A Scoping Review on Nurse's Pain Management of Older Patients with Dementia in a Hospital Environment.

OBJECTIVES: Hospitalized persons living with dementia often experience unrelieved pain. Unmanaged pain during hospitalization has a significant negative effect on quality of life for persons living with dementia. Despite the central role of nurses in pain management, little is known about how nurses manage pain in this patient population in the hospital environment. DESIGN: A scoping review explored the nurses' pain management practices when caring for persons living with dementia in a hospital setting. DATA SOURCES AND REVIEW/ANALYSIS METHODS: After an extensive search for all available evidence on how nurses manage pain in hospitalized persons living with dementia, data were extracted on pain management methods that included assessment, intervention, effectiveness of pain management, and the barriers nurses encountered when managing pain. A descriptive content analysis was used to extract data from qualitative studies. RESULTS: Six articles published between 2016 and 2021 met the inclusion criteria; four utilized qualitative methods, and the others used mixed-methods and quantitative study designs. A narrative description of the findings was summarized after data were categorized into pain management data elements and barriers nurses encountered when managing pain. Barriers were grouped into the subcategories of communication challenges (nurse to patient), information sharing (nurse to nurse), lack of knowledge, time constraints, and nursing stressors. CONCLUSION: We identified six articles that met our inclusion criteria, highlighting a noticeable gap in the literature. Managing pain in this population is complex and lacks organizational support. Review findings indicate that pain management methods lack consistency and standardization, making it difficult to assess their effectiveness. Nurses also described knowledge deficits resulting in practice gaps that, when combined with barriers and challenges, result in underrecognized and undermanaged pain.

Mentally healthy living after pandemic social distancing: a study of older Canadians reveals helpful anxiety reduction strategies.

BACKGROUND: Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, older Canadians were the most at risk of severe physical harm, including death, and their return to post-COVID life was expected to be especially anxiety-provoking. A study was conducted to obtain nationally representative evidence of older Canadians' self-perceived anxiety levels and their strategies to manage or mitigate it as public health restrictions were lifting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study had a cross-sectional descriptive design. An e-survey was used to collect data from 1327 Canadians aged 60+ stratified by age, sex, and education to resemble the larger general population. Participants completed the Geriatric Anxiety Scale (GAS-10) and indicated which of the 16 Centre for Addictions and Mental Health's (2022) Coping with Stress and Anxiety strategies they were using to manage or mitigate their anxiety when social distancing was lifting. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis were used to explore the data. RESULTS: While, on average, older Canadians were mildly anxious, nearly one-quarter of responders rated their anxiety as severe. Age, sex, perceived health, were statistically significant correlates of anxiety. Six coping strategies were associated with significantly lower anxiety scores. Moreover, accepting some fear and anxiety as normal, challenging worries and anxious thoughts, and practising relaxation/meditation appeared to increase anxiety. CONCLUSION: Older Canadians used multiple strategies to manage or mitigate their anxiety, and seemingly, with more successful than detrimental tries. Practitioners have much to learn and understand about older people's mental health promotion efforts after social distancing, now and for future pandemics.

How Do Older Portuguese and Mexican Adults Experience Their Sexual Well-Being? A Cross-Cultural Qualitative Study.

Sexual well-being (SWB) refers to the subjective emotional and cognitive evaluation of the quality of the individual's sexuality. SWB plays a relevant role in quality of life and health promotion on old age and has cross-cultural implications. In addition to the scarcity of in-depth qualitative studies in this area and studies with cross-cultural samples, no studies have compared perceptions of SWB among Portuguese and Mexican older adults. The aim of this study was to comparatively analyze perspectives on SWB among older adults residing in Portugal and Mexico. Data were collected from 86 Portuguese and 80 Mexican community-dwelling participants aged 65 years and older, using a semi-structured interview protocol. Older adults were asked about factors that significantly contribute to their SWB. Sociodemographic data were also gathered. Content analysis was used to identify key themes. Eight themes were identified across both studied samples: eroticism, supportive relationship, positive self-concept, health and self-care, romance, active life, tenderness and care, and no pain and no pregnancy restrictions. Eroticism was most pertinent to Portuguese participants (31.4%). Health and self-care was most frequently reported by Mexican participants (26.5%). The findings of this study indicate that SWB is strongly influenced by sociocultural and psychosocial values. Cross-cultural comparisons between older Portuguese and Mexican people provide a broader understanding of SWB in older age and suggest a scenario for future culture-adapted interventions and comprehensive policies.

