The relationship between social media usage and loneliness among younger and older adults: the moderating effect of shyness.

Does social media alleviate or exacerbate loneliness? Past research has shown mixed results regarding the relationship between social media usage and loneliness among younger and older adults. Unlike younger individuals, older adults may decrease their loneliness through social media interactions. Additionally, previous research has indicated that the link between social media use and loneliness can vary depending on one's shy tendency. Therefore, this study aims to explore the relationship between individuals' social media use and loneliness while considering age and shyness tendency as moderating variables. The study employed a questionnaire survey conducted through convenience sampling, resulting in 234 valid responses from participants in Northern Taiwan. Among them, 113 were college students (aged 18 to 25, average age 19.40), and 121 were older adults (aged 50 to 82, average age 60.81). Using hierarchical regression analysis, results indicated that (1) age moderates the relationship between personal social media use and loneliness. Minimal differences were observed among younger individuals, but among older adults, increased social media usage time was associated with a significant reduction in loneliness. (2) Shyness tendency moderate the relationship between personal social media use and loneliness. Individuals with higher shyness tendency experience an increase in loneliness as their social media usage time lengthens.

Are health claims in aging-related functional food packages different from those of general functional foods? Content analysis of food packaging from Taiwan.

Given the challenges of aging populations, both in Taiwan and globally, issues related to older consumers need more attention. According to surveys in Taiwan, food is one of the most important consumer products for older adults. In recent years, functional foods have become popular, often using health claims as a promotional tool. Therefore, this study has investigated food product packaging in common retail channels in Taiwan by conducting a content analysis of all items with health claims (160 samples). This study specifically compared products related to aging and those unrelated to aging. The results revealed that more than half the participants with health claims did not provide specific descriptions of their health effects. Furthermore, products related to aging often included health terms and claims to supplement with specific nutrients in their health claims. This study has aimed to offer recommendations for educating older consumers, regulating health claims in food advertising, promoting an age-friendly consumer environment, and consumer protection.

Effectiveness of Comprehensive Physical Activity Health Promotion Program on the Essential Physical Functions of Older Patients With Multiple Diseases and Dementia in Rural Area.

Against the backdrop of aging populations worldwide, physical activity programs aimed at promoting the health of older adults have begun to flourish. However, few studies have focused on elderly residents in rural areas who may have multiple comorbidities. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the effects of a 12-week physical activity program on health promotion among rural elderly with multiple diseases. The study included 18 elderly participants, with a mean age of 82.39 years, who had dementia and one or more additional diseases. Among the participants, 89% were female. The results showed that the 12-week physical activity program intervention significantly improved participants' walking speed and range of motion of the arm joints. Based on these findings, it is hoped that this study will provide a reference for future researchers and practitioners targeting rural or elderly populations who may have multiple diseases to develop more comprehensive physical activity programs.

Does ICT Usage Have a Positive or Negative Effect on Taiwanese Older Adults' Emotional Experiences? The Moderating Role of Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction.

While some studies have found that older adults' use of information and communications technology (ICT) contributes to their positive emotions, others have not. According to previous research, basic psychological needs satisfaction may help us explore the relationships between older adults' ICT usage and their emotional experience. This study aimed to investigate the moderation effect of older adults' basic psychological needs satisfaction on the relationship between ICT usage and emotional experience using the experience sampling method via the communication application, Line. At the first phase of the study, we surveyed each participant's age, gender and satisfaction with basic psychological needs, and afterward, each participant needed to complete their current situation each day throughout the 10-day period. A total of 788 daily experiences of 32 participants (Mage = 63.13; SDage = 5.97, ranging from 52 to 75; 81% women) were collected, and hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) was conducted. Results revealed that ICT usage generally enhanced older adults' positive emotional experience. Those with satisfied competence needs had stable and positive emotional experiences with or without using ICT, while those without could further promote their positive emotional experience by using ICT. Those with satisfied relatedness needs had more positive emotional experiences when using ICT, while those without had similar emotional experiences with or without ICT.