Journal of Ageing and Longevity

Introduction: Aging is directly related to sleep problems. Primary insomnia has a negative impact on the lives of elderly adults, altering cognitive and metabolic functions. Physical activity is positively related to improvement in sleep quality. The objective of this systematic review was to analyze the effects of physical activity programs in healthy elderly individuals aged 60 years or older, using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) as a tool. Methods: The search was performed in the PubMed and Scielo databases, July 2021. Only randomized clinical trials that evaluated the role of physical exercise in the sleep quality of elderly patients were selected by two independent reviewers. Results: The result of the PSQI analysis showed that compared with the control condition, the exercise intervention was beneficial for the groups with insomnia (SMD: −0.57; 95% CI: −0.73 to −0.4; p < 0.00001; I² = 53%) and without insomnia (SMD: −0.61; 95% CI: −0.75 to −0.47; p < 0.00001; I² = 73%) and for the two groups combined (SMD: −0.59; 95% CI: −0.70 to −0.49; p < 0.0001, I² = 68%). Conclusion: The systematic and continuous practice of physical exercise significantly improves perceived sleep quality in elderly individuals. Therefore, physical activities can be used as a tool to prevent sleep disorders and improve health in general. Future studies may clarify the comparison between aerobic and resistance exercises, evaluate the dose–response relationship and include more participants. Full article

Cognitive training approaches are promising to manage the effects of normal cognitive decline for the aging adult, especially with the development and integration of computerized cognitive training. Supportive community models for older adults, such as senior centers, may provide engagement opportunities for occupation-based cognitive training programming. Fourteen older adults (n = 13 Black) from an urban older adult community center participated. This feasibility trial used a two-group, pretest-posttest design to examine differences between an occupation-based computerized cognitive training (CCT) program (n = 7) and a traditional cognitive training (TCT) program (n = 7), as assessed by participants’ perceptions of the perceived benefits, tolerance of time of sessions, and on executive functioning measures. There were no significant differences in the tolerance of time of sessions (p = 0.81) between CCT (average session time = 43.64 min) and TCT (average session time = 44.27 min). Additionally, there were no significant differences in how the two program groups perceived the training based on helpfulness (p = 1.00), positive opinions (p = 0.46), and executive functioning measurement changes. All participants reported “enjoyment” of the training. Including occupation-based CCT and TCT programming is feasible and positive within community-based programming focusing on a diverse population. Short-term improvements in executive functioning should not be expected but are worthy of longer-term observation, considering a socialization component, telehealth integrations, and expansion of supportive technology-based models. Full article

The distribution of physical activity bouts through the day may provide useful information for assessing the impacts of interventions on aspects such as physical function. This study aimed to investigate the associations between physical activity fragmentation, tested using different minimum physical activity bout lengths, with physical function in older adults. The SITLESS project recruited 1360 community-dwelling participants from four European countries (≥65 years old). Physical activity fragmentation was represented as the active-to-sedentary transition probability (ASTP), the reciprocal of the average physical activity bout duration measured using ActiGraph wGT3X+ accelerometers. Four minimum bout lengths were utilised to calculate the ASTP: ≥10-s, ≥60-s, ≥120-s and ≥300-s. Physical function was assessed using the 2-min walk test (2MWT) and the composite score from the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) test. Linear regression analyses, after adjusting for relevant covariates, were used to assess cross-sectional associations. After adjustment for relevant covariates, lower ASTP using ≥10-s bouts were associated with longer 2MWT distances and higher SPPB scores. Lower ASTP using ≥120-s bouts and ≥300-s bouts were associated with longer 2MWT distances but not the SPPB. Less fragmented physical activity patterns appeared to be associated with better physical function in community-dwelling older adults. Full article

This study examined the extent to which dimensions of social connectedness and perceived social support have distinct associations with the physical and mental health of older adults. This study utilized data from the Utah Fertility, Longevity, and Aging (FLAG) study. Participants included 259 older adults, aged 60 or older (mean age: 67.75 ± 4.8). Connectedness (networks and satisfaction with networks) was measured with the Duke Social Support Index. Social support (affective, confidant, instrumental) was measured with the Duke–UNC Functional Support Scale. Physical and mental health were measured with the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). The results showed significant differences in the mean physical and mental health scores between participants with high scores on satisfaction with networks, affective, confidant, and instrumental support, and those with low scores on these dimensions. After controlling for covariates, affective support significantly predicted physical health, while satisfaction with networks, and affective and instrumental support significantly predicted mental health. The findings suggest that social support may be relatively more important to the health and wellbeing of older adults than social connectedness. This underscores the relative importance older adults attach to the quality rather than quantity of social ties. Full article

