Torbjörn Svensson

Social Relationships and Health as Predictors of Life Satisfaction in Advanced Old Age: Results from a Swedish Longitudinal Study

This longitudinal study examines the relationship between family and friend social support, health, and life satisfaction for a single cohort of eighty-year-old persons living in Lund, Sweden. Results indicate that participants who remained in the study are healthier and score higher on life satisfaction when compared with those who either drop-out or die prior to age eighty-three. Even though well-integrated with family and friends, the number of friends decreases significantly from eighty to eighty-three years; those who reported no close friends nearly doubled from eighty to eighty-three years. However, for those with close friends, contact with friends increases with age. In contrast to previous research, a correlational analysis indicates that neither child nor friend support is related to life satisfaction at either eighty or eighty-three years. However, health measures and satisfaction with sibling contact are related to total life satisfaction at age eighty-three only. These findings indicate the multidimensionality of both social support and life satisfaction for the old-old.

Insomnia in an 80‐year‐old population: Relationship to medical, psychological and social factors

In this study, insomnia in 80‐year‐olds was related to medical, psychological and social factors. The data were based on examinations every year in people aged between 80 and 89 years. Of 333 people living in the city of Lund and born in 1908, 67% participated. Increased severity of insomnia was significantly associated with use of diuretics, other cardiovascular drugs, hypnotics and laxatives, and with nervousness, difficulty relaxing, anorexia, nausea, constipation, backache, feeling cold, sweating, loss of weight, dizziness, depression, general fatigue, exhaustion, angina pectoris, cardiac insufficiency, worsened objective and subjective health, presence of negative T‐waves on ECG, anxiety, total life satisfaction, neuroticism, disbelief in a just world, feeling lonely and lower survival rates. Thus insomnia has widespread associations with different aspects of life in 80‐year‐olds.

Plasma homocysteine in 80-year-olds Relationships to medical, psychological and social variables.

Plasma homocysteine concentrations in a group of 80-year-old persons were related to symptoms and signs. Plasma homocysteine concentrations higher than 15 micromol/l were associated with lower total life satisfaction (P<0.01), mood (P<0.05), zest for life (P<0.05), lower scores for reasoning (P<0.05), spatial ability (P<0.05), memory recognition (P<0.05), and subjective health (P<0.01). In an instrument comprising of 30 symptoms, plasma homocysteine concentrations higher than 15 micromol/l were associated with impaired concentration (P<0.05), restlessness (P<0.05), feeling cold (P<0.05), loss of weight (P<0.05), and feeling depressed (P<0.01). The above data indicate that plasma homocysteine values over 15 micromol/l could be relevant markers for clinical intervention.

First Steps towards Evidence-Based Preventive Home Visits: Experiences Gathered in a Swedish Municipality.

The purpose of preventive home visits is to promote overall health and wellbeing in old age. The aim of this paper was to describe the process of the development of evidence-based preventive home visits, targeting independent community-living older persons. The evidence base was generated from published studies and practical experiences. The results demonstrate that preventive home visits should be directed to persons 80 years old and older and involve various professional competences. The visits should be personalized, lead to concrete interventions, and be followed up. The health areas assessed should derive from a broad perspective and include social, psychological, and medical aspects. Core components in the protocol developed in this study captured physical, medical, psychosocial, and environmental aspects. Results of a pilot study showed that the protocol validly identified health risks among older people with different levels of ADL dependence.

The gender differences in growth hormone-binding protein and leptin persist in 80-year-old men and women and is not caused by sex hormones.

objective  Leptin and growth hormone‐binding protein (GHBP) both show gender differences that might be explained by sex hormones. To study the potential relevance of oestradiol and testosterone, we have examined 80‐year‐old subjects in whom oestradiol is higher in men than in women. The interrelationships between leptin, insulin, GHBP and fat mass in this age group were also investigated.