Psychometric properties of the falls efficacy scale-international and validating the short version among older Brazilians.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to: (1) confirm the reliability and validity of a single factor structure for the 16-item FES-I within a Brazilian context; and (2) confirm the reliability and validity of the abbreviated Short FES-I (7 items) within a Brazilian context. METHODS: We compared the reliability and construct validity of the unidimensional FES-I and the Short FES-I among older Brazilians. Our analyses included confirmatory factor analyses, and discriminatory validity and internal reliability consistency comparisons. RESULTS: The unidimensional FES-I (α = 0.94; CFI = 0.98; RMSEA = 0.08) and the Short FES-I (α = 0.87; CFI = 0.98; RMSEA = 0.07) are equally valid and reliable measures. CONCLUSION: The FES-I is best represented as a unifactorial structure yielding a total Fear of Falling score. Researchers and healthcare professionals can also use the equally robust Short-FES-I to best minimize responder burden.

A Study to Understand the Impact of Bereavement Grief on the Workplace.

Although most employees and business owners or operators will likely experience the death of one or more loved ones over their work lives, attention has not focused on how bereavement grief impacts the workplace. A study was conducted for foundational information. Data on the annual incidence of bereavement leaves and related matters were collected from a relatively representative sample of small, medium, and large Canadian organizations. Two of every three organizations had 1+ employees take a bereavement leave last year, with 3.2% of all employees taking a bereavement leave consisting of 2.5 days on average and often with additional travel and accommodation days. The findings suggest that more should be done by organizations to prepare for bereavement leaves and assisted work returns. This preparation is essential for the tsunami of bereavement grief in the years ahead as deaths increase rapidly in number with population aging.

Smart technology and the meaning in life of older adults during the Covid-19 public health emergency period: a cross-cultural qualitative study.

The exponential increase of the older segment of the population is coinciding with the growing challenges of a digital society in different socio-cultural contexts. This exploratory study aims to analyze older adult perspectives of how smart technology influenced their meaning in life during the Covid-19 Public Health Emergency period, using qualitative research at a cross-national level. Three hundred and fifty-one community-dwelling older participants aged 65-87 years were included in the study. Participants were Italian, Mexican, Portuguese and Spanish. All the narratives went through a process of content analysis. Findings of content analysis produced six themes: Meaningful relations, rewarding activities, spirituality, health and safety-related support, self-growth, and physical activity. Smart technology was important in promoting significant relations for Mexican older adults (71.3%), rewarding activities for Portuguese older adults (57.1%), spirituality for Spanish older participants (71.6%), and physical activity for Italian older adults (29.5%). This study indicated that smart technology during the Health Emergency period was important for the meaning in life of older populations, mostly by facilitating meaningful relations, rewarding activities and spirituality. Future interventions with older adults during pandemic periods should consider the diversity of themes associated with increasing older adult well-being, from a cross-cultural perspective.

A structural equation model of health-related quality of life among Thai men with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

