Predictors of aging well
Here, I present two studies, each attempting to better understand what predicts aging well. First, Bergman & Bodner (2022) published “Aging Anxiety in Older Adults: The role of self-esteem and meaning in life” in GeroPsych: The Journal of Gerontopsychology and Geriatric Psychiatry. Here’s their abstract:
Recently, aging anxiety was linked with existential fears. This study examines whether self-esteem and meaning in life, protective factors against mortality awareness, buffer the association between aging anxiety and depressive symptoms in older adults. 318 community-dwelling participants (aged 65–90 years, M = 73.42, SD = 5.40) completed scales assessing aging anxiety, self-esteem, meaning in life, and depressive symptoms. High aging anxiety and low self-esteem/meaning in life were associated with increased depressive symptoms. Moreover, the link between aging anxiety and depressive symptoms was nullified among participants reporting high levels of self-esteem and meaning in life. We discuss the results from the perspective of terror management theory and suggest that, while aging anxiety may elicit existential concerns, these fears may be mitigated by self-esteem and meaning in life.
I like this work because, while not a huge sample, this group of participants were clearly differentiated by self-esteem and meaning in life. The second study similarly focuses on aging, but, this time, longevity. Researchers at Mass General Hospital (2023) published “Longevity analysis identifies 8 key social factors” in Harvard Gazette. Here’s an edited version of the article with some information in Bold:
Social factors affect an individual’s future health, but there’s currently no practical way to summarize the prognostic impact of relationship strength, financial circumstances, and other aspects of our social lives. Investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital and the University of California, San Francisco, are aiming to change that. The researchers recently took a comprehensive inventory of older adults’ social attributes and distilled it into a short survey that can predict longevity.
For the study, the team analyzed information from 8,250 adults aged 65 and older. Within four years of a baseline interview, 22 percent had died. Prediction methods with a machine-learning tool called LASSO drew from 183 possible social predictors to reveal eight that predicted death within four years: poor neighborhood cleanliness, low perceived control over financial situation, meeting with children less than yearly, not working for pay, not active with children, not volunteering, feeling isolated, and being treated with less courtesy or respect.
“We often overemphasize the importance of medical conditions when thinking about longevity,” said lead author Sachin J Shah. “This research demonstrates that our social lives are as important as medical conditions. From our data, we developed a 10-question survey that uses age, gender, and social characteristics to predict longevity. This survey also predicts other outcomes important to older adults, like living independently.” Shah and his colleagues are currently working to validate their findings through additional studies and to incorporate their survey — which they call the Social Frailty Index — in medical research.
They have also made the Social Frailty Index available online for others to use. Clinicians can use the index to help older adults engage in advanced care planning and weigh medical interventions. However, the research team stressed that health care providers should avoid using the index to limit the care of higher-than-average-risk older adults because a patient is “socially frail.” Instead, the tool should be used to identify at-risk individuals who could benefit from measures that address the social issues affecting their health. Also, researchers and policymakers who work in fields related to health and aging may find multiple uses for the index.
I love that the link to the Social Frailty Index is available, though it only allows you to enter (presumably your own) information. However, it may be helpful in screening clients over 65 with, as they propose, the goal being to address some of the issues affecting the health of the elderly.