Concentrations of Plasma Methylmalonic Acid in 80-Year-Olds Show Only Weak Relation to Psychological Performance

Abstract Most studies of the relation between psychological performance in the elderly and deficiencies of cobalamin and folate have used methods that determine the blood concentrations of these vitamins, which might not reflect the vitamin status in the tissues. Recently, two new markers, plasma homocysteine and methylmalonic acid, have attracted growing interest since they are considered to reflect the status of cobalamins and folates in the tissues. In a previous study, we noted a strong association between five parameters of well-being and lower concentrations of plasma homocysteine. In the present study, we have extended these observations by determination of plasma methylmalonic acid in the same healthy elderly population. In the present study, 18 out of 100 subjects had increased plasma methylmalonic acid and in 7 of these subjects, the concentrations of serum cobalamin, blood folate, plasma homocysteine and serum creatinine were within normal limits. The relation between plasma methylmalonic acid concentrations and concentrations of serum cobalamin and blood folates and five parameters of well-being were investigated. Concentrations of plasma methylmalonic acid were only weakly associated with the concentrations of serum cobalamin and lower scores on the logical reasoning test. The present study clearly shows that the levels of plasma methylmalonic acid show a much lesser association with the parameters of well-being than did plasma homocysteine.

Blood pressure in relation to medical, psychological and social variables in a population of 80‐year‐olds. Survival during 6 years

Objectives. To relate elevated blood pressure in 80‐year‐olds to symptoms, life satisfaction and survival.

Depressive symptoms in an 80-year-old population in relation to medical, psychologic, and sociologic factors

Depressive symptoms were found in 19% of an 80-year population, more frequently among women (24%) than among men (9%) (p < 0.05). The group with depressive symptoms used hypnotics (p < 0.001), sedatives (p < 0.05), and laxatives (p < 0.001) more often than the non-depressed group. There were no differences in drug use for digitalis, diuretics, other heart medicines, or vitamins/herbal pills. Persons with depressive symptoms differed (showed more symptoms) from non-depressed in the following: nervousness (p < 0.001), fatigue (p < 0.05), sleep (p < 0.001), difficulty in relaxing (p < 0.001), exhaustion (p < 0.05), restlessness (p < 0.001), obstipation (p < 0.05), backache (p < 0.05), and loss of weight (p < 0.05). The overall health of persons with depressive symptoms differed in a negative manner from that of the others both according to themselves (p < 0.01) and according to the investigating physician (p < 0.01). Persons with depressive symptoms showed less life satisfaction as defined by Mood (p < 0.001...

Cross-National User Priorities for Housing Provision and Accessibility — Findings from the European innovAge Project

To develop an innovative information and communication technology (ICT) tool intended to help older people in their search for optimal housing solutions, a first step in the development process is to gain knowledge from the intended users. Thus the aim of this study was to deepen the knowledge about needs and expectations about housing options as expressed and prioritized by older people, people ageing with disabilities and professionals. A participatory design focus was adopted; 26 people with a range of functional limitations representing the user perspective and 15 professionals with a variety of backgrounds, participated in research circles that were conducted in four European countries. An additional 20 experts were invited as guests to the different research circle meetings. Three themes illustrating cross-national user priorities for housing provision and accessibility were identified: “Information barrier: accessible housing”, “Information barrier: housing adaptation benefits”, and “Cost barrier: housing adaptations”. In conclusion, early user involvement and identification of cross-national differences in priorities and housing options will strengthen the development of a user-friendly ICT tool that can empower older people and people with disabilities to be more active consumers regarding housing provision.

The social life and attitudes of 80 year olds in Iceland and Sweden - A comparison of two city populations

The 80+ Studies are collecting longitudinal data regarding medical, psychological, and sociological aspects of 80-year-old people in Lund, Sweden and Reykjavik, Iceland. Methods and Samples: The research design and instruments were identical at the two cites. The number of participants was 139 and 151 respectively. Results: The Icelandic sample had a lower level of educational attainment, a higher ratio with working class back-ground, a higher retirement age, a higher level of single living participants, and more often received home health care. They also had fewer close friends, provided a lower level of support to their children, and, to a lower extent, thought their income met their needs. The Swedish participants reported a higher divorce rate, a lower number of children, siblings, and grandchildren, a higher level of satisfaction with family contacts, and a higher level of loneliness. Summary: Many significant differences concerning demographic and social network variables were found between the two samples. Possible macro-social and cultural explanations of the differences are discussed.