Social participation as an indicator of successful aging: an overview of concepts and their associations with health

Abstract

Objectives. Social participation has generated a wealth of research in gerontology, but the concept suffers from a lack of conceptual clarity that renders it difficult to define and measure. This means that research on social participation is difficult to compare directly. The aim of the present study was to draw the literature on social participation in older adults together to inform health services researchers seeking to investigate social participation as an indicator of successful aging.Methods. A narrative review of studies investigating the association between social participation and health in adults aged 65 years and older was conducted.Results. Three concepts of social participation (i.e. social connections, informal social participation and volunteering) were defined, their measurement instruments described and evidence of their associations with health explored. All three concepts have demonstrated associations with an array of health indicators. Prospective studies reveal that social participation at baseline is positively associated with mental and physical health. Conclusion.A model of social participation on health is presented, showing the evidence that all three concepts contribute to the association between social participation and health through their shared mechanisms of social support and social cohesion with the wider community. Using an instrument that can be separated into these three distinct concepts will assist health services researchers to determine the relative effect of each form of participation on the health of older adults.What is known about the topic? Social participation has generated a wealth of research in gerontology. The scope of the literature on social participation is broad and the concepts diverse. For this reason, most previous systematic reviews have been unable to comprehensively assess the effect of all concepts of social participation on health. This means the research on social participation is difficult to compare directly, and indicators of social participation in older adults are difficult for policy makers to select. What does this paper add? This paper overviews the three concepts of social participation, their methods of measurement and their associations with health in older adults. We present a model of social participation that incorporates all three concepts of social participation and their effects on health. We argue that the use of a measure that can be segmented into each of the three forms of social participation will predict more of the variance in health outcomes than any measure on its own. What are the implications for practitioners? Enhancing the social participation of older adults is a key factor in successful aging that many older adults value. However, many service provision organisations tend to focus on meeting the specific physical needs of clients, rather than targeting services that connect older adults with their community. Targeting social participation may present one of the greatest opportunities to improve older adults'...

Social participation among older adults (55+): Results of a survey in the region of South Limburg in the Netherlands

“…Thus, the region‐wide strategies aimed at tackling these regional challenges will remain indispensable. The improvement of population health status and enhancement of social participation are important for the successful ageing of the older adults (ActiveAge, , Douglas, Georgiou, & Westbrook, ). As suggested by previous studies, the focus should not only be on the specific physical needs of the older adults but also on strengthening the older adults’ connection with their community (Douglas et al., ).…”

“…Social participation is defined in our study as participating in the labour market, informal care or volunteer work. We recognise, however, that social participation could also be viewed as a broader concept (Douglas et al., ) and combinations of social activities should be considered in future studies. Further research is also needed to study the social participation rates and their determinants within and across the municipalities in the Netherlands.…”

Integrating social engagement instruments into Australian community aged care assessments to enhance service provision

“…While Delli-Colli, Dubuc, Hébert, Lestage, and Dubois (2013) found that identifying older adults' psychosocial needs can influence a social worker's decision to tailor services accordingly, adoption of psychosocial assessments has not yet been integrated into standard practice within community care. This is rather surprising given how social engagement and community participation is recognised as an indicator of successful ageing (Douglas, Georgiou, & Westbrook, 2016).…”

Factors that promote new or continuous participation in social group activity among Japanese community‐dwelling older adults: A 2‐year longitudinal study

“…Previous studies have reported that social participation decreases stress levels . In addition, social participation might prevent dementia onset and functional decline; and social participation greatly improves quality of life in older people …”

“…1 In addition, social participation might prevent dementia onset and functional decline; [2][3][4] and social participation greatly improves quality of life in older people. 5 According to a Japanese national survey, a substantial number of individuals who are currently non-participants in social groups are willing to engage in social groups. 6 To promote engagement in social group activities, it is necessary to identify factors that influence initiation of participation and develop interventions targeted at these factors.…”