to perform influenza preventive measures did not change significantly. Only the intention to receive the vaccine and using a mask in the experimental group after intervention showed significant differences (p <.001). The finding suggests that the Health Belief Model can be a proper model to promote influenza prevention behaviors, especially vaccination and using masks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite growing attention to the relationship between social cohesion and health outcomes, very few studies have focused on correlates of social cohesion especially in developing countries. This study sought to identify the factors related to neighborhood social cohesion among the older adults in Tehran, Iran. The sample consisted of 1280 community-dwelling older adults aged 60 and over. Face-to-face interviews were administrated to gather data from residents of selected neighborhoods. Bivariate analyses and hierarchical regression analysis were done to reveal the relations between perceived neighborhood social cohesion and independent variables. The mean age of the participants was 70.90 years (SD = 8.07 years) and more than half of them (57.9%) lived in the mid-advantage areas. The mean social cohesion score was 7.32 (SD = 2.13) and the mean percentage score was 61.08 (SD = 17.75). Results showed that marital status, employment status, independent daily living, and perceived health status, availability of shopping center, cleanness of the neighborhood, security for walking and area-level advantage, significantly related to higher neighborhood social cohesion (F = 10.382, R2 = 14.8). Environmental characteristics included cleanness, security, and advantage of the neighborhood had the greatest effect on the neighborhood social cohesion. The significant change in R Squared showed that the addition of environmental characteristics accounted for an amount of variance in neighborhood social cohesion (∆F = 11.46, ∆R2 = 0.054), after controlling for confounding variables. The study findings underscore the importance of improving environmental aspects of neighborhood to develop older adults' social cohesion. Developing the infrastructures for neighborhood accessibility, cleanliness, and security can lead to higher levels of social cohesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guided by Conditions of Learning Theory, this study investigated how internal and external factors related to web-based learning competence and whether age moderated such associations. Older adults from senior universities and community colleges in Shanghai were recruited (n = 1,310) in 2017. Web-based learning competence, internal factors (internet confidence, worry, and recognition), and external factors (internet environment and external support) were measured using scales with high reliability and validity. Hierarchical linear regressions with seven models were conducted using SPSS. The results showed that internal factors of internet confidence and worry as well as external factors of internet environment were significantly related to web-based learning competence. In addition, age moderated the influences of internet confidence, external support, and internet environment on learning competence. Community service providers should provide training and programs to improve web-based learning competence of older adults while considering age differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term stress experienced by caregivers is often overlooked, as is their pre-planning for senior life, but helping middle-aged and older caregivers to prepare for senior life is the foundation for active aging. The purpose of this study is to elucidate middle-aged and older caregivers' attitudes toward aging, proactive coping, and the need to learn life safety and to identify the factors influencing their need for life safety instruction. In this study, a questionnaire survey was administered to middle-aged and older caregivers with 1 year of experience or more in caring for older adults. In total, 500 questionnaires were distributed using a snowball sampling method, of which 415 valid questionnaires were recovered. The research tools included a personal information questionnaire, attitude toward aging scale, proactive coping scale, and need for life safety instruction scale. The results of this study were that: 1. Middle-aged and older caregivers had a low psychological evaluation of aging and a weak response to aging. 2. Respondents demonstrated a strong need to learn life safety. 3. Average monthly salary, aging awareness, aging behavior, attitude toward proactive coping, and proactive coping ability were strong predictors of the need to learn life safety. The principal conclusion was that the need for life safety instruction increased concurrently with unemployment, a decrease in aging awareness and behavior, an improvement in attitude toward proactive coping, and a decrease in proactive coping ability. Therefore, life safety education can be provided to the aforementioned group to satisfy their learning needs adequately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While there had been numerous studies about the prevalence of polypharmacy among the elderly around the world, the need to know about their preference about multidrug administration remains a research imperative. This study aims to test the feasibility of using conjoint analysis (CA) to assess the elderly patients' preferences for multiple drug administration. To gather the needed data for the study, the multiple factor full-concept method was used. By means of an orthogonal main effects design, 20 choice sets were randomly chosen from the 96 possible descriptions generated via Sawtooth Software Version 18 and were ranked by 350 incarcerated Filipino elderly. Results of this study indicated the conjoint model performed was adequately fit; Pearson R =.999, p <.05 and Kendall's t was 1.00, p <.05. Among the attributes of multidrug administration, patient education is the most important factor considered by incarcerated Filipino elderly (34.78%), followed by the number of drugs taken at a time (29.47%), and nurse–patient relationship (19.07%). In regard to the part-worth of patient education, the more health teachings are given, the higher is the adherence to multidrug administration. As for the number of