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É vastamente reconhecida na literatura que as manifestações clínicas da doença de Alzheimer não se limitam às alterações cognitivas, mas também incluem a presença de sintomas neuropsiquiátricos (SNPs), que se referem a um grupo heterogêneo de distúrbios de percepção, pensamento, humor, personalidade, comportamento e de funções básicas. Não está claro se a presença dos SNPs é intensificada com determinadas atitudes e comportamentos do cuidador. Sabe-se que a qualidade de vida do paciente e do cuidador, bem como a capacidade de prestar cuidados em casa, dependem da habilidade do cuidador em se adaptar e responder a esses problemas comportamentais de forma adequada. No entanto, os cuidadores diferem em suas estratégias de gerenciamento, sendo alguns cuidadores mais bem-sucedidos do que outros. Este estudo tem como objetivo apresentar dados de pesquisa sobre o tema e discutir sobre comportamentos e atitudes dos cuidadores que podem contribuir para os SNPs nos pacientes com doença de Alzheimer.

OBJECTIVE: This article reviewed studies that relate aspects of double vulnerability (caregivers' physical health, caregivers' self-perceived health, care recipients' dependency and perceived burden) with psychological aspects of caregivers' quality of life. METHODS: The search was conducted in the PubMed, Capes, LILACS, SciELO and AgeLine indexes using keywords in English and their corresponding words in Portuguese. RESULTS: Twenty-three papers were analyzed. With regards to the methods, most articles were made up of transversal studies and included various outcomes. There was a wide age range for the caregivers in the studies' samples, and many of them presented incomplete information about age. CONCLUSION: The results showed that a caregiver's quality of life is affected by several simultaneous variables such as the degree and type of dependency of the elderly person receiving care, the caregiver's health, perceived burden, and positive and negative affects.

Background With aging, some cognitive abilities change because of neurobiological processes. Cognition may also be influenced by psychosocial aspects.

RESUMO O objetivo do estudo foi atualizar e avaliar a validade de conteúdo do Questionário Palmore-Neri-Cachioni de Conhecimentos Básicos sobre a Velhice. A atualização contou com três especialistas em gerontologia. Realizou-se duas rodadas de validação de conteúdo. Utilizou-se o Índice de Validade de Conteúdo a nível de item, traduzido pelo Kappa modificado e a Razão de Validade de Conteúdo, adotando pontuações ≥ 0,78, 0,74 e 1,00, respectivamente. A validade de conteúdo global foi avaliada pelo Índice de Validade de Conteúdo a nível de escala de acordo com a média, assumindo ponto de corte de 0,90. Uma reunião com a autora da versão brasileira foi realizada para esclarecimentos. O estudo piloto foi conduzido com indivíduos da população alvo e avaliado pela taxa de concordância, com ponto de corte 80%. Atualizou-se as respostas de sete itens, 14 itens foram revisados e após a segunda rodada, a validade geral do instrumento foi de 0,96. Quatro itens e a instrução foram discutidos com a autora. O estudo piloto contou com 34 respondentes e alcançou satisfatoriedade. Foi possível obter o Questionário Palmore-Neri-Cachioni | Atualizado e Revisado (2022) que evidenciou validade de conteúdo e de face quando aplicado a uma amostra de profissionais e gestores de saúde.

Emerging studies indicate the persistence of symptoms beyond the acute phase of COVID-19. Cognitive impairment has been observed in certain individuals for months following infection. Currently, there is limited knowledge about the specific cognitive domains that undergo alterations during the post-acute COVID-19 syndrome and the potential impact of disease severity on cognition. The aim of this review is to examine studies that have reported cognitive impairment in post-acute COVID-19, categorizing them into subacute and chronic phases. The methodology proposed by JBI was followed in this study. The included studies were published between December 2019 and December 2022. The search was conducted in PubMed, PubMed PMC, BVS – BIREME, Embase, SCOPUS, Cochrane, Web of Science, Proquest, PsycInfo, and EBSCOHost. Data extraction included specific details about the population, concepts, context, and key findings or recommendations relevant to the review objectives. A total of 7,540 records were identified and examined, and 47 articles were included. The cognitive domains most frequently reported as altered 4 to 12 weeks after acute COVID-19 were language, episodic memory, and executive function, and after 12 weeks, the domains most affected were attention, episodic memory, and executive function. The results of this scoping review highlight that adults with post-acute COVID-19 syndrome may have impairment in specific cognitive domains.

This scoping review aims to identify and map the existing literature regarding the relationship between neuroticism and self-reported health in community-dwelling older adults. We adopted the Joanna Briggs Institute Manual for Evidence Synthesis recommendations and followed the PRISMA-SCr when reporting it. The search was performed on ten different databases, including: Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Cochrane, Embase, PsycArticles, PsycInfo, United States National Library of Medicine, Scopus, Web of Science, Ageline and Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde/Centro Latino-Americano e do Caribe de Informação em Ciências da Saúde databases until February 2021. Data screening and extraction were performed by two independent reviewers. We included primary studies with older adults (≥60 years) [participants] that adopted validated instruments to assess neuroticism and self-reported health [concept] in the community [context], published in Portuguese, English, or Spanish. We identified 3453 articles and included 15 studies in this review. We extracted the main categories of included studies, characteristics of the participants, methodological issues, and biopsychosocial factors. Outcomes were reported in three sections: Focus of studies; Definitions and measures of neuroticism and self-reported health; Associations with biopsychosocial factors. We found an association between high neuroticism and poor self-reported health. Some biopsychosocial factors may influence this relationship, such as chronic diseases, depression, social support, and a sense of control, which must be considered in future studies to shed light on this topic.

