Depression, Loneliness, Social Support, Activities of Daily Living, and Life Satisfaction in Older Adults at High-Risk of Dementia

Abstract

As the number of older adults with dementia increases, early diagnosis and intervention are crucially important. The purpose of this study was to conduct dementia screening on older adults to determine whether there are differences in depression, loneliness, social support, daily activities of living, and life satisfaction between older adults at high-risk for dementia compared with low-risk older adults. We hypothesized a negative relationship between high-risk older adults and these factors. This study also hypothesized a moderating effect for social support on the relationship between daily living activities and life satisfaction. This study used a cross-sectional design with survey data. Participants were recruited at 15 public community health centers in South Korea. A total of 609 older adults (male 208, female 401) living in the community were screened for early dementia, and 113 participants (18.9%) were assigned to the high-risk group. As hypothesized, participants in the high-risk group showed significantly more negative results in terms of activities of daily living, depression, loneliness, social support, and life satisfaction compared with participants in the low-risk group. The findings of this study provide a theoretical basis for the importance of early screening for dementia and policies for effective dementia prevention.

Relationships among mental health, social capital and life satisfaction in rural senior older adults: a structural equation model

“…On the other hand, it can be reaped from the model that mental health promoted life satisfaction, which was consistent to other studies [ 12 , 41 , 43 ]. Worse mental health in older adults, such as depression, manifests in physical symptoms, such as loss of appetite, lack of motivation and sleep disturbances.…”

Higher dietary diversity as a protective factor against depression among older adults in China: a cross-sectional study

“…The main limitation is the cross-sectional design which makes it impossible to determine the directionality of our findings. Depression or anxiety can have positive or negative effects on food intake (50,51). Thus, we cannot discount the possibility of a reverse association in which depression and anxiety may interfere with dietary diversity (52).…”

Muscle Strength Moderates the Relationship between Nutritional Health Risk and Depression in Korean Older Adults

“…Second, maintaining muscle mass and strength itself may minimize or counteract the risk of late-in-life depression [ 49 ]. For example, strong muscle strength is associated with physical independence, fewer difficulties performing daily activities, lower risk for experiencing physical disabilities, and better quality of life [ 50 , 51 ]. Furthermore, muscle contraction has an anti-depressant effect by suppressing pro-inflammatory responses (i.e., decreased levels of circulating tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin 6) while enhancing anti-inflammatory responses (i.e., increased levels of circulating interleukin-10 and brain-derived neurotrophic factor) [ 52 , 53 ].…”