drugs taken at a time, the lower the quantity of drugs, the higher is the adherence. The active relationship with the nurse to the patient was preferred over nurse passivity. This information is vital to the development of a model that will guide health-care providers on the preference of elderly on multidrug administration to ensure better medication adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the roles of future time perspective and affective commitment on the work engagement of a select group of aging Filipino professoriate. A total of 208 respondents aged 40–60 years old, teaching at the largest Catholic University in the Philippines, were requested to accomplish a multi-aspect questionnaire covering the variables of the study. Data gathered were processed through SPSS v.17 and AMOS v.19. The structural equation model reveals (i) a positive relationship between future time perspective and affective commitment (β =.485) and (ii) a positive relationship between affective commitment and dimensions of work engagement, namely, vigor (β =.986), dedication (β =.943), and absorption (β =.983). Also, of all the dimensions of work engagement, absorption has the biggest impact, while dedication has the smallest impact on work engagement. Findings yielded in this study provide valuable information in structuring human resource programs that can help address the aging workforce's needs and concerns, thus improving their future orientation, commitment, and work engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the nurse–patient relationship plays a vital role in enhancing a client's well-being, in this study, it was observed that most nurses only communicate with their clients when dealing with administrative or functional activities. Although previous studies had been conducted involving the nature of nurse–patient interaction, none has yet investigated the potential of conjoint or trade-off analysis in understanding elderly patients' preferences in home care and community settings. This study contributes to the gap in such knowledge about the nurse–patient relationship. A total of 238 Filipino elderly patients were recruited from home health care and community settings to participate in the research. A set of 36 choice bundles with 4 holdouts were extracted from a pool 144 orthogonal array. In this quantitative study, respondents were asked to sort and rank each card based on its importance and utility value. All data gathered were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Notably, the analysis found that the most important factor for elderly clients in home health care is non-verbal communication followed by verbal, gender and type of care provider while for elderly clients in community settings, gender is the most important consideration in nurse–patient interaction and this was followed by non-verbal cues, care provider and verbal cues. Findings of the study provide valuable inputs that could inform guidelines in implementing nurse professional development programs specifically in matters that relate to the effective communication between the nurse and patient in all health-care settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have indicated that major transitions in life such as retirement or exit from working life may contribute to the normative decline in self-esteem. A growing trend on elderly's labor force beyond retirement invites the conduct of more empirical studies on the dynamics of self-esteem among the elderly group. Anchored on the Self-Determination Theory,  this study is an attempt to test a model that examines the impact of social support, health promotion, activities of daily living and anxiety on the self-esteem of a select group of Filipino elderly working beyond the retirement age. Two-hundred eighteen (218) working elderly from the capital of the Philippines participated in this exploratory study. Data gathered from a multi-aspect questionnaire were analyzed using SPSS version 19 and AMOS version 19. Results of structural equation model (SEM) indicated that social support; activities of daily living and health promotion have direct effects on self-esteem, thus supporting the hypotheses. A direct relationship exists between elderly activities of daily living and their social support and anxiety. Notably, an inverse relationship exists between elderly anxiety and factors such as health promotion and self-esteem. The emerged model in this study could serve as valuable tool for nurses in enhancing nursing care aimed at promoting the psychological-well-being and occupational health among the elderly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ageism is the negative construction of old age. It has real-life implication at the individual and structural levels. To address ageism in large social surveys, the first step is to identify an easy-to-use item, which measures its incidence. The present study compares the utility of two items, which query about perceived exposure to ageism. The fourth wave of the European Social Survey (ESS) contains data from 29 countries in Europe, including Israel. In the present study, I compare two items as potential indicators of perceived exposure to ageism. As many as 33.7% of the sample reported exposure to ageism based on the ageism module item (which assesses one’s individual perceived exposure), but only 1.1% reported perceived ageism based on the regular ESS item (which queries about identification with a discriminated group). The overall Kappa was.02, indicating that agreement between the two items was no greater than chance. Both items were significant predictors of subjective health, but had somewhat different correlates. This study is important as it raises the need for a more careful consideration of items in the assessment of sensitive social issues, such as perceived ageism in large social studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compares older adult learning in Korean and Japanese sample populations, paying special attention to learning after age 70. Surveys with nearly identical questionnaires were conducted in the Bundang Senior Welfare Center in Korea (N = 549, mean age 73.6 years) and at Osaka Prefecture Senior College in Japan (N = 1,491, 787, mean age = 67.4, 69.5 years). The main results are as follows: (a) in terms of learning