Annals in Gerontology

Main executive functions that change during normal aging

2025-02-06T14:39:41-06:00

Executive functions are cognitive abilities that associate ideas, movements and actions, facilitate the adaptation of human behavior to different situations, providing solutions to highly complex problems. They are the first functions to suffer a decline in normal aging in older adults, a normal decline is manifested through a general slowing in relation to working memory, verbal abstraction, calculation, logical reasoning and inhibitory mechanisms, increasing the number of incorrect answers. The objective was to evaluate the executive functions that decrease during the normal aging process according to older adult ages. 182 healthy older adults were evaluated, tasks were developed to evaluate the executive functions of working memory and inhibitory control, and they were divided into four age groups. It was demonstrated that, with age, the probability of presenting a greater cognitive decline in old age increases. The older age group presented more difficulty in performing sequencing tasks, working memory similarity and inhibitory control tasks, presenting an increase in the execution time of the responses. Working memory and inhibitory control showed a normal decline, with an increase at older ages.

Contributions of intense physical activity and sport to successful aging in a sample of spanish old people

2024-05-18T12:19:27-06:00

High-intensity physical activity and sports properly performed can be sources of health benefits for older people. However, the socioemotional aspects of training needs to be investigated because it may be overly focused on improving execution and performance, especially in older people who compete. In the present investigation, we intend to observe the possible contributions of the practice of high-intensity physical activity and sports to successful aging. For this purpose, a cross-sectional observational study with incidental sampling of N=120 Spanish elderly (aged 60 years or older) was carried out. The level of intensity of physical activity was measured and scores on the different dimensions of successful aging and related variables were observed, there was the fact that people who practiced high intensity physical activity had a higher level of physical self-care. Thus, new evidence was provided that the performance of intense physical activity and sports during aging may contribute to the self-care of the older people, and this may help to have a more successful aging. Finally, it was suggested that training older people with intense physical activity and sports should focus on promoting aspects such as self-care and socialization.

Coping strategies of older people in pandemic contexts: gender differences

2024-08-26T12:43:43-06:00

The objective of the research was to analyze the differences and similarities in the coping strategies that older men and women used in the context of the pandemic in complex situations such as those caused by COVID-19, to identify the needs and resources of this population. The methodology was qualitative with an interpretive-hermeneutic and gender approach, using semi-structured interviews with 36 older adults: 22 women and 14 men. The theoretical approach was transdisciplinary, having the transactional theory of Folkman and Lazarus as a reference for coping. Results: In women and men, interpersonal relationships and family support are substantial; However, women express a greater need for social support in terms of maintaining or restarting relationships with friends, the community, even institutional services to which they previously attended, while men express greater independence in this aspect and even a need for momentary distancing from the centers of greatest contact. Conclusions: Older adults use different coping strategies without distinction of gender; However, the way of meaning it and giving it meaning does vary depending on the genre. Women face the immediate, seeking family support, in addition to distancing themselves from information and news. Men actively seek information in order to face situations independently of support networks.