Journal of Ageing and Longevity

Previous research has established that polyphenols increase lifespan and stress resistance in C. elegans. However, the effects of timing of exposure on the extension of lifespan and the mechanisms involved are not completely understood. This study aims to clarify the influence of the timing of polyphenol-rich sugarcane extract (PRSE) administration on the lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans. C. elegans worms were subjected to a diet containing PRSE powder at various larval stages until their death. The optimal concentration for lifespan extension was found to be 5 mg/mL PRSE, which increased the lifespan of N2 worms by 18.12% compared to the control group. Mutant strains were also tested, and worm thermotolerance assays were used to assess age-related health at different life stages. Lifespan was notably extended when PRSE was introduced at the first larval stage and 15 h thereafter. No significant extension of lifespan was observed when introduced later in life. The lifespan of DAF-16 and DAF-2 mutants remained unaffected by PRSE. Improved thermotolerance was observed, especially in young and middle-aged worms. Early initiation and sustained intake of PRSE might improve the heat stress and lifespan, implicating the insulin/IGF-1 signaling pathway as a likely mediator in C. elegans. Full article

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the health and wellness benefits of dog companionship in a population of women over 50 years old. Methods: This study used a combination of an online survey (n = 284 self-identified dog companions, n = 71 non-dog companions) and in-person fitness testing (n = 24 dog companions and n = 7 non-dog companions). In-person testing included the 6 min walk, handgrip strength, and chair stand tests. Results: From the questionnaire: Dog companions were 61 ± 7 years old and non-dog companions were 58 ± 6 years old. Dog companions reported 3 ± 2 medical diagnoses and 2 ± 1 medications, but non-dog companions only reported 2 ± 1 medical diagnoses and 1 ± 1 medications (p < 0.001). Satisfaction with life scores and interpersonal communication competence scores were higher for dog companions compared to non-dog companions (p < 0.001). Dog companions and non-dog companions reported similar amounts of time per week on vigorous activity. However, the number of days per week in which dog companions participated in moderate activity was higher than in non-dog companions (p < 0.05). Dog companions also reported walking more days per week and for a longer time than non-dog companions (p < 0.05). There were no differences in the in-person testing (6 min walk, handgrip strength, chair stand tests) between groups. Conclusions: When the in-person testing scores were compared to national standards, the women in this study were average to above average. Overall, women over 50 that own dogs walk more and have better life satisfaction, compared to non-dog companions. Full article

The global incidence of dementia has been rising for the past several years, posing significant health challenges regarding its management and prevention. Dementia is associated with a substantial burden on patients and their families. Therefore, effective, evidence-based preventive strategies are required for dementia. To achieve this, the predisposing factors for dementia and their relationship with other diseases need to be determined. Japan has a universal health insurance system and these data have been stored in their respective databases since 2008. Herein we explored the influence of clinical history on the occurrence of dementia based on data collected by the National Health Insurance in Japan and Municipal Care Certification Survey over the past 10 years. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors from clinical history that affect the risk of dementia development. A significant odds ratio was observed for the development of dementia in 5-year data, involving the clinical history of osteoporosis, depression, internal carotid artery occlusion, schizophrenia, and Parkinson’s disease. In addition, a significant odds ratio was observed for the development of dementia in 10-year data, involving the clinical history of osteoporosis, cataracts, and schizophrenia. Full article

Prospective memory (PM) plays a crucial role in daily autonomy. Metamemory and emotional valence have both been shown to influence PM performance in younger and older adults. However, when considered together, the relationship between emotional valence, metamemory, and PM has not been examined yet, especially whether metamemory PM representations develop with task experience (i.e., before versus after performing a task). We collected data from 25 younger and 19 older adults using an event-based PM task with emotional cues (positive, negative, or neutral). Results revealed that younger adults’ predictions underestimated performance for neutral and negative cues. After performing the task, they showed more accurate representations for neutral cues, indicating that they monitored their representations. Older adults’ predictions overestimated performance for negative PM cues, and they did not modify representations after performing the task. Thus, we do not find evidence that older adults are able to coherently monitor their PM representations. These findings highlight the importance of understanding PM representations, especially in older adults, as they may lead to less strategy use and more impaired PM performance in negative everyday situations. Full article

