Article
Psychology, Clinical
E. Cohn-Schwartz, Y. Hoffman, A. Shrira
Summary: This study examined the bidirectional longitudinal associations between cognitive function and PTSD symptoms, and found that PTSD symptoms were linked with subsequent cognitive decline, with part of this effect mediated by depressive symptoms.
INTERNATIONAL PSYCHOGERIATRICS
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Sara A. Freed, Briana N. Sprague, Abigail T. Stephan, Cassidy E. Doyle, Junyan Tian, Christine B. Phillips, Lesley A. Ross
Summary: This pilot study investigated older adults' perceptions of two commercially available exergames. Findings showed that enjoyment of the games was related to age and extraversion, while likelihood of future play was influenced by age. Participants perceived the games as beneficial but factors like not being aerobic enough or lacking intensity would affect their decision to buy and play the games.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Maud Wieczorek, Clement Meier, Matthias Kliegel, Jurgen Maurer
Summary: This study investigates the association between health literacy and unhealthy lifestyle behaviors in older adults, and explores the moderating role of social connectedness in this relationship. The results show that older adults with inadequate health literacy are more likely to engage in unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, and this association is stronger among socially isolated individuals.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Josca van Houwelingen-Snippe, Somaya Ben Allouch, Thomas J. L. van Rompay
Summary: Loneliness and social isolation are significant issues for older adults, but interacting with digital nature can enhance social connectedness and peacefulness. This study highlights the importance of nature experiences for older adults' mental well-being and suggests that digital nature can be a useful complement when outdoor nature interactions become challenging.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Mohit K. Manchella, Paige E. Logan, Brea L. Perry, Siyun Peng, Shannon L. Risacher, Andrew J. Saykin, Liana G. Apostolova
Summary: Social connectedness is associated with cognitive resilience in older adults, and the type of social network can influence brain structure and potentially mitigate neurodegeneration. Bridging social networks are linked to preserved gray matter density in limbic structures, while bonding networks are associated with preserved gray matter density in frontal regions.
ALZHEIMERS & DEMENTIA
(2023)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Cynthia Williams, Michelle Dedeo
Summary: Many elderly residents in care facilities have limited use of digital communication technologies. A retrospective pre-post study was conducted at two retirement communities to investigate the effects of a digital communication program. A survey was distributed from March to April 2021 to gather data for analysis. The results showed minimal improvements in digital communication behavior and frequency, with elderly individuals expressing concerns about privacy and varied opinions on the usefulness of digital communication for social engagement. The findings can be applied to the Stage of Change model and used to provide recommendations for promoting behavior change.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Jinsil Hwaryoung Seo, Annie Sungkajun, Brittany Garcia
Summary: This paper discusses the development of the Art-Technology Intergenerational Community (ATIC) program for older adults in Texas, aiming to improve their health, well-being, and social connectedness. Findings show that participants in the program had improved perceptions of their own health and intergenerational relationships, as well as significant differences in positive and negative affect between pre- and post-study conditions. The qualitative results indicate that the program engaged participants in art-making, supporting intergenerational relationships with student volunteers and family members.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Psychiatry
Robert Fox, Joanna McHugh Power, Andrew N. Coogan, Aartjan T. F. Beekman, Theo G. van Tilburg, Philip Hyland
Summary: Loneliness has a detrimental impact on mental health in later life and may have a bidirectional relationship with psychopathology. This study examines the longitudinal association between different types of loneliness (social and emotional) and posttraumatic stress symptoms among older adults. The results suggest a small but significant increase in posttraumatic stress symptoms and emotional loneliness over time, highlighting the importance of addressing loneliness in the context of mental health in older adults.
PSYCHIATRY RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Psychiatry
Mary Kowalchyk, Eva Chernoff, Hannah R. Brinkman, Adam D. Brown, Robert H. Pietrzak, Adriana Feder
Summary: Social support and perceived ability to cope with trauma are associated with severity of PTSD symptoms. This study found that individuals with higher forward-focused coping and higher social support experienced lower severity of PTSD symptoms. Social support was also identified as a significant moderator in the relationship between forward-focused coping and overall PTSD symptom severity.
JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Jeonghyeon Kim, Seamon Kang, Haeryun Hong, Hyunsik Kang, Ju-Hyoung Kim, Sang-Koo Woo
Summary: This study investigated the moderating effect of lower-extremity muscle strength on the relationship between nutritional health risk and depression in Korean older adults. The results showed that depression was positively associated with nutritional health risk and inversely associated with lower-extremity muscle strength. Weaker muscle strength exacerbated the impact of nutritional health risk on depression, suggesting that interventions targeting both high nutritional risk and weak muscle strength may be beneficial for the treatment of depression in Korean older adults.
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Carolyn J. Crandall, Joseph Larson, Crystal Wiley Cene, John Bellettiere, Deepika Laddu, Rebecca D. Jackson, Benjamin T. Schumacher, Marcia L. Stefanick, Mark Womens Hlth Initiative Investigators
Summary: The study found a relationship between social connectedness and decreasing physical activity levels among older women during the pandemic, but not with increasing physical activity levels.
JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES A-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND MEDICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Atami S. De Main, Daniel A. Powers, Bo Xie, Namkee Choi
Summary: This study examined the longitudinal relationships between social environment indicators (social connectedness, social engagement, social contribution) and mental health indicators (depression and anxiety) among community-dwelling adults age 55 years and older. The findings indicate that lower levels of emotional social support, social integration, and social contribution significantly predicted depression and anxiety in older adults, while social network and social engagement did not have significant predictive effects. The number of chronic conditions also moderated the development of depression and anxiety.
AGING & MENTAL HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Yuko Yoshida, Hajime Iwasa, Yoshiko Ishioka, Yoshimi Suzukamo
Summary: Leisure activity was found to moderate poor mental health in older adults living alone, suggesting interventions to encourage participation in such activities for improved mental health.
GERIATRICS & GERONTOLOGY INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Ryunosuke Shioya, Atsushi Nakagomi, Kazushige Ide, Katsunori Kondo
Summary: The evidence for the effectiveness of video calls in preventing late-life depression during the COVID-19 pandemic is limited. This study examined the relationship between social contact (in-person, voice call, and video call) and the incidence of depressive symptoms, and considered the influence of age and changes in in-person contact frequency on this relationship. The findings suggest that video calls may not be as effective as in-person contact in protecting against depressive symptoms among older adults during the pandemic.
SOCIAL SCIENCE & MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Helene M. Altmann, Marie Anne Gebara, Steven M. Albert, Jennifer Q. Morse, Charles F. Reynolds, Stephen B. Thomas, Sarah T. Stahl
Summary: This study found that a strong perception of belongingness to family and/or friends was associated with fewer PTSD symptoms among community-dwelling older Black and White adults. It suggests that behavioral interventions targeting and improving interpersonal support may be beneficial for older adults who have experienced trauma.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Rabia Khalaila, Adi Vitman-Schorr, Ella Cohn-Schwartz
Summary: The study found a significant longitudinal association between tooth status and cognitive performance among older adults in Europe, with loneliness and quality of life mediating this association. Older adults with better tooth status tended to have better cognitive performance, partially mediated by an improvement in quality of life and a decrease in loneliness.
AGING & MENTAL HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Ella Cohn-Schwartz, Adi Vitman-Schorr, Rabia Khalaila
Summary: The study found that during the COVID-19 pandemic, adults who practiced more frequent physical distancing also tended to feel lonelier. This association was partially explained by decreased social contacts, such as less in-person contact with children and non-kin, and reduced electronic contact with non-kin. Adults in Southern European countries reported feeling lonelier and had more frequent contacts, while the link between physical distancing and loneliness was only found in the northern region of Europe.
QUALITY OF LIFE RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Dikla Segel-Karpas, Ella Cohn-Schwartz, Liat Ayalon
Summary: The study reveals that negative self-perceptions of aging may lead to loneliness, which in turn can result in depressive symptoms.
AGING & MENTAL HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Liat Ayalon, Ella Cohn-Schwartz
Summary: The study found that older age was associated with better self-perceptions of aging among Israeli Arabs, but with worse self-perceptions of aging among immigrants. As immigrants grew older, they were more likely to report ageist experiences. Israeli Arabs reported higher levels of ageist experiences, regardless of their age.
INTERNATIONAL PSYCHOGERIATRICS
(2022)
Article
Gerontology
Liat Ayalon, Ella Cohn-Schwartz
Summary: The study found that perceived age discrimination in healthcare settings is directly related to health outcomes. This relationship is partially mediated by self-perceptions of aging and health behaviors, with age moderating the link between perceived age discrimination and health behaviors. Older people, especially those over the age of 65, are particularly susceptible to the negative effects of perceived age discrimination.
