week 8

Question 1

what is the Health in Aging and Neurodegenerative Disease and Dementias Study-Ontario (HANDDS-ONT)?

Answer 1

a fully remote, observational study with the objective of studying clinical, genomic, and free-living behaviour (captured using wearable technologies) in community dwelling controls and individuals living with neurodegenerative brain diseases and Stroke

Question 2

according to population projections, in 2051, what portion of the population could be aged 65 and older? this would total how many people?

Answer 2

one-quarter of the population (24.9%) could be aged 65 and older, and this age group could total almost 12 million persons

Question 3

what portion of canadians would like to access the health information electronically?

Answer 3

4 out of 5

Question 4

what percentage of older adults would like age in place? (rather than move to an institutional care setting)

Answer 4

over 93% of older adults

Question 5

what is ONDRI?

Answer 5

ONDRI: Ontario Neurodegenerative Disease Research Initiative

created to understand the underlying factors of dementia and motor disorders across neurodegenerative diseases to improve the diagnosis, prognosis, care, and outcomes for persons living with dementia and those who support them.

Question 6

what is LCAN?

Answer 6

LCAN: Language & Cognition in Aging and Neurodegeneration Research Group

seeks to understand the underlying processes associated with communication impairments in these conditions, identify early behavioral biomarkers of dementia, and develop interventions to address communication difficulties.

Question 7

what are the objectives of HANDDS-ONT?

Answer 7

investigate the user acceptance and utility of the feedback report

explore persons with whom the participant has shared their feedback report with

discover new lifestyle or disease symptom-management behaviours adopted

Question 8

describe social interaction in older adulthood?

Answer 8

generally recognized that the level of social interaction declines somewhat in older adulthood

Question 9

what is the activity theory?

Answer 9

older adults strive to maintain their level of social interaction by substituting new roles when old roles are lost

Question 10

what is the disengagement theory?

Answer 10

social and psychological withdrawal is a necessary component of successful aging

Question 11

what is the socioemotional selectivity theory?

Answer 11

life-span model that proposes that the reduced social activity often seen in old age reflects a lifelong selection process

the number of individuals in a person’s social network may be smaller in older adulthood than it was in young adulthood.

however, close social relationships are maintained in older adulthood, while more superficial ones are filtered out, and age-related reductions in social interactions can be adaptive

Question 12

why do older adults prefer to socialize with familiar partners?

Answer 12

they place great importance on the positive feelings that come from intimate and gratifying social interactions

in later adulthood, there is less motivation to develop identity, so we may prefer spending time with familiar partners on whom we can rely to affirm who we are

Question 13

what does the socioemotional selectivity theory say about why older adults prefer to socialize with familiar partners?

Answer 13

according to SST, social preferences are related to the perception of time.

information-seeking motives and novel social partners take precedence when time is unlimited.

in contrast, emotional goals and familiar social partners are more important when time is limited.

in general, time is likely perceived as more limited in older adulthood than in young adulthood

Question 14

what is the social exchange theory?

Answer 14

social interactions can have both rewards and costs

the more powerful partner may be another individual but could also be an institution in the broader social environment

social exchange theory is useful for understanding social interactions in some contexts.

for example, older residents of long-term care facilities such as nursing homes often experience difficulties negotiating with administrators and staff members to get what they need

“Nursing Home Residents’ Rights.”

Question 15

what is the negative aspect of social relationships?

Answer 15

negative social exchanges (e.g., interacting with others who are too demanding) are associated with feelings of loneliness and depression, which not only detract from psychological well-being in later life but also can have adverse effects on physical health

the connection between negative social interactions and negative feelings is especially strong when older adults are already experiencing multiple stressors—losing a spouse or friend, experiencing illness, moving to a new residence, retiring from work

Question 16

what is the positive aspect of social relationships?

Answer 16

positive social exchanges (e.g., interacting with others who give reassurance or care in times of upset or illness) are associated with feelings of well-being.

Question 17

what is the convoy model?

Answer 17

individuals move through life both affecting and being affected by a constellation of other people who play a central role in their network of social relationships and influence their well-being

Question 18

what are social networks?

Answer 18

the structural characteristics of an individual’s social ties, including the number, age, sex, relationship, and frequency of contact with people who are part of it.

Question 19

describe social ties in older adult hood? family relationships and non-familial

Answer 19

Family Relationships: many different terms and changing family structures. Marital satisfaction, Interactions between married couples, same-sex couples, intergenerational relationships, caregiving, grandparenthood, sibling relationships.

Nonfamilial Relationships: Not all close social ties are with family members. Older adults have friends who are important to them and to whom they feel attached. Also, older adults who have lived in the same place for a long time maintain social ties in the community, where friends and acquaintances are a meaningful part of their daily lives.

Question 20

what is elder abuse?

Answer 20

elder abuse can be physical, sexual, psychological, or material, and it can occur in both domestic and institutional settings. abuse and neglect are difficult to study, but many factors are related to its occurrence.

e.g.
Financial exploitation
Abuse in domestic settings
Abuse in institutional settings

Question 21

how are SST and the SOC model related?

Answer 21

The SST complements the SOC Model by specifying the goals of social interactions that older adults select and the strategies they use to ensure that social interactions will optimize their needs (Baltes & Carstensen, 1996).

A core of close others follow us throughout a large part of our lives. Over time, the social convoy becomes smaller, but those who remain in it (largely family members but close friends as well) provide social support, feelings of social embeddedness, and chances for positive social exchanges, all essential in optimizing older adults’ feelings of life satisfaction and well-being.

Question 22

how are SST and the ecological model related?

Answer 22

With regard to the Ecological Model, social interaction and social ties represent one aspect of environmental press.

Older adults adapt best when environments offer access to social ties and sufficient opportunities for social interaction, especially with individuals who hold significance for them.

However, older adults prefer to weed out relationships that have less importance, so the chances for positive adaptation are enhanced when the level of social press does not exceed their wishes and needs.

Adaptive functioning is maximized when older adults have opportunities for meaningful social interactions and when the likelihood of negative social exchange is minimized.