elderly

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation and multi-component cognitive stimulation of the prefrontal cortex on cognitive function and quality of life in the elderly. The present study was a quasi-experimental investigation using a pretest-posttest and follow up and a control group design. The statistical population of the research was all elderly people living in Tabriz city from 2023. A sample of 90 elderly people over 60 years of age, were randomly assigned to in three groups of transcranial direct current stimulation and multi-component cognitive stimulation and control groups. Experimental group received Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on the prefrontal cortex, for the second group, multi-component cognitive stimulation software was used for three months and control group did not receive any intervention. The CANTAB test was used to evaluate cognitive function as well as  QOL-SF 36 questionnaire. The data  analysis were used by analysis varainces with repeated measure. The results indicated that tDCS and multi-component cognitive stimulation were effective on the cognitive function and quality of life of the elderly.

The Elderly have been a major issue for experts, policymakers, and even the public in recent years. The aim of this study was to predict social adjustment in the elderly based on distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and perceived social support. In recent years, the aging society has received attention in the field of global health, while some societies face it and others will face it in the not-too-distant future. One of the variables that can be effective in the social adaptation of the elderly is perceived social support. Social support plays a role as a psychosocial protective factor in relation to mental health problems. Social support is generally expressed in two ways: received social support and perceived social support. The meaning of received social support is the extent to which an elderly person enjoys obvious support, such as support from family and friends, and the meaning of perceived social support is satisfaction and having social support with positive emotions.Emotional distress, likely to be triggered by the current coronavirus situation, is another risk factor for premature death, as anxiety is known to be a predictor of all-cause death. This calls for addressing the psychological and behavioral effects, including perceived social support and emotion regulation that COVID-19 may have on social adjustment and the lives of individuals in this age group. However, little is known about emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and perceived social support and their association with social adjustment among the elderly during the coronavirus pandemic. Therefore, it seems necessary to discover the factors affecting social adaptation in achieving the growth of its physical, psychological, and social dimensions; therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of predicting social adjustment in the elderly based on distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and perceived social support. 

The present research was of the applied type and among descriptive and correlational research. The statistical population of the present study was all the elderly in Ahvaz in the period of November 1400 to December 1400 in the age range of 57 to 74 years. Data were collected using the Bell Social Adjustment Questionnaire (1962), Simmons & Gahr (2005) Distress Tolerance, Gross & John Emotion Regulation (2003), and Social Support (Zimmet, 1988). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis). 

The results showed that there is a direct relationship between anxiety tolerance, emotion regulation, and perceived social support with social adjustment (p <0.05). The adjusted R square value was equal to 0.416, which showed that the variables of distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and perceived social support explained 41.6% of the variance of social adjustment. The value of the standardized regression coefficient for the component of emotional distress tolerance (p<0.01, β=0.281), absorption of negative emotions (p<0.05, β=0.122), subjective estimation of distress (p<0.01, β=0.184), trying to relieve distress (p<0.01, β=0.274), marketing emotions (p<0.01, β=0.255), inhibiting emotions (p<0.01, -0.321 =β), emotional social support (p<0.01, β=0.325), support from relatives (p<0.01, β=0.153) and support from others (p<0.01, β=0.223). Therefore, it was concluded that distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and perceived social support can predict social adjustment. The findings of the present study indicate the importance of the variables of anxiety tolerance, emotion regulation, and perceived social support in explaining social adjustment in the elderly. 

Therefore, it is recommended to train for stress tolerance, emotion regulation, providing adequate support from family and important people in life, and developing the dimensions of adjustment in the elderly. ConclusionEmotion regulation strategies, distress tolerance, and perceived social support in the elderly can change their social adjustment capacity and thus affect their mental health. From a fundamental point of view, the research of the current research can be considered as a main factor in explaining social adaptation, and at the practical level, for more adaptation in the elderly, emotion regulation strategies, distress tolerance, and social support are considered. One of the limitations of the present study was conducted only on the elderly people of Ahvaz city. It is suggested to conduct research on a larger sample and elderly people with psychological disorders such as depression and schizophrenia.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of meditation exercises on cognitive abilities and stability maintenance in inactive elderly people.

In a quasi-experimental study, 16 inactive elderly people (mean age 72±6 years) from Qom province in 1403 were selected through convenience and purposeful sampling and randomly assigned to two meditation exercise groups (n=8) and control (n=8). In this study, the mindfulness intervention protocol of Di Petrillo, Kaufman, Glass, and Arenkov (2009) was taught in six sessions, each session lasting 1 to 1.5 hours over a period of three weeks. The Spreitzer Psychological Empowerment Scale (1995) was used to assess cognitive empowerment data, and the Stork Static Balance Test (Johnson and Nelson, 1991) and the Podcialdo and Richardson Dynamic Balance Test (Pdc) were used to assess balance performance.

Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance at a significance level of P<0.05. The results showed that meditation exercises resulted in a non-significant improvement in static and dynamic balance in inactive elderly people (p<0.05). Meditation exercises were also associated with a non-significant improvement in cognitive abilities in inactive elderly people (p<0.05).

It seems that three weeks of meditation exercises can provide cognitive and motor benefits for inactive elderly people, however, longer periods of this intervention may be more effective.Keywords: Exercises, meditation, cognitive, maintaining stability, elderly, inactive

Old age is one of the sensitive periods of life in which various dimensions of a person's life, including physical, cognitive, emotional and psychological, undergo changes. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of positive mindfulness training and health promoting lifestyle training on health resilience and psychological flexibility of the elderly. The research method was semi-experimental with a pre-test and post-test design with a control group. Among the elderly living in the nursing homes of the 5th district of Tehran in 2022, 45 elderly people were included in the study by purposeful sampling and were randomly divided into three groups (15 people) to be tested and replaced as controls. The research tools included questionnaires of health resilience (Gibhardt, 2001) and psychological flexibility (Bond et al., 2011). Positive mindfulness intervention and health-enhancing lifestyle training were conducted in 8 90-minute sessions for the experimental groups; But for the control group, no intervention was applied. Data were analyzed using covariance analysis with SPSS version 19 software. The results showed that positive mindfulness training on psychological flexibility (p<0.001, Eta=29, F=19.82) and health-promoting lifestyle on health stubbornness (p<0.001, Eta=29, F=19.26) are effective for the elderly. has had more Based on the findings of the health promoting lifestyle research by adjusting the lifestyle and maintaining responsibility towards physical and psychological health and positive mindset focusing on the facts and paying attention to the here and now and not denying various problems can be an effective method to increase Health tenacity and psychological flexibility of the elderly should be used.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between motor imagery and the working memory capacity of young and older adults. The research sample included 40 participants (20 older adults and 20 young). The N-back test was used to measure working memory and the motor imagery questionnaire was used to check motor imagery ability. Participants completed the mentioned tests in a quiet environment. Among the components of the N-back test, four components were selected for both the young and the elderly: the number of correct answers, the percentage of correct answers, the standard deviation of response time, and the mean of response time. In addition, the relationship of these components with the subscales of visual and motor imagery was investigated. Also, the components of working memory and motor imagery were compared in young and older adults. Results showed that in the youth group, motor imagery was negatively correlated with time components of the working memory test. In the older group, the motor imagery subscale was positively correlated with the accuracy subscales of the working memory test. However, the visual imagery ability in the young group had no significant correlation with any subscale of the working memory test. This subscale was correlated with the percentage of correct answers in the older adult participants. It is possible that younger participants used a time-sensitive strategy and older participants used an accuracy-dependent strategy. Also, it is possible that the participants used more of their kinesthetic sense in creating motor images in the mind.

Aging is one of the most important stages of human life, during which people face a wide range of physiological and psychological changes. Among these changes, issues such as death anxiety and loneliness are important. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment-based therapy and mindfulness-based therapy on death anxiety and loneliness in the elderly. The design of the current research was semi-experimental in the pre-test-post-test manner with a control group. The statistical population included all the elderly living in Mehrgan Asylum in Kermanshah in 1401, of which 45 eligible people were selected by voluntary sampling and randomly assigned to three groups by considering the entry and exit criteria. The instrument of research was the Cult-Lester’s death anxiety questionnaire and Dashiri feeling of loneliness. The interventions of the two groups were carried out in 8 sessions of 90 minutes and twice a week. Data were analyzed using SPSS-26 software and multivariate analysis of covariance tests and BENFERRONI’S post hoc tests with a probability value of 0/05. The results showed that the therapy based on acceptance and commitment and the therapy based on mindfulness were effective in reducing the death anxiety and loneliness of these elderly people (P=0/000). Also, no significant difference was observed between the two treatments (p=1). According to the results of the research, it can be said that the use of these treatment methods is useful and effective in improving the death anxiety and loneliness of the elderly.

The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy combined with self-compassion along with cognitive-motor activities versus cognitive-motor intervention alone on death anxiety and aging perception in the elderly.

