Mental, Physical and Social Functioning in Independently Living Senior House Residents and Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Anna-Maria Lahti, Tuija M. Mikkola, Minna Salonen, Niko Wasenius, Anneli Sarvimäki, Johan G. Eriksson and Mikaela B. von Bonsdorff
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Anna-Maria Lahti: Gerontology Research Center and Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
Tuija M. Mikkola: Folkhälsan Research Center, 00250 Helsinki, Finland
Minna Salonen: Folkhälsan Research Center, 00250 Helsinki, Finland
Niko Wasenius: Folkhälsan Research Center, 00250 Helsinki, Finland
Anneli Sarvimäki: The Age Institute, 00520 Helsinki, Finland
Johan G. Eriksson: Folkhälsan Research Center, 00250 Helsinki, Finland
Mikaela B. von Bonsdorff: Gerontology Research Center and Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 23, 1-11

Abstract: Senior houses provide social interaction and support, potentially supporting older people’s physical and mental functioning. Few studies have investigated functioning of senior house residents. The aim was to compare functioning between senior house residents and community-dwelling older adults in Finland. We compared senior house residents ( n = 336, 69% women, mean age 83 years) to community-dwelling older adults ( n = 1139, 56% women, mean age 74 years). Physical and mental functioning were assessed using the SF 36-Item Health Survey. Loneliness and frequency of social contacts were self-reported. The analyses were adjusted for age, socioeconomic factors and diseases. Physical functioning was lower among men in senior houses compared to community-dwelling men (mean 41.1 vs. 46.4, p = 0.003). Mental functioning or the frequency of social contacts did not differ between type of residence in either sex. Loneliness was higher among women in senior houses compared to community-dwelling women (OR = 1.67, p = 0.027). This was not observed in men. Results suggest that women in senior houses had similar physical and mental functioning compared to community-dwelling women. Male senior house residents had poorer physical functioning compared to community-dwelling men. Women living in senior houses were lonelier than community-dwelling women despite the social environment.

Keywords: mental functioning; older people; physical functioning; loneliness; senior housing; social contacts (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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