“When I Retire, I’ll Move Out of the City”: Mental Well-being of the Elderly in Rural vs. Urban Settings

Abstract

This study examines the influence of risk factors on mental well-being at older ages focusing on the level of rurality of the living environment. We used cross-sectional, nationally representative survey data for Catalonia (Spain) from 2015 to 2017 to explain the mental well-being of the population aged 65 years and over. Based on a sample of 2621 individuals, we created a score of current mental well-being using the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (SWEMWBS). Using logistic regression and non-parametric tests, we identified the sociodemographic, health and lifestyle variables which, in combination with the features of the rural and urban settings of the living space, were associated with poor SWEMWBS scores. Our results reveal that adequate social support is linked to expectations of good mental well-being in later life. Poor self-perceived health and ageing limitations are associated with less deterioration of the well-being for the elderly living in rural areas, whereas living in urban areas is linked to a higher risk of suffering from emotional distress attributable to economic difficulties or low educational attainment. Incentivizing older people to live in rural environments could result in greater well-being in the last stages of life; appropriate prospective studies are needed to test this positive outcome.

Sleep Quality and Physical Activity as Predictors of Mental Wellbeing Variance in Older Adults during COVID-19 Lockdown: ECLB COVID-19 International Online Survey

“…Sleep, known by its role in strengthening immunity [ 40 , 41 ], could also affect individuals’ mental wellbeing [ 42 , 43 ]. Prevalence of sleep disorders is higher among older adults compared to younger age [ 44 , 45 ].…”

Morale in Old Age and Its Association with Sociodemographic, Social, and Health-Related Factors in Different Age Groups

“…In their study, both insufficient subjective sleep and the occurrence of different sleep disorders were associated with lower PGCMS scores in a sample of older people. Previous research has also shown that sleep problems and lack of sleep are closely related to quality of life [57], mental well-being [42], and depression [58], and additionally that treating sleep apnea in stroke patients has shown to reduce depressive symptoms [59]. Considering that almost 30 percent of our sample did not sleep well, treating different forms of sleep problems in older people could have important implications regarding the promotion of morale and motivates further exploration.…”

“…The sample was therefore divided into three population groups in the variable “Region” (Västerbotten, Swedish-speakers in Ostrobothnia, and Finnish-speakers in Ostrobothnia and Southern Ostrobothnia). The sample was also divided into three groups in the variable “Place of residence” according to whether they had reported that they lived in an urban, semiurban, or rural area, since living in an urban or a rural environment has previously shown to affect mental well-being in older adults [ 42 ] but has to our knowledge not been previously investigated regarding morale. The variable “Born in the same place as you live now” was based on the question “Are you born/raised in the place where you live today?” (1 = yes, 0 = no).…”

Effectiveness and Challenges in Local Self-Governance: Multifunctional Autonomy in Japan

“…In general, men tend to lose a sense of functionality after retirement because they previously dedicated their lives to their jobs [ 25 ]. As such, retired men may not have hobbies, the lack of which can increase the risk of depression and dementia [ 25 , 26 , 27 ]. This study showed that older men benefit by working for their communities, through multifunctional autonomy, which may prevent the deterioration of their mental faculties.…”