Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-tj2md Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-23T15:34:24.169Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Health and Happiness for Elderly Institutionalized Canadians

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

Cheryl A. Cott  and
Mary T. Fox
Cheryl A. Cott
Affiliation:
University of Toronto
Mary T. Fox
Affiliation:
University of Toronto
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This study explored the determinants of self-rated health and happiness for elderly, institutionalized Canadians in the 1994/95 National Population Health Survey: Health Institutions. Separate ordinal logistic regression models were developed for self-rated health and happiness in a subsample of 780 elderly residents. The results indicate that older Canadians in institutions vary in their ratings of their health and happiness, and that demographic characteristics, illness-related factors, disability and social integration predict these variations. Both self-rated good health and happiness were consistently associated with being older, having fewer chronic diseases, fewer perceived memory difficulties and less pain. Whereas good health was associated with higher education and independence in ambulation, happiness was associated with greater grasping ability, more frequent attendance at group activities in the institution and the community and having a flexible schedule. These findings have important implications since many of the factors identified are potentially modifiable through rehabilitative and nursing interventions.

Résumé

Cette étude explore les facteurs déterminants de l'autoévaluation de la santé et du bonheur chez les aîné(e)s vivant en établissement d'après l'Enquête nationale sur la santé de la population de 1994/95. On a établi des modèles distincts de régression de logistique ordinale pour l'autoévaluation de la santé et du bonheur dans un sous-échantillonnage de 780 aîné(e)s vivant en établissement. Les résultats indiquent que les aîné(e)s canadien(ne)s vivant en établissement évaluent leur santé et leur bonheur à divers degrés et que l'on peut prédire les variations en fonction des caractéristiques démographiques, des facteurs de maladie, de l'invalidité et de l'intégration sociale. Une évaluation positive de la santé et du bonheur est toujours associée à un plus grand âge, à un degré réduit de maladie chronique, à un faible degré perçu de difficultés de mémoire et à moins de douleur. Alors que la bonne santé se joint à un plus grand degré d'instruction et de liberté de déplacement, le bonheur se relie à un meilleur réflexe d'agrippement, à une plus forte fréquentation des activités communes de l'établissement et de la communauté et à un horaire plus flexible. Ces résultats entraînent des conséquences importantes puisque plusieurs des facteurs relevés peuvent être modifiés par des programmes de rééducation ou des interventions infirmières.

Keywords

Self-Rated HealthHappinessOlder PersonsInstitutions.Autoévaluation de la santébonheuraîné(e)sinstitutions.
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 20 , Issue 4 , Hiver/Winter 2001 , pp. 517 - 536
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 2001