Aging is a complex process associated with tissue degeneration and an increased risk of age-related diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of Terasen^®, a nutraceutical containing standardized extracts of Euterpe oleracea, Myrciaria dubia, and purified oil of Bixa orellana and Astrocaryum aculeatum on the lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans. The findings demonstrated that Terasen^® exhibited significant radical scavenging in vitro, decreased the feeding behavior of C. elegans without affecting the animals’ final size, increased the eggs laid in a concentration-dependent fashion, although the total progeny was reduced compared to the control, and increased the median and maximum lifespan. These findings suggest that Terasen^® may improve the lifespan in C. elegans, warranting further investigation. Full article

The current study will explore the post-pandemic bereavement window of widowed caregivers who experienced higher degrees of social isolation and the ways in which leisure was used to cope. A phenomenological multi-case study technique was used to explore the “multiple realities” among female caregivers whose social convoys suffered pre-pandemic because of spousal caregiving and were further impacted by COVID-19 mitigation strategies during the pandemic. Initial analyses utilized the two-cycle approach, as defined by Saldana. In the initial cycle, the researchers independently immersed themselves in the raw data gathered during participant interviews and engaged in open coding to discern concepts, patterns, themes, and categories associated with the multiple realities among the widows whose leisure participation was affected due to the strain of spousal caregiving and exacerbated by COVID-19 mitigation strategies. After completing the first cycle, the researchers then moved to the second phase, thematic analysis, which sought to develop a more structured framework by which to understand the data by identifying, analyzing, and reporting patterns (e.g., themes) within it. A qualitative comparison technique was then employed to deepen our understanding of individuals’ lived experiences. Thematic findings revealed three areas of similarities: Social isolation from caregiving, using leisure to self-focus and explore future possibilities, and core groups. Full article

Background: Whilst qualitative research has previously been conducted on older people’s personal resilience and wellbeing during COVID-19, there are fewer empirical studies on the impact it had on social connectedness for this age group. In this paper we seek to examine older people’s social connectedness to others during the pandemic, their personal experiences of seeking out those connections, and whether there are any identifiable pre-existing factors that enabled them to minimise the impact of enforced isolation. Methods: Using a phenomenological methodology, we conducted in-depth interviews with 13 older people between March and May 2021. These interviews explored the participant’s lived experiences of staying socially connected to others during the enforced lockdowns and various restrictions. Results: Our findings reveal strong themes of personal resilience, sense of coherence and other protective factors, but also highlight the benefits of establishing connections to friends, family, organised groups and community prior to the pandemic. Conclusion: Older people’s ability to stay socially connected is influenced by personal resilience and a positive mindset; pre-existing social ties to others and maintaining a personal sense of coherence and a sense of belonging to people or places. Our findings shed light on the importance of informal social interactions, what it means to feel lonely in older age and indicate that for some the pandemic restrictions may even have offered a welcome space in which to process significant life events. Full article

Although evidence-based programs have been effective for fall prevention in many communities, older adults living in underserved areas cannot access these services due to the shortage of providers and trainers. In this cross-sectional study, a multi-agency approach was adopted for integrating an evidence-based program, A Matter of Balance (AMOB), into the public health curriculum at a rurally placed university. We assessed student learning as well as the community benefits of fall prevention among those who participated in the AMOB program. Eighty-four percent of the students reported intentions of using AMOB training in their future careers. The average of the items for the effectiveness of “Classroom Training” and “Community Training” provided by the students (n = 25) ranged from 3.52 to 4.32 and 3.48 to 4.36, on a Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 5 = Strongly Agree), respectively. Older adults who participated in the fall prevention community workshops showed increased confidence in reducing falls, protecting themselves from falling, and becoming steadier on their feet after the training (p < 0.05). Our study demonstrates the value of integrating evidence-based programs such as AMOB in a university curriculum to address rural health disparities related to falls. Full article

