No abstract

Researchers have repeatedly examined the relationship between a previous experience of a fall and subsequent fear of falling (FOF); however, few studies have investigated the effects of falling along various timelines among older adults. The objective of this study was to determine whether experiencing a fall in the previous month or the previous year led to FOF among the elderly. The National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) in the U.S. collected information indicative of basic trends in the behavior of individuals aged 65 years and older. In the current study, we applied multiple logistic regression analysis of results from round 7 of the NHATS with the aim of identifying the risk factors associated with FOF among 5559 participants aged 65 years or older. FOF was reported by 48.8% of those who experienced a fall in the previous year and 46.8% experienced a fall in the previous month. The results of regression analysis revealed that after adjusting for sex, age, related chronic disease, activities of daily living, and instrumental activities of daily living, FOF was significantly associated with experiencing a fall during the previous month (OR = 2.29, 95% CI: 1.78–2.95) or during the previous year (OR = 2.60, 95% CI: 2.16–3.14). Our results indicate that experiences of falling during the previous month or the previous year were both significantly associated with a fear of falling, and caregivers should keep this in mind when dealing with community-living elderly individuals.

This study was conducted to examine the effect of protective factors on the relationship between crisis episodes and depression in the elderly population in Taiwan. In this study, the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging was used as basis for a cross-sectional secondary data analysis. After eliminating respondents below the age of 65 years and those with missing values, 2426 samples were collected. Predictive variables, such as crisis episodes, personal resources, family ties, social participation, and social support, were investigated, and the dependent variable of “depression status” was measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. According to the results of regression analysis, the protective factors of self-assessed health (ß = −0.290, P < .001), instrumental support (ß = −0.153, P < .001), financial satisfaction (ß = −0.126, P < .001), emotional support (ß = −0.101, P < .001), crisis episodes (ß = 0.087, P < .001), support satisfaction (ß = −0.081, P < .001), leisure participation (ß = −0.053, P < .05), family ties (ß = −0.048, P < .05), and community participation (ß = −0.042, P < .05) had a significant effect on depression status. Moreover, leisure participation had a moderating effect on the relationship between crisis episodes and depression (ß = −0.07, P < .01). In addition, according to path analysis results, family ties had a significant negative predictive power on depression (β = −0.225, P < .001), as did social support (β = −0.978, P < .001). The predictive power of crisis episodes on depression through social support was 0.197 (−0.201 × −0.978 = 0.197, P < .001), and it was −0.324 (−0.331 × −0.978 = −0.324, P < .001) through social participation, which indicated that social support plays a mediating role between crisis episodes and depression and between social participation and depression. Strengthening effective protective factors can improve the resilience of elderly people and enable them to cope with dilemmas rapidly and effectively when faced with crisis episodes as well as restore their health status and enjoy a satisfactory life.

Purpose Although coresidence with children when one becomes old is an ideal in Chinese society, the drastic socio-economic development in Taiwan has brought some fundamental changes to living arrangements of the elderly population. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between family living arrangements and elderly health in Taiwan, given the secular trend of more elderly persons choosing to live with their spouse or to live independently. Design/methodology/approach The authors utilized panel data from the “1989 Survey of Health and Living Status of the Elderly in Taiwan” with follow-ups up to 2007 to examine how living arrangements of the elderly affect the risk of mortality using discrete-time hazard models. The authors stratified the analyses by the elderly’s preference to coreside with children, and examined whether the effects of living arrangement varied by age, controlling for sociodemographics, health status, health behaviors, and social relationships observed at the baseline. Findings The authors found that both the associations of living arrangements and coresidence preference with that mortality risk were largely weakened when controlling for other variables. Only among respondents expressing preference for coresidence were living arrangements associated with mortality risks, and these effects increased with age. For those who did not intend to live with children, the authors found no evidence suggesting living arrangements were associated with mortality risks. The dynamics of living arrangements among the elderly and elderly care policies in Taiwan are discussed for further research. Originality/value To the authors knowledge, no previous research has examined living arrangements and mortality risks with respect to coresidence preference.

Purpose: This study examined the association between storey of building and fall risk in older adults' residences and residents' level of fear of falling.Methods: The National Health and Ageing Trends Study (NHATS) collected information that would provide an understanding of basic trends people aged 65 years and older. Using a longitudinal survey, the present study employed the first round of NHATS data that was collected in 2011. In the first round, 12,411 participants were enrolled, and 8,077 interviews were completed. The study sample sizes for falling and worry about falling are 6,153 and 6,142, respectively.Results: Unadjusted analysis revealed that storey of building was a risk factor for fall and worry about falling. There was a higher prevalence for fall and worry about falling when subjects lived in single storey of building compared with the subjects live in multi-storey. Logistic regression analysis showed no highly significant between storey of building and the fall/fear of falling.Conclusion: Several clinical factors independently were indicated pertaining to the fall and worry about falling in older adult's residences.