It Has Health Benefits
By BAR-ILAN UNIVERSITY
Could the saying apply to elderly folks who are recovering from
physical disabilities? Apparently so. Israeli researchers from Bar-Ilan University have shown that, even in
old age, having a youthful mindset might improve one’s chances of successfully
recovering from medical conditions. Their research was recently published in
the journal Gerontology.
The research followed 194 adult patients, aged 73 to 84, who were being treated for osteoporotic fractures or strokes at various rehab centers around Israel.
The two health conditions that older individuals dread the most
are fractures (usually brought on by falls) and stroke. This is because both of
these conditions often cause the loss of one’s functional independence.
Multiple interviews with patients were conducted during their recuperation. They were questioned about their emotions, experiences, and perceived age (how young they felt).
The nursing staff used the Functional
Independence Measurement (FIM) exam to evaluate the patients’ functional
independence at both admission and discharge.
At release, about a month after being admitted to the hospital, patients who felt younger (had a younger subjective age) had greater functional independence. Feeling younger has been shown to have positive effects on individuals recovering from osteoporotic fractures and stroke. The researchers also discovered that those who felt younger recovered more quickly because they had more hope for recovering their functioning skills.
“The effect of subjective age at admission on functional independence at discharge was confirmed,” says Prof. Amit Shrira, from the Gerontology Program at the Department of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, who led the study together with Prof. Ehud Bodner, also from the Interdisciplinary Social Sciences department.
“However, the reverse effect — that of functional
independence at admission on subjective age at discharge — was not confirmed.
This supports the conclusion that a younger age identity is an important
psychological construct that contributes to a more successful rehabilitation,”
added Shrira, who conducted the research with Dr. Daphna Magda Kalir from the
Gender Studies Program, among others.
Surprisingly, subjective age was the strongest predictor of rehabilitation outcomes, stronger even than patients’ chronological age and multiple chronic health conditions occurring simultaneously (physical multimorbidity) at admission.
Chronological age and physical multimorbidity are
generally considered by health care practitioners in determining prognosis, whereas
subjective age is unknown to most practitioners. “Those who feel younger can
maintain their health and functioning for longer periods, and as the current
study shows, can recuperate better from disability. Therefore, by perceiving
themselves to age successfully people may preserve a healthy and vigorous
lifestyle,” says Shrira.
In view of the findings, the researchers suggest that clinicians
consider evaluating patients’ subjective age when they design rehabilitation
protocols. A younger subjective age may motivate older individuals to adhere to
the rehabilitation protocol following osteoporotic fracture and stroke. Future
research could assist in designing interventions geared to induce a younger
subjective age in patients that might assist them in rehabilitating more
successfully. Such interventions may help correct false beliefs about aging and
include cognitive techniques that help change negative automatic thoughts about
aging.
Reference: “Feeling Younger, Rehabilitating Better: Reciprocal and
Mediating Effects between Subjective Age and Functional Independence in
Osteoporotic Fracture and Stroke Patients” by Kalir D.M., Shrira A., Palgi Y.,
Batz C., Ben-Eliezer A., Heyman N., Lieberman D., Seleznev I., Shugaev I.,
Zaslavsky O., Zikrin E. and Bodner E., 25 May 2022, Gerontology.
DOI:
10.1159/000524885
This study was funded by the Israeli Ministry of Science,
Technology, and Space.