This paper provides a detailed description of the experimental design and chronology of the Evergreen Project, the aims of which were to profile the health and functional capacity of the elderly population of Jyväskylä, Finland, to examine changes in health and functional capacity over time, and to identify the factors related to living conditions and lifestyle that predict changes in functional capacity and health. Residents of Jyväskylä were invited to participate in a series of interviews and laboratory testing sessions. The interviews focused on (a) illnesses, the use of drugs, perceived health, symptoms, and psychosocial well-being, (b) physical and mental capacity and ADL functional capacity, (c) social togetherness and community activity, and (d) living conditions. lifestyle, and life history. The laboratory examinations assessed health status and drug use. anthropometric status, physical performance. sensory functions, perceptual-motor coordination, cognitive capacity and metacognitions. and neuropsychological functioning. A detailed breakdown of the participation and attrition rates, demographic characteristics, and normative data for each age cohort is provided.
Search Results
Background, Design, and Methods of the Evergreen Project
Eino Heikkinen
Navigating a New Normal: Perceptions and Experiences of an Online Exercise Program for Older Adults During COVID-19
Sarah C. Galway, Meghan H.D. Laird, Matthieu Dagenais, and Kimberley L. Gammage
65+ years), at-home supervised exercise may lead to increased adherence to exercise programs ( King et al., 2000 ). Beauchamp et al. ( 2021 ) assessed the impact of an online exercise program on well-being in low-active older adults (aged 65+ years) during COVID-19 restrictions in Canada
Effects of Sport Participation on Gait Coordination, Symmetry, and Variability in Older Adults
Mohsen Shafizadeh, Stuart Bonner, Jonathan Fraser, Shahab Parvinpour, Mohsen Shabani, and Andrew Barnes
sustained physical function ( Edholm et al., 2019 ). Some older adults also participate in organized sports to maintain their health and well-being ( Jenkin et al., 2016 ; Stenner et al., 2020 ). Sport participation has been reported to offer numerous health benefits including a reduced risk of
How Sedentary Are Older People? A Systematic Review of the Amount of Sedentary Behavior
Juliet A. Harvey, Sebastien F.M. Chastin, and Dawn A. Skelton
Background/objectives:
Sedentary behavior (SB), defined as sitting (nonexercising), reclining, and lying down (posture), or by low energy expenditure, is a public health risk independent to physical activity. The objective of this systematic literature review was to synthesize the available evidence on amount of SB reported by and measured in older adults.
Data source:
Studies published between 1981 and 2014 were identified from electronic databases and manual searching. Large-scale population studies/surveys reporting the amount of SB (objective/subjective) in older adults aged ≥ 60 years of age were included. Appraisal and synthesis was completed using MOOSE guidelines.
Results:
349,698 adults aged ≥ 60 within 22 studies (10 countries and 1 EU-wide) were included. Objective measurement of SB shows that older adults spend an average of 9.4 hr a day sedentary, equating to 65–80% of their waking day. Self-report of SB is lower, with average weighted self-reports being 5.3 hr daily. Within specific domains of SB, older adults report 3.3 hr in leisure sitting time and 3.3 hr watching TV. There is an association with more time spent in SB as age advances and a trend for older men to spend more time in SB than women.
Conclusion/implications:
Time spent sedentary ranges from 5.3–9.4 hr per waking day in older adults. With recent studies suggesting a link between SB, health, and well-being, independent of physical activity, this is an area important for successful aging.
Limitations:
Different methodologies of measurement and different reporting methods of SB made synthesis difficult. Estimated SB time from self-report is half of that measured objectively; suggesting that most self-report surveys of SB will vastly underestimate the actual time spent in SB.
Challenges to Engaging Older Adults in a Group-Based Walking Intervention: Lessons From the Residents in Action Trial
Jenny L. Olson, Anthony Papathomas, Marlene Kritz, Nikos Ntoumanis, Eleanor Quested, and Cecilie Thøgersen-Ntoumani
population that have the potential to contribute to improved health, well-being, and quality of life among older adults. Group-based physical activity interventions set in retirement villages offer a promising approach to increasing physical activity in this population, though engaging older adults in group
The Effects of Virtual Reality Training on Cognition in Older Adults: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Meta-Regression of Randomized Controlled Trials
Mirjami Kantola, Outi Ilves, Sari Honkanen, Harto Hakonen, Riku Yli-Ikkelä, Anna Köyhäjoki, Marjo-Riitta Anttila, Aki Rintala, Hilkka Korpi, Tuulikki Sjögren, Juha Karvanen, and Eeva Aartolahti
structures, performance and participation, quality of life, physical and mental well-being, need for assistance, and ability to study and work. Eligible studies were limited to parallel and cross-over RCT designs (S). In the second phase of screening, more specific PICOS criteria were applied. Original peer
Strength and Balance in Recreational Golfers and Non-Golfers Aged 65–79 Years in Community Settings
David A. Wilson, Simon Brown, Paul E. Muckelt, Martin B. Warner, Sandra Agyapong-Badu, Danny Glover, Andrew D. Murray, Roger A. Hawkes, and Maria Stokes
) reported evidence of the physical (cardiovascular and respiratory) and psychosocial (mental health and well-being) benefits, and greater life expectancy ( Farahmand et al., 2009 ), associated with playing golf but found limited evidence in relation to strength and balance. Although there is some evidence
An Intentionally Designed Walking Program for Seniors Results in Enhanced Community Connection
Kellie Walters, Mary Marshall, Alexandra Nicole Wilkinson, and Michael Duxx Natividad
two vital components of positive health and well-being in older adults ( Nowell & Boyd, 2010 ; Taylor, 2014 ), and both have been associated with decreased rates of loneliness ( Dumitrache, Rubio, & Rubio-Herrera, 2017 ; Pels & Kleinert, 2016 ). This study focuses on a walking program that provided
Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Their Predictors Among Nursing Home Residents—Cross-Sectional Results of the BaSAlt Study
Rebekka Pomiersky, Leon Matting, Daniel Haigis, Gerhard W. Eschweiler, Annika Frahsa, Andreas Niess, Ansgar Thiel, and Gordon Sudeck
; Rezende et al., 2014 ) were found. Aims of the Study The aims of this study are (a) to objectively measure and describe PA and SB among nursing home residents and (b) to analyze age, gender, BMI, cognitive status, physical performance, ADLs, and well-being as possible predictors for PA and SB among
“I Hear the Music and My Spirits Lift!” Pleasure and Ballroom Dancing for Community-Dwelling Older Adults
Sarah R. Chipperfield and Paul Bissell
extended years in work ( Dominiczak et al., 2014 ). Therefore, designing effective, multifaceted health and well-being policies for an aging population is a pressing concern. Due to the rise of the aging population over the last decade, worldwide health policy has focused its priorities on the theme of