MODERATING THE EFFECTS OF COGNITIVE DECLINE ON DAILY FUNCTIONING IN OLDER ADULTS: THE ROLE OF SOCIAL SUPPORT
2024
The Role of Social Support in Cognitive Decline and Daily Functioning in Older Adults
Sample size: 6238
publication
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): Cho Youngmin, Wu Bei, Zou Baiming, Song Lixin, Anderson Ruth, Beeber Anna
Hypothesis
Does social support moderate the relationship between cognitive status and daily functioning in older adults?
Conclusion
Social support factors can help mitigate declines in daily functioning among older adults with cognitive impairments.
Supporting Evidence
- Daily functioning significantly declined over time as cognitive status worsened.
- Living arrangements moderated the relationship between cognitive status and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL).
- Increased participation in social activities eased the decline in activities of daily living (ADL) for individuals with probable dementia.
Takeaway
Having friends and participating in social activities can help older people with memory problems do daily tasks better.
Methodology
Data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) was analyzed using linear mixed-effects models.
Participant Demographics
Community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and over in the US.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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