| Autor: |
Lahti AM; Gerontology Research Center and Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland.; Folkhälsan Research Center, 00250 Helsinki, Finland., Mikkola TM; Folkhälsan Research Center, 00250 Helsinki, Finland.; Clinicum, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland., Salonen M; Folkhälsan Research Center, 00250 Helsinki, Finland.; Public Health Promotion Unit, National Institute for Health and Welfare, 00271 Helsinki, Finland., Wasenius N; Folkhälsan Research Center, 00250 Helsinki, Finland.; Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, 00014 Helsinki, Finland., Sarvimäki A; The Age Institute, 00520 Helsinki, Finland., Eriksson JG; Folkhälsan Research Center, 00250 Helsinki, Finland.; Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore 117609, Singapore.; Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Human Potential Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077, Singapore., von Bonsdorff MB; Gerontology Research Center and Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland.; Folkhälsan Research Center, 00250 Helsinki, Finland. |
| Abstrakt: |
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. |
