Mental well-being among the oldest old: revisiting the model of healthy ageing in a Finnish context

Purpose: This study aimed to examine how participants aged 80 years old or over describe their mental well-being-exploring the suitability of the model of healthy ageing when outlining the mental well-being concept.Methods: Six structured focus group interviews with 28 participants were conducted in Western Finland in 2017. Qualitative content analysis was performed, where both manifest and latent content was considered in a process involving meaning condensation and coding, followed by categorization.Results: The healthy ageing model constituted a useful framework for the conceptualization of mental well-being, illustrating the links between these two constructs. The analysis resulted in a four-dimensional model of mental well-being in oldest old age, the key components being: Activities-enjoyment and fulfilment; Capability-functioning and independence; Orientation-awareness, shifted perspectives and values; and Connectedness-sense of belonging.Conclusions: Although functional status plays an important role for well-being in general, it is not the principal component of self-reported mental well-being within the heterogeneous group of the oldest old. Further, many persons in this age group do not view themselves as passive or dependent, on the contrary, they underline the importance of empowering attitudes, a positive mindset and actively creating circumstances which support their mental well-being

Perspectives and Experiences of Community-Dwelling Older Adults with Falling: An Evidence-Based Practice Project

This project sought to answer the following Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) question: What are the perspectives and experiences of community-dwelling older adults with falling

Interaction with a Virtual Coach for Active and Healthy Ageing

International audienceSince life expectancy has increased significantly over the past century, society is being forced to discover innovative ways to support active aging and elderly care. The e-VITA project, which receives funding from both the European Union and Japan, is built on a cutting edge method of virtual coaching that focuses on the key areas of active and healthy aging. The requirements for the virtual coach were ascertained through a process of participatory design in workshops, focus groups, and living laboratories in Germany, France, Italy, and Japan. Several use cases were then chosen for development utilising the open-source Rasa framework. The system uses common representations such as Knowledge Bases and Knowledge Graphs to enable the integration of context, subject expertise, and multimodal data, and is available in English, German, French, Italian, and Japanese

Intergenerational programming during the pandemic: Transformation during (constantly) changing times

Intergenerational programs have long been employed to reduce ageism and optimize youth and older adult development. Most involve in-person meetings, which COVID-19 arrested. Needs for safety and social contact were amplified during COVID-19, leading to modified programming that engaged generations remotely rather than eliminating it. Our collective case study incorporates four intergenerational programs in five US states prior to and during COVID-19. Each aims to reduce ageism, incorporating nutrition education, technology skills, or photography programming. Authors present case goals, participants, implementation methods, including responses to COVID-19, outcomes, and lessons learned. Technology afforded opportunities for intergenerational connections; non-technological methods also were employed. Across cases, programmatic foci were maintained through adaptive programming. Community partners’ awareness of immediate needs facilitated responsive programming with universities, who leveraged unique resources. While new methods and partnerships will continue post-pandemic, authors concurred that virtual contact cannot fully substitute for in-person relationship-building. Remote programming maintained ties between groups ready to resume shared in-person programming as soon as possible; they now have tested means for responding to routine or novel cancellations of in-person programming. Able to implement in-person and remote intergenerational programming, communities can fight ageism and pursue diverse goals regardless of health, transportation, weather, or other restrictions

Technological Solutions for an Ageing Population : New Perspectives and Opportunities for Business Development

