Sexual Activity and Physical Tenderness in Older Adults: Prevalence and Associated Characteristics From a Belgian Study.

BACKGROUND: Despite the World Health Organization calling for sexuality to be recognized as an aspect of well-being, no studies have explored sexual activity and physical tenderness in older adults aged ≥ 75 years in Belgium or those aged ≥ 85 years worldwide. AIM: To assess the prevalence and predictors of sexual activity and physical tenderness in a sample of older adults. METHODS: Using data from a Belgian cross-sectional study on sexual violence (UN-MENAMAIS), information on sexual activity, physical tenderness, and associated characteristics was collected during structured face-to-face interviews with older adults living in the community, assisted living facilities, or nursing homes. Cluster random probability sampling with a random route-finding approach was used to select the participants. OUTCOMES: Current sexual activity and physical tenderness in the previous 12 months, sociodemographic characteristics, chronological age, subjective age, number of sexual partners, sexual satisfaction, attitudes toward sexuality in later life, quality of life, and lifetime sexual victimisation. RESULTS: Among the 511 participants included, 50.3% were in a relationship, mainly living with their partner; 31.3% indicated they were sexually active; and 47.3% of sexually inactive participants reported having experienced forms of physical tenderness in the previous 12 months. Sexual activity was associated with the presence of a partner, satisfaction with sexual life, permissive attitudes regarding sexuality in later life, a younger age, and a lack of disability. Physical tenderness was associated with the presence of a partner, community residency, and permissive attitudes regarding sexuality in later life. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Raising awareness among the general population, healthcare professionals, and older adults about sexuality in later life could contribute to ending this taboo and should therefore be a priority for society. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: Our study fills a gap in the literature regarding sexual activity and physical tenderness in older adults aged ≥ 70 years, including respondents aged up to 99 years. Additionally, we explored different forms of sexual expression beyond intercourse, and face-to-face interviews contributed to the quality of the collected data. The main limitation of this study was the sample size, although the findings were similar to recent statistical indicators in Belgium. CONCLUSION: One in 3 older adults aged ≥ 70 years living in Belgium are sexually active. These findings provide an opportunity to inform the general public and older adults about later life sexuality and to educate healthcare professionals about aging sexuality to increase discussions and avoid assumptions of asexuality in later life. Cismaru-Inescu A, Hahaut B, Adam S et al. Sexual Activity and Physical Tenderness in Older Adults: Prevalence and Associated Characteristics From a Belgian Study. J Sex Med 2022;19:569-580.

Examining the Impact of Fictional Life Story of Resident with Dementia on Staff Levels of Empathy, Self-confidence, Workload Burden, and Perception of Resident: A Cross-sectional Survey in Long-term Care Communities.

OBJECTIVES: Determine the impact of fictional life story on staff members levels of empathy, self-confidence, workload burden, and perception of resident before the implementation of care for new resident with dementia in long-term care community. METHODS: An online cross-sectional survey based on two fictive clinical vignettes was used: one vignette described a resident with typical medical information (e.g., level of autonomy, health status, medication …), while the other contained typical medical information and life story information. The two vignettes were visually similar. The order in which vignettes were read was counterbalanced. Staff members (n = 95) were asked to consider the care needed by these residents and to assess, with a visual analogue scale, the amount of useful information provided by vignettes, their self-confidence and level of empathy, their perception of the resident's level of sympathy, his dependence, and the associated workload. RESULTS: After reading the vignette containing life story information, staff members considered that they had more useful information and empathy for the resident. They also felt more confident about the care. They perceived the resident as more sympathetic and less dependent, and the workload seemed lighter to them compared to the case described in the vignette that did not contain life story information. CONCLUSIONS: This quantitative study shows, in clinical fictive situations, the positive impact of life story on staff members before care begins. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Results highlight the importance of considering life story early. Getting to know residents should be the first step of care.

Sexual violence in older adults: a Belgian prevalence study.