needs, selected ratios of topics of “life review” and “communication with other seniors” increased as respondents increased in age from their 60s to 70s in both countries; (b) attitudes toward learning and social activities changed from “Novelty” to “Continuity” to “Disengagement” as respondents increased in age in both countries; and (c) the threshold age to old age was identified at around 75 years, not 70 years, particularly in Korean data. These results suggest that old age is a diverse period, and that creating ways to facilitate learning after age 70 is an urgent issue in the field of educational gerontology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community college students were involved in conducting a research project entitled “Life Stories of Chinese American Family Caregivers.” They recruited Chinese American family caregivers and collected their life stories of providing care to family members of old age. Students were asked to provide reflections on their experience with the research project. A grounded theory approach was used to analyze students’ perception of the impact of the life story project on their attitude change toward family caregiving as well as their relationship with family members of old age and career choice. The results revealed students’ gratitude for their family members of old age, desire to develop a plan for caregiving issues in their own families, deeper empathic understanding on family caregivers, and improved self-efficacy for better service provision in their future practice. The results encourage further exploration on the impact of research on undergraduate students’ aging competency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes a new type of team training that involves undergraduate students of medicine, students from the Aalto University (industrial engineering and management, architecture, information networks, collaborative and industrial design and bioinformation technology) and specialized home care nurses. During the course, the students learned interdisciplinary teamwork and created innovations in the care of older people. The 18 participants formed six microteams (three persons in each team: one specialized nurse, one medical student and one from Aalto University). The course consisted of two seminars and 3 full days of home visits to older people’s homes. Participants were encouraged to make one innovation in each home visit that would improve the older person’s well-being or streamline the processes of home care. During the course, the participants promptly formed tight teams. They valued the know-how of the other team members and learned openly from each other. They also created a number of practical innovations in home care which they presented to executives of older people’s care in a final seminar. The course received very good feedback from the students. This course is an encouraging example of how gerontological interdisciplinary team training may be successfully applied. The article describes both the learning outcomes and the innovations the students produced during their home visits. It also discusses the learning theories behind effective interdisciplinary team learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous elderly learning activities not only empower elderly populations’ knowledge about health but also enhance these populations’ social connections and social abilities, which can enhance their overall quality of life. Geographic accessibility is a determinant factor for elderly participation in social activities. In this study, we proposed six measurement methods and employed the Gini coefficient to discuss the geographic accessibility and geographic inequality of community-based elderly learning resources. This study provides three methodological contributions for future research. First, we propose an origin-destination cost matrix analysis that incorporates a post-pruning technique. Applying this technique allows for the consideration of policy restrictions in relation to resource utilization. This approach also contributes to the ability to obtain a reliable assessment of the accessibility of resources. Second, this study proposes a new, more direct and convenient, method of calculating the Gini coefficient. Third, we find that the different distance-decay index β indicates the impact of distance factors on the efficiency of resource utilization. The distance-decay index β should carefully discern when distance is under 1 km. These results indicate that assessing accessibility does not only consider length and traffic distance but also requires a deliberate and weighted calculating process depending on the distance, elderly demand population, and supply capacities of learning centers. Although our study focuses on Taiwanese cases, our methodologies and results illustrate possibilities for other contributions that assess geographic accessibility and resource-allocation inequality for elderly learning policy planning and implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is twofold: to assess the acceptance and usefulness of Nagoya University Small Private Online Courses, which is an online end-of-life care educational program through popular social media designed to supplement traditional end-of-life care education among healthcare professionals and to get constructive feedback with the aim of enhancing the impact of the program on fundamental knowledge of and attitudes toward end-of-life care provision. All 107 participants nationwide enrolled in this educational program completed the entire study. We found evidence of the beneficial effect of the social media strategies on participants’ knowledge and practice toward end-of-life care. In addition, data analyses provided insights into modifiable factors associated with learners’ active participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creating opportunities for inclusive participation by older people in local governance is made more complex by their diversity, which can shape who participates, in what ways, and how effectively. The existing research, however, largely focuses on the impact of socio-demographic characteristics or of individual barriers on participation, without considering how interactions between these may shape pathways to participation among older people. This quantitative study