AIM AND OBJECTIVES: To identify physiological, psychological and socioenvironmental factors that affect the health-related quality of life of Thai men living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The vast majority of Thai persons living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are men. BACKGROUND: Little is known about the health-related quality of life of Thai people living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or about the physiological and psychosocial factors that most affect it. Applying a prevailing theoretical model of health-related quality of life, we explored how physiological, psychological and socioenvironmental factors simultaneously affect the health-related quality of life of Thai men with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study design was used, together with the STROBE checklist. METHODS: In this study, 290 Thai male outpatients at a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease specialist clinic near Bangkok were recruited using purposive sampling. The participants completed the Satisfaction With Life Scale, the St. George Respiratory Questionnaire, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, the Short Form Health Survey Version 2, the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Self-Efficacy Scale and the Social Support Questionnaire. A structural equation model was used to examine the relationships between the assessed variables. RESULTS: Biological function (FEV-1, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations), symptoms (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and depression), functional status, general health perceptions and individual characteristics (age and self-efficacy to control dyspnoea) accounted for 56.9% of the variance in health-related quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: Symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and depression were the main factors with statistically significant direct and indirect effects on the health-related quality of life of the Thai men in this study. The effects of both symptoms included an indirect effect on health-related quality of life through functional status and general health perceptions. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The study findings may help nurses to better understand factors affecting health-related quality of life among men with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Preventing or minimising symptom exacerbations could be important in nursing practice. Cognitive-behavioural interventions addressing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease symptom management, depression screening and smoking cessation may improve health-related quality of life among Thai men with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The potential impact of bereavement grief on workers, work, careers, and the workplace.

Bereavement grief is typically very painful and often highly consequential. People who are working could be significantly impacted by the death of someone they care about. A qualitative study sought an understanding of the lived experience of bereavement on the mourner's ability to work and their work-related experiences following the death of a loved one. Three themes emerged: (a) grief is universal but individually impactful, (b) accommodation is needed to assist the return to work and to regain work abilities, and (c) there are many impediments to working again. These themes highlight the potential for bereavement grief to substantially effect mourners and thus their work, careers, and the workplace. Older workers could be particularly disadvantaged because of workplace ageism. Societal and other changes appear to be needed for the health and wellbeing of mourning workers, and to address related work and bereavement issues. Bereavement grief is highly relevant to the social work profession, given its involvement in providing information, developing supportive services, and making referrals.

Quality of life perceptions of family caregivers of older adults stroke survivors: A longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: There are few formal outreach and out-patient support services to help family caring for older adults who have had a stroke in developing countries. Family caregivers experience negative changes in their quality of life. AIM: To assess quality of life perceptions of spouse and non-spouse caregivers of older adult stroke survivors. METHODS: A longitudinal survey study. A convenience sample of forty-eight family caregivers was recruited from the Special Care Stroke Unit at a University Hospital in South Brazil. Quality of life was measured using the World Health Organization's Quality of Life BREF survey upon discharge from the hospital (Time 1) and two months after (Time 2). RESULTS: Non-spouse caregivers had the lowest Social Relationship scores at Time 1 (p < .001) and at Time 2 (p = .005), both in terms of personal relationship, the quality of their sex lives and support received from others. CONCLUSION: Unfortunately, formal community support programs for family caregivers in Brazil are lacking. Post-stroke caregiving is largely a family affair. Quality of Life assessments among family caregivers of older adult stroke survivors are crucial, particularly after discharge.

Is the Physical Environment Associated with Spiritual and Religious Coping in Older Age? Evidence from Brazil.

In this cross-sectional Brazilian survey, we examined associations between aspects of physical environment (PE) and spiritual/religious coping (SRC) behaviors. Our studied sample was 77 nursing homes (NH) and 326 community-dwelling residents (CDRs). Aspects of the PE were measured using the environmental domain of the WHOQOL-BREF. SRC was assessed using the BRIEF SRC scale. The PE was significantly associated with positive SRC alone and differed between the two studied samples. "Feeling safe in daily life" and "having access to health services" were positively associated with positive SRC behaviors in NH residents. "Having access to information" and "adequate transport" were significant among CDRs. Positive SRC behaviors are influenced by PE and should be considered in geriatric and gerontology care.