O envelhecimento populacional aumentou a procura por atividades para pessoas idosas, e os museus estão bem posicionados para responder a essa demanda. Conhecer os idosos quanto às vivências em museus, interesses e motivações permitirá construir proposições museográficas de relacionamento mais assertivas para o potencial público de pessoas idosas, ou seja, os visitantes e não visitantes. O objetivo deste artigo foi conhecer as pessoas idosas visitantes de museus, quanto a características sociodemográficas, motivacionais, experiências pregressas e atuais nos museus, além de percepções de participação e emoções na experiência museográfica. O questionário foi aplicado em 24 museus brasileiros a 1.387 visitantes. A análise estatística descritiva apurou que a maioria da amostra é composta por mulheres com escolaridade superior ao ensino médio e bastante diversa quanto ao arranjo de moradia e renda. Os entrevistados vão com as famílias ou em grupos de convivência. Os principais interesses e experiências procuradas dentro dos museus são os objetos, além de aprender coisas novas, passear e conviver com outras pessoas. A alegria, satisfação e as curiosidades são as emoções mais sentidas. Mais da metade dos idosos acreditam poder contribuir com os museus, compartilhando memórias e ensinando coisas que sabem fazer. Cerca de 90% da amostra declarou não ser pessoa com deficiência e dizem não sentir falta de nenhum recurso de acessibilidade. Os museus têm o potencial para trabalhar todos os níveis de autonomia das pessoas idosas, desde que se enquadrem como ambientes amigáveis para todas as idades. Os dados são coerentes com a literatura apresentada na revisão de escopo produzida.

This scoping review sought to identify, synthesize, and assess the available evidence on the aims and effects of interventions used by health professionals in older adults with low levels of health literacy. Relevant articles were selected from the databases from April 2017 to April 2020. The Joanna Briggs Institute Manual for Evidence Synthesis was used for conducting this scoping review, and a total of 22 studies were reviewed. The positive effects observed for each type of intervention, yielding significant results for some of the outcomes and improvements in intragroup scores, demonstrated that the interventions had good acceptability by older adults with limited health literacy. However, we were not able to determine which intervention strategies had a significant positive effect on health outcomes in these patients. Further high-quality randomized clinical trials employing greater methodological rigor for assessing results are needed to elucidate the potential benefits of interventions in this population.

Objective: To identify and map the purpose of digital media use among older adults during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: A scoping review was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology involving a search of 7 databases for relevant articles in English, Spanish, and Portuguese published between 2020 and 2021. Most studies were retrieved from the SCOPUS and Web of Science databases. The inclusion criteria for this review were: participants - individuals aged ≥ 60 years; concept - digital media use during the pandemic; context - community-dwelling older adults. Results: The search led to the retrieval of 1992 studies. The titles and abstracts were screened by 2 independent reviewers. Full texts were then extracted according to the inclusion criteria, reaching a total of 12 articles for the review. The results showed that the main purposes of digital media use by older adults were to access and answer surveys sent by e-mail or posted on social media and virtual social networks (eg, Facebook, Instagram, and/or Twitter) and also for telemedicine consultations. Conclusions: Adherence and acceptance of technologies and digital media are considered important factors for their use by older adults. However, a large contingent of the older population does not have access to, or require assistance for, information and communication technologies, mainly in low- and middle-income countries, making the promotion of digital literacy fundamental in this population

Os educadores são considerados os elementos-chave no desenvolvimento de propostas educativas das Universidades Sénior em Portugal. Considerando a abordagem teórica da gerontologia educacional, a pesquisa exploratória e qualitativa identificou as principais características recomendadas para os educadores, segundo a perspectiva dos seniores, educadores e técnicos (pesquisadores e especialistas) no campo da educação de idosos. As mensagens de 265 participantes foram submetidas à análise de conteúdo e os resultados apresentaram que aspectos técnicos e, principalmente, afetivos são considerados importantes e aconselháveis para os que ensinam a seniores. Sugere-se a adoção de um modelo técnico-afetivo na condução do ensino-aprendizagem para seniores.

ABSTRACT The feeling that life has meaning or purpose is essential for human beings. Absence of meaning can lead to an existential vacuum. Purpose in life, akin to meaning in life, derives from the humanistic psychology theory of Frankl, and they are considered synonymous. Other scholars, however, regard the two constructs as distinct. The objective of the review was to map both concepts in the gerontological literature, examining how they manifest in aging. The review of the databases was carried out between January 2019 and March 2020. Thirty articles were included. In the context of aging, results were conflicting. The literature review yielded evidence to affirm that meaning and purpose in life are distinct concepts, despite sharing the same existential-philosophical roots.

Objectives: To evaluate an explanatory model of direct and indirect associations regarding the psychological health of older caregivers of functionally dependent older adults. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study performed with older caregivers recruited in contexts of outpatient and home care. We collected information on sociodemographic characteristics, duration of caregiving, physical and cognitive function indicators of the older care recipients, perceived burden, family functioning, and psychological health measures (psychological need satisfaction and depressive symptoms). Results: We evaluated 133 caregivers (76% female, 69.5 ± 6.98 years). Variables that were significantly correlated with psychological health were selected to form an association model to be tested by structural equation modeling via path analysis. Depressive symptom variability was best explained by this model. Caregiver burden remained in the model as a mediator of indirect associations between physical function for instrumental activities of daily living and indicators of family functioning and psychological health. Three associative paths between caregiver burden and depressive symptoms were found — one of them was direct and the other two were mediated whether by family functioning or by the level of psychological need satisfaction. Conclusion: Depressive symptoms were the psychological health indicator best explained by the model involving instrumental functional demands that generate burden. Clinical consequences suggested by the model indicate interventions aimed at family functioning and opportunities of psychological need satisfaction as strategies for promoting caregivers' psychological health.

