Week 5: Social Healthy Aging Flashcards
What is Social Healthy Aging
In 1947, the World Health Organization (WHO) defined health as “. . . a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (p.1)
-No one generally accepted definition of social well-being
-Generally, should include adequate and well-functioning social relationships, adequate social support, little or no social strain, some social participation, social inclusion in one’s society, strong and well-functioning social networks & sexuality as one desires
Key Dimensions of Social Well-Being (8)
- Presence and quality of social relationships
- Social networks
- Social participation
- Social isolation
- Sexuality
- Social support
- Social strain
- Social environment
Social Ecological Model- SEM (5 Components)
INDIVIDUAL centralized (knowledge, attitudes, skills, behaviours), then outwards to INTERPERSONAL (close social relationships, friends/family), INSTITUTIONAL (organizations, schools, work), COMMUNITY (cities, resources, neighbourhoods, norms), POLICY (government- federal, provincial, local legislation)
SEM: (Micro Level) Individual & Interpersonal Factors
-Immediate family, friends, & community significantly shape the aging process & health
-Supportive social connections & positive interactions with family members and friends are imperative
-Need for belonging & reciprocity with others
-Loneliness is influenced by social network size, social interaction frequency, & number of relationships *and quality
-Family context experiences during the early years of one’s life has significant influence on later-life experiences & health
SEM: (Meso Level) Institutional & Community
-Neighbourhood & built environments, healthcare organizations, & educational system factors exert influence on older adults’ health experiences
-The physical environment, including housing conditions, transportation, & access to healthy food and exercise opportunities, also affects individuals’ health and well-being
-Improved through collaborative leadership, cooperation across sectors, age-friendly communities & top-down approaches
SEM: (Macro Level) Policy, Cultural, Structural Factors
-Cultural health beliefs, policies, & environmental characteristics of a region have profound influence over the aging experience & health of older adults
-Political factors (i.e., government policies & support) shape socioeconomic determinants of health & can reduce health disparities for older adults
-The decisions people make about their health, their capacity to cope with the progression of a disease, & the effects of medical intervention are all significantly influenced by societal cultural values and norms
Social Ties Later in Life
Older adults tend to have fewer social partners than younger adults (friends, acquaintances, romantic)
Why? Is that a bad thing?
-less opportunities for social interaction, family moves away, friends and family pass away, changes in health (not good in the sense that it makes you more isolated, but not bad because you may have fewer relationships but higher quality ones)
Socioemotional Selectivity Theory
-Explains progression of social networks while aging
-Proportion of emotional material recalled increases with age - older adults have greater emotional response
-Older adults have fewer social partners because they want to spend time with people they care about most- perceive time to be much more limited*
-Doesn’t mean older adults are “anti-social”
-See themselves as having less time to waste and are more risk-adverse
-Do not want to involve themselves in painful social interactions
Socioemotional Selectivity Theory- Trends
Over time EMOTIONAL REGULATION increases (better control over emotions, able to identify risk aversion), INFORMATION SEEKING decreases (feel like they have less time, so stick to what’s important to them), SELF-CONCEPT= idea of yourself/who you are (bigger change in adolescence, decreases as you get older and plateaus because you know what’s important/your values and goals identified)
Disengagement Theory
-Normal aging is a mutual withdrawal or disengagement between the ageing person and other in the social system to which he belongs
-Mutual withdrawal between older adult and society takes place in anticipation of death*
-Older adults decrease activity levels and interact less frequently
-At the same time, society frees older adults from employment and family responsibility’s
*Is this a good thing?- viewed as beneficial for both sides, good b/c allows for burdens, risks and pressures to be taken away, but bad because being social is good for healthy aging
Social Issues of Aging & Psychological Health
*Social connection is a key pillar of lifestyle medicine and essential for human health (humans are wired to connect)
-Strong social support improves physical health outcomes (BMI, blood sugar, cancer survival, cardiovascular health)
-Social connection decreases depressive symptoms, PTSD, and improves overall mental health
-Social isolation has a negative effect, increasing depressive symptoms and mortality
-Counseling on social connection can add both years to life and enhance well-being
-Social engagement, including digital interactions, impacts health across the lifespan
-Research highlights a small but positive link between social identity and health behaviour, suggesting more research is needed to optimize health intervention
3 Components of Social Connection and Risk Continuum
- Structure: friends, family romantic, sexual (existence of relationships and their roles)
- Function: what do they provide for the person, how the person perceives it (perceived or received social support)
- Quality: positive or negative relationship (relationship satisfaction, sense of connection to others)
*higher level of structure and quality, and multiple different types of functions= lower risk
Retirement and Aging
-Retirement and aging has been shown to be both positively and negatively associated with mental health
-Variations in the outcomes of retirement highlight to complexity of this issues
-There is evidence that involuntary retirement overall increases the possibility
of loneliness, isolation, and mental disorders *best scenario for healthy aging is voluntary
-Psychiatric illness has been linked to (as high as) 43% of early retirements among working individuals
Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs)
-“Naturally occurring retirement communities, or NORCs, are unplanned communities that have a high proportion of older residents and may be critical to finding housing solutions for aging Canadians.”
-NORC buildings: Apartments, condos, co-ops with 30% or more older adults (65+)
-Over 1,900 buildings in Ontario with over 214,000 older adults
-Integrate health, social and physical supports with a participatory design that promotes social wellbeing
Family and Friends Social Roles
-Multiple social roles= self-efficacy and life satisfaction
-Social worth = improved overall health and survival
-Strong social roles = reduced rates of death, social isolation, and loneliness
*Social role= social interaction, social participation, familial and community roles, social contribution, paid work