Association of spiritual/religious coping with depressive symptoms in high- and low-risk pregnant women.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To investigate the role of spiritual/religious coping (SRC) on depressive symptoms in high- and low-risk pregnant women. BACKGROUND: Spiritual/religious coping is associated with physical and mental health outcomes. However, only few studies investigated the role of these strategies during pregnancy and whether low- and high-risk pregnant women have different coping mechanisms. DESIGN: This study is a cross-sectional comparative study. METHODS: This study included a total of 160 pregnant women, 80 with low-risk pregnancy and 80 with high-risk pregnancy. The Beck Depression Inventory, the brief SRC scale and a structured questionnaire on sociodemographic and obstetric aspects were used. General linear model regression analysis was used to identify the factors associated with positive and negative SRC strategies in both groups of pregnant women. RESULTS: Positive SRC use was high, whereas negative SRC use was low in both groups. Although we found no difference in SRC strategies between the two groups, negative SRC was associated with depression in women with high-risk pregnancy, but not in those with low-risk pregnancy. Furthermore, positive SRC was not associated with depressive symptoms in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Results showed that only the negative SRC strategies of Brazilian women with high-risk pregnancies were associated with worsened mental health outcomes. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Healthcare professionals, obstetricians and nurse midwives should focus on the use of negative SRC strategies in their pregnant patients.

A critical review of published research literature reviews on nursing and healthcare ageism.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To establish how common and impactful nursing and healthcare ageism is and whether proven interventions or prevention methods exist. BACKGROUND: Ageism has been a concern since 1969 when it was first introduced as a concept for social reform. As ageism has been linked to lower quality health services and reduced health care access, it is imperative that healthcare and nursing ageism is prevented or identified and reduced or eliminated. DESIGN: A qualitative narrative review of published research literature reviews using a scoping design to map all published reviews was undertaken. The EBSCO Discovery Service (providing access to articles in 271 databases, including MEDLINE and CINAHL) and Directory of Open Access Journals (providing access to over 9,000 open access journals) were used to find review articles. Using predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria, and limited by English language and peer-review publications, 12 eligible reviews were identified and information from them was systematically identified, assessed and synthesised. RESULTS: The 12 reviews did not provide clear and convincing information to determine how common and impactful nursing or healthcare ageism is, nor what can best be done to prevent or address it. Although each review had value since research literature was collected and discussed on nursing or healthcare ageism, the array of literature search and analysis methods, and diversity in conclusions reached about the evidence is highly problematic. CONCLUSION: Research literature reviews offering a more balanced perspective and demonstrating greater care in finding and using quality evidence are needed. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: At this point in time, there is no clear understanding of how widespread and impactful nursing or healthcare ageism is, and what can best be done to prevent or address it. Nurses need to be aware that ageism may be common and impactful, and guard against it.

Lifelong Health and Health Services Use: A New Focus for Gerontological Nursing Research and Practice.

It is commonly believed that older adults are often ill and therefore high users of health services. A pilot study involving adults 60 and older living in the Canadian province of Alberta was conducted to (a) raise interest in the concepts of lifelong health and health services use; (b) develop a lifelong health data collection tool; (c) obtain information about lifelong and recent health services use, and self-perceived lifelong and current health; and (d) reveal links (if any) between perceived health and lifelong health services use. A questionnaire was developed, pilot tested, and posted for completion by 100 volunteers. Most older adults reported good or very good current and lifelong health. Comorbidities and low finances were associated with higher health services use. These findings suggest community-dwelling older adults may be healthy currently and throughout their lives. Gerontological nursing research, practice, and advocacy are needed because myths about aging must be addressed to refocus attention on the importance of lifelong health promotion for older adults. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 43(2), 28-32.].

Attitudes to aging mediate the relationship between older peoples' subjective health and quality of life in 20 countries.

BACKGROUND: With ever-increasing life expectancy globally, it is imperative to build knowledge of how older peoples' views of their own aging, considering their health-related circumstances, affect quality of life for practitioners and policy-makers alike. Based on our literature review, we wanted to determine whether older adults' attitudes toward their own aging would partly mediate the effect of their health satisfaction ratings upon their quality of life. Furthermore, would these attitudes mediate the relationship between health satisfaction and quality of life in the same way when we account for older adults' country of origin, and their age and gender? METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of cross-sectional survey data collected in 20 countries taking part in the 2003 WHOQOL-OLD Field study. The study sample consisted of 4593 adults whom were, on average, 72.10 years of age (range = 60 to 100 years of age); 42.8% were female. The WHOQOL-BREF measured quality of life and health satisfaction. The Attitudes to Aging Questionnaire measured participants' attitudes toward physical change, psychosocial loss, and psychological growth. All items in both questionnaires were measured on a 5-point Likert scale. Questionnaire responses were analyzed using multilevel modeling and path analysis. RESULTS: All three attitudes to aging partly mediated the relationship between health satisfaction and physical, psychological, social, environmental, and global quality of life. These partial mediations manifested in the same way across all 20 country samples, regardless of age or gender. Attitudes toward physical change were the strongest mediator of health satisfaction upon global and domain-specific quality of life, followed by psychosocial loss and psychosocial growth. CONCLUSIONS: Our study is the first cross-cultural study with a large sample to show that quality of life judgements, between 60 to 100 years of age, are a product of older men's and women's perceptions of health-related circumstances, and attitudes toward physical and psychosocial aspects of the aging self. A prospective study of the linkages between older peoples' subjective views of health and attitudes toward the aging self over time using multiple subjective measures of health is warranted. Understanding these linkages may help practitioners and policy makers consider strategies to enhance quality of life.

