Activating and Guiding the Engagement of Seniors With Online Social Networking: Experimental Findings From the AGES 2.0 Project.

OBJECTIVE: Guided by theoretical and empirical work attesting to the health benefits of social connections, we tested whether Internet connectivity, and training in its use for social purposes, can support the well-being of older adults receiving care. METHOD: Participants ( N = 76) were randomly assigned to receive 3 months training versus care-as-usual. Cognitive and mental health were assessed before and after the intervention. RESULTS: Results show significant cognitive improvements across time in the training, but not control, group. This effect was mediated through a combination of increased social activity, improved self-competence, and maintained personal identity strength. Indirect effects on mental health outcomes via these processes were also observed. DISCUSSION: These findings suggest that Internet access and training can support the self and social connectedness of vulnerable older adults and contribute positively to well-being.

We can work it out: Group decision-making builds social identity and enhances the cognitive performance of care residents.

Group-based interventions have been argued to slow the cognitive decline of older people residing in care by building social identification and thereby increasing motivation and engagement. The present study explored the identity-cognition association further by investigating the impact of a group decision-making intervention on cognition. Thirty-six care home residents were assigned to one of three conditions: an Intervention in which they made decisions about lounge refurbishment as a group, a Comparison condition in which staff made these decisions, or a no-treatment Control. Cognitive function, social identification, home satisfaction, and lounge use were measured before and after the intervention. Participants in the Intervention condition showed significant increases on all measures, and greater improvement than participants in both Comparison and Control conditions. Consistent with social identity theorizing, these findings point to the role of group activity and social identification in promoting cognitive integrity and well-being among care residents.

Social identification moderates cognitive health and well-being following story- and song-based reminiscence.

OBJECTIVES: Reminiscence is a popular intervention for seniors, but, with mixed evidence supporting its efficacy, questions have been raised about the mechanisms underlying improvement. The present paper addresses this question by investigating the degree to which health effects depend on the development of a shared sense of group identification. This is examined in the context of traditional story-based reminiscence as well as novel forms of song-based reminiscence. METHOD: As the focus of a manualized intervention, 40 participants were randomly assigned to secular song (n=13), religious song (n=13), or standard story reminiscence (n=14) groups. These were run over six weeks with cognitive performance, anxiety, and life satisfaction measured before and after the intervention. Measures of group fit were included to examine whether social identification contributed to outcomes. RESULTS: No evidence of change emerged over time as a function of intervention form alone, but analysis of identification data revealed significant interactions with the type of reminiscence group. Specifically, initial fit with the story reminiscence group was associated with enhanced cognitive outcomes and greater life satisfaction, while fit with the religious song reminiscence group was associated with greater life satisfaction and less anxiety. CONCLUSION: These findings show that group identification is a key moderator through which reminiscence promotes health outcomes. Implications for theory and practice highlight an inherent limitation in randomized controlled trials insofar as they may compromise participants' group identification.