Five Dimensions of Wellness and Predictors of Cognitive Health Protection in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract

Wellness is associated with cognitive health protection; however, findings are limited because they only examine variable(s) within one dimension of wellness. This research examined the association between multiple dimensions of wellness and cognition among aging adults. The sample included 5,605 male and female community-dwelling adults 60 years and older. Four dimensions of wellness demonstrated a statistically significant higher mean difference in cognitively healthy older adults compared to cognitively impaired older adults, F(4, 5,595) = 47.57, p < .001. Emotional wellness demonstrated the strongest association with cognitive health, followed by physical and spiritual wellness, F(5, 5,372) = 50.35, p < .001. Future research is needed to examine the cognitive protective benefits of wellness using longitudinal, prospective designs that control for the potential temporal relationship between wellness and cognition.

Defining Wellness in Older Adulthood: Toward a Comprehensive Framework

“…Six of the seven articles were written by scholars within the nursing profession who used the framework to organize their findings about a distinct topic—in this case, cognitive health. This line of research included an overview on wellness and cognition (Strout & Howard, 2012), empirical research linking wellness with cognitive health outcomes (Strout & Howard, 2015), and a systematic review of behavioral interventions related to protecting cognitive health organized around the six domains (Strout et al, 2016).…”

“…Cognitive wellness incorporates the need for control, self‐efficacy, and engagement in cognitive activities that promote brain health and lifelong learning. The term differs from intellectual wellness, which is included in many wellness models (Roscoe, 2009), but has not been as salient in studies on older adults (Foster & Levitov, 2012; Strout & Howard, 2015). Instead, cognitive wellness emphasizes the link between perceived control over circumstances and older adults’ subjective well‐being (George, 2010).…”

“…There is evidence that quality of life is enhanced by the ability to cope, whether through attitudinal or social strategies, or the use of artistic expression (Fraser et al, 2015). In fact, emotional wellness was found to be more positively associated with cognitive health than physical, social, spiritual, or intellectual wellness (Strout & Howard, 2015). In contrast, a sizable minority of older adults experience depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and risk of suicide.…”

“…Some authors suggest that this is because of a belief that older adults are too old to benefit from strategies that promote growth and incorporate strengths (McMahon & Fleury, 2012). Moreover, articles that have been published on wellness in older adulthood either focus on only the physiological domain of well‐being (Strout & Howard, 2014) or use multidimensional wellness models normed on younger cohorts (i.e., Foster & Levitov, 2012; Strout & Howard, 2015). Neither approach is optimal in light of Snook and Oliver’s (2015) recommendation that definitions of wellness should match to the unique needs of the population in question.…”

Short-Term Lifestyle Strategies for Sustaining Cognitive Status

“…The loss of the ability to think clearly and process information correctly may change how older adults interface with almost all aspects of their environment, thereby impacting their independence and self-perception. As the older adult population increases, more attention is directed toward holistic health and wellness choices that might sustain a person's cognitive status and support successful aging [2–6]. “Physical fitness” and “brain fitness” solutions have emerged as potentially valuable strategies for maintaining and improving cognitive functioning among older adults [7].…”