BACKGROUND: Sexual violence (SV) is an important public health problem which may cause long-lasting health problems. SV in older adults remains neglected in research, policies and practices. Valid SV prevalence estimates and associated risk factors in older adults are currently unavailable. In this study we measured lifetime and past 12-months sexual victimisation in older adults living in Belgium, its correlates, assailant characteristics and the way that victims framed their SV experiences. METHODS: SV was measured using behaviourally specific questions based on a broad definition of SV. Participants were selected via a cluster random probability sampling with a random route finding approach. Information on sexual victimisation, correlates, assailant characteristics and framing was collected via structured face-to-face interviews with adults aged 70 years and older living in Belgium (community-dwelling, assisted living and nursing homes). RESULTS: Among the 513 participants, the lifetime SV prevalence was 44% (55% F, 29% M). Past 12-months prevalence was 8% (9% F, 8% M). Female sex and a higher number of sexual partners were associated with lifetime SV (p < .05), non-heterosexual sexual orientation with past 12-months SV (p < .05). Correlates identified to be linked to elder abuse and neglect in previous studies were not linked with SV in our sample. 'Someone unknown' was identified as most common assailant. CONCLUSIONS: Sexual victimisation appears to be common in older adults in Belgium. Both correlates and assailant characteristics seem to differ from previous studies on elder abuse and neglect. Recognizing older adults as a risk group for sexual victimisation in research, policies and practices is of the utmost importance.

Speech accommodation toward older people in 7- To 12-year-old children.

From an early age, children develop stereotypes toward older adults leading to potential ageism. In young adults, ageism includes conversational changes, also known as elderspeak, characterized by louder, slower, and simplified speech. Although it has direct consequence on older adults, to date no studies have explored elderspeak in children. We invited 137 Belgian children aged 7-12 to take part in a guessing game through a dissimulated Skype session. The child had to make two female interlocutors in turn, one young (25 years old) and the other old (75), guess two different words each. During the session, children remained unaware of the real purpose of the game. Prosody, verbal fluency, and semantic content of their speech were measured using the Praat and VocabProfil software. The results, analyzed using mixed-design ANOVA, showed that children spoke louder to the older interlocutor and tended to judge her less competent to guess words than the younger participant. When the older person was second in turn, children engaged in lengthier and more detailed explanations. Unexpectedly, positive views on older people correlated with higher voice intensity, suggesting that the child's differential vocal attitudes may reflect benevolent ageism. In conclusion, significant speech accommodation can be detected in 7- to 12-year-old children when they speak to an older compared with a younger interlocutor. This accommodation is characterized by louder voice and lengthier explanations.

Ageism and COVID-19: what does our society's response say about us?

The goal of this commentary is to highlight the ageism that has emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 20 international researchers in the field of ageing have contributed to this document. This commentary discusses how older people are misrepresented and undervalued in the current public discourse surrounding the pandemic. It points to issues in documenting the deaths of older adults, the lack of preparation for such a crisis in long-term care homes, how some 'protective' policies can be considered patronising and how the initial perception of the public was that the virus was really an older adult problem. This commentary also calls attention to important intergenerational solidarity that has occurred during this crisis to ensure support and social-inclusion of older adults, even at a distance. Our hope is that with this commentary we can contribute to the discourse on older adults during this pandemic and diminish the ageist attitudes that have circulated.

Subjectively-defined optimal/non-optimal time of day modulates controlled but not automatic retrieval processes in verbal memory.

Performance for controlled, resource-demanding retrieval in episodic memory has been consistently found to be better at an optimal compared with non-optimal time of the day, evidencing a synchrony effect. However, performance in memory tasks in which retrieval is mostly based on automatic processes was inconclusively found either to be better at a non-optimal time of day or independent of synchrony effects. A caveat in most prior studies is that optimal/non-optimal time of day is based on morningness-eveningness composite scores derived from chronotype questionnaires, which might not efficiently predict subjectively-defined cognitive efficiency periods. An additional caveat is that separate tasks are used to assess explicit and implicit retrieval in verbal memory. Indeed, no task is process-pure, and both controlled and automatic retrieval processes may potentially contribute to retrieval scores in different types of memory tasks. In the present study, we investigated the impact of individually defined subjective optimal/non-optimal time of day on verbal memory retrieval, using an adaptation of the Process-Dissociation Procedure that allows estimating the respective contributions of automatic and controlled memory retrieval processes within the same memory task. Our results disclose a higher involvement of controlled processes at subjectively optimal compared with non-optimal time of day, but no differences for automatic processes. Synchrony effects and subjectively-defined peaks and troughs of performance for controlled components of memory retrieval should be considered in the evaluation of episodic memory.