Abstract This study aims to estimate the prevalence of overall satisfaction with life regarding sense of purpose in life, morbidities, and self-reported health, and to identify their direct and indirect associations among the domains in community-dwelling older adults. The research has a cross-sectional design, and we evaluated 419 older adults. Morbidities were assessed using a dichotomous question; self-reported health and satisfaction with life were assessed using a 5-point Likert scale; and sense of purpose was assessed using the Ryff and Keyes 10-item scale. An analysis of structural equations was conducted using Path Analysis. The relationship between morbidities and overall satisfaction with life was mediated by self-reported health; purpose in life mediated the relationship between self-reported health and overall satisfaction with life. Beyond managing chronic illnesses, subjective assessments of health and well-being are key to successful aging.

Introduction: The increase in mobile device users aged > 60 years reflects a transformation in the information and communication technology (ICT) area. Supporting older adults in their digital literacy is a complex task. New skills for the digital age should be developed. Objective: To describe the sociodemographic characteristics of older adults on a digital literacy program, including patterns of use, reasons for learning, in addition to the difficulties and benefits reported regarding the use of technology. Methodology: A quantitative and qualitative study based on a digital literacy program within a U3A context involving professionals in the fields of gerontology and computing was conducted. Result: The program involved 317 older adults, most of whom were women (64.5%). Mean age of participants was 60-74 years (82%). Regarding characteristics, 44.2% were married, 40.7% had finished high school, 77.3% were retired, 65.1% earned ≤ 4 minimum wages, and 74.1% were not engaged in paid employment. Prior to participation, despite the high frequency of smartphone use (87.6%), 77.9% reported having a poor user experience. The most prevalent purposes for using smartphones were “Communication” (93.3%), “Strengthening affectional bonds with family and friends” (66.2%) and “Search for general information” (48.7%). The assessment of self-efficacy revealed that participants lacked competence for complex activities. Conclusion: The interest of older Brazilians in using smartphones is clear. Therefore, understanding previous competencies, as well as the obstacles faced by this group, is pivotal in aiding the process of digital inclusion.

O objetivo deste artigo é analisar as representações da velhice em desenhos de crianças. O referencial teórico adotado está pautado em Vygotsky e Moscovici e considera o espectro sociocognitivo de suas teorias. Parte-se do princípio de que as crianças não desenham apenas o que veem, mas o que sentem, somado ao que ouvem. A pesquisa de campo foi, assim, realizada em uma escola pública de Ensino Fundamental e teve como participantes 32 meninas e 34 meninos. O procedimento previu a coleta dos seus desenhos antes e depois de uma ação educativa gerontológica baseada na audição de livros infantis com personagens idosos. Caraterizada como uma pesquisa-ação, a investigação está vinculada a aspectos sociais e considera tanto os interesses científicos e acadêmicos das pesquisadoras quanto os sentidos que as crianças atribuem às pessoas idosas. Para a análise, de abordagem quali-quantitativa, características físicas, emoções, vestimentas, contexto, atividades e interação social foram correlacionadas ao gênero dos participantes. Diferenças significativas foram encontradas entre os gêneros, com destaque para as meninas que representaram uma velhice mais positiva. Os resultados sugerem a necessidade de novos olhares em relação a essas impressões.

Rapidly ageing population increases the demand for activities with learning and social stimulation. Museums are well placed to provide such a function. Objective: How and in what form are museums engaging with older populations. The review will focus on three aspects: (1) Identifying the frameworks and tools being used by and in museums with older people. (2) Assess variables used in research and in areas that supports knowledge creation. (3) Identify evidence in relation to the interactions between museums and older audiences. A review of 8 databases and 2 university repositories (English and Portuguese language). The search retrieved 810 potential sources (2002-2020), 39 sources met the inclusion criteria. They focused on the educational aspects of museums and were produced by disciplines like psychology and gerontology, museology, arts and education. Museums play an important role on health (emphasis on psychological and physical wellbeing), socialization (discussing stereotypes, reducing isolation, redefining social roles), socioeconomic aspects (with local focus on services, partnerships) and on creative aging (promoting non-formal education with lifelong learning at different levels).

ABSTRACT. The concept Awareness of Age-Related Change (AARC) is defined as a person’s awareness that their behavior, level of physical, cognitive and social performance, and ways of experiencing life have changed as a consequence of having grown older, and not because of disease. Objective: A psychometric study investigating evidence of construct validity and internal consistency of the Portuguese version of the AARC Short Scale was carried out. Method: A convenience sample of 387 individuals aged≥60 years with no deficit suggestive of dementia were recruited at venues frequented by older persons and at households. Participants answered the Portuguese version of the scale, along with questionnaires collecting sociodemographic and frailty variables and self-rated health based on personal criteria and relative to peers. Results: Exploratory and confirmatory factorial analyses derived a structure with two orthogonal factors representing the latent variables gains and losses, invariant for age group, thus replicating the original scale. The factors explained a large proportion of item variability (58.6 to 51.8%) and exhibited high loadings (0.886 to 0.432) and good communality [0.787 for item 4 (better sense of what is important) and 0.369 for item 6 (less energy)]. The hypotheses of covariance between the new instrument and the parallel measures of frailty and self-rated health were confirmed. The levels of internal consistency were high (α>0.700). Conclusion: Evidence confirmed the factor and convergent (construct) validity and internal consistency of the new scale in Portuguese.