Internal structure validity and internal consistency reliability of the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire: a systematic review protocol.

INTRODUCTION: The Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ) is one of the most used tools to measure health-related quality of life in heart failure. Despite extensive use in research, evidence on the MLHFQ's internal structure validity remains heterogeneous and inconclusive. There are no known reviews that systematically summarise the evidence related to the MLHFQ's factor structure (internal structure validity). This gap highlights a need to critically appraise, summarise and compare the available evidence on the internal structure and internal consistency reliability (ICR) of the MLHFQ. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The review will adhere to the reporting guidelines of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis. We will systematically search eleven electronic databases/search engines (Medline, EMBASE, Cumulative Index for Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PsycINFO, Global Health, Health and Psychosocial Instruments, Scopus, Journals, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Dissertation and Theses Global) for quantitative studies assessing the MLHFQ's factor structure and ICR. Two reviewers will then independently screen studies for eligibility and assess the quality of included studies using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health status Measurement Instruments checklist. Throughout the review, discrepancies will be resolved through consensus or by the involvement of the third reviewer. We will analyse and present results using descriptive statistics (frequencies, proportions and ranges) and narrative synthesis. We will include all the relevant studies published within the timeframe covered by the database. We carried out the preliminary search in November 2022 except for Dissertation and Theses Global which was searched in September 2023; however, we will update the entire search right before the review completion in January 2024. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval is not required as no primary data is being collected from individuals. We intend to share the findings of the review at international conferences and publish manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42023346919.

Suitability of the Attitudes to Aging Questionnaire Short Form for Use among Adults in Their 50s: A Cross-Sectional e-Survey Study.

This cross-sectional e-survey study examines the suitability (reliability and validity) of the 12-item Attitudes to Aging Questionnaire Short Form (AAQ-SF) for use among adults in their 50s. The AAQ-SF instrument was originally designed to capture subjective perceptions of physical change, psychosocial loss, and psychological growth by asking people aged 60 and beyond how they feel about growing older. Our sample comprised 517 people residing in three Canadian provinces. Respondents completed the Attitudes to Aging Questionnaire Short Form, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and a short sociodemographic profile. Our findings replicate the original AAQ-SF structure for physical change, psychosocial loss, and psychological growth, with a promising internal consistency range for the third subscale. In our sample, psychological growth is best represented as 'Self' and 'Generativity', with a particularly greater capacity to explain variations in scores for item 18 and item 21. Physical change and psychosocial loss scores strongly differed based on perceived health and chronic illness presence. Psychosocial loss and psychological growth were moderately correlated with two aspects of self-esteem. We relate these patterns of findings within the context of prevailing growth and development theory and their perceived implications within the context of COVID-19 and post-pandemic life.