Impact of Contact With Grandparents on Children's and Adolescents' Views on the Elderly.

Stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination against the elderly (ageism) may manifest themselves in children at an early age. However, the factors influencing this phenomenon are not well known. Using both explicit and open-ended questions, this study analyzed the influence of personal and familial parameters on the views of 1,151 seven- to sixteen-year-old Belgian children and adolescents on the elderly. Four factors were found to affect these views: gender (girls had slightly more positive views than boys), age (ageism was lowest in 10- to 12-year-old, reminiscent of other forms of stereotypes and cognitive developmental theories), grandparents' health, and most importantly, quality of contact with grandparents (very good and good contacts correlated with more favorable feelings toward the elderly, especially in children with frequent contacts).

Occupational social and mental stimulation and cognitive decline with advancing age.

Objective: this study investigates the role of social and mental occupational characteristics in cognitive decline after retirement. Methods: the study included 1,048 subjects aged ≥65 years from the Three City cohort. Participants were evaluated at home at the initial visit and at 2-year intervals for a period of 12 years. The study includes detailed assessments of cognition, health and information about the subjects' main occupation. The four cognitive tests have been grouped into one latent factor. Three independent raters specialised in employment were asked to evaluate the level of social and intellectual stimulation for each occupation, which was then rated as low, medium and high. Results: after controlling for potential confounding factors, no association was found between higher levels of social stimulation at work and baseline cognition (medium score, P = 0.440; high score, P = 0.700) as compared with a low level. While cognitive trajectories were initially similar between high and medium levels of social stimulation compared with that of a low level, with advancing age this association diverged whereby more social stimulation during work years was related to accelerated cognitive decline that further grew in magnitude with older age. For mental stimulation, differences were only observed at baseline, with greater levels of mental stimulation during work years being associated with better cognitive performance (medium score, ß = 0.573, P = 0.015; and high score, ß = 0.510; P = 0.090) compared with a low level of mental stimulation. Conclusion: workers retiring from occupations characterised by high levels of social stimulation may be at risk of accelerated cognitive decline with advancing age.

Association between self-perception of aging, view of cancer and health of older patients in oncology: a one-year longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Identifying older people affected by cancer who are more at risk of negative health outcomes is a major issue in health initiatives focusing on medical effectiveness. In this regard, psychological risk factors such as patients' perception of their own aging and cancer could be used as indicators to improve customization of cancer care. We hypothesize that more negative self-perception of aging (SPA) and view of cancer could be linked to worse physical and mental health outcomes in cancer patients. METHODS: One hundred one patients diagnosed with cancer (breast, gynecological, lung or hematological) were followed for 1 year. They were evaluated on four occasions (baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months after the baseline). Their SPA, view of cancer and health (physical and mental) were assessed at each time of evaluation. RESULTS: Negative SPA and/or view of cancer at baseline are associated with negative evolution of patients' physical and mental health. Moreover, when the evolution of SPA and cancer view were taken into account, these two stigmas are still linked with the evolution of mental health. In comparison, only a negative evolution of SPA was linked to worse physical health outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Such results indicate that SPA and view of cancer could be used as markers of vulnerability in older people with cancer.

How should proxies of cognitive reserve be evaluated in a population of healthy older adults?

BACKGROUND: While some tools have been developed to estimate an individual's cognitive reserve (CR), no study has assessed the adequacy of the method used for assessing these CR proxy indicators. Therefore, we aimed to determine the most appropriate method to estimate CR by comparing two approaches: (1) the common assessment of CR proxies in the literature (e.g. years of education) and (2) the calculation of a comprehensive index based on most significant parameters used in the estimation of CR. METHODS: Data on CR proxies (i.e. education, occupation, and leisure activities) were obtained in a sample of 204 older adults. Regression analyses were used to develop the two indices of CR (i.e. ICR-standard and ICR-detailed) and to determine which index best represented the level of one's CR. RESULTS: The ICR-standard was calculated using a combination of the three most common measures of reserve in the literature: number of schooling years, complexity of the primary occupation, and amount of current participation in stimulating activities. The ICR-detailed was calculated using the most significant parameters (established in initial analyses) of CR: highest level of education combined with the number of training courses, last occupation, and amount of current participation in social and intellectual activities. The comparison of both indices showed that higher levels of ICR-standard and ICR-detailed were associated with a greater minimization of the effects of age on cognition. However, the ICR-detailed was more strongly associated to this minimization than the ICR-standard, suggesting that the ICR-detailed best reflect one's CR. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to show that it is of great importance to question methods measuring CR proxies in order to develop a clinical tool allowing a comprehensive and accurate estimation of CR.