Reminiscence therapy has been known to provide relief against depression and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia. This therapy has been used for decades as a nonpharmacological treatment or tool that has produced both positive and negative results. This paper explores the current trends in reminiscence therapy in the treatment of depression in the elderly. Some of these trends involve the use of technology such as mobile apps and robotics while others follow more traditional and proven methods. A comparison of the variations in the interpretations of reminiscence therapy treatment mechanisms and their impacts will also be discussed. The ultimate goal of this paper is to highlight the current trends in the use of reminiscence therapy in treatment of depression in the elderly. Full article

Latinx and Asian American/Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) are the fastest growing racial/ethnic populations in the United States, and it is thus increasingly important to address multimorbidity within these populations. However, research has been challenging due to the immigrant health paradox, the variation across ethnic groups, underutilization of treatment, and inadequate mental health assessments. These issues make assessing the prevalence and burden of multimorbidity difficult among Latinx and AAPI populations. Further, racism remains a fundamental cause of health inequity, and should be addressed in policy and practice. Full article

Frailty is a complex state of objective and subjective vulnerability. It tends to increase with age, but the process is influenced by previous life course, especially previous disadvantages. The aim of this paper is to examine how the disadvantages suffered in adulthood (25 to 59 years) in four domains (unemployment, financial hardship, stress, and bad health) affect frailty in late adulthood (60 to 79 years). Using linear regression models on data from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (2004–2017), we estimate frailty levels for several age groups (60–64, 65–69, 70–74, 75–79) accounting for both the persistence of these disadvantages over time and their coexistence, i.e., the number of years when they were simultaneously experienced. Results show that while frailty increases with age, as expected, there is also evidence of an accumulation of risks: the longer the periods of adult life affected by unemployment, stress, financial hardship or, most importantly, bad health, the frailer individuals are in their late years. Furthermore, periods of coexisting disadvantages in adulthood translate into additional frailty in late life. Our findings highlight the importance of fighting disadvantages early in life: long-term improvements in terms of reduced frailty (a concept interrelated with health) may be substantial. Full article

The increasing population of Saudi elderly demands adequate assessment of their functional health status and mental status to improve their health and quality of life. This study aimed to determine the functional status of older Saudi people in performing basic activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) and its influencing factors. This quantitative, descriptive-correlational study surveyed a total of 203 participants using the Mini-Mental State Examination, Katz Index of ADL, and Lawton IADL. Overall, the participants had moderate cognitive impairment and were able to perform basic ADLs and IADLs independently, but they needed assistance in doing housework. Functional status was sensitive to their sociodemographic characteristics, presence of health problems, and mental status. Mental status, education, employment, marital status, and source of support were significantly associated with their ability to perform basic ADLs and IADLs. This study suggests that more efforts are needed to understand the sociodemographic characteristics, presence of health problems, and mental status that support the development of evidence-based public health policy on the functional status among older Saudi people. The findings can be utilized by hospital and nursing administrators to initiate educational and training programs for healthcare professionals including nurses and to create healthcare policies so that the health concerns and functional difficulties of older patients are adequately addressed. Full article

The prevalence of dementia is rapidly increasing worldwide, and its treatment and prevention are a health concern. The prevention of dementia requires the identification of risk factors through longitudinal studies of lifestyle. In this study, we aimed to identify the risk factors for the development of dementia in Japan and to clarify their primary care strategies. We analyzed the relationship between the cognitive ability level determined by the survey of long-term care certification and the past questionnaire results of a specific health examination in Japan 10 years ago. To analyze the risk factors for developing dementia, multivariate analysis was used, which showed that residents who gained more than 10 kg since reaching 20 years of age had a significantly lower risk of developing dementia. Regarding the “start of lifestyle modifications” question, those who answered “already started” had a significantly lower risk than those who answered “no plan to improve”. Conversely, residents receiving insulin injections or oral hypoglycemic agents were at a significantly higher risk of developing dementia based on the results of the questionnaire of the health checkups surveyed 10 years prior. Full article