The global population has been gradually aging over the past few decades, with a growing proportion of people aged 65 years or older. Simultaneously, the medical profession has shifted towards promoting the concept of “positive” gerontology, emphasizing healthy aging. In this context, we investigated the trends in pathological specimen submissions from patients aged 85 or older over ten years at a single center. We observed a nearly two-fold increase in submissions during 2015–2019 compared to 2010–2014, out of proportion to the change in the fraction of older adults in the population, suggesting a changing attitude towards medical care in these older patients. Dermatologic samples were the main driver of growth, followed by gastrointestinal and urinary tract samples. However, other samples, like breast and lung, did not significantly increase. Although further research is needed to understand the implications of increasing invasive procedures in the oldest old, a noteworthy trend has emerged towards increased and more active healthcare for this population. Healthcare providers and administrators should be prepared for a continued rise in invasive interventions in this age group. Full article

Background and Aim: The coronavirus pandemic has had a negative impact on the health and well-being of communities and individuals around the world. One of the concerns about the COVID-19 epidemic is the impact of social isolation due to social distancing on the mental health of older adults. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between mental health and loneliness among seniors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 211 retirees of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences were selected by available sampling method in 2021. Data were collected through the Demographic, Mental Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) and the Adult Social and Emotional Feeling Questionnaire (SELSA-S). Data were analyzed using paired t-test, one-way analysis of variance, covariance, and chi-squared tests. The significance level was considered 0.05. Results: The mean age of participants was 71.26 years and the results showed a significant relationship between feeling lonely and mental health (r = 0.535, p = 0.001). There were statistically significant relationships between mental health and social functioning (r = −0.204, p ≥ 0.001) and depression (r = 0.501, p = 0.001) and also between mental health and three subscales of loneliness: romantic loneliness (r = 0.001, p = 0.001), social loneliness (r = 0.493, p = 0.001), and family loneliness (r = 0.289, p = 0.001). Conclusion: Feeling lonely during the coronavirus disease pandemic has a negative effect on the mental health of older adults; therefore, it is necessary for mental health professionals to improve the mental health of the elderly with proper planning and interventions. Full article

This paper is dedicated to the research presented at the 26th Nordic Congress of Gerontology in Odense, Denmark, in June 2022, which was organized by the Danish Gerontological Society and the Danish Society for Geriatrics. The overall topics of the congress were change and continuity. Participants were invited to explore questions on change and continuity from the perspective of ageing and later life within the following congress themes: digitisation and technology; housing, generations and mobility; lifestyle, engagement and transition; education and competences in ageing societies; morbidity, medical treatment and ageing processes; and a good life and a good death. Life is about change and continuity. We experience ourselves and our surroundings differently throughout our lives. For most people, later life is characterized by major transitions, moving towards frailty and multiple losses. But it may also be a part of life with more time to engage in preferred activities, explore new possibilities, and to cope and come to terms with new challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic proved to be a challenge to the world beyond imagination, particularly for frail and vulnerable people and societies. However, it also provided valuable new insights and reminded us of the values in life. We, therefore, also welcomed presentations and discussions on societal perspectives such as citizen perspective, ethnicity, inequality, sustainability and ecology, the pandemic and lockdown. We thank the organizers, scientific committees and all participants for a great congress with high-quality presentations and discussions. Full article