JOURNAL OF AGING AND HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Gerontology
Dikla Segel-Karpas, Amit Shrira, Ella Cohn-Schwartz, Ehud Bodner
Summary: Studies indicate that subjective age and attitudes to ageing are related to physical and mental health. This study found that daily variation in subjective age is associated with daily variation in depressive symptoms, and attitudes to ageing moderate this relationship. The moderating effect of attitudes to losses is particularly prominent among older participants.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF AGEING
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
E. Cohn-Schwartz, Y. Hoffman, A. Shrira
Summary: This study examined the bidirectional longitudinal associations between cognitive function and PTSD symptoms, and found that PTSD symptoms were linked with subsequent cognitive decline, with part of this effect mediated by depressive symptoms.
INTERNATIONAL PSYCHOGERIATRICS
(2022)
Article
Gerontology
Ariel Pollock Star, Ella Cohn-Schwartz, Norm O'Rourke
Summary: Marital idealization refers to the self-deception of spouses conveying an overly positive portrayal of their spouse and relationship. The study found that marital satisfaction predicts marital idealization within and between spouses, but not vice versa. However, for wives, their reported marital satisfaction and idealization can predict their husbands' marital idealization 2 years later.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF AGING & HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Article
Gerontology
Ella Cohn-Schwartz, Markus H. Schafer, Liat Ayalon
Summary: This study, based on the age segregation theory, investigated the reciprocal associations between age integration and self-perceptions of aging. The results showed that having younger social network members was associated with better self-perceptions of aging, and positive self-perceptions of aging predicted more relationships with younger and older individuals over time. These findings highlight the importance of self-perceptions of aging in social networks and the role of age integration in shaping these perceptions.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF AGEING
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shira T. T. Turner, Sara Carmel, Norm O'Rourke, Victoria H. H. Raveis, Hava Tovel, Ella Cohn-Schwartz
Summary: Social support acts as a buffer against depression, especially among older adults with limited social networks. This study found bidirectional associations between depressive symptoms and social support among individuals aged 75 and older.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Ella Cohn-Schwartz, M. Clara de Paula Couto, Helene H. Fung, Sylvie Graf, Thomas M. Hess, Shyhnan Liou, Jana Nikitin, Klaus Rothermund
Summary: Previous studies have shown that intergenerational contact can improve attitudes towards older people, but these studies mainly focus on younger adults and overlook the effects on older adults. This study investigated the association between contact with older adults and views of the self in old age among younger and older adults. The results indicate that contact with older adults is related to more positive views of the self in old age, and this effect is more pronounced in older adults. Contact with older adults has a stronger positive influence on views of the self in the domains of friends and leisure activities.
JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES B-PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Ella Cohn-Schwartz, Ittay Mannheim, Lian Meiry
Summary: This study assessed the effectiveness of a digital intervention program for aging Holocaust survivors. Participants were given tablet devices and assisted by volunteers to use them. The study aimed to identify the characteristics of survivors that are associated with increased use of digital communication. Data was collected through telephone interviews and combined with usage data from the tablets. Regression models identified several characteristics that were related to higher frequency of digital communication.
AGING & MENTAL HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Ella Cohn-Schwartz, Laura Naegele
Summary: This study examines the relationship between different lifelong employment patterns and social relationships in old age, and whether there are gender differences in the impact of lifelong employment patterns. The findings show that adults who worked in more jobs had better structural characteristics of their later life networks, but less emotional closeness with the network. These results varied between men and women.
INTERNATIONAL PSYCHOGERIATRICS
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Sara Carmel, Norm O'Rourke, Hava Tovel, Victoria H. Raveis, Naama Antler, Ella Cohn-Schwartz
Summary: This study aims to enhance the understanding of longitudinal associations between social support and commitment to life and living in late life. Structured home interviews were conducted with 824 Israelis 75 years of age and older, with three annual data collection timepoints. The results showed that social support and commitment to life and living predict each other over time, and satisfaction with relationships significantly contributes to the measurement of both constructs.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Ella Cohn-Schwartz, Rabia Khalaila
Summary: This study found a direct link between the intensity of physical activity and cognitive performance, as well as indirect links through social contacts and depressive symptoms. This highlights the importance of encouraging a physically active lifestyle with social interactions to improve cognitive decline and mental health.