Currently, there are limited data on the association between multimorbidity (i.e., ≥ 2 chronic conditions) and anxiety, especially among the older population in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Thus, the aim of the present study was to examine the association between multimorbidity and anxiety symptoms in a large sample of adults aged ≥ 50 years from six LMICs (China, India, Ghana, Mexico, Russia, South Africa). Cross-sectional, nationally representative, community-based data from the Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE) were analysed. A total of 11 chronic physical conditions were assessed. Anxiety symptoms referred to extreme/severe problems with worry or anxiety in the past 30 days. Multivariable logistic regression and meta-analyses were conducted. Data on 34,129 adults aged ≥ 50 years were analysed (mean (SD) age 62.4 (16.0) years; 52.1% females). Compared with no chronic conditions, 2, 3, 4, and ≥ 5 chronic conditions were significantly associated with 1.47 (95% CI = 1.08–1.98), 2.46 (95% CI = 1.74–3.47), 3.04 (95% CI = 2.15–4.30), and 4.70 (95% CI = 2.99–7.38) times higher odds of anxiety symptoms, respectively. A country-wise analysis showed that multimorbidity was significantly associated with anxiety symptoms in all six countries (OR = 1.78–12.39) with the overall estimate based on a meta-analysis being OR = 2.29 (95% CI = 1.71–3.07). Multimorbidity was associated with higher odds of anxiety symptoms among older adults in LMICs. Future longitudinal studies are warranted to assess the temporal associations and mechanisms underlying this association. Full article

The majority of studies on stressful life events focus on posttraumatic stress disorder and depression, while less is known about whether the cumulative exposure to stressful life events over the life course will deteriorate cognitive function. This study aims to investigate the association between lifetime stressful life events and cognitive function in an immigrant population. The data were drawn from the Population Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago (PINE). Face-to-face interviews were conducted with a sample of 3125 U.S. Chinese older adults in 2017–2019. Twelve types of stressful life events were assessed: physical assault, residential fires, sexual assault, miscarriage, abortion, imprisonment, being falsely accused, divorce, death of a loved one, being robbed, experiencing cancer, and being homeless. Cognitive function was measured through global cognition, episodic memory, working memory, processing speed, and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Linear regression was performed. Older adults who experienced a higher number of life events were associated with higher global cognition (b = 0.11, SE = 0.01, p < 0.001), episodic memory (b = 0.14, SE = 0.02, p < 0.001), working memory (b = 0.17, SE = 0.03, p < 0.001), processing speed (b = 1.92, SE = 0.18, p < 0.001), and MMSE (b = 0.29, SE = 0.07, p < 0.001), while controlling for age, gender, income, education, medical comorbidities, ADL, and depressive symptoms. In contrast with earlier studies, we identified the positive relationships between aggregate and individual life events and cognition. Older adults who had prior experience with stressful life events could demonstrate an advantage over those without such experiences. In addition, older adults who experienced life event(s) during adulthood and old age are associated with higher cognitive function. Further studies could investigate how individuals respond to stressful life events and how the underlying resilience mechanism would promote cognitive function. Full article

(1) Objectives: The study aimed to examine data from Malta’s Health Interview Survey (HIS) to assess differences between persons in employment and those retired, across different time periods. (2) Methods: A repeat cross-sectional design was adopted. Data that were collected over a period of 12 years included three cross-sectional HIS waves (2002, 2008 and 2014). Data were analysed cross-sectionally and longitudinally using multilevel analysis. (3) Results: In total, 4690 participants between the ages of 50 and 74 years provided data on physical activity (PA). A statistical difference was found between those employed and retired, with the latter undertaking less PA MET min per week in 2002 and 2008. There was no difference in 2014. When adjusting for covariates, people in employment carried out less PA MET min per week (OR-0.16–−0.02) compared to retired individuals. Using multilevel modelling, this study shows that individual factors such BMI and long-standing illness are predictors of PA behaviour as opposed to time trends. (4) Conclusion: Retirement can increase PA measured in MET minutes per week. Individual factors such as BMI, long-standing health problems and self-rated health could be causing the higher levels seen in the employed population during the studied period. Full article

Previous studies pointed out that the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) had a lesser effect on elderly people compared to their younger counterparts. However, a limited number of studies have analyzed the effects of COVID-19 on the psychological aspects of the elderly using longitudinal data. Therefore, the main objective of our study was to clarify the changes in self-rated overall daily life satisfaction among community dwelling elderly in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used the longitudinal data of 5176 individuals aged 15 years and older from the first and second internet surveys on “Changes in Daily Life Awareness and Behavior under the Influence of the New Coronavirus Infection” conducted by the Cabinet Office of Japan. The estimation result of the mixed-effects model indicated that elderly people were more adversely affected by the first wave of the pandemic (May 2020) compared to their younger counterparts. However, by the beginning of the third wave (December 2020), they had largely recovered to the same level as that of before the COVID-19 pandemic, which suggested that the elderly managed to cope with psychological distress to some extent during the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. Full article