Background: Scientific and technological advancements have significantly impacted our daily lives, and it is not easy to imagine living without their benefits. However, elderly individuals may experience limited access to these resources, impeding their autonomy. To address this, the use of exergames has been proposed to promote the mental health and socialization of older people. This study aims to systematically review the effectiveness of exergames in promoting older people’s mental health and socialization. Methods: The Joanna Briggs Institute’s recommended methodology will be used for a systematic review. Databases relevant to the research topic, such as those regarding gerontologic care, aged rehabilitation, geriatric games, video games, play and playthings, mental health, anxiety, depression, stress, and physiological factors, will be searched for experimental and quasi-experimental studies, as well as randomized studies with and without control groups. Results: The systematic literature review will synthesize findings on the effectiveness of exergames in promoting mental health and socialization in the elderly population. Conclusions: Exergames may have the potential to effectively improve the mental health and socialization of the elderly population. Identifying which exergames are most effective for these purposes is important to inform the provision of healthcare to this population. Full article

In this article, we develop a tentative philosophy to orchestrate and support possibilities for artful ageing. This effort argues that older adults need a broader range of opportunities to explore the manifold ephemeral, non-rational, and in-between elements of an ageing life. The philosophy is rooted in the notion that older adults need space (literally and metaphorically) to explore and process their existence and that engaging in such processes can entail emancipatory effects in everyday life. The perspective unfolded throughout the article is a philosophical venture, or, rather, a preliminary work, developing the concept of artful ageing as a tool applicable in rethinking and broadening the range of activities occurring in institutional settings dedicated to older adults. Furthermore, the perspective also presents a critical stance towards normative footings and biopolitical agendas embedded in current regimes of active ageing. Artful ageing represents the ambition to enable and support artful lives, events, and activities among residents and participants in care homes and other contexts. We argue that physical and existential spaces are closely intertwined entities and that initiatives aimed at maintaining adequate measures of openness, ambiguity, and sensory intimacy, i.e., events that allow for the experience of metaphorical cracks, can afford artful pockets in which to reside for a while, seek refuge, recharge, stray from the beaten track, and obtain an always partial feeling of emancipation. In qualifying the concept of artful ageing, we hope to open new avenues to contemplate and subsequently initiate activities for older adults that are not just orientated towards physical health in later life. At the same time, our ambition is to develop a critical perspective aimed at challenging existing notions of successful ageing in (re)invigorating the importance of artful processes and experiences as an element inherent to successful ageing, as well. Full article

One inevitable consequence of aging is the gradual deterioration of physical function and exercise capacity, driven in part by the adverse effect of age on muscle tissue. We hypothesized that relationships exist between age-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in skeletal muscle and age-associated declines in physical function and exercise capacity. Previously, male C57BL/6mice (6m, months old, 24m, and 28m) were tested for physical function using a composite scoring system (comprehensive functional assessment battery, CFAB) comprised of five well-validated tests of physical function. In this study, total RNA was isolated from tibialis anterior samples (n = 8) randomly selected from each age group in the parent study. Using Next Generation Sequencing RNAseq to determine DEGs during aging (6m vs. 28m, and 6m vs. 24m), we found a greater than five-fold increase in DEGs in 28m compared to the 24m. Furthermore, regression of the normalized expression of each DEG with the CFAB score of the corresponding mouse revealed many more DEGs strongly associated (R ≥ |0.70|) with functional status in the older mice. Gene ontology results indicate highly enriched axon guidance and acetyl choline receptor gene sets, suggesting that denervation/reinnervation flux might potentially play a critical role in functional decline. We conclude that specific age-related DEG patterns are associated with declines in physical function, and the data suggest accelerated aging occurring between 24 and 28 months. Full article

Recent decades have witnessed the coming of age of ‘literary gerontology’, a discipline situated at the intersection of literary studies and gerontology. A key argument of this research is that literature and literary criticism can highlight the complexities and ambiguities of age, ageing and later life. As such, the discipline insists on the relevance of literature within the field of gerontology. This study explores this claim from an interdisciplinary perspective and presents the key findings of an exploratory collaboration between researchers representing literature studies, anthropology, history, public health and medicine. The members of the research team took part in a joint reading, analysis and discussion of Danish author Ane Riel’s novel, Clockwork, which depicts an ageing protagonist’s reconcilement with old age and death. These efforts resulted in dual dimensions of insight: a realistic dimension, which may be interpreted as a confirmation of the existing knowledge of ageing and wellbeing, characterized by physical and cognitive challenges; and an imaginary dimension, a type of knowledge distilled in the interaction between the reader and the literary work. The reader can be seen to be tasked with identifying with the protagonist, with this process providing a hitherto unknown perspective on how ageing is experienced, how it feels and what it means. The study exemplifies an approach fostering cross-disciplinary inspiration, which may stimulate novel research hypotheses and ultimately inform public health thinking and medical practice. Full article