Tämän opinnäytetyön tavoitteena on lisätä ymmärrystä liiketoimijoiden näkökulmista ja mahdollisuuksista suunniteltaessa ikääntyville ihmisille teknologisia ratkaisuja avustamaan heidän arkeaan nyt ja tulevaisuudessa. Ikääntyvien ihmisten tarpeet muodostavat valtavan potentiaalin uusille teknologisille innovaatioille, palveluille ja tuotteille, jotka tukevat ikääntyvien itsenäistä ja aktiivista elämää. Heidän monimuotoisia ja eriäviä tarpeitaan ja teknologiaosaamistaan on kuitenkin tarpeen tutkia ja yksilöidä, jotta voidaan tarjota toivotunlaisia ratkaisuja. Tämä opinnäytetyö toteutettiin tutkimuksellisena työnä, joka koostuu teoreettisesta viitekehyksestä ja laadullisesta empiirisestä tutkimuksesta. Tutkimus toteutettiin puolistrukturoituina ryhmähaastatteluina kolmessa eri senioripalvelutalossa. Saatujen vastausten ja kirjallisuuskatsauksen perusteella analysoitiin ikääntyneiden ihmisten asenteita ja mieltymyksiä teknologisten ratkaisujen ja palvelujen suhteen. Yhteenvetona voidaan todeta, että ikääntyville suunnatun teknologian tulee olla helppokäyttöistä ja luotettavaa ja tarjota turvallisuutta jokapäiväiseen elämään. Palvelusuunnittelu ja monitieteinen lähestymistapa mahdollistavat toivotunlaisten teknologisten ratkaisujen tarjoamisen ikääntyville ihmisille. Lisäksi yksilön huomioiva, humaani lähestymistapa sekä oikea kanavointi ja menetelmät tarjoavat ikäihmisille parhaat mahdollisuudet tutustua käytettävissä olevaan teknologiaan ja siihen liittyvään tietoon.The aim of this research is to introduce perspectives and opportunities for businesses to be considered in designing technological solutions for older people to support their everyday life now and in the future. The needs of older adults generate a huge potential for new technological innovations, services and products which assist them to live independent and active life while aging. However, their divergent needs and technology knowledge need to be further studied and identified to provide them with the preferred solutions. First, this research-based thesis presents the theoretical framework in which the literature is reviewed and discussed. This is followed by the introduction of the employed qualitative research method. Semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted in three senior service homes which generated the empirical data of the preferences and opinions of ageing people with regard to the technological tools and solutions. Finally, the results of the qualitative research are presented. As a conclusion, ageing population consists of a range of individuals with different physical, cognitive and social conditions. They prefer easy to operate and reliable technologies that provide them with safety for everyday life. Service design and interdisciplinary approach allow to deliver desired and preferred technological solutions for aging people. Furthermore, individualized and humane approach as well as the right channeling and practices provide optimal settings for the ageing people to become acquainted with technology and related information available

Age Friendly Communities: The Movement to Create Great Places to Grow Up and Grow Old in America. An Introduction for Public and Private Funders.

What makes a community successful? One important measure is how well it meets the needs of its citizens in all stages of their lives. Is it safe? Affordable? Walkable? Healthy? Inclusive? Is it a great place to grow up and grow old? In short, is it "age-friendly?" In many communities large and small across America and around the globe, the answer is still no.This is unfortunate because, from Athens, Georgia to Athens, Greece, individuals are living longer and the world's population is getting older, quickly and permanently. This longevity is a wonderful, hopeful phenomenon with many positive ramifications. At the same time, it poses a challenge to cities, towns, and neighborhoods, many of which are still unprepared to serve -- or benefit from -- the fast-growing number of older citizens.The good news is that communities still have time to seize the dynamic opportunity that an aging population can present. In fact, many thought leaders now believe that the communities that fare best in the 21st century will be those that both tackle the challenges and embrace the positive possibilities that an aging population creates.Grantmakers In Aging (GIA) has developed this publication as part of Community AGEnda: Improving America for All Ages, an initiative funded by the Pfizer Foundation. The document's purpose is to introduce private philanthropies and local, state, and federal funders to this new, transformative way of thinking about aging and community development. In it, we survey the current state of the age-friendly community movement, showcase notable examples, and demonstrate how urban, suburban, exurban, and rural communities can get started or advance their work. A searchable database of age-friendly programs across America, a curated collection of implementation tools, and other resources are also available at GIAging.org/CommunityAGEnda for any funder, planner, nonprofit, government agency, or citizen seeking to work toward a more age-friendly future

Integrating social and health services for people, communities, homes, and places

The challenge of an ageing population requires a paradigmatic shift in the way we provide social and healthcare services, demanding the need to prioritize the functionality and independence of older adults. The risk and subsequent fear of falling is one of the most high-risk states for older adults, as it generates a destabilizing effect on their health that is often hard to recover. It is essential to thoroughly address their risk factors and mitigators. This discussion needs to be made in light of a person-centered perspective that goes beyond fragilities to capitalize on the strengths of the older adults. The chapter provides examples of how to connect assessment, interventions, and monitoring to a coherent framework approach that mitigates the risks and the impact of falls on an ageing society. The authors explore how technological innovation, urban planning, and regional policies that are culturally relevant can be incorporated in creating a circular economy while meeting the needs of an aging population and preventing falls and cognitive decline