explored the relationships between participation by older people, barriers to participation, and socio-demographic characteristics. The results indicate that socio-demographic diversity impacts on the importance attributed to barriers as well as the strength and direction of their relationships with participation. The findings problematize the dominant approaches to understanding barriers to and patterns in participation. A more sophisticated understanding of inclusive governance in ageing communities needs to consider the iterative and interactional nature of pathways to participation in the context of the complexity of the “older population.” [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meaningful intergenerational interactions between older and younger adults are rare outside of family relationships. Interventions to increase positive intergenerational interactions are growing, but finding appropriate measures of attitudes toward both younger and older age groups is difficult. Many measures assessing attitudes toward older adults can remind participants of negative stereotypes of aging and are rarely used to assess attitudes toward younger adults. We adapted Pittinsky, Rosenthal, and Montoya’s allophilia measure to assess attitudes toward younger (18–25 years old) and older (over age 65) adults. In the first study, 94 traditional college age and 52 older adults rated older and younger adults. The allophilia measure distinguished between younger and older adults’ attitudes toward each age group. In the second study, we compared the age-related allophilia measures with seven traditional measures of attitudes toward older adults. Forty-seven traditional college age students completed measures. As predicted, correlations between allophilia toward older adults and the traditional semantic differential measures were weak (i.e.,r = |0.15|or less), whereas correlations with general attitudes toward older adults were more moderate (r = 0.59 or less). Correlations between allophilia toward younger adults and the traditional measures were primarily non-significant as predicted. The allophilia measure differentiated between the five domains of positive attitudes toward younger and older adults and was not highly correlated with measures of more negative attitudes toward older adults. Results suggest that the allophilia measure can fill a need for a measure of positive attitudes toward older and younger adults. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The present study was performed with the aim to explain older people’s perceptions of spiritual health. It was conducted using the conventional content analysis method. Twelve individuals aged 60 years or older with normal cognition participated in the study using purposive sampling. Data were collected by in-depth interviews. Data analysis performed using standard method of thematic analysis.The average age of the study participants was 71.25 ± 9.48. The data analysis resulted in three main categories of spiritual insight, spiritual function, and spiritual affection. The spiritual insight included cognition of God and belief in Him, understanding of the divine religions and belief in them, self-cognition, cognition of the creation, and belief in the hereafter. This category included the two subcategories of spiritual cognition and spiritual belief. Spiritual function represented the interactions that the older people experienced in relations with God, themselves, and others. This category consisted of the subcategories of relationship with God, relationship with others, and self-cultivation. The spiritual affection included loving God and other humans and consisted of the three subcategories of spiritual affections to God, others, and oneself. This study presents in-depth data on the concept of spiritual health from older people’s viewpoints. These findings would help healthcare teams in designing appropriate interventions for older people’s health promotion. Also, by using the results of this research, health researchers design more appropriate tools for measuring spiritual health based on older people’s perception of the concept of spiritual health. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

With the growing number of older adults becoming a global concern, developed countries have focused on education as a means to promote successful aging. Previous research has focused on the effects of gender and age on learning satisfaction among senior students. Nevertheless, little attention has been paid to the interactive effects of age and gender on learning satisfaction of senior university students. To investigate these effects, a learning satisfaction questionnaire was administered to 485 students enrolled in the Division of Continuing and Extension Education (DCEE) at the National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences in Taiwan. The data collected were subsequently examined by means of descriptive statistics and univariate analysis of variance. The results revealed that respondents were generally satisfied with the DCEE program. However, the standard deviation scores for learning satisfaction were slightly higher for males than for females. Furthermore, an interactive effect was identified between gender and age in relation to learning satisfaction. Respondents’ learning satisfaction scores were higher for males than for females for the age range of 55–60. For the group aged 71 and above, females scored higher than males. However, males in the age range of 55–60 had a higher level of learning satisfaction than males aged 71 and above. Based on this study, the article identifies implications for teachers and administrators such as a need for more diverse, adaptive, and sustainable programs that enhance learner satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Although workforce aging is among the major challenges facing developed countries, organizational communication about this issue has received little scholarly attention. Drawing on a content analysis of corporate media, we reconstruct how Dutch organizations (N = 50) framed older workers’ employability during the period 2006–2013 in diagnostic (problem-definitions) and prognostic (solution-definitions) terms, and we trace the influence of corporate media types and organizational characteristics on these frames. Results reveal that organizations frequently highlight problems on the macrolevel (societal) and the mesolevel (organizational), while most solutions are located on the microlevel (individual). Using multilevel modelling, we found support for the expectation that the issue is more strongly problematized in internal compared to external corporate media, and that problems related to individual older employees are most pronounced in public sector organizations’ communication. Our findings highlight diverse ways in which organizations can communicatively address factors that hamper older workers’ employability. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The University for the Third Age, a relatively new concept in Lebanon, provides educational and social opportunities for older adults. The goal of later-life educational institutions supposedly covers more than a mere provision of learning. This being said, highlighting the significance of rewards associated with older adult learning—and the barriers it faces—is needed. Through this study, we hope to deepen the understanding of the benefits of later-life learning. In addition, we also payi special attention to environmental and social factors that were previously excluded dimensions of the challenges to learning. We explored the benefits perceived by older adults after finishing one term at a University for the Third Age in Lebanon. Also, we distinguished between the different types of barriers faced by seniors in the same context. We included 461 older adults from two cohorts, and we followed a qualitative approach, using content analysis of 247 solicited answers to our research questions. The data consisted of relatively short answers describing self-perceived benefits of the learning experience, as well as its perceived challenges. Findings indicated the existence of three types of benefits: social, cognitive, and psychological, with cognitive benefits the most reported ones. In addition, educational challenges were categorized into dispositional, situational, and institutional, with the latter being the most reported. After interpreting the findings with the Self-Determination Theory in mind, it was concluded that educational challenges negatively affect the well-being of older adults, while educational rewards could enhance it. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

There has been an increase in the aging population in developed countries. This has led to a need for trained people in the gerontological field. The most common academic way of specializing in this field in Spain is via a master's program. It is well known that investing in human capital increases knowledge, productivity, and the probability of getting a job. The question is if these kinds of educational programs are useful to provide real preparation for students and if the programs are useful for getting into the job market. We asked graduates to supply the answers. A survey was completed by 144 graduates from the Universities of Salamanca and Seville. Most graduates selected these master's programs to increase their probability of getting a job. A total of 64.6% reported that they had got a job, 38.8% of which got one in the first 2 years after graduating. A total of 55.6% felt that they had got a job thanks to having done the master's program. The usefulness of the acquired knowledge (47.9%) and social networks (28.8%) was seemingly high when getting a job. A high percentage of students (67%) found a job in this field after completing the master's program, and they got their first experience in a relatively short period after graduating. Investment in human capital is considered useful by graduates. The labor market is interested in highly qualified specialists. To have a postgraduate degree is still an advantage in getting a job, even after the 2008 economic crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aging involves concomitant and interrelated changes in sensory, motor, and cognitive function. There is a decrease in psychomotor skills—such as balance, spatial orientation, mobility, and motor coordination—visible in increased difficulties performing daily instrumental activities (e.g., self care and domestic activities). The absence of valid psychomotor instruments for the elderly population to be used by psychomotor therapists can be identified as one of the reasons why there is a scarce research in this area. Currently, in Portugal, psychomotor therapists do not have any specific, validated scale within the psychomotor domain built and/or adapted to guide psychomotor interventions with the elderly population. Therefore, the aim of this study was the translation, adaptation, and validation of the Portuguese version of the Éxamen Geronto-Psychomoteur (P-EGP) in a population of 497 elders, aged between 60 and 99 years, with and without dementia. Results of the study are presented and discussed in terms of the reliability and validity of P-EGP. The results demonstrate that P-EGP appears to be a valid and reliable assessment of psychomotor skills for the elderly population in Portugal. Practical implications and future directions of research are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intergenerational service-learning initiatives are an increasingly common educational practice designed to engage college students and older adults with one another. The growth of the baby boomer population and a growing interest in lifelong learning opportunities among older adults have the potential to create new models of multigenerational education within colleges and universities. The purpose of this study is to describe the multigenerational interaction and educational interests of older adults who reside in a medium-sized independent and assisted living setting. Results from a survey completed by elders (n = 128) and two focus groups (n = 17) indicate a strong interest in multigenerational-learning with college students. A majority of elders preferred on-site programming (as opposed to attending sessions on a college campus), time-limited faculty-led lectures around topics related to history, arts, computers, and literature. These findings are of great importance for institutions of higher education that are preparing students for careers in an aging society and can expand their educational offerings to lifelong learners using a multigenerational framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policies, practices, and studies have long been focused on nonformal learning for older adults as if this were the only learning context for grey populations. In fact, today more elderly adults participate in degree-conferring programs. It is important to explore why formal learning environments attract the elderly. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore relationships between demographic characteristics and motivations of older adults who enroll in degree-conferring programs in higher education including undergraduate, master's, and doctoral programs in Taiwan. A total of 287 questionnaires filled out by students aged 60 and above were analyzed. The data showed that (a) The demographic characteristics of this group were dissimilar to those of elder learners in nonformal settings. Those who enrolled in degree-conferring higher education programs were predominantly male, young-old, and still employed. (b) The first five important motivations for elder adults enrolling in degree-conferring programs in universities were pursuing and updating knowledge and skills, fitting in with job-related needs and competitions, achieving a life goal, keeping abreast of social changes, and gaining a degree. (c) Retirement status and age predict enrollment motivations. This study enriches our understanding of heterogeneity of elderly learners and provides evidence to make more inclusive policies for elder education. More systematic learning with longterm and intensive requirements, such as enrolling in universities, is needed and desired by some older adults. The roles of higher education in promoting elder learning should be further discussed, addressed, and created. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on the effectiveness of retirement planning programs are relatively scarce. Retirement preparation and planning programs may assist individuals to smooth the transition to retirement and subsequent adjustment. This qualitative study examines the effects of three retirement preparation programs on civil servants in Brazil. Theoretically, the study builds on the transtheoretical model (TTM), also called the stages of change model. Twenty civil servants (aged 53-67) working for the Brazilian government were randomly assigned to one of the three retirement planning programs entitled testimony, short, and extensive. The results of qualitative interviews, conducted 6 months after completion of the programs, show that participants on the extensive program presented a broader array of changes in retirement planning and had progressed through more stages of the TTM than participants who took part in the short and testimony programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many older adults who lose their jobs face challenges in finding new employment due to fundamental limitations in their technology skills. While training could give them the skills they need, older workers often have less access to training programs than younger workers. This study examined the feasibility of using an e-learning training program developed for older job-seeking adults lacking the requisite technology skills to find employment. Implementation of the training program was based on a partnership established between university researchers and a community organization. Thirty-five participants aged 50–71 years provided data regarding their previous work histories and problems that they encountered while seeking employment. They completed 12 hours of training in Microsoft Excel and were given multiple-part problems to assess what they had learned. They also provided evaluations of the program. Participants who enrolled in the training had limited computer skills; after a relatively short amount of training, many were able to perform Excel functions such as entering data and using formulas. Most participants indicated that the training they received was very beneficial, and that they had a basic understanding of Excel. Overall, this project demonstrated that academic-community partnerships can provide an effective strategy for delivering training to older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the increasing availability of gerontological training programs, knowledge of their contents, characteristics, methods, and outcomes remains limited. However, the transition from multidisciplinarity to interdisciplinary orientations is now fundamental to such training, providing participants from diverse academic orientations and professional backgrounds with opportunities to interact across boundaries. In response to recommendations of the European Union FuturageA road map for European ageing research(FUTURAGE, 2011) concerning training and career-development needs of future cohorts of practitioners and scholars in aging, an International Summer School on Ageing (ISSA) was developed in 2012. Its aim was to initiate the practical implementation of some of the capacity building goals identified by Futurage. The design and structure of the ISSA was informed by the experience of Canada’s Summer Programme in Ageing—run by the Institute of Aging of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research—and by the cross-border academic training activities organized by Lund University (Sweden) in Scandinavian countries. As Italy has lacked a tradition of comprehensive, interdisciplinary training programs in gerontology, the Italian National Institute of Health and Science on Ageing undertook to launch the inaugural ISSA. In this article, the core aims and methodology of the ISSA are presented, together with an analysis of its main outcomes, as measured by participant evaluations. These are discussed in the context of international debate on this topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An understanding of the specific dementia learning needs of home care staff is needed to plan relevant continuing education (CE) programs and supports. The study’s objective was to examine frequency and perceived competence in performing 20 dementia-related work activities, and identify CE priorities among home care staff. A cross-sectional survey of all home care staff in a primarily rural health region was used to gather data. Of 111 eligible staff, 82 participated (41 