Aging research indicates that there is increased sedentary behaviour and insufficient physical activity levels across the older adult population. There is a growing body of evidence that suggests that pet ownership can have beneficial physical and mental health effects. Data were drawn from the Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing (NICOLA). This questionnaire measured general social demographics such as gender, age, and marital status while also examining elements of physical activity, lifestyle factors (drinking status, smoking status), and education. Two items from the short form International Physical Activity Questionnaire recorded moderate and vigorous activity. Respondents were asked if they owned a pet (Yes/No). The results are based on a secondary data analysis. An ordinal logistic regression revealed that an increase in moderate activity days was associated with pet ownership with an odds ratio of 0.111 (95% CI, −0.036 to 0.337), Wald χ² (1) 15.013, p < 0.001. An increase in vigorous activity days was associated with pet ownership with an odds ratio of 0.039 (95% CI, 0.004 to 0.342), Wald χ² (1) 8.952, p = 0.003). Amongst older adults in Northern Ireland, those with a pet were more likely to engage in regular physical activity. This study was based on a small specific sample of the population and showed differences in physical activity levels between pet owners and non-pet owners. Additionally, the study showed that physical activity is extremely low among the older adult population, therefore further investigation is warranted on the reasons for these low levels. Full article

Introduction: Promoting healthy ageing is increasingly important to maintain functional ability and wellbeing in older age. However, there is a lack of consolidated evidence-based information to support the selection of non-drug interventions to support healthy ageing outcomes for individuals. Methods: A narrative review of the evidence-based literature on non-drug interventions to support healthy ageing was performed. Evidence for intervention benefits was evaluated and mapped into the Systematic Wellness Intervention Pathway framework and aligned to relevant goals, needs and outcomes relating to physical fitness and function, emotional wellbeing, cognitive health, sleep and diet and nutrition. Comments from a modified Delphi survey of 75 expert peer reviewers were analysed to inform the development of the next Pathway iteration. Results: The narrative review identified key healthy ageing interventions, including physical activity, social interaction, interventions for emotional wellbeing, creative and cognitively stimulating activities and diet and nutrition. Peer review survey results indicated majority agreement with all domains and non-drug interventions for healthy ageing in the Pathway, and suggested interventions and outcome revisions informed Pathway iteration. Conclusion: The Pathway could be a step forward in operationalising the delivery of non-drug interventions in an accessible and scalable way, supplementing conventional health and social care, to enable older people to live well for longer. Full article

There is an urgent need to ensure the rights of older adults. In particular, there is a lack of awareness of human rights by older adults themselves, for which intervention strategies should be developed. Due to the need for intervention at this level, a board game was created to empower older adults regarding their rights using a dynamic and interactive method. This article aims to describe the development stages of the board game “The Ark of Rights”^® up to its pilot study. Its development followed three stages: A first phase to review the scientific literature and benchmarks on the rights of older persons, a second phase to define the game design and collect statements from older people for the game, and a third phase to test the game. The European Portuguese Validation of the System Usability Scale (SUS) was used to assess the latter phase. Approximately 200 older people contributed to the game’s contents (second phase), and 74 participated and positively evaluated the game’s usability and their satisfaction with its use (third phase). In summary, the game “The Ark of Rights” revealed itself to be a resource for empowering older adults regarding their rights. It also enables the identification of possible human rights violations among older adults and subsequent intervention. Full article