Older adult’s mental health networks: first results of the ARPA ageing project regarding expectations and needs of health professionals

Poster (2019, May 25)

The European project “ARPA ageing” (co-funded by the Erasmus+ strategic partnerships programme) aims to improve the efficiency of mental health networks for older people. In order to have a better ... [more ▼]

The European project “ARPA ageing” (co-funded by the Erasmus+ strategic partnerships programme) aims to improve the efficiency of mental health networks for older people. In order to have a better knowledge of the perceived strengths and weakness of these networks, we investigated by a survey the needs and expectations of health professionals such as geriatrists, nurses or nursing assistants. A questionnaire of 24 items with an estimated duration of 20 minutes was published online from the 1 March 2018 to the 1 April 2018 in Belgium, France, and Luxembourg. Preliminary data concern 90 health professionals (main categories: 15.6% of nurses, 10% of psychologists, 7.8% of geriatricians and 7.8% of nursing assistants) in the domain of mental health and/or elder care. Notably due to the fact that not all participants already worked with health networks, levels of “no answer” varied between 24.4% to 33.3 according the questions. First results on the total sample reveal that health professionals globally perceived health networks as beneficial to a holistic care approach and care continuity (both 51.1%), and to care access (48.9%). These networks were estimated as beneficial to the increase of professional knowledge regarding older adults (38.9%) and mental health (34.4%), and to the improvement of professional skills (38.9%). Main reported difficulties working with these networks were the lack of information about these networks (56.7%) and the related health professions (50.1%), the lack of time and financial compensation (both 36.7%), and of coordinating tools (36.7%). This study is being extended to more participants and countries (i.e., Greece and Romania) in order to have a larger and more representative understanding of the European situation and cultural differences regarding mental health networks. This information will guide the next steps of the ARPA ageing project: the development of a European Internet platform and the production of guidelines to facilitate the implementation and monitoring of efficient mental health networks in Europe. [less ▲]

Assistive Social Robot: older people's perception and acceptance?

Speeches/Talks (2018)

How the Mindfulness Concept Could Benefit the Caregiving of Older Adults

Poster (2017, July 23)

Autobiographical Memory, Self-regulation and Well-Being

in Robinson, Michael; Eid, Michael (Eds.) The Happy Mind: Cognitive Contributions to Well-Being (2017)

The aim of this chapter is to highlight how autobiographical memory (AM) is related to well-being being selectively used for adaptive self-regulation and serving different goals in different life phases ... [more ▼]

The aim of this chapter is to highlight how autobiographical memory (AM) is related to well-being being selectively used for adaptive self-regulation and serving different goals in different life phases. A structural view of AM is presented in a first section with a description of theories related to the self-regulation aspects of AM. These aspects are illustrated in a second section by phenomena related to AM: The reminiscence bump, the negativity/positivity effects, and the self-enhancement function linked to positive memories. The third and last section deals with AM-related therapeutic interventions that serve to improve or maintain personal meaning and SWB. [less ▲]

The MinD European project: The development of a mindful design to improve self-empowerment and social engagement in people with dementia

Poster (2016, October)

Review of safety and mobility issues among older pedestrians

in Accident Analysis & Prevention (2016), 91

Although old people make up an extremely vulnerable road-user group, older pedestrians’ difficulties have been studied less extensively than those of older drivers, and more knowledge of this issue is ... [more ▼]

Although old people make up an extremely vulnerable road-user group, older pedestrians’ difficulties have been studied less extensively than those of older drivers, and more knowledge of this issue is still required. The present paper reviews current knowledge of older-adult problems with the main components of pedestrian activity, i.e., walking and obstacle negotiation, wayfinding, and road crossing. Compared to younger ones, old pedestrians exhibit declining walking skills, with a walking speed decrease, less stable balance, less efficient wayfinding strategies, and a greater number of unsafe road crossing behaviors. These difficulties are linked to age-related changes in sensorial, cognitive, physical, and self-perception abilities. It is now known that visual impairment, physical frailty, and attention deficits have a major negative impact on older pedestrians' safety and mobility, whereas the roles of self-evaluation and self-regulation are still poorly understood. All these elements must be taken into consideration, not only in developing effective safety interventions targeting older pedestrians, but also in designing roads and cars. Recent initiatives are presented here and some recommendations are proposed. [less ▲]

Mindfulness and older adults (with dementia)

Presentation (2016, May 03)

Using mindfulness to support people with dementia and their carers

Scientific Conference (2016)

Successful Ageing and Multidimensional Poverty: The case of Peru

in Ageing & Society (2016), 38(8), 1690-1714

This study investigated the determinants of Successful Ageing (SA) in a sample of 4,151 Peruvians aged between 65 and 80 years and living in poverty. A key contribution of this study is to combine the ... [more ▼]

This study investigated the determinants of Successful Ageing (SA) in a sample of 4,151 Peruvians aged between 65 and 80 years and living in poverty. A key contribution of this study is to combine the conceptual appeal of SA to measure well-being in old age with the multi-dimensional poverty counting approach developed in the economic literature. This setting allows for moving beyond the dichotomy of successful and usual ageing to take advantage of the full distribution of success along a set of dimensions of well-being. The data are drawn from the ESBAM survey, which is the baseline to evaluate the non-contributory public pension program Pension 65. Nine indicators of SA have been used to assess the dimensions of physical health, functioning, cognition, emotional health, and life satisfaction. The variables associated with a higher number of satisfied indicators were male gender, younger old age, literate, employed, low food insecurity, good nutritional status, normal blood pressure, absence of disabilities, non-smoker, empowerment, good self-esteem, absence of mental disability, and less frequent contact with a social network. From a policy perspective, the results of this study report a remarkably stable effect of three variables affecting SA that can be relatively easy to measure, monitor, and influence by public intervention. These variables are food security, nutrition quality, and self-esteem. [less ▲]

Effect of Nutrition on Daily Life Activities According to Gender in Poor Older Peruvian Adults

Poster (2015)