Psychological transition and adjustment processes related to retirement: influence on cognitive functioning.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between psychological transition and adjustment to retirement and cognitive performances in older adults. METHODS: The study's sample was taken from the Approche Multidisciplinaire Intégrée cohort, a French prospective study of retirees from agriculture, aged 65 and over, living in rural settings in southwestern France. The cross-sectional analyses were conducted on a sample of 590 elderly people without dementia at baseline and for whom information on perception of the work setting, experience of the retirement transition and adaptation to retirement life (nine variables) as well as neuropsychological measures (global cognitive functioning, episodic memory, verbal fluency, attention and psychomotor speed) were available at first visit. RESULTS: Multivariable linear regression analyses, including nine variables related to retirement and adjusted for potential confounding factors, indicated that three of them - positive consideration of former work situation, development of new activities during retirement and good adaptation to free time - were associated with better cognitive performances. CONCLUSIONS: We found that several factors proved to be determinants of good cognitive functioning at retirement and could serve as a basis for the development of more efficient intervention programs aimed at helping retirees to maintain good cognitive functioning after retirement.

The association of timing of retirement with cognitive performance in old age: the role of leisure activities after retirement.

BACKGROUND: The role of timing of retirement on cognitive functioning in old age is inconclusive so far. Therefore, the present study set out to investigate the association of timing of retirement with cognitive performance and its interplay with key correlates of cognitive reserve in a large sample of older adults. METHODS: Two thousand two hundred and sixty three older adults served as sample for the present study. Different psychometric tests (Trail Making Test part A (TMT A), Trail Making Test part B (TMT B), Mill Hill) were administered. In addition, individuals were interviewed on their retirement, occupation, educational attainment, and regarding 18 leisure activities that have been carried out after retirement. RESULTS: Earlier retirement (compared to retirement at legal age) was significantly associated with better performance in the TMT A, the TMT B, and the Mill Hill vocabulary test. Moderation analyses showed that in individuals with a moderate number of leisure activities in old age, earlier retirement was related to better cognitive performance, but not in those with a relatively large number of leisure activities. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that entering leisure activities as additional predictor significantly increased explained variance in the cognitive measures over and above all other investigated markers of cognitive reserve (i.e. occupation and education). CONCLUSIONS: Present data further corroborate the view that leisure activities even in old age may lead to further enrichment effects and thereby may be related to better cognitive functioning. The role of engaging in activities in the context of major life events such as retirement is discussed.

A Validation of the French Version of the Attitudes to Aging Questionnaire (AAQ): Factor Structure, Reliability and Validity.

Introduction: The Attitudes to Aging Questionnaire (AAQ) was developed to measure attitudes toward the aging process as a personal experience from the perspective of older people. The present study aimed to validate the French version of the AAQ. Participants and methods: This study examined factor structure, acceptability, reliability and validity of the AAQ's French version in 238 Belgian adults aged 60 years or older. In addition, participants provided information on demographics, self-perception of their mental and physical health (single items), quality of life (WHOQOL-OLD) and social desirability (DS-36). Results: Exploratory Factor Analysis produced a three-factor solution accounting for 36.9% of the variance. No floor or ceiling effects were found. The internal consistency, measured by Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the AAQ subscales were 0.62 (Physical Change), 0.74 (Psychological Growth), and 0.75 (Psychosocial Loss). A priori expected associations were found between AAQ subscales, self-reported health and quality of life, indicating good convergent validity. The scale also showed a good ability to discriminate between people with lower and higher education levels, supporting adequate known-groups validity. Finally, we confirmed the need to control for social desirability biases when assessing self-reported attitudes toward one's own aging. Conclusion: The data support the usefulness of the French version of the AAQ for the assessment of attitudes toward their own aging in older people.