ABSTRACT Background: The link between sarcopenia and cognitive impairment has not yet been thoroughly evaluated, especially among older adults. Objective: To evaluate the relationship between probable sarcopenia and cognitive impairment among community-dwelling older adults in two Brazilian cities. Methods: Probable sarcopenia was assessed using the EWGSOP2 (2018) criteria. Thus, participants were classified as probably having sarcopenia if they had SARC-F (Strength, Assistance in walking, Rise from a chair, Climb stairs and Falls) ≥4 points and low grip strength. Cognitive function was evaluated through the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), verbal fluency (VF) and clock drawing test (CDT). Results: In a sample of 529 older adults (mean age 80.8±4.9 years; mean education 4.2±3.67 years; 70.1% women), 27.3% of the participants had SARC-F≥4, 38.3% had low grip strength and 13.6% were classified as probable sarcopenia cases. After adjusting for possible confounders (age, sex, education, depression, diabetes, hypertension, leisure-time physical activity and obesity), probable sarcopenia was found to be associated with impairment in the MMSE (OR 2.52; 95%CI 1.42‒4.47; p=0.002) and in VF (OR 2.17; 95%CI 1.17‒4.01; p=0.014). Low grip strength was found to be associated with impairment in the MMSE (OR 1.83; 95%CI 1.18‒2.82; p=0.006) and in the CDT (OR 1.79; 95%CI 1.18‒2.73; p=0.006). SARC-F scores were found to be associated with impairment in the MMSE (OR 1.90; 95%CI 1.18‒3.06; p=0.008). Conclusion: The results suggested that probable sarcopenia and its components present a significant association with cognitive deficits among community-dwelling older adults. Future longitudinal studies will further explore the causal relationship.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the evidence on self-reported health and neuroticism in older adults. METHODS: Indexed literature published in English, Spanish and Portuguese will be systematically searched and retrieved from 10 databases; reference lists from included studies will be manually searched. Two authors will independently screen titles, abstracts, and full texts against the eligibility criteria. A customized data extraction form will be used to perform data extraction of the included studies, which will be: studies written in English, Portuguese, and Spanish; studies of older adults aged 55 years or over (mean age is 60 years at least); studies of community-dwelling older adults; studies that evaluated both self-reported health and personality; studies that evaluated self-reported health and personality with validated instruments; observational, review, and intervention studies. RESULTS: The results will be presented in a tabular format, accompanied by a narrative summary.

ABSTRACT Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive and degenerative condition affecting several cognitive areas, with a decline in functional abilities and behavioral changes. Objective: To investigate the association between neuropsychiatric symptoms in older adults with AD and caregiver burden and depression. Methods: A total of 134 family caregivers of older people diagnosed with AD answered a questionnaire with sociodemographic data and questions concerning the care context, neuropsychiatric symptoms, caregiver burden, and depressive symptoms. Results: Results revealed that 95% of older adults had at least one neuropsychiatric symptom, with the most common being: apathy, anxiety, and depression. Among the 12 neuropsychiatric symptoms investigated, 10 were significantly associated with caregiver burden, while 8 showed significant correlations with depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Neuropsychiatric symptoms were related to caregiver burden and depressive symptoms. In addition to the older adult with AD, the caregiver should receive care and guidance from the health team to continue performing quality work.

Resumo Objetivo analisar associações diretas e indiretas entre autoavaliação de saúde, indicadores objetivos de saúde e neuroticismo em idosos Método Os dados foram extraídos dos registros de seguimento (2016-2017) do Estudo da Fragilidade em Idosos Brasileiros (Estudo FIBRA), de base populacional, sobre fragilidade e fatores associados na velhice. Trezentos e noventa e sete indivíduos com idade a partir de 73 anos no seguimento responderam a um item sobre autoavaliação de saúde. Polimedicação, dor crônica e multimorbidade foram autorrelatadas, fadiga foi mensurada pela CES-D, depressão pela EDG e neuroticismo pelo inventário NEO-PI-R. Foi realizada análise de caminhos, para verificar associações diretas e indiretas entre autoavaliação de saúde, indicadores objetivos de saúde e neuroticismo. Resultados Relações mais robustas foram observadas entre sexo e multimorbidade, depressão e neuroticismo, e neuroticismo e autoavaliação de saúde. Destaca-se que neuroticismo mediou a relação entre idade, dor crônica, multimorbidade e depressão com autoavaliação de saúde. Conclusão O neuroticismo é um importante mediador da relação entre autoavaliação de saúde e indicadores objetivos de saúde. Trabalhos longitudinais são necessários para explicar as relações observadas.

