Abstract
Objectives
Despite a basic need for social connection, individuals across the adult lifespan sometimes seek solitude—a phenomenon that is not well understood. This study examined situational ...and affective correlates of solitude-seeking and how they may differ between middle-aged and older adults.
Method
One hundred community-dwelling adults aged 50–85 years (64% female, 56% East Asian, 36% European, 8% other) completed approximately 30 electronic daily life assessments over 10 days regarding their current location, affect, activities, and current and desired social context.
Results
Solitude was common; 86% of solitude instances happened by individuals’ own choosing. When desiring solitude, older adults were more likely to be at home and less likely to be outdoors, compared to other locations. Middle-aged adults showed no such solitude-location associations. Among middle-aged adults, desire for solitude was associated with decreased positive affect. Older adults experienced no such dip in affect.
Discussion
Findings suggest that compared to middle-aged adults, older adults are more likely to go to locations that match their desired social context, and also that solitude-seeking has more positive ramifications for older adults. Findings are discussed in the context of age differences in activities, social preferences, and emotion regulation.
Past research documents a discordance between perceived and objectively assessed neighborhood environmental features on walking behavior. Therefore, we examined differences in the perception of the ...same neighborhood built environment. Participants were grouped if they lived 400 m or closer to each other. The perception of the pedestrian infrastructure, neighborhood aesthetics, safety from crime, and safety from traffic was derived from a telephone survey from two North American metropolitan areas; 173 individuals were clustered into 42 groups. Older adults who walked for transport in their neighborhood experienced the same neighborhood as more walkable (β = .19; p = .011) with better pedestrian infrastructure (β = .16; p = .037). Older adults with physical limitations experienced the same neighborhood as less safe from crime (β = −.17; p = .030) and traffic (β = −.20; p = .009). The study supports the notion that individual behavior and physical restrictions alter the environment’s perception and explains part of the discordance between objective and subjective assessment of the neighborhood environment.
تعد الكلمة التضعيفية ظاهرة مهمة في كل الدراسات اللغوية لأنها تعكس الكثير من الوظائف في توصيل اللغة مثل الجمع والتأكيد والتناقض والتقليد اضافة الى العديد من الامثلة التي تعكس غزارة وتفرد اللغات ...والثقافة والفكر ولذلك الكلمة التضعيفية هي ظاهرة لغوية موجودة على المستوى النحوي والصرفي والصوتي والدلالي ولهذا السبب تسعى الدراسة الحالية للتحقق من القوة الأنجازية للكلمات التضعيفية على المستوى التداولي في بعض الألفاظ الشعبية الانكليزية ولقد استخدم الباحث المنهج التحليلي التداولي عن طريق تبني نموذج سيرل (Searle 1979) الذي يهدف الى تصنيف افعال الكلام من اجل التعرف وتحديد القوة الانجازية للكلمات التضعيفية. ولقد اظهرت النتائج بان متعلمي اللغة الاجنبية كلغة ثانية يواجهون صعوبات في التعرف على القوة الانجازية لانهم يفتقرون الى الخلفية الثقافية المتعلقة بالكلمات التضعيفية. وان أغلبية الاخطاء التي ارتكبها متعلمي اللغة الأجنبية كانت في اختبار الانتاج بسبب جهلهم وعدم المامهم باستخدام الكلمات التضعيفية لانها تتطلب معرفة ودراية وممارسة مكثفة اما فيما يتعلق باختبار التعرف فقد ارتكب هؤلاء المتعلمين أخطاء قليلة وذلك لانهم يمتلكون نوعا ما كفاءة تداولية بخصوص هذه الكلمات.
