The Paradox of Aging-Related Fears: Fear of Loneliness in Old Age as a Motivator for Loneliness Preventive Activities.

INTRODUCTION: Aging is often seen as a challenging process, prompting individuals to form emotional reactions in response to the perceived challenges associated with growing older, manifested as aging-related fears. The present study focuses on the fear of loneliness in old age, a significant concern considering the socioemotional importance of close relationships in later life. Drawing from proactive coping theory, the study explores the association between fear of loneliness and aging preparation. This research aimed to investigate whether the fear of loneliness motivates individuals to engage in activities aimed at preventing loneliness in old age. For exploratory purposes, we consider both linear and nonlinear effects at the interindividual level, as well as the intraindividual-level differences between fear levels and behavioral outcomes. In addition, we also investigate the moderating role of trait neuroticism in these associations. METHODS: Data from the "Ageing as Future (AAF)" project in Germany (N = 1,183) spanning from 2012 to 2023 were utilized. A multilevel model considered both intra- and interindividual variations, incorporating time-varying variables and covariates. RESULTS: Linear mixed model analysis revealed that increased fear of loneliness corresponded to heightened engagement in preventive activities linearly, while a quadratic term indicated an inverted U-shaped relationship. The inclusion of occasion-specific deviation scores showed that individuals were more inclined to engage in preventive activities when experiencing heightened fear of loneliness than usual. This impact of deviation in fear perception was particularly evident among those with high levels of trait neuroticism. CONCLUSION: The study reveals that fear of loneliness in old age is associated with proactive engagement in preventive activities, with those prone to higher levels of fear or worry being particularly affected. These results emphasize the importance of a moderate level of fear in driving action without succumbing to excessive pessimism or unrealistic optimism. The findings contribute to understanding the motivational role of aging-related fears and hold implications for gerontological practices, emphasizing the need for a balanced fear perception in addressing potential negative impacts of aging. Future research could explore moderators and long-term consequences of motivational aging-related fears.

COVID-19 Worries Predict Aging Preparation: Culture- and Domain-Specific Perspectives.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated whether worrying about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) predicts people's engagement in aging preparation. Furthermore, we expected that this association would have culture- (i.e., Hong Kong and Germany) and domain-specific (i.e., finances, housing, care needs, connectedness, and end-of-life) tendencies, as the culture and domains that are most severely hit by the pandemic differ. METHODS: A total of 360 and 1,294 adults (aged 18-98 years) living in Hong Kong and Germany, respectively, participated in a web-based study. We fitted our data to a multilevel model in order to take into account the interdependence of domains (i.e., Level 1) within the same individual (i.e., Level 2). RESULTS: The results revealed that reporting higher COVID-19 worries were associated with pandemic-induced aging preparation, and this association was particularly apparent for Germans in comparison to those from Hong Kong. When domains were specified, this cultural difference appeared significantly stronger for the domains of care, connectedness, and end-of-life than finances and housing. DISCUSSION: Findings imply that worrying about the COVID-19 pandemic predicts people to engage in aging preparation particularly in the culture and domains most affected by the pandemic. These results from those worried about the virus may be attributed to the increased self-relevance to the topic and hence motivation.

Active Aging In Long-Term Care Facilities In Korea : Beyond The Lexical Meaning.

The discourse of active aging, as introduced by the WHO, aims at optimizing older adults' opportunities for health, participation, and security that could eventually enhance their social integration and quality of life. Considering that even those with frailty could strive for active aging in the given circumstances, we examined the meaning of active aging in long-term care settings and care strategies to promote it based on the WHO's framework. We conducted interviews with a total of 35 participants. The interpretative analyses revealed that the activities taken place in LTCFs have various scopes depending on older adults' physical and cognitive functional ability, and it captures the forms of activities that go beyond its lexical meaning. By defining being "active," the present findings could contribute to an understanding of how the three elements of active aging can be carried out in LTCFs.

Leveraging Text Mining Approach to Identify What People Want to Know About Mental Disorders From Online Inquiry Platforms.

Online inquiry platforms, which is where a person can anonymously ask questions, have become an important information source for those who are concerned about social stigma and discrimination that follow mental disorders. Therefore, examining what people inquire about regarding mental disorders would be useful when designing educational programs for communities. The present study aimed to examine the contents of the queries regarding mental disorders that were posted on online inquiry platforms. A total of 4,714 relevant queries from the two major online inquiry platforms were collected. We computed word frequencies, centralities, and latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) topic modeling. The words like symptom, hospital and treatment ranked as the most frequently used words, and the word my appeared to have the highest centrality. LDA identified four latent topics: (1) the understanding of general symptoms, (2) a disability grading system and welfare entitlement, (3) stressful life events, and (4) social adaptation with mental disorders. People are interested in practical information concerning mental disorders, such as social benefits, social adaptation, more general information about the symptoms and the treatments. Our findings suggest that instructions encompassing different scopes of information are needed when developing educational programs.

Late-Life Preparedness and Its Correlates: A Behavioral Perspective on Preparation.

OBJECTIVES: The present study examined the extent of late-life preparedness and its correlates. In accordance with behavior theories, we postulated that those who have prior experience with caregiving and who perceive such activities as more useful and less risky are more likely to engage in late-life preparatory activities. Because the perceived distance until aging-related life challenges become prevalent may play a role in late-life preparedness, we hypothesized that the effects of the correlates would vary depending on one's subjective remaining life expectation (SRLE). METHODS: Building upon cross-sectional data including 581 German adults from 18 to 93 years, we fitted a hurdle model that separately analyzes the presence and variety of self-reported action engagement to better handle the zero-inflated count measure of preparatory activities. RESULTS: The results revealed that the effects of perceived utility, caregiving experience, and SRLE were significant for both the presence and variety of activities. SRLE was found to moderate the observed effects in the models: The effect of perceived utility on the presence of at least one late-life preparatory activity was larger for those with lower SRLE. In contrast, among those with higher SRLE, having provided care increased the variety of preparatory activities. DISCUSSION: Findings suggest that some of the examined psychosocial factors are similarly associated with both the presence of at least one and the variety of late-life preparatory activities, although the extent of their effects varies depending on one's subjective life stage.

For a better me? Or for a better us? Perceived utilities of aging preparatory activities and positive future thinking in Germany, USA and Hong Kong.

Engaging in aging preparatory activities that is perceived to be utile for oneself (e.g., to retain autonomy and independence) and for others (e.g., to retain a harmonious relationship with important others) may have a functional effect on one's aging process. We examined how perceived self- and other-related utilities of aging preparatory activities were associated with positive future thinking across adulthood, and whether these associations differed by culture. Building upon cross-sectional data from a web-based study conducted in Hong Kong (n = 283, M age = 55.12, aged 18-85 years), the USA (n = 264, M age = 51.06, aged 20-85 years) and Germany (n = 402, M age = 51.65, aged 19-90 years), we observed different patterns of associations across these three cultures. Perceiving self-related utilities was linked to positive future thinking in the USA and Germany, but not in Hong Kong. In contrast, perceiving other-related utilities of aging preparatory activities was positively associated with future thinking in Hong Kong, but not in the USA or Germany. Perceived risks, on the other hand, showed a negative association with positive future thinking across all cultures. Findings suggest that there might be a culture-specific tendency for individuals to appraise their future, based on their perceived self- or other-related utilities of aging preparatory activities.