O cenário de envelhecimento populacional e a complexidade das mudanças socioeconômicas, tecnológicas e culturais desafiam a educação brasileira à leitura de um mundo “grávido” de um novo fenômeno: a diversidade dos modos de viver a velhice. As crianças precisam ler o mundo que envelhece, ao mesmo tempo em que passam por experiências intergeracionais nas suas comunidades, para evitar a discriminação etária (ageism). O foco temático é a literatura infantil. Os objetivos desse estudo são: levantar obras de literatura infantil, disponíveis em língua portuguesa, que tragam personagens idosos; analisar o que seus discursos expressam; e pensar uma geroalfabetização. As questões de pesquisa foram: Quais discursos aparecem na literatura infantil que traz personagens idosos? A literatura infantil guarda em si as potencialidades para a construção de outros discursos sobre a velhice? Como a linguagem literária pode ser um instrumento educativo para uma geroalfabetização? O método previu uma pesquisa bibliográfica. Os resultados revelaram que a expressão artística literária cria palavras, frases e orações, se organizando em textos veiculadores de discursos que, nem sempre, revelam a diversidade da identidade etária numa única obra. Conclui-se que partilhar diferentes obras que trazem personagens idosos na literatura infantil, como instrumento educativo, pode potencializar, nas crianças, a construção de novas concepções de velhice, visto que é pelas linguagens que expressamos pensamentos e sentimentos.

Abstract This study aimed to identify predictive factors for subjective and psychological well-being in a sample of 265 older adults enrolled in the University of the Third Age (U3A). The scales used were: General Satisfaction with Life Scale and referenced to the domains, Positive and Negative Affect Scale and Personal Development Scale. Multivariate logistic analysis indicated that being 70 or older and male was associated with the subjective well-being and having higher education level was associated with psychological well-being. It was concluded that sociodemographic characteristics of the interviewed elders enrolled in U3A can be important attributes that influence well-being.

O objetivo desse estudo foi caracterizar o perfil dos idosos participantes da oficina -Diálogos com quem gosta de ler e escrever- e analisar suas produções escritas para averiguar os significados e sentimentos atribuídos à prática educativa, inspirada no Círculo de Cultura Freireano. Tratou-se de um estudo de abordagem quanti-qualitativa com 66 idosos, escolarizados, saudáveis, que frequentaram a Universidade Aberta à Terceira Idade da Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades da Universidade de São Paulo. Os dados quantitativos foram descritos por meio da estatística inferencial e os qualitativos foram tratados por meio da análise de conteúdo proposto por Bardin. Os resultados revelaram que a oficina trouxe mudanças positivas, possibilitando novos sentidos e sentimentos de bem-estar nos idosos.

Introduction: Self-rated health is a multidimensional health indicator and a predictor of adverse events in old age. Answers to this assessment are influenced by social, cultural and personality factors.Aim: Exploring common and distinctive characteristics of Brazilian and Portuguese older adults aged 70 and over regarding positive self-rated health according to sociodemographic variables, to functional capacity, to independent performance of basic activities of daily living and to neuroticism, as well as analyzing associations between positive self-rated health and these variables.Methods: The present paper is a comparative and cross-sectional study based on secondary data contained in the databases of the FIBRA (Frailty in Brazilian Older Adults) follow-up study, with 418 Brazilian older adults, and of the DIA (From Disability to Activity: The Challenge of Aging) study, with 380 Portuguese older adults. Both samples had higher percentages of women: 68.4% for Portugal and 69.9% for Brazil. The Brazilian sample had a higher average age (80.31 ± 4.67) than the Portuguese sample (76.80 ± 5.28).Results: The Portuguese older adults had better overall cognition scores, higher handgrip strength and higher neuroticism values than the Brazilian older adults. In the simple and multiple logistic regression analyses, it was found that among Brazilian older adults, subjects with higher scores in the MMSE (OR 1.16; 95% CI 1.08–1.24), regardless of ADL performance (OR 2.13; 95% CI 1.31–3.47) and with scores 24–29 (OR 1.92; 95% CI 1.07–3.43) or 11–23 (OR 2.09; 95% CI 1.15–3.79) in neuroticism were more likely to assess their health as very good/good. On the other hand, the Portuguese older adults with intermediate 24–9 (OR 2.38; 95% CI 1.31–4.33) or low 11–23 (OR 5.31; 95% CI 2.69–10.45) scores in neuroticism were more likely to evaluate their health as very good/good.Conclusion: Based on the findings of the present study and on the existing literature, it may be said that it is possible for people to age while keeping a positive perception of their own health, even in advanced old age; comparisons between the above-mentioned countries, however, point to the need for investments in healthcare systems so that older adults may enjoy greater physical independence and improved mental health.

Digital literacy programmes for the elderly propose to expand digital skills and competences; yet, knowledge about the methodological and teaching approaches in these interventions is scarce. The study aimed to verify the optimising factors in the teaching-learning process in digital literacy programmes for older adults, based on students’ perceptions. Using the content analysis technique, two main categories were identified among the contributions of 278 participants. It was concluded that the human aspects should be valued by the instructors in the teaching-learning process for older-adult students, mainly, by demonstrating the qualities of being patient, calm and attentive.

Os programas de letramento digital para idosos propõem ampliar as habilidades e competências digitais, porém os conhecimentos sobre as abordagens metodológicas e de ensino nestas intervenções são escassos. O estudo objetivou verificar os fatores otimizadores no processo de ensino-aprendizagem em programas de letramento digital para idosos, a partir das percepções de alunos. Utilizando-se a técnica de análise de conteúdo, duas categorias principais foram identificadas entre as emissões de 278 participantes. Conclui-se que os aspectos humanos devem ser valorizados pelos instrutores no processo de ensino-aprendizagem para alunos idosos, principalmente, demonstrar as qualidades de ser paciente, calmo e atencioso.

