Health, Well-being and Aging

Question 1

Definition of cohort

Answer 1

people who were born in a specific period of time (e.g., 1900s, 1990s, 2000s)

Question 2

The significance of a cohort

Answer 2

• people share a similar historical time that shapes their collective life experiences (e.g., trends, health risks)
• the “cohort effect”

Question 3

Among the current Canadians aged 45 to 64

Answer 3

• Significant decrease in the prevalence of… - arthritis, rheumatism, hypertension, heart disease, bronchitis & emphysema
• Significant improvement in some chronic conditions due to improved surgical and drug treatment
• Increased prevalence of breast and prostate cancer due to improved screening and diagnosis
• Lower rates of drinking and smoking

Question 4

What is multi-morbidity?

Answer 4

When individuals face more than one chronic condition

Question 5

What is the effect of multi-morbidity on transition in life conditions?

Answer 5

• change in role and life activities

Question 6

What is the impact of multi-morbidity?

Answer 6

• limited mobility and social interaction, failure to meet family responsibility
• long lasting pain, loss of bodily function

Question 7

What is the negative stereotype associated with multi-morbidity?

Answer 7

• dependence and frail (Always?)

- can also be a caregiver (e.g., Debbie White in New Jersey)

Question 8

What are the health risks associated with Multi-morbidity?

Answer 8

• over-medicalization

Question 9

Reconceptualizing Elderly with Medical Conditions

Answer 9

• living well with adaptive strategies

- resilience

Question 10

Resilience

Answer 10

• older adults maintain high functioning and well-being in face of multimorbidity

Question 11

Resilience has been connected with which concept in aging?

Answer 11

• successful aging and for good health management

Question 12

Three dimensions of resilience

Answer 12

• Functional (physical body)
• Social (support group ; social capital)
• Psychological (individual’s appraisal of stress)
• Activation of resources (agency): change in attitudes & behaviour

Question 13

Which 3 dimensions do you need in a sense of coherence?

Answer 13

• biological
• psychological
• spiritual

Question 14

A sense of coherence

Answer 14

• variations

- dynamic

Question 15

Self-efficacy

Answer 15

The perceived confidence that one can accomplish a behavioural change or adopt a new behaviour

Question 16

Resilience allows elderly people to…

Answer 16

An individual elderly adult may not recover, but may learn to function better (positive adaptation) with the illness as a result of resilience

Question 17

QOL depends on…

Answer 17

severity, duration, personal coping mechanism, availability of social support health care resources

Question 18

Multi-level analysis

Answer 18

• micro, meso and macro

Question 19

Dealing with health condition with social support from…

Answer 19

• the spouse or partner (only for those in an intimate partnership)
• other family members, friends or neighbour

Question 20

Vulnerability is based on…

Answer 20

• marital status
• living arrangement
• geographical location (urban vs. rural)

Question 21

SES, Health and Aging

Answer 21

• SES-based gap in health disparity tends to increase as we age
• Economic disadvantage in childhood is often cumulative and its impact on health can manifest as heart disease later in life

Question 22

Cumulative Advantage and Disadvantage of Health Outcomes

Answer 22

Compression of morbidity

Question 23

Social Capital and Health

Answer 23

The physical and social structure of a community that facilitates mutual support, caring, self-esteem, sense of belonging, and enriched social relationship

Question 24

The Ecological Model

Answer 24

• Biological, psychological, social and environmental factors and their interaction
• Risk factors vs. Protective factors (examples?)
• The impact of behaviour on health (examples?)

Question 25

The Ecological Model in the Context of Aging Population

Answer 25

• Based on the assumption that patterns of health and well-being are affected by a dynamic interplay among biological, behavioural, social and environmental factors
• Unfolds over the life course of individuals, families, and communities
• Age, gender, race/ethnicity and SES differences shape the context in which individual function, and therefore directly and indirectly influence health risks and resources

Question 26

Implications of the Ecological Approach

Answer 26

Health Care Intervention:

• provides a multi-level and multi-dimensional framework for connecting research, practice and policy
• the importance of evidence-based research

Question 27

Self-care in Old Age

Answer 27

What people do for themselves to establish and maintain health, and to prevent and deal with illness.

Question 28

Self-care in Old Age Encompasses

Answer 28

• hygiene (general and personal)
• nutrition (type and quality of food eaten)
• lifestyle (sporting activities, leisure etc.)
• environmental factors (living conditions, social habits, etc.) - socio-economic factors (income level, cultural beliefs, etc.)
• self-medication

Question 29

Dementia

Answer 29

• A general term for a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere with daily life.
• Most commonly diagnosed among people 60+
• Not a normal part of aging — despite common belief
• A group of symptoms caused by diseases or injuries that affect the brain: Alzheimer’s disease and vascular diseases (e.g., strokes)

Question 30

Alzheimer’s disease

Answer 30

• A degenerative brain disease caused by complex brain changes, following cell damage
• Leads to dementia symptoms that gradually worsen over time.

Question 31

Delirium

Answer 31

• Temporary cognitive disorder that involves fluctuation in consciousness, an ability to focus, hallucinations, periods of disorientation, and bizarre behaviour at random moments
• Related to insomnia, the onset and progression of chronic disease, bereavement (after the loss of a spouse) or relocation to a new residence
• Not a normal part of aging

Question 32

Key Messages from the Video about depression in old age

Answer 32

• Interventions that change the way the depressed elderly see the world – break the vicious cycle of negativity
• Strength-based approach (what am I good at?)
• Thought and behaviour shifting
• Treatment/Intervention: Self-empowerment
• The power of narratives: sharing with others

Question 33

Depression and Dementia/ AD

Answer 33

• Over the life course, untreated depression has been shown to increase risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
• The relevance of the life course perspective
• transition, turning point within personal history.

Question 34

Rural and Remote Living

Answer 34

• Older women (65+) living in rural areas had more chronic conditions than those living in urban areas
• Unequal distribution of health care resources across regions
  
  • shrinking population
  • organizational restructuring: downsizing to save costs
  • retainment of medical professionals in the rural communities
• Challenges for the elderly to travel to receive diagnosis and treatment

Question 35

E-Health & Old Age

Answer 35

• Improvement of health literacy via Internet

- The digital divide (younger vs. older gen.)- bridge the gap

Question 36

ACCESS 2022

Answer 36

• movement to inspire industry and all Canadians to work toward a new day in health care where patients, their families and their clinicians have access to info and e-services they need to better manage their health. Join the movement!