ABSTRACTUnderstanding how the outdoor environment shapes the community mobility of people with visual disabilities is key to designing an accessible public realm and facilitating their rights to use ...outdoor spaces. A scoping review was conducted to explore 1) What aspects of the built environment affect the community mobility of persons with visual disabilities? and 2) How does the built environment affect the community mobility of persons with visual disabilities? Forty-three peer-reviewed publications from 2000 to 2022 were included after conducting database searches, screening of articles, and data charting. Studies focused on micro-environmental features related to sidewalks and crosswalks (e.g. landmarks, curbs, curb ramps, tactile warning/guiding surfaces, and accessible pedestrian signals), and broad environmental factors (e.g. neighbourhood amenities and street layout) and their influence on orientation, wayfinding, and safety. The paper discusses the role of the built environment in 1) posing barriers to outdoor mobility (e.g. potholes, poorly designed curb cuts, obstacles at waist-height or eye-level, poor lighting, inadequate pedestrian signal, complicated street layout), and 2) offering cues (e.g. visual, tactile, auditory, olfactory, kinaesthetic) for spatial perception and navigation. Focusing on how the built environment shapes community mobility is necessary to enhance accessibility through urban planning and design and assistive technology.
A walkable neighborhood becomes particularly important for older adults for whom physical activity and active transportation are critical for healthy aging-in-place. For many older adults, regular ...walking takes place in the neighborhood and is the primary mode of mobility. This study took place in eight neighborhoods in Metro Portland (USA) and Metro Vancouver (Canada), examining older adults' walking behavior and neighborhood built environmental features. Older adults reported walking for recreation and transport in a cross-sectional telephone survey. Information on physical activity was combined with audits of 355 street segments using the Senior Walking Environmental Audit Tool-Revised (SWEAT-R). Multi-level regression models examined the relationship between built environmental characteristics and walking for transport or recreation. Older adults
= 434, mean age: 71.6 (
= 8.1) walked more for transport in high-density neighborhoods and in Metro Vancouver compared to Metro Portland (
= 12.8 vs.
= 2.2 min/day;
< 0.001). No relationship was found between population density and walking for recreation. Older adults spent more time walking for transport if pedestrian crossing were present (
= 0.037) and if parks or outdoor fitness amenities were available (
= 0.022). The immediate neighborhood built environment supports walking for transport in older adults. Comparing two similar metropolitan areas highlighted that high population density is necessary, yet not a sufficient condition for walking in the neighborhood.
This pilot project asked: How do ethnically diverse older adult residents of assisted living (AL) facilities in British Columbia (BC) experience quality of life? And, what role, if any, do ...organizational and physical environmental features play in influencing how quality of life is experienced? The study was conducted at three AL sites in BC: two ethnoculturally targeted and one nontargeted. Environmental audits at each site captured descriptive data on policies, fees, rules, staffing, meals, and activities, and the built environment of the AL building and neighborhood. Using a framework that understands the quality of life of older adults to be contingent on their capability to pursue 5 conceptual attributes-attachment, role, enjoyment, security, and control-we conducted 3 focus groups with residents (1 per site) and 6 interviews with staff (2 per site). Attributes were linked to the environmental features captured in the audits. All dimensions of the environment, especially organizational, influence tenants' capability to attain the attributes of quality of life, most importantly control. Although many tenants accept the trade-off between increased safety and diminished control that accompanies a move into AL, more could be done to minimize that loss. Social workers can advocate for the necessary multi-sectoral changes.
The neighbourhood socio-physical environment has effects on health in later life including health behaviours, chronic illnesses, mental health and mortality. Few studies have examined the ...relationship of both physical environmental features and social aspects of neighbourhood with older adults' physical activity.
This study examined the relationship of neighbourhood physical and social environment with physical activity among older adults.
A cross-sectional telephone survey was conducted with 434 older adults in eight neighbourhoods in greater Vancouver, Canada and Portland, United States. Data included participants' perceptions of their neighbourhood built and social environment factors and levels of physical activity. A logistic regression analysis was conducted to understand the relationship between these factors.
Participants engaged in physical activity most frequently at home (87.1%) or in close proximity of home (76.5%). Neighbourhood walkability, presence of amenities and accessibility were not significantly associated with meeting physical activity requirements. Participation in a recreational program with friends was associated with increased likelihood of physical activity.
The home and its immediate physical environmental context has potentially important relevance in supporting physical activity in older adults. Also, neighbourhood social aspects have a positive influence on activity levels.
•A survey was conducted with 434 older adults in eight neighbourhoods.•Walkability, amenities and accessibility were not significantly associated with physical activity.•Recreational physical activity was more likely to occur when it takes place with friends.•Neighbourhood area close to home is potentially important for physical activity.
