piloting an intervention to promote well-being in older adults
DESCRIPTION
Piloting an Intervention to Promote Well-Being in Older Adults. A one-year translational research grant from ICTR, UW Madison. Community/Academic Partners. University of Wisconsin-Madison Elliot Friedman, PhD Carol Ryff, PhD Kenosha County ADRC LaVerne Jaros Renee Foy Helen Sampson - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Piloting an Intervention to Promote Well-Being in Older Adults
A one-year translational research grant from ICTR, UW Madison
Community/Academic Partners
University of Wisconsin-MadisonElliot Friedman, PhD Carol Ryff, PhD
Kenosha County ADRCLaVerne JarosRenee FoyHelen SampsonDebbie Rueber
WELL BEING
Different than absence of depression Well Being is:
Hedonic--More positive emotions than negative ones, general satisfaction with life
Eudaimonic—Engagement in pursuits that are personally meaningful and valued
MEASURES OF WELL-BEINGHaedonic Measures
•Happiness, joy•Depression, sadness•General satisfaction with life
Ryff Scales•Autonomy My decisions are not usually influenced by what everyone else is doing•Environmental Mastery I general, I feel I am in charge of the situation in which I live•Personal Growth For me, life has been a continuous process of learning, changing, and growth•Purpose in Life I enjoy making plans for the future and working to make them a reality•Positive social relationships Most people see me as loving and affectionate•Self-acceptance When I look at the story of my life, I am pleased with how things have turned out
WHY ARE WE CONCERNED ABOUT WELL-BEING?
Studies have shown:• Sense of well-being is lower among older adults than
younger persons• Correlations between well-being, positive health measures
and longevity
Nun StudyWritten expression of positive emotions at age 22 predicted
longer life decades later Danner et al. J Personality Social Psych, 2001
Chicago Study1,238 healthy adults in their 70s living in the community in Chicago
Purpose in life is protective against Alzheimer’s Disease and cognitive impairmentSame study- 7 year follow-up
90th 2.4 times as likely to remain free of Alzheimer’s
Disease than 10th
90th 2.4 times as likely to remain free of Alzheimer’s
Disease than 10th
Boyle et al, Archives of General Psychiatry, 2010
Philosophical Transactions of Royal Society of London, 2004
WELL-BEING AND BIOLOGY
135 older women living independently in Wisconsin Aging women with higher well-being (purpose in life,
positive relations) had: Lower cardiovascular risk Better neuroendocrine regulation Lower inflammatory markers Better sleep
“…centenarians are often extroverts who embrace the world from an optimistic and carefree perspective…neuroticism was notably the exception.”
”…’the main message of the study is that [although] these centenarians have a 'nice' personality now, that was not always the case,’ opening the door to the notion that it's never too late to adopt a ‘can-do’ spirit”
PROMOTING WELL-BEING
Well-Being Therapy (WBT) Based on cognitive behavioral therapy Focus on improving awareness of positive
experiences and extending their enjoyment
Fava et al, Archives of General Psychiatry, 1998
Well-being therapy and depression
Fava et al, Archives of General Psychiatry, 1998
Promoting Well Being Among Older Adults: Lighten UP! 8-week program
Centered on eudaimonic well-being 90 min class sessions-various community settings
Group discussion; brainstorming Cognitive behavioral therapeutic perspectives on emotion Theories of well-being
Daily homework (well-being diaries)
Evaluation Open-ended questions about program Questionnaires before and after program
Psychological well-being Overall health and vitality Depression
Lighten UP! Progress
6 classes, January-June, 201256 participants completing 7-8 sessions
Preliminary data Descriptive information on 49 participants 7 men and 42 women Average age = 73.4 (range: 60-97) 33% married 42% have High School degree or less 63% live alone Before and after data on 27 participants
In their own words…
“…becoming more aware of what might ‘interrupt the positive’” “I learned that most of my bad feelings about getting old are
fixable by me. My approach and outlook are paramount to getting through and enjoying the last part of me.”
“More aware of doing some things that were mundane but very important to my life.”
“I learned how to handle life’s ups and downs better through hearing others’ experiences...”
“Each day brings something of value.” “I truly see how my diminished health has changed the way I
handle my life now. I am happy that I accept the adjustments I’ve made.”
“I do things with friends more. I’m exercising more.” “Took positive steps to control leg pain.” “Have begun to take a broader look at my emotional reactions to
things.”
Lighten UP!Psychological Well-Being
Lighten UP!Vitality
How much of the time during the last 4 weeks did you have a lot of energy?
1 2 3 4 5 6
None of the time
A little of the time
Some of the time
A good bit of the time
Most of the time
All of the time
Lighten UP!Geriatric Depression Scale
50% decrease
SUCCESSES•Recruitment close to target (56/60)•High completion rates•Positive outcomes for participants•Leader manual and materials developed•Wonderful individual stories
CHALLENGES•Staffing for part time, short term project•Delay in start due to IRB approval requirements•Continued funding
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Control group To determine whether improvements are related to the
program or to something more generic (e.g. social interaction)
Expand the program More counties Telephone- or computer-based version for home-bound
seniors Extend the measures
Biological variables Funding to sustain program