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Objectives: To examine the association between pet ownership and psychosocial outcomes among the oldest old in Germany during the Covid‐19 pandemic. Methods/Design: Data from the "Old Age in Germany (D80+)" study were used, a large, nationwide representative study covering both individuals living at home and individuals in nursing homes aged 80 years and above (n = 2867 individuals). The telephone interviews were conducted from May to October 2021. Established tools (e.g., "Short Form of the Depression in Old Age Scale", DIA‐S4) were used to quantify the outcomes. Five groups were generated: (1) no pet ownership, (2) having at least one dog (but no other pets), (3) having at least one cat (but no other pets), (4) having at least one other pet (but neither dogs nor cats), (5) having at least two different types of pets (in any combination). Results: Multiple linear regressions showed that compared to individuals without a pet, individuals having at least one dog had significantly lower loneliness levels (β = −0.21, p < 0.01). In the fully‐adjusted models, other forms of pet ownership were not significantly associated with the outcomes examined. Conclusion: Particularly living with a dog was associated with lower loneliness among the oldest old people in Germany. If living with a dog is in line with the preferences and attitudes of the very old, this could be a strategy for reducing loneliness in this age group. Key points: There is a dearth of studies examining the association between pet ownership and psychosocial outcomes based on nationally representative data.Using nationally representative data of the D80+, our aim was to explore the association between pet ownership and psychosocial outcomes during the Covid‐19 pandemic ‐ an area in which literature is extremely limited.Living with a dog was associated with lower loneliness.Multiple pet ownership may help to maintain life satisfaction.This could indicate a strategy for reducing loneliness in this age group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: There are few studies investigating the determinants of psychosocial outcomes using data exclusively from the oldest old; and even fewer that use longitudinal data. Thus, our aim was to explore the determinants of psychosocial factors (in terms of life satisfaction, loneliness, and depressive symptoms) amongst the oldest old (also stratified by sex) based on representative, longitudinal data from Germany. Methods/Design: Data from "Survey on quality of life and subjective well‐being of the very old in North Rhine‐Westphalia (NRW80+)" were used. This study includes community‐dwelling and institutionalized individuals aged 80 years and above (n = 1760 observations in the analytical sample) located in North Rhine‐Westphalia (the most populous state in Germany). The mean age was 86.6 years (SD: 4.3 years). Established instruments were used to quantify life satisfaction, loneliness, and depressive symptoms. Linear FE regressions were used in this study to mitigate the challenge of unobserved heterogeneity. Sex‐stratified regressions were also conducted. Results: Regressions showed that the loss of a spouse was significantly associated with worsening psychosocial factors (in terms of increases in depressive symptoms and loneliness). Furthermore, regressions revealed that increases in functional impairment were significantly associated with poorer psychosocial outcomes. Conclusions: This longitudinal study enhanced our understanding of the factors contributing to poorer psychosocial outcomes among the oldest old. Efforts to avoid or postpone functional impairment may contribute to more favorable psychosocial outcomes. Moreover, our current study underlines the importance of spousal relationships for psychosocial outcomes in the oldest age group. Key points: Using longitudinal, representative data of the North Rhine‐Westphalia (NRW80+), the objective of this study was to investigate the determinants of psychosocial outcomes among the oldest oldEstablished tools were used to quantify the key variables. Gender‐stratified regressions were also conductedPoorer psychosocial outcomes: linked to spousal loss and functional impairment in particularEfforts to avoid or postpone functional impairment may contribute to more favorable psychosocial outcomes [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Our aim was to examine socioeconomic and health-related variables associated with psychosocial factors among the oldest old.Methods: Cross-sectional data were used from the representative "Survey on quality of life and subjective well-being of the very old in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW80+)" consisting of individuals aged 80 years and over (n = 952, average age was 86 years) living in North Rhine-Westphalia (most populous state of Germany). Established tools were used to quantify loneliness, life satisfaction and depressive symptoms. Socioeconomic and health-related determinants were included in regression analysis.Results: Multiple linear regressions showed that higher life satisfaction was associated with a greater network size, lower functional impairment and better self-rated health. Moreover, higher loneliness was associated with being unmarried, a smaller network size, worse self-rated health and higher functional impairment. Additionally, more depressive symptoms were associated with lower age (i.e., 80-84 years compared to 90 years and over), asset poverty, the presence of multimorbidity, higher functional impairment and worse self-rated health.Conclusions: Our study identified various socioeconomic and health-related factors associated with worse psychosocial factors among the oldest old. This knowledge may assist in targeting oldest old individuals at risk for worse psychosocial factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: There is a lack of longitudinal studies, which are both based on nationally representative samples and use standardized instruments to quantify social isolation. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the link between perceived social isolation and cognitive functioning longitudinally.Methods/design: Longitudinal data with n = 6420 from 2014 (wave 5) to 2017 (wave 6) were drawn from the German Ageing Survey (nationally representative sample of individuals aged 40 years and over). Perceived social isolation was assessed using a scale by Bude and Lantermann. Cognitive functioning was quantified using the established digit symbol test. To reduce the problem of unobserved heterogeneity, linear fixed effects regressions were used.Results: Regressions showed that increases in perceived social isolation were associated with decreases in cognitive functioning. With regard to covariates, decreases in cognitive functioning were associated with increases in aging and worsening self-rated health, whereas changes in marital status, employment status, income, physical functioning, and physical illnesses were not associated with the outcome measure.Conclusions: Based on a nationally representative sample and exploiting the panel data structure, the study findings extend current knowledge by showing that increasing perceived social isolation contributes to decreases in cognitive functioning among individuals aged 40 years and over longitudinally. Future longitudinal studies based on panel data methods are required to validate the study findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Previous studies have examined the association between frequency of contact with friends and relatives via internet and psychosocial factors (in terms of loneliness, life satisfaction and depressive symptoms). However, far less is known about such a link during the COVID‐19 pandemic, particularly based on nationally representative samples. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine this association among middle‐aged/older adults. Methods/Design: Data were taken from the short survey of the German Ageing Survey (June/July 2020, 3134 individuals in the analytical sample). The De Jong Gierveld scale was used to quantify loneliness, the Satisfaction with Life Scale was used to quantify life satisfaction and the 10‐item version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies‐Depression was used to quantify depressive symptoms. Results: Regressions showed that—compared to daily users—less frequent users of the internet for contact with friends and relatives reported increased loneliness, lower life satisfaction and more depressive symptoms. With regard to covariates, better psychosocial factors were associated with medium education (compared to low education), living with partner in the same household (compared to singles), better self‐rated health, and favourable COVID‐19 factors (in terms of decreased feeling that the Corona crisis is a threat for oneself, not having an infection with the coronavirus and an increased feeling that you can influence an infection with the coronavirus yourself). Conclusions: Data suggest that individuals with a high frequency of contact with friends and relatives via internet reported better psychosocial factors. Future research in other cultural settings are required. Key points: Nationally representative data were used (collected during the pandemic).Compared to daily users‐less frequent users of the internet for contact with friends and relatives reported increased loneliness, lower life satisfaction and more depressive symptoms.Daily contact with friends and relatives via internet may be particularly helpful when other ways to stay in regular contact (e.g., personal contact) are difficult or nearly impossible.Knowledge about such associations may assist in addressing individuals at risk for adverse psychosocial outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Previous studies have observed protective effects of high mental demands at work on cognitive functioning and dementia risk. However, it is unclear what types of demands drive this effect and whether this effect is subject to a person's genetic risk. We investigated to what extent eight different types of mental demands at work together with the APOE e4 allele, a major risk gene for late-onset Alzheimer's disease, affect cognitive functioning in late life.Methods/design: The population-based German Study on Ageing, Cognition, and Dementia in Primary Care Patients (AgeCoDe, n = 2 154) followed cognitively healthy individuals aged 75 years and older in seven assessment waves. Cognitive functioning was assessed via the mini-mental status examination.Results: Mixed-effects modeling (adjusted for education, gender, marital status, stroke, depression, and diabetes) indicated that participants who had an occupational history of working in jobs with high compared to low demands in "Language & Knowledge", "Pattern detection", "Information processing", and "Service" had a slower cognitive decline. APOE e4-allele carriers had an accelerated cognitive decline, but this decline was significantly smaller if they had a medium compared to a low level of demands in contrast to non-carriers.Conclusions: Our longitudinal observations suggest that cognitive decline could be slowed by an intellectually enriched lifestyle even in risk gene carriers. Fostering intellectual engagement throughout the life-course could be a key prevention initiative to promote better cognitive health in old age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Subjective cognitive decline (SCD), the earliest symptom in preclinical Alzheimer's disease (AD), is insufficient to identify individuals at risk for AD dementia. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether function in instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) contributes to identification.Methods: We analysed data of cognitively unimpaired participants of the prospective German Study on Ageing, Cognition, and Dementia in Primary Care Patients (AgeCoDe) and its extension, the Study on Needs, Health Service Use, Costs and Health-related Quality of Life in a Large Sample of Oldest-old Primary Care Patients (AgeQualiDe), collected over 10.5 years. Development of AD dementia was quantified as incidence rates (IRs) per 1000 person-years. Cox regression was used to assess the association of SCD and IADL function in regard to incident AD dementia.Results: Of 1467 included individuals, 792 (54.0%) reported SCD at baseline. Impaired IADL were present in 50 (3.4%) individuals. IR for AD dementia was highest in individuals with SCD and impaired IADL (49.7; 95% CI, 24.8-99.3). Unadjusted and adjusted Cox analyses revealed an increased AD dementia risk for individuals with SCD and impaired IADL (uHR = 6.1; 95% CI, 2.9-13.0; P < 0.001; aHR = 2.5; 95% CI, 1.1-5.7; P < 0.05).Conclusions: Consistent with the SCD concept, IADL function was largely well preserved in the majority of individuals with SCD. However, if difficulties in IADL were present, risk for AD dementia was increased. Therefore, screening for IADL impairment could serve as an economically viable indicator to assess AD dementia risk above and beyond SCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of falls on depressive symptoms among the oldest old in Germany longitudinally.Methods: Data were used from 2 waves of the multicenter prospective cohort "Study on needs, health service use, costs and health-related quality of life in a large sample of oldest-old primary care patients (85+)" (AgeQualiDe). This study covers primary care patients ≥85 years (at baseline: n = 547, average age of 88.9 ± 3.0 years; ranging from 85 to 100 years). General practitioner-diagnosed falls were used as explanatory variable. The Geriatric Depression Scale was used as outcome measure.Results: Linear fixed effects regressions showed that the occurrence of falls is associated with an increase in depressive symptoms (β = .60, P = .02), whereas changes in marital status, ageing, social support, functional decline (instrumental activity of daily living), cognitive impairment, and an increase in chronic diseases did not affect depressive symptoms. In sensitivity analysis, an increase in depressive symptoms was associated with functional impairment (basic activities of daily living; Barthel index; β = -.04, P = .005).Conclusions: Based on a large, population-based longitudinal study, this study underlined the impact of falls on depressive symptoms and consequently extended previous knowledge about an association between falls and depressive symptoms in the oldest old. Developing strategies to prevent falls might also help to prevent depressive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Social relations have become the focus of much research attention when studying depressive symptoms in older adults. Research indicates that social support and being embedded in a network may reduce the risk for depression. The aim of the review was to analyze the association of social relations and depression in older adults. Methods Electronic databases were searched systematically for potentially relevant articles published from January 2000 to December 2012. Thirty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria for this review. Results Factors of social relations were categorized into 12 domains. Factors regarding the qualitative aspects of social relations seem to be more consistent among studies and therefore provide more explicit results. Thus, social support, quality of relations, and presence of confidants were identified as factors of social relations significantly associated with depression. The quantitative aspects of social relations seem to be more inconsistent. Cultural differences become most obvious in terms of the quantitative aspects of social relations. Conclusion Despite the inconsistent results and the methodological limitations of the studies, this review identified a number of factors of social relations that are significantly associated with depression. The review indicates that it is needful to investigate social relations in all their complexity and not reduce them to one dimension. Simultaneously, it is important to conduct longitudinal studies because studies with cross-sectional design do not allow us to draw conclusions on causality. Beyond that, cultural differences need to be considered. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Because the oldest old will be the fastest-growing age group in the future and information about epidemiology of depressive symptoms in latest life is scarce, the present study aims at determining the age-specific and gender-specific prevalence rates and risk factors of depressive symptoms in latest life. Methods As part of the Leipzig Longitudinal Study of the Aged (LEILA 75+), a population-based sample of 1 006 individuals aged 75 years and older were interviewed on socio-demographic, clinical and psychometric variables. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (cut-off score ≥16); mild cognitive impairment (MCI) was diagnosed according to criteria of the International Working Group on MCI. Factors associated with depressive symptoms were determined with multiple logistic regression models. Results Of the overall sample, 38.2% (95% confidence interval, CI 35.2-41.2) were classified as depressed. In the full multivariate model, the following variables were significantly associated with depressive symptoms: divorced or widowed marital status, low educational level, poor self-rated health status, functional impairment, multi-domain MCI, stressful life events and poor social network. All variables but MCI remained significant correlates of depressive symptoms in the parsimonious model. Discussion Because depressive symptoms are common in oldest age and associated with broad categories of risk factors, latest-life depression represents an important public health issue. Employment of comprehensive geriatric assessment to ascertain depressive symptoms and its concomitants could help to improve treatment success. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]