Facing the Next "Geriatric Giant"-A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis of Interventions Tackling Loneliness and Social Isolation Among Older Adults.

OBJECTIVES: Loneliness and social isolation are associated with adverse health outcomes, especially within the elderly population, underlining the need for effective interventions. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to summarize all available evidence regarding the effectiveness of interventions for loneliness and social isolation, to map out their working mechanisms, and to give implications for policy and practice. DESIGN: Systematic literature review and meta-analysis. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Older adults (≥65 years). METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL for studies quantitively or qualitatively assessing effects of interventions for loneliness and social isolation in older adults, following predefined selection criteria. Risk of bias as well as small study effects were assessed and, wherever appropriate, information about effect sizes of individual studies pooled using random-effects meta-analyses. Sources for between-study heterogeneity were explored using meta-regression. RESULTS: Of n = 2223 identified articles, n = 67 were eventually included for narrative synthesis. Significant intervention effects were reported for a proportion of studies (55.9% and 50.0% for loneliness and social isolation, respectively) and 57.6% of studies including a follow-up measure (n = 29) reported sustained intervention effects. Meta-analysis of n = 27 studies, representing n = 1756 participants, suggested a medium overall effect of loneliness interventions (d = -0.47; 95% CI, -0.62 to -0.32). Between-study heterogeneity was substantial and could not be explained by differences in study design, year of publication, outcome measures, intervention length, participant demographics, setting, baseline level of loneliness, or geographic location. However, non-technology-based interventions reported larger effect sizes on average (Δd = -0.35; 95% CI, -0.66 to -0.04; P = .029) and were more often significant. Qualitative assessment of potential intervention mechanisms resulted in 3 clusters of effective components: "promoting social contact," "transferring knowledge and skills," and "addressing social cognition". CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Interventions for loneliness and social isolation can generally be effective, although some unexplained between-study heterogeneity remains. Further research is needed regarding the applicability of interventions across different settings and countries, also considering their cost-effectiveness.

The shifts in intergenerational relations in Cameroon and their potential impact on the health of older adults.

INTRODUCTION: Africa is experiencing a gradual demographic shift due to rising life expectancy and increasing urbanisation. In sub-Saharan Africa, elderly individuals typically reside with their children. The rise in life expectancy by almost a decade and the prevalence of precarious living conditions raise concerns about the sustainability of the healthcare system, which has traditionally relied on intergenerational solidarity. METHODS: The research aims to analyse the evolving role of older adults in Cameroonian society and to examine the potential impact of this change on intergenerational relationships and the health of older adults. A qualitative methodology was employed, using intergenerational focus groups in Cameroon. RESULTS: Traditionally, older adults held a central role in knowledge transmission through discourse. However, the modernisation of society is challenging this position.The emergence of new technologies, particularly communication tools, is leading to a questioning of older adults' experiential knowledge. Societal changes are contributing to a decline in respect for older adults in discourse. Older adults deplore these societal changes and fear for their place in society while young people are questioning the central role of older people in society. DISCUSSION: These changes could reduce the sense of usefulness of older people, with negative consequences for their health. Several studies have highlighted the impacts of ageism on the health of older adults in industrialised countries. However, there are little data on the impact of the marginalisation of older adults on their health in industrialising societies. Further research is needed to study the impact on the health of older adults.

Quality of Life and Health Determinants of Informal Caregivers Aged 65 Years and Over.

Informal caregivers' own quality of life, health status, and determinants are poorly understood despite their concern for the health of the individuals they assist. To compare the quality of life and the health determinants of older informal caregivers with those of older adults without caregiving responsibilities. An online survey was designed to investigate the quality of life and the health determinants of people aged 65 years and over, with a focus on informal caregivers. In addition to socio-demographic data, the number of informal caregivers was ascertained and the Zarit scale of caregiver burden was applied. Quality of life (SF-12) and health determinants (access to technology and level of physical activity (IPAQ)) were assessed and compared between informal caregivers and non-caregivers. A total of 111 participants were included in the study (70 ± 3.83 years, 71.2% women). The majority of respondents (91.8%) were Belgian. One-third of the respondents identified themselves as informal caregivers and declared themselves as having a severe burden (61.9 ± 15.2/88). Socio-demographic characteristics and access to technology were similar between informal caregivers and non-caregivers (p > 0.05). However, informal caregivers had a lower SF-12 score in the mental score domain (44.3 ± 10.2 vs. 50.7 ± 7.0; p = 0.004) and a lower level of physical activity (434 ± 312 METS/min/week vs. 1126 ± 815 METS/min/week; p = 0.01) than their peers. Informal caregivers reported a lower quality of life and a lower level of physical activity than their peers. Given the recognized importance of physical activity for overall health, this survey highlights the need to promote physical activity among older informal caregivers.