Quality of life in caregivers of aged stroke survivors in southern Brazil: Arandomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the effect of nursing home care interventions on the quality of life in family caregivers of aged stroke survivors. METHOD: a Randomized Clinical Trial, blinded for outcome evaluation. Forty-eighty family caregivers of aged stroke survivors participated in the study. The Intervention Group received three home visits by nurses one month after hospital discharge to provide stroke-related education (i.e., how to access health services and perform care activities) and emotional support. The Control Group received the usual guidance from the health services. Quality of life was assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment (WHOQOL-BREF) instrument and the Old Module(WHOQOL-OLD) 1 week, 2 months, and 1 year after discharge. RESULTS: the caregivers were mainly women, children, or spouses. The caregivers in the Intervention Group and Control Group did not significantly differ in terms of their Overall Quality of Life at baseline. There was no interaction effect between group allocation and Overall Quality of Life(p=0.625) over time. However, there was an interaction effect for Social Relations(p=0.019) and Autonomy (p=0.004). CONCLUSION: the intervention exerted a statistically significant effect on the quality of life of family caregivers with respect to social relationships and autonomy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02807012.

A longitudinal study of burden among spouse and non-spouse caregivers of older adults with stroke-induced-dependency.

OBJECTIVE: to assess the burden of spouse and non-spouse caregivers of older adults with stroke-induced-dependency after discharge from a university hospital's Specialized Care Stroke Unit in southern Brazil. METHODS: a longitudinal survey. The sample consisted of 48 consenting caregivers, among which 20 were spouse caregivers. Data were collected between May 2016 and July 2018. One week after discharge, caregivers completed a sociodemographic profile, the Functional Independence Measure, and the Caregiver Burden Scale. Burden was also measured two months after discharge. Data were analyzed using Multivariate Analyses of Variance. RESULTS: regarding time 1, non-spouse caregivers experienced greater burden with respect to social isolation (p = .01). Along with a persistently greater sense of isolation (p=.04), non-spouse caregivers felt far greater general strain (p =.01). CONCLUSION: statistically significant differences in burden over time highlight the importance of assessing caregiver burden after discharge and the need for a formal support program.

Health Service Accessibility, Mental Health, and Changes in Behavior during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study of Older Adults.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the access of older adults to health services. The two objectives of this study are understanding the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults' access to health services and exploring how health service accessibility during the pandemic influenced older adults' mental health and self-reported changes in behavior. This study included 346 older adults. Content analysis produced five themes: (1) decreased physical accessibility to health care providers (78%); (2) increased use of online health services and other virtual health care (69%); (3) growth in the online prescription of medication (67%); (4) difficulty obtaining information and accessing non-communicable disease and mental health indicators (65%); and (5) postponement of medical specialist consultations (51%). Regarding mental health, three themes emerged: (1) increased symptoms of anxiety, distress, and depression (89%); (2) the experience of traumatic situations (61%); and (3) the augmented use of alcohol or drugs (56%). Finally, the following changes in behavior were indicated: (1) frustrated behavior (92%); (2) emotional explosions (79%); and (3) changes in sleeping and eating behaviors (43%). Access to health services may have influenced the mental health and behavior of older adults, hence interventions in a pandemic must address their interactions with health services, their needs, and their well-being.

The Upside of Negative Emotions: How Do Older Adults From Different Cultures Challenge Their Self-Growth During the COVID-19 Pandemic?

Background and Objective: The outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has raised increased challenges for older adults' personal growth in diverse cultural settings. The aim of this study was to analyze negative emotions and their role on older adults' self-growth in Mexico, Italy, Portugal, and Spain, during the COVID-19 pandemic. For this purpose, a cross-national qualitative research was carried out. Methods: Data were collected from 338 community-dwelling participants aged 65 years and older, using a semi-structured interview protocol. Older adults were asked about negative emotions that significantly contribute to their self-growth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Content analysis was used to identify key themes. Results: Seven main negative emotions (fear, sadness, anger, grief, boredom, loneliness, and shame) significantly contributed to seven themes of self-growth, across the samples: sharing difficult experiences with others, supportive partner, spiritual practices, engagement with life, generativity, volunteering activities, and intimacy and sexual satisfaction. Sharing difficult experiences with others was most pertinent to Mexican (13.9%) and to Italian (3.0%) participants, and a supportive partner to Portuguese (12.1%), and to Spanish participants (6.5%). Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that negative emotions during the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to their older adults' self-growth. This study highlighted the cultural diversity of experiences during the pandemics and underlined the upside of negative emotions and its relation to older adults' self-growth during this period.