Zusammenfassung Im Jahr 2015 wurde im Bericht der Weltgesundheitsorganisation, veröffentlicht durch das Programm für altersfreundliche Städte, eine Überprüfung des Konzepts des aktiven Alterns vorgeschlagen. Dieses schließt neben den drei Grundsätzen Gesundheit, Sicherheit und Partizipation auch die Erwachsenenbildung in Form von formaler (Zugang zu Bewertung und Abschlüsse) sowie informeller Bildung (Lernen im täglichen Leben oder während Freizeitaktivitäten) mit ein. Das Ziel dieser Studie ist es zu analysieren, inwiefern Fragen des Lebenslangen Lernens in diesem Kontext diskutiert wurden und ob sie Gegenstand von zwei Fokusgruppen waren, welche die Methode der „altersfreundlichen Städte“ in zwei Stadtvierteln von São Paulo anwendeten. Die beiden Fokusgruppen wurden im Jahr 2016 im Stadtviertel Mooca begleitet: eine Gruppe bestand aus fünf Einwohnern zwischen 60 und 75 Jahren, die andere Gruppe bestand aus sechs Einwohnern im Alter von 76 Jahren und älter. Obwohl die Richtlinien der altersfreundlichen Städte keine speziellen Anforderungen an die Erwachsenenbildung enthalten, so kam das Thema in den Gesprächen zur Sprache. Fünf allgemeine Kategorien wurden erfasst: 1) Lernen: Aktivitäten und Räumlichkeiten; 2) Lernen und Zugang; 3) Bildungswesen: Anerkennung, Berücksichtigung; 4) Lernen und Arbeit; 5) Lernen und Altern. Die formale Bildung hatte zwar einen geringen Stellenwert, dennoch waren Aspekte bezüglich der Anerkennung des Bedürfnisses nach sozialer Partizipation und Freizeitgestaltung älterer Menschen durchaus präsent. Aus Sicht der Teilnehmer wird Lebenslanges Lernen nicht nur durch schlichtes Anbieten von Lernaktivitäten sichergestellt, denn verschiedene Hindernisse können den Zugang zu den Angeboten für ältere Menschen erschweren. Darüber hinaus erkannten die Teilnehmer nicht nur die Bedeutung von Bildungsaktivitäten für Erwachsene und ältere Menschen, sondern auch die Notwendigkeit, dass gerontologische Themen stärker in der Gesellschaft vermittelt werden müssten.

Abstract Objective: to investigate the relationships between the perceived quality of life of elderly people who care for other elderly people with neurological diseases (dementia and strokes) and the gender, age and caregiver burden, diagnosis, functional dependence, and cognitive status of the care recipient. Method: 75 caregivers aged over 60 years were interviewed using the Quality of Life Scale (CASP-19) and Zarit Burden Interview. The levels of physical vulnerability of the elderly were identified through the Lawton and Brody questionnaires and the Katz scale and the cognitive assessment of elderly care recipients was assessed with the Clinical Dementia Rating. The data were analyzed by chi-squared test (for comparison of categorical variables), Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis U tests (for comparison of continuous variables). To study the associations between variables, univariate logistic regression analysis was performed, followed by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: the age, gender of the caregiver, type of neurological condition, and physical and cognitive functioning of the care recipient did not statistically influence the quality of life of the caregiver. Elderly caregivers with higher levels of burden (≥29) were 11.4 times more likely to have a worse quality of life score (CI: 3.16-36.77; p

Abstract Objective: To identify if multimorbidity and burden are associated with a greater likelihood of frailty in elderly caregivers of other elderly persons within the family context. Method: 148 elderly caregivers caring for other elderly persons [M=69.7 (±7.0) years old] were recruited using a criterion of convenience in public and private health services in the city of Campinas and surrounding areas. Information was gathered about socio-demographic context, context of care, physical health, care burden using the Zarit Burden Scale, and frailty, measured by subjective evaluation. Four groups of vulnerability were created based on the presence or absence of multimorbidities and high or low burden, in order to verify which group was most strongly associated with frailty. Data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, measurements of association and multivariate hierarchical logistic regression. Results: The prevalence of multimorbidity was 55.4%. The Zarit Burden Scale presented a median of 23 out of a total of 88 points. Of the sample, 35.1% were frail, 46.0% intermediate, and 18.9% robust. Elderly caregivers with multimorbidity and high burden had a greater probability of frailty (OR=3.6; CI 1.55-8.36), followed by those with multimorbidity and low burden (OR=2.8; CI 1.13-6.79). Conclusion: The sensation of burden among caregivers was reduced; those with double vulnerability were most prevalent among the four groups and had the greatest association with the occurrence of frailty; multimorbidity was associated with frailty. If combined with perceived burden, however, the odds ratios of the elderly caregivers being frail increased.

Abstract Objective: to compare the life satisfaction of family caregivers, taking into account their gender, age, time since starting care, health, religion, perceived burden and quality of life, and the level of physical and cognitive dependence of the elderly person receiving care, and to investigate the associations between these variables and low life satisfaction. Methods: a total of 148 caregivers in Indaiatuba and Campinas, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, selected using the convenience method, were interviewed at home, in private medical clinics and outpatient units, using questionnaires about the sociodemographic characteristics, health conditions, time since starting care, scales of life satisfaction, religiosity, perceived burden and quality of life of the caregiver, and the physical and mental health of the elderly person receiving care. Descriptive, Multivariate and Univariate Logistic Regression analysis were used. Results: caregivers who exhibited low life satisfaction included more frail individuals, with three or more chronic diseases and depression, greater perceived burden and lower self-fulfillment and pleasure, and control and autonomy, scores, which are factors of the Perceived Quality of Life Scale. Elderly caregivers who scored low in self-fulfillment factor and pleasure (OR=101.29; CI=28.68 - 357.73) and who scored high in perceived burden (OR=5.89, CI=2.13 to 16.24) had a greater chance of having low life satisfaction scores. Conclusions: The assessment of caregivers of their satisfaction with life is more influenced by subjective than objective variables, and low satisfaction seems to be strongly associated with poor quality of life, high burden, and caregiver frailty.

