The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has led to profound changes in individuals’ lives and might have meaningful implications for well-being. We investigated if and how two major indicators of well-being (life satisfaction and depressive symptoms) changed in Germany from a prepandemic measurement occasion (2017) to June/July 2020, the time of the fading first wave of COVID-19. This change was compared with prepandemic change between 2014 and 2017. We also analyzed whether change in well-being varied according to age, self-rated health, corona-specific attitudes, and subjective standard of living. Ten thousand seven-hundred and ninety three individuals had taken part in at least one of the measurement occasions between 2014 and 2020 (mean age in 2014: 64.30 years; SD = 11.58 years). Based on latent change score models controlling for baseline well-being and sociodemographic indicators, we found, across both time intervals (2014–2017, 2017–2020) and independent of individuals’ age, a small mean-level increase in life satisfaction. In contrast, depressive symptoms increased from 2017 to 2020, particularly among older participants, whereas they remained, on average, stable between 2014 and 2017. Individuals with a poorer self-rated health, who felt more threatened by the pandemic and whose subjective standard of living was lower revealed a decrease in life satisfaction and a steeper increase in depressive symptoms between 2017 and 2020. Our findings thus suggest that whereas life satisfaction remained quite stable, the pandemic was, already 3–4 months after its onset in Germany, accompanied by an increase in depressive symptoms, particularly among adults who were older, felt less healthy and were more concerned about COVID-19.

KernaussagenDer Anteil der 40-bis 85-Jährigen, die in der eigenen Immobilie wohnen, hat sich zwischen 1996 und 2014 erhöht: Bei den 70-bis 85-Jährigen ist die Wohneigentümerquote in dieser Zeit über-durchschni lich von 47,9 Prozent auf 59,7 Prozent ges egen. Zugenommen hat allerdings auch der Anteil der Personen mit Wohneigentum, die in diesem Alter noch ein Immobiliendarlehen abzahlen müssen. Die Wohneigentümerquote ist insgesamt in Ostdeutschland zwar immer noch niedriger als in Westdeutschland, der Unterschied zwischen Ost und West hat sich bei den 40-bis 85-Jährigen jedoch zwischen 1996 und 2014 halbiert (von 26,9 auf 12,7 Prozentpunkte). Die eigene Wohnsitua on wird im

Feeling younger than one's chronological age is associated with various beneficial health outcomes. However, apart from these direct health effects, little is known about the role of subjective age as a potential "buffer" and compensatory resource that might counteract the detrimental effect of health risk factors. We investigated whether the effect of perceived stress as a major health risk factor on change in functional health is smaller among individuals who feel younger. Additionally, we analyzed whether this "stress buffer effect" of subjective age varies by chronological age. Longitudinal data from the German Ageing Survey comprising 3 years (2014-2017) were used (N = 5,039; mean age at baseline: M = 63.91 years, SD = 10.80 years, range 40-95 years). Latent change score models revealed that, controlling for baseline functional health as well as for sociodemographic variables, greater perceived stress was associated with a steeper decline in functional health. This effect increased in size with advancing chronological age. Moreover, a younger subjective age was associated with a less steep decline in functional health. Subjective age additionally exhibited a stress buffer effect: Among individuals who felt younger, the association of greater perceived stress with steeper functional health decline was weaker. This stress buffer effect of subjective age became larger with increasing age. Our findings thus suggest that, particularly among older adults, a younger subjective age might help to buffer functional health decline, not only by directly affecting functional health, but also by compensating and counteracting the detrimental effect of stress on functional health.

EinleitungMit zunehmendem Alter spielt die Aufrechterhaltung einer guten Gesundheit nicht nur für das Wohlbefi nden oder für persönliche Aktivitäten (vgl. Kapitel 11 und 17)

Both the number of people in need of long-term care and the number of carers will grow strongly in the future. This development is influenced by several factors. Firstly, demographic change will increase the number of people in need of long-term care. This article analyzes how demographic change is shifting the balance of age groups that need long-term care using the"greying index" and parent-support ratio. Secondly, changes in the health status of the elderly modify the need for long-term care. A decrease in morbidity could reduce the future need for long-term care. Thirdly, two thirds of all people in need of long-term care are cared for at home today, for the most part by their relatives exclusively. The demographic potential for family care will not increase in future. Thus, it can be assumed that a greater part of long-term care will be relocated to institutions and that this will increase the demand for professional carers. A synopsis of diverse projections reveals that in future, the number of carers required for long-term care will be much higher than that of today.