nursing aides, 41 nurses/case managers). To explore the relationship between activity frequency (F) and competence (C), the proportion of nurses and aides in four quadrants for each activity was examined: (1) low F-low C, (2) low F-high C, (3) high F-low C, and (4) high F-high C. Nurses/case managers were significantly more likely than aides to regularly perform 11 activities and to report high competence in 9 activities (p< .05); aides were more likely to assist with two activities (personal care and daily living activities). Thus, nurses/case managers performed a broader range of activities and reported higher competence overall. The top CE topic for both groups was recognizing differences between dementia subtypes, but rankings for most activities varied by group. Aides’ CE priorities indicated a desire to develop competence in low frequency-low competence activities, suggesting an expanded role in supporting dementia patients and their families. Nurses’ CE priority topics were in the high F-high C quadrant, indicating a need to further develop competence in these activities. Findings have implications for planning CE programming for home care providers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

To correct poor quality of life due to the elderly’s limitations and cardiovascular disorders requires the identification of supporting resources, adaptation, and enhancement of the sense of coherence. While having the little evidence available, this clinical trial was performed on 96 elderly people with cardiovascular disease. The goal was to determine the effect of education based on a self-management empowerment model on the sense of coherence. The results indicate the effect of a five-step educational intervention on a total sense of coherence score in the experimental group and on its dimensions. The results can provide a framework to design nursing education for the empowerment of the elderly. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Long term care administrators need a broad base of knowledge, skills, and interests to provide leadership and be successful in managing a fiscally responsible, quality long term care organization. Researchers developed a tool to help students assess whether a long term care administration major is a compatible fit. With input from professionals in the field and in context with the literature, a multi-phase research process, utilizing undergraduates as research assistants, led to development of the Long Term Care Administrator (LTCA) Self-Assessment Tool which focuses on assessing interest, ability, and experience of prospective students across the following 10 characteristics deemed necessary for effective leadership of long term care communities: organization, critical thinking, people skills, attitude, confidence, communication, visionary leadership, sense of caring, change agent, and business sense. Internal consistency measures and factor analysis suggest the LTCA Tool is reasonably reliable and valid for assisting prospective students in selecting a long term care administration major and they can also serve as a foundation for building an individualized academic and experiential professional development plan to progress them toward career goals. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Successful aging is the ability to maintain low probability of disease and disability, high cognitive and physical functioning, and active engagement with life (Rowe & Kahn, 1999). These criteria allow for a minority of people to be classified as being “successful” and overlook the importance of psychological variables in balancing the weight of disease. A total of 1322 seniors (55 + years) were classified on their overall functioning according to core domains (health, psychological, cognitive, biobehavioural, social, personality). Findings support the idea that a broader perspective of aging outcomes, rather than success criteria, may better reflect reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid aging of the population, strategies that can be incorporated into the curriculum are needed, including social work and medicine. Over the past 20 years, pedagogical strategies to improve attitudes toward older adults and gerontological practice along with knowledge about aging have been tested. Instructors are seeking methods that are evidence-based; thus, a need for a systematic review of this literature is warranted. For this review, 58 articles met inclusion and were evaluated to determine the best approaches to positively impacting knowledge about, and attitudes toward, older people and gerontological practice. Interventions to change knowledge are the most straightforward with support for aging courses, modules, and infusion approaches. A combination of information with an experiential activity (e.g., service learning) was the most common pedagogical approach; the evidence suggests that this approach can change student attitudes. Addressing gerontological interest appears to be more challenging with fewer studies reporting a positive change. Future research should seek to test additional approaches that may influence student interest in gerontological practice, and additional studies that seek to test online strategies should be conducted, given the prominence of these courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the increasing use of health information technologies (HITs) for older adults living in the community and their caregivers, few have been rigorously evaluated for usability by the end users. Think-aloud protocols are a relatively easy method for both clinicians and researchers to use with older adults and those therapists that work with them to provide such an evaluation. In the present report, we provide an exemplar using this method in order to evaluate the usability of a health and wellness technology tool designed for older adults and caregivers. In addition, we discuss methodological and practical considerations for others interested in this approach. The methodology described in this study is easy and practical to undertake, and it can be effectively conducted by researchers and clinicians to find usability issues related to HITs for older adults and their caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dementia is a major public health concern. Educating health-care