"What if It's not Just an Item of Clothing?" - A Narrative Review and Synthesis of the White Coat in the Context of Aged Care.

Although increasingly disputed, the white coat uniform is ubiquitous in geriatric care, which may reflect a phenomenon called medicalisation of ageing. This narrative review is the first attempt at integrating several theoretical approaches, such as the "white coat effect" and "enclothed cognition", in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the use of this clothing item. Based on extensive empirical evidence, we will examine the consequences of wearing a uniform, not only on patients (in this case, older patients) and healthcare professionals, but also on their relationship. The white coat has powerful symbolic functions for healthcare professionals and is still preferred by older adults. However, the negative repercussions of wearing a uniform require us to question its use, particularly in environments where older persons live, such as nursing homes.

Transforming nursing home culture: Opinions of older people. A cross-sectional study in Belgium.

A culture change movement is taking place in some nursing homes: from the traditional biomedical to more person-centred and relational environments. However, knowledge of the institutional preferences of older people among the general population is limited. We focused on identifying what is important to older people when choosing a nursing home. We also wanted to determine which type of environment (traditional or relational) they would be more inclined to enter; where they would feel better cared for and respected; where professionals would offer more adequate support; where older people would feel more at home, and where they would feel freer to live the life they wanted. A cross-sectional study based on the analysis of two brochures was conducted: one integrated traditional nursing home information, the other included information related to the culture change environment. Participants (n = 71) were first asked, when choosing a nursing home, what the most important features were. They were then asked to consider the two brochures and, after reading each, to assess their desire to enter the nursing home, their feelings about the care given by the professionals, the respect of their personal habits and their choices, the professional support, the home-like atmosphere and freedom to live their life. Finally, they were asked to choose one nursing home. The features cited by the participants were then evaluated by independent evaluators to identify their orientation (traditional or culture change nursing home). The majority was assessed as having a culture change in orientation. After reading the culture change brochure, participants felt more inclined to enter the nursing home, and believed that they would be better cared for, be more respected (habits and choices), and freer to live the life they desired in a home-like atmosphere, compared to the traditional brochure. Finally, most participants chose the culture change nursing home as their final choice. The results support the potential benefits of culture change within nursing home environments.

Does caring lead to stigmatisation? The perception of older people among healthcare professionals and the general population: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: It is well recognised that healthcare professionals are particularly at risk for developing a negative perception of older people. Indeed, in addition to receiving education centred on a biomedical view of ageing, they are constantly exposed to the most vulnerable and dependent older individuals. AIM: The purpose of our study is to compare the perception of older people between health professionals, working in a nursing home and the general population. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study. The perception of older people was measured using two different instruments: the image-of-ageing question and the Aging Semantic Differential (ASD) scale. We performed t-test to compare the perception of older individuals between the general population and healthcare professionals. RESULTS: The image-of-ageing question does not show any difference between the general population (n = 148) and healthcare professionals (n = 107). In these both groups, almost half of the words cited in reference to older individuals were negative. Concerning the ASD, results show that healthcare professionals have significantly more negative perceptions towards older individuals than the general population (with the control of age, gender and educational level). CONCLUSION: Healthcare professionals seem to have a more negative view of older people than the general population. Their regular contact with the frailest older adults could explain this finding. Another hypothesis could be a non-optimal quality of contact in nursing homes. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Such results highlight the importance to promote a more holistic view of ageing in educational programs of healthcare professional. Improving the quality of contact with nursing homes residents should be strongly considered to reduce ageism among healthcare professionals.