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Albert, S.M. (1997). Assessing health-related quality of life in chronic care populations. In Tersi, J.A., Lawton, J.A, Holmes, D., & Ory, M. (Eds.), Measurement in elderly chronic care populations. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.Google Scholar
Babchuk, N. (1978–1979). Aging and primary relations. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 9(2), 137–151.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Badley, E.M., Yoshida, K.K., Webster, G., & Stephens, M. (1993). Disablement and chronic health problems in Ontario. Ontario Health Survey 1990. Toronto: Ministry of Health; Working Paper No. 5.Google Scholar
Baltes, M.M., Neuman, E., & Zank, S. (1994). Maintenance and rehabilitation of independence in old age: an intervention program for staff. Psychology and Aging, 9, 179–188.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Baltes, M.M., & Reisenzein, R. (1986). The social world in long-term care institutions: Psychological control towards dependency. In Baltes, M.M. & Baltes, P.B. (Eds.), The psychology of control and aging (pp. 315–343). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Berkman, L.F., & Syme, L. (1979). Social networks, host resistance, and mortality: a nine year follow-up study of Alameda County residents. American Journal of Epidemiology, 109, 176–204.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Borawski, E.A., Kinney, J.M., & Kahana, E. (1996). The meaning of older adults' health appraisals: Congruence with health status and determinant of mortality. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 51B, S157–S170.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bowling, A. (1990). Associations with life satisfaction among very elderly people living in a deprived part of inner London. Social Sciences and Medicine, 31, 1003–1011.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bowling, A., Farquhar, M., Grundy, E., & Formby, J. (1993). Changes in life satisfaction over a two and a half year period among very elderly people living in London. Social Sciences and Medicine, 36, 641–655.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Canadian Study of Health and Aging Working Group. (1994). Canadian Study of Health and Aging: study methods and prevalence of dementia. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 150, 899–913.Google Scholar
Chipperfield, J.G. (1993). Incongruence between health perceptions and health problems. Journal of Aging and Health, 5, 475–496.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cott, C.A., Gignac, M.A.M., & Badley, E.M. (1999). Determinants of self-rated health for Canadians with chronic disease and disability. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 53, 731–736.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
de Roiste, A. (1996). Sources of worry and happiness in Ireland. Irish Journal of Psychology, 17, 193–212.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ferraro, K.F. (1980). Self-ratings of health among the old and old-old. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 21, 377–383.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ferrel, B.A. (1991). Pain management in elderly people. Journal of the American Geriatric Society, 39, 647–73.Google Scholar
Field, D., & Minkler, M. (1988). Continuity and change in social support between young-old and old-old or very-old age. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 43(4), 100–106.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fox, M.F., & Gooding, B.A. (1998). Physical mobility and social integration: Then-relationship to the well-being of older Canadians. Canadian Journal on Aging, 17(4), 3727–383.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gooding, B.A., Sloan, M., & Amsel, R. (1988). The well-being of older Canadians. The Canadian Journal of Nursing Research, 20, 5–18.Google ScholarPubMed
Graham, J.E., Rockwood, K., Beattie, B.L., Eastwood, R., Gauthier, S., Tuokko, H., & McDowell, I. (1997). Prevalence and severity of cognitive impairment with and without dementia in the elderly population. Lancet, 349, 1793–1796.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grant, K.R., & Chappell, N.L. (1983). The satisfaction and functional disability among day hospital participants. Social Sciences and Medicine, 17, 71–78.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Helgeson, V.S. (1992). Moderators of the relation between perceived control and adjustment to chronic illness. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 63, 656–666.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Herman, E., & Scudds, R. (1995). Pain. In Pickles, B., Cott, C., Compton, A., Simpson, J., & Vandervoort, A. (Eds.), Physiotherapy with older people (pp. 289–304). London: WB Saunders.Google Scholar
Hoeymans, N., Feskens, E.J.M., Kromhout, D., & Van Den Bos, G.A.M. (1997). Ageing and the relationship between functional status and self-rated health in elderly men. Social Science and Medicine, 45, 1527–1536.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hooker, K., & Siegler, I.C. (1992). Separating applies from organs in health ratings: perceived health includes psychological well-being. Behaviour, Health and Aging, 2, 81–92.Google Scholar
House, J.S., Landis, K.R., & Umberson, D. (1981). Social relationships and health. Science, 241, 540–545.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Idler, E.L. (1992). Age differences in self-assessments of health: age changes, cohort differences or survivorship. New Brunswick, NJ: Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research.Google Scholar
Idler, E.L., & Kasl, S.V. (1991). Health perceptions and survival: Do global evaluations of health status really predict mortality? Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 46, S55–S65.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Idler, E.L., & Kasl, S.V. (1995). Self-ratings of health: do they also predict change in functional ability? Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 50B, S344–S353.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ishii-Kuntz, M. (1990). Social interaction and psychological well-being: Comparisons across stages of adulthood. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 30, 15–30.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kahn, R.L. (1995). Predictors of elderly happiness. Activity, Adaptation and Aging, 19(3), 11–30.Google Scholar
Kahn, R.L., & Antonucci, T.C. (1983). Social supports of the elderly: Family/ friends/professionals. Final report to the National Institute on Aging.Google Scholar
Kaplan, B.H., Cassel, J.C., & Gore, S. (1977). Social support and health. Medical Care, 15, 46–57.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Levkoff, S.E., Cleary, P.D., & Wetle, T. (1987). Differences in appraisals of health between aged and middle-aged adults. Journal of Gerontology, 42, 114–120.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Maddox, G.L. (1962). Some correlates of differences in self-assessment of health status among the elderly. Journal of Gerontology, 17, 180–185.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Maddox, G.L., & Douglass, E.B. (1973). Self-assessment of health: A longitudinal study of elderly subjects. Journal of Health and Social Behaviour, 28, 131–139.Google Scholar
McNeil, J.K. (1995). Effects of nonprofessional home visit programs for subclinically unhappy and unhealthy older adults. Special Issue: Community-based programs and services for aging special-care populations. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 14, 333–342.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Menec, V.H., & Chipperfield, J.G. (1997). The interactive effect of perceived control and functional status on health and mortality among young-old and old-old adults. Journal of Gerontology, 52B, P118–P126.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mossey, J.M., & Shapiro, E. (1982). Self-rated health: A predictor of mortality among the elderly. American Journal of Public Health, 72, 800–808.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rakowski, W., & Cryan, C.D. (1990). Associations among health perceptions and health status within three age groups. Journal of Aging and Health, 2, 58–80.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ray, R.O., & Heppe, G. (1986). Older adult happiness: The contributions of activity breadth and intensity. Physical and Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics, 4, 31–43.Google Scholar
Rodin, J., & Langer, E.J. (1977). Long-term effects of a control-relevant intervention with the institutionalised aged. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 35, 897–902.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rodin, J., Timko, C, & Harris, S. (1985). The construct of control: Biological and psychological correlates. Annual Review of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 5, 3–55.Google Scholar
Shanas, E., Townsend, P., Wedderburn, D., Friis, P., Milhoj, P., & Stehouwer, J. (1968). Older people in three industrial societies. New York: Atherton Press.Google Scholar
Solomon, K. (1982). Social antecedents of learned helplessness in the health care setting. The Gerontologist, 22, 282–287.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Statistics Canada. (1996). National Population Health Survey: Health institutions 1994–95: public use microdata files. Ottawa: Statistics Canada.Google Scholar
Stokes, M.E., Davis, C.S., & Koch, G.G. (1995). Categorical data analysis using the SAS System. SAS Institute Inc.Google Scholar
Stolar, E.G., MacEntee, M.I., & Hill, P. (1993). The elderly: Their perceived supports and reciprocal behaviors. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 19, 15–33.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stoller, E.P. (1984). Self-assessments of health by the elderly. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 25, 260–270CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stones, M.J., Doran, B., & Kozma, A. (1989). The prediction of mortality in elderly institution residents. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 44(3), P72–P79.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tully, P., & Mohl, C. (1995). Older residents of health care institutions. Health Reports, 7, 27–30.Google ScholarPubMed
Wolinsky, F.D., Coe, R.M., Miller, D.K., & Predergast, J.M. (1985). Correlates of change in subjective well-being among the elderly. Journal of Community Health, 10, 93–107.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zhan, L. (1992). Quality of life: Conceptual and measurement issues. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 17, 795–800.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zautra, A.M., Reich, J.W., & Newsom, J.T. (1995). Autonomy and sense of control among older adults: An examination of their effects on mental health. In Bond, L.A., Cutler, S.J., & Grams, A. (Eds.), Promoting successful and productive aging (pp. 153–170). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Google Scholar