Background
Although there have been recent efforts to improve access to Canadian national parks, many remain not fully accessible to people with disabilities. Winter conditions, in particular, ...present challenges that limit their participation in outdoor activities.
Objective
This study aimed to develop a novel method to assess park access during winter, which will inform recommendations for national park standards to meet the needs of all park visitors (regardless of ability) during winter conditions.
Methods
A larger participatory mixed methods research project exploring park access was adapted. A 3-phase approach has already been proposed to achieve the study objectives. In the first phase, a scoping review of the existing accessibility standards will be conducted. In the second phase, objective audits of trails and features in 6 parks, 3 in western Canada and 3 in eastern Canada, will be conducted, as well as mobile interviews with 24 various participants in each region regarding their experiences of and recommendations for improving the park’s accessibility. In the final phase, a Delphi participatory consensus development process will be used, based on the data gathered in the first 2 phases, to prioritize recommendations for standards. This paper will focus on the second phase of the study, specifically on whether the in-person winter mobile interviews (ie, walking and wheeling interviews) with people who have a wide range of disabilities while visiting 3 parks in 2 provinces were modified. Changes were made to accommodate the extreme winter weather conditions in Quebec while using safe and informative data collection methods.
Results
In Quebec, one park, where winter conditions are safer, has been assessed in person (n=4). Web-based interviews were used to facilitate the assessment of other winter and summer conditions in two other parks (n=8). Winter and web-based interviews were completed in April 2022. Data are currently being collected and analyzed, and results will be completed by December 2022.
Conclusions
We expect that adapting the protocol to gather further information on winter conditions and access to parks will provide high-quality and rich data to better inform park access standards. This participatory mixed methods research will inform the development of park standards that consider the accessibility needs of all people.
International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)
DERR1-10.2196/38715
Canada's national parks are world-renowned. However, despite recent attempts to improve access, many are not accessible to people with disabilities. With the advent of provincial and federal ...legislation, standards are being developed to assist with the design and management of parks.
The overarching objective of this study is to inform accessibility standards for federal parks that meet the needs of all park visitors, regardless of ability. The specific objectives of this study are to identify park accessibility standards that exist internationally, identify the accessibility challenges that people with disabilities face in park environments, and prioritize and recommend accessibility standards for national parks.
A 3-phase approach will be used to achieve the study objectives. In the first phase, a scoping review of the existing accessibility standards will be conducted. The second phase will include objective audits of trails and features in 6 parks, 3 in western Canada and 3 in eastern Canada, as well as mobile interviews with 24 diverse participants in each region regarding their experiences of and recommendations for improving the park's accessibility. In the final phase, a Delphi participatory consensus development process will be used, based on the data gathered in the first 2 phases, to prioritize recommendations for standards.
We expect to find gaps in existing standards that do not account for the diverse range of accessibility requirements that people with disabilities have for visiting parks. We also expect to find that existing standards, on their own, may not be enough to ensure equitable access to all the experiences and amenities that parks have to offer. Development of subsequent guidelines and best practices may be necessary to address complex scenarios for which standards may not be the best approach to ensuring accessibility.
The participatory and mixed methods approaches used in this study will provide rich insights for developing accessible park standards that consider the diverse needs of people with disabilities. The findings will also support the development or enhancement of park standards at all levels of government.
DERR1-10.2196/33611.
ABSTRACTSenior centres have been identified as a "focal point" for delivering services to the rapidly growing older adult populations in Canada and the United States. Despite this important role, ...academic research studying senior centres has been limited. This scoping review identified English-language empirical research studies focusing on senior centres that were published in an academic journal in 2000 or later. A total of 58 studies were identified (n = 51 American and n = 7 Canadian). The majority of the articles focused on themes related to the participation of individuals at senior centres; a smaller number focused on themes related to the senior centre environment. Based on the findings, it is suggested that future research focus on benefits of senior centre programming, with specific focus on needs of baby boomers; key factors related to funding, space, and staffing; and the characteristics and role of senior centres in the Canadian context.
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