Abstract Objective: to describe and compare the responses of elderly persons and professionals involved in permanent education programs in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, using the Intergenerational Exchanges Attitude Scale (IEAS), considering the variables living with children, for the elderly persons, and work with intergenerational groups or only with the elderly, for the professionals. Method: The convenience sample consisted of 148 elderly persons and 52 professionals. The participants responded to the IEAS and a questionnaire to delineate their profile in terms of age, gender and educational level. Comparative analysis, using the Mann-Whitney test, weighted each factor of the IEAS and the averages by items and by factors. Results: Compared to the professionals, the elderly had more negative perceptions of the attitudes of children towards the elderly (p

Abstract Objective: The present study aimed to analyze the distribution of measures of subjective and psychological well-being according to demographic criteria and length of participation in the program. Method: A cross sectional study using the following instruments was carried out: a sociodemographic questionnaire (age, gender, education, length of participation in University of the Third Age (U3A) and similar programs located in the city of São Paulo, Brazil; an Overall Life Satisfaction Scale; a Life Satisfaction Scale that contemplated four domains: health, physical capacity, mental capacity and social involvement; a Positive/Negative Affect Scale; and a Personal Development Scale. The data were analyzed by the chi-squared test (for comparison of categorical variables), the Mann-Whitney and the Kruskal-Wallis U tests (for comparison of continuous variables). Results: Age and gender were the main factors that were significantly associated with overall life satisfaction, life satisfaction in specific domains, and morale. Higher education was associated with psychological adjustment. Conclusion: Participating in a U3A contributes to high levels of subjective and psychological well-being. Elderly individuals of more advanced ages and men had higher rates of satisfaction with life and positive feelings. The elderly can assess their development trajectory, their commitment to society and consider their efforts in pursuing an ideal of personal excellence.

Abstract Objective : To evaluate the association between the double vulnerability of being elderly and a caregiver and quality of life assessed by Control, Autonomy, Self-realization and Pleasure factors (CASP-19). Method : 148 elderly caregivers participated in the present study. They were selected for convenience from Brazilian public and private health services - a sample from the study “The Psychological Well-Being of Elderly Persons Caring for Other Elderly Persons in a Family Context”. The variables: caregiver’s state of health, care demands, perception of burden, self-rated health, and quality of life were selected. Descriptive analyses, chi-squared tests, Fisher’s exact test, the Kruskal-Wallis test and analysis of multivariate hierarchical logistics were carried out, with theStepwisecriteria applied for selection of variables. Results : The hierarchical multivariate analyses found that number of symptoms and total burden were significantly associated with a poorer quality of life. Elderly persons with three or more symptoms and those with a high burden level were at a higher risk of poor quality of life. The variables number of diseases, burden, and self-rated health compared with the past, were significantly associated with a poorer quality of life. Conclusion : It can be concluded that for the elderly caregiver, physical aspects (signs and symptoms, chronic diseases and a perception of health deterioration) combined with burden are the aspects that most influence quality of life.

RESUMO Objetivo Conduzir uma revisão sistemática de estudos que investigaram estratégias comunicativas utilizadas por cuidadores de idosos com demência, publicados entre 1995 e 2015. Métodos O levantamento de estudos foi feito usando as seguintes palavras-chave “comunicação e cuidador e demência” e “comunicação e cuidador e Alzheimer”, e os termos em inglês “elderspeak and dementia”, “caregiver’s talk and dementia”, “communication and caregiver and dementia” e “communicative and caregiver and Alzheimer”. Desta revisão sistemática, foram excluídos os artigos de intervenção e aqueles que não tinham descrito entre seus objetivos investigar estratégias comunicativas usadas por cuidadores de idosos com demência. Resultados Apenas 22 estudos preencheram os critérios de inclusão. Os estudos revisados mostraram que os cuidadores de idosos com demência utilizam estratégias comunicativas que são ineficazes (por exemplo, comunicação infantilizada; comunicação “controle” e complexa) e eficazes (usar frases simples; dar um comando por vez; realizar perguntas em que a opção de resposta é sim ou não, entre outras). Conclusão É importante avaliar as percepções e avaliações dos cuidadores acerca da eficácia da estratégia utilizada, para que depois sejam ensinadas habilidades de comunicação para cuidadores familiares e cuidadores formais. A comunicação bem-sucedida deve promover a participação dos idosos com demência, contribuindo para manutenção da autonomia e participação tanto dos cuidadores quanto das pessoas acometidas por esse quadro.