providers about dementia warning signs, diagnosis, and management is paramount to fostering clinical competence and improving patient outcomes. The objective of this project was to describe and identify educational and training needs of staff at community-based outpatient clinics related to treating and managing veterans with dementia. Health professionals took an online survey consisting of questions related to general knowledge and skills in working with veterans with dementia and their families, staff training, and attitudes toward people with dementia. Most participants considered knowledge of dementia important; however, few reported having received training in dementia care within the past year. Furthermore, over half of participants considered themselves beginners in terms of knowledge and skills in dementia care. Regarding training needs, topics that could improve the overall care of veterans with dementia and their caregivers were most often cited. Participants reported being most satisfied with in-person training. Physicians rated their dementia knowledge and skill as greater than nurses'/other medical professionals’ and support staff's. Compared with support staff, nurses/other medical professionals held more positive attitudes toward persons with dementia. Survey results suggest that staff are interested in improving knowledge of, and skills for, working with persons with dementia, and that job classification is associated with differences in attitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lifelong learning is receiving greater attention due to population aging in modern societies. Lifelong learning benefits individuals by supporting their physical, psychological, social, and economic well-being. However, older adults generally have lower motivation for learning than younger adults, and facilitating long-term participation in learning activities is still challenging. Previous studies mainly identified negative factors such as barriers and obstacles to individuals’ initial participation in lifelong learning programs. As such, less is known about positive factors that promote long-term participation. To address this gap, data were collected from 330 older adults who participated in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute program in an urban community in the United States. Results from proportional odds ordinal logistic regression analysis demonstrated that gender, number of household members, income, religious affiliation, self-rated health, and number of courses taken were associated with satisfaction with the program. In hopes to promote true lifelong learning, possible explanations about the findings are explored and several recommendations for existing lifelong learning programs are derived in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Ageing anxiety is the expression of peoples' fear of ageing (Lynch, 2000). Despite greater longevity in the population, there is a lack of research into this aspect of life (Lasher & Faulkender, 1993). This research explored fears of ageing across four dimensions: Fear of Old People, Physical Appearance, Psychological Concerns, and Fear of Losses. Three hundred and forty eight participants aged 18–88 participated in an online survey. Findings were: (a) men and women have different fears of ageing; (b) greater quality contact is related to less ageing anxiety; (c) poor health is related to greater ageing anxiety, (d) ageism, defined by Nelson (2005) as prejudice toward ageing is positively correlated with ageing anxiety. The implications of these findings are that better quality contact and more positive attitudes toward ageing are associated with less ageing anxiety. As such, possible key target areas in developing appropriate interventions are provided, with hope to prepare adults of all ages for the inevitable—life is a terminal illness, so enjoy while you can. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study aims to verify the effects of an education program on home renovation for fall prevention among older people, more specifically fall efficacy and home renovation intentions. A quasiexperimental study with nonequivalent control and comparative groups was conducted to demonstrate the effects of the education. A total of 51 older people participated, and fall efficacy and behavioral intentions towards home renovation were measured twice, before and after the education, by survey and in-depth interview. After the education, the fall efficacy of the experimental group had increased more than that of the control and comparative groups. In terms of the behavioral intention towards home renovation, a considerable proportion of the experimental group showed actual behavioral changes in housing improvements; for instance, repairing handrails on staircases or applying antislip spray to their bathroom. The results demonstrate that the provision of appropriate education could be used as a crucial intervention for fall prevention because it can encourage confidence and preventive behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A psychoeducational face-to-face training program (Keep Your Brain Fit!) was developed to support the working population in coping with age-related cognitive changes and taking proactive preventive measures to maintain cognitive health. A feasibility study was conducted to test the training program presented in a workshop format. Participants completed an online questionnaire immediately after the workshop and three weeks later. The questionnaire assessed participants’ appreciation of the workshop and evaluation of subjective cognitive functioning. 155 men and women between 40 and 65 years old (mean age: 53.8) participated in the workshops. The results showed the participants’ appreciation of the knowledge they gained by participating in the workshop. Participation reduced negative emotions toward cognitive functioning in 69% of the participants, and almost 50% indicated that they were better able to cope with cognitive challenges. This psychoeducational program may offer a valuable contribution to the coping strategies of the aging workforce. Adjustments were made based on participants’ evaluations, and the program was made suitable for online use in order to reach a broader audience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]