Os objetivos foram investigar indicadores psicométricos de validade de nova versão da CASP-19 para brasileiros com 55 anos e mais e estudar relações entre pontuações na escala e sexo, idade, escolaridade e status conjugal. Trezentos e sessenta e oito frequentadores de programas educacionais para a 3ª idade responderam à CASP-19 (controle, autonomia, autorrealização e prazer), traduzida e adaptada do inglês por cinco especialistas e testada em 19 mulheres (α = 0,730). Os dados foram submetidos a análises fatoriais exploratórias (AFE) e confirmatórias (AFC) pelo método de equações estruturais para variáveis latentes; de consistência interna e de correlação com instrumentos de conteúdo similar. Foram comparadas as pontuações dos grupos de sexo, idade, escolaridade e status conjugal. AFC produziram modelo com 19 itens e 2 fatores (autorrealização/prazer e controle/autonomia), com bons índices de ajustamento (GFI = 0,8; AGFI = 0,7606; CFI = 0,7241; NNFI = 0,6876; SRMR = 0.0902; RMSEA = 0,0928; IC90%: 0,0827-0,1031). Os α de Cronbach foram 0,837 para o fator 1 e 0,670 para o 2; 0,874 na escala total para os de 9 anos ou mais de escolaridade, 0,834 para os de 5 a 8 anos e 0,772 para os de 1 a 4 anos. Foram observadas correlações altas e significativas com os escores em escalas de satisfação e felicidade subjetiva. Homens tiveram pontuação mais alta em autorrealização/prazer do que mulheres; os mais velhos e os mais escolarizados, pontuação mais baixa em controle/autonomia; os sem cônjuge, mais alta em controle/autonomia. A nova versão da CASP-19 foi eficaz para avaliar a qualidade de vida percebida em indivíduos de 55 anos e mais, residentes nas regiões Sudeste, Sul e Nordeste do país.

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To identify factors associated with perceived quality of life in a representative national sample of the population aged 50 or over. METHODS Data from 7,651 participants of the baseline ELSI-Brazil (Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging), conducted between 2015 and 2016, were used. The perceived quality of life was measured by the CASP-19 scale - (CASP - control, autonomy, self-fulfillment and pleasure), considering the highest tertile as good quality of life. The independent variables included socio-demographic characteristics, mobility, loneliness, and indicators of sociability (social network, social support and social participation). The associations were tested using multivariate Poisson regression. RESULTS The best perceived quality of life showed a positive and independent association with the frequency of contacts with friends (PR = 1.25 for at least once every 2–3 months and PR = 1.36 for at least once a week), instrumental support from spouse or partner in the household (PR = 1.69), and emotional support from other relatives (PR = 1.45), children or children in law (PR = 1.41) and spouse or partner (PR = 1.33). Negative associations were observed for participants aged 80 and over (RP = 0.77), with 4 to 7 or 8 or more years of schooling (PR = 0.78 and 0.75, respectively) and with difficulty in mobility (PR = 0.83). CONCLUSIONS In addition to age and schooling, mobility, sociability and instrumental and emotional support are associated with perceived quality of life among older Brazilian adults. These characteristics must be considered when actions are taken, aiming to promote quality of life in this population.

Indicadores de atitudes etárias representados por categorização e identificação etária e suas relações com variáveis sociodemográficas e de saúde física e emocional foram investigados entre idosos residentes na comunidade. A amostra foi composta por 302 idosos participantes do Estudo FIBRA - Fragilidade em Idosos Brasileiros (Pólo Universidade Estadual de Campinas [Unicamp]; M = 72,3 anos; DP = 5,76; 64,6% mulheres), com escolaridade média de 3,32 anos (DP = 2,61) e renda de um a três salários mínimos (53,7%). A existência e atribuição de idade para início da velhice foram tomadas como indicadoras de categorização etária e o autorrelato de sentir-se idoso indicou identificação etária. Embora a maior parte dos idosos tenha atribuído uma idade para esse início (M = 62,3 anos; DP = 14,66), a maioria (60,3%) não se identificou como pertencente a essa categoria etária. Escolaridade, fragilidade e satisfação com a vida revelaram ser importantes preditores dessas atitudes em relação à velhice.

O estudo objetivou investigar a associação entre Atividades avançadas de vida diária (AAVD) e o desempenho cognitivo entre idosos participantes do estudo FIBRA em Ermelino Matarazzo, São Paulo. Foram investigados 302 idosos sem declínio cognitivo, classificados em muito ativos e pouco ativos nas AAVDs, e avaliados pelo Mini exame do estado mental (MEEM), bateria breve de rastreio cognitivo (BBRC), fluência verbal (FV), teste do desenho do relógio (TDR) e escala de depressão geriátrica (EDG). As AAVDs associaram-se ao desempenho no MEEM e no TDR, nas análises univariadas, mas esta associação perdeu significância no modelo multivariado. O desempenho, no MEEM, esteve associado à idade, escolaridade, sexo e número de sintomas depressivos. O escore, no TDR, associou-se à escolaridade. Conclui-se que a relação entre as AAVDs e o desempenho cognitivo parece ser modulada por variáveis sociodemográficas e por sintomas depressivos.

A Gerontologia foi inserida como tema transversal a ser incorporada nos currículos de ensino fundamental no estado de São Paulo. Essa iniciativa cria possibilidades para uma melhor compreensão da sociedade brasileira, além de ser uma oportunidade de educação para o próprio envelhecimento. Este trabalho apresenta algumas sugestões de temas a serem levados às salas de aula, os quais foram propostos por coordenadoras de cursos de graduação e pós-graduação, lato e stricto sensu, em Gerontologia do estado de São Paulo.

This paper reviews the major theoretical perspectives that support the initiatives of continuing education as potential sources of social interaction and well beingin old age. Based on the constructs of Subjective Well-Being (SWB) and Psychological Well-Being (BEP), were analyzed the possible causal relationships between the living and learning in old age on these indicators.