Methods and Materials: 

The research method was quasi-experimental and of the pre-test, post-test type with a control group and a follow-up period. To this end, a sample consisting of 42 individuals (21 women and 21 men) over the age of 60 residing in Mashhad in 2021, who met the inclusion criteria, was selected. They were randomly assigned to three groups: the first experimental group (with cognitive-behavioral therapy combined with self-compassion along with cognitive-motor activities), the second experimental group (with cognitive-motor activities alone), and the control group (with no intervention). They underwent 18 sessions of 90 minutes over 9 weeks. Data obtained from the Templer Death Anxiety Questionnaire (1970) and the Slotman Aging Perception Questionnaire (2017) were analyzed using SPSS software and multivariate covariance analysis with repeated measures.

The results showed that for both variables, death anxiety and aging perception, there was a significant difference between the two experimental groups and the control group in both post-test and follow-up periods. However, the difference between the two experimental groups was not significant.

It appears that cognitive-behavioral therapy combined with self-compassion along with cognitive-motor activities, as well as cognitive-motor intervention alone, can be used to reduce death anxiety and improve the perception of aging in the elderly. These interventions can contribute to enhancing the quality of life and developing appropriate educational programs for them.

The present study aimed to predict self-coherence in the elderly based on emotion regulation, self-compassion, and attitude toward death. The current research is descriptive and correlational. The statistical population included the elderly who lived in Tehran in 2021 and were selected using a purposive sampling method. The criteria for entering the study included living in Tehran, the ability to read and write, the absence of mental illnesses based on self-report, and the age of 65 years. Exclusion criteria included unwillingness to participate in the study and incomplete completion of questionnaires. Data collection was done using questionnaires of self-coherence, cognitive regulation of emotion, short form of self-compassion, and revised form of attitude towards death. Data analysis was done using SPSS software version 25 and Pearson correlation statistical tests and multiple regression analysis at a significance level of 0.05. The results showed that there is a statistically significant relationship between the components of emotion regulation, self-compassion, and death attitude with self-coherence in the elderly. Also, the regression analysis results showed that the components of emotion regulation, self-compassion, and attitude toward death explain 72.5%, 58%, and 28.8% of their coherence variance, respectively(P ≥ 0.01). It is concluded that emotion regulation, self-compassion, and attitude toward death play an essential role in predicting self-coherence in the elderly.

This research was conducted with the aim of predicting death anxiety based on mental resilience and quality of life in the elderly. The research was descriptive-cross-sectional and correlational. The statistical population of the research included all elderly men over the age of 60 covered by the social security department of Kermanshah in 2023, who were selected by available sampling of 240 people and used research tools including the death anxiety questionnaire (Templer, 1970), psychological resilience (Connor & Davidson, 203) and quality of life (WHO, 1996) responded. Data analysis was done with descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression with SPSS version 26. The results showed that there is a negative and significant relationship between mental resilience and each of its components with death anxiety in the elderly (P<0.05). Also, the relationship between quality of life and its components with death anxiety in the elderly negative and significant was (P<0.05). Simultaneous regression analysis also showed that 41% of the variance of death anxiety could be explained based on predictive variables. According to the results, it is possible to realize the necessity of strengthening the variables of resilience and improving the quality of life as influential factors in reducing the death anxiety of the elderly, and in this context, intervention programs can be formulated.

The purpose of this study was to Compare the impacts of acceptance and commitment-based therapy and compassion-based therapy on death obsession and body consciousness in the elderly.

The Method of the study was semi-experimental research with a pretest-posttest design with two experimental groups. Among the Retirement/nursing home elderly of Behshahr city, people who were willing to participate in the study were selected purposeful sampling method and assigned to 2experimental groups and one control group by random assignment method. The first group received the compassion-focused therapy in 8 sessions and the second experiment group received the acceptance and commitment therapy in 9 sessions but the third group, which was the control group, did not receive any treatment. The research tools were Body Consciousness Scale (2006) and Abdol Khaleq's Death Obsession Scale (1998). For analyzing the data, Descriptive and inferential statistics of multivariate covariance analysis and SPSS 23 statistical software were used.

The results indicated that acceptance and commitment-based therapy and the compassion-based therapy had reduced death obsession and body consciousness. Also, there was no significant difference between effectivenes of between acceptance and commitment-based therapy and compassion-based therapy on consciousness body and death obsession.

According to the findings, it can be concluded that acceptance and commitment-based therapy and compassion-based therapy can be used to treat death obsession and body awareness in the elderly.

The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of music therapy and therapy based on acceptance and commitment to the feeling of social-emotional loneliness of the elderly with type 2 diabetes. The research method was semi-experimental with a pre-test-post-test design and a control group with a two-month follow-up period. The current research population included all the elderly people of Tehran City who were referred to health and treatment centers in East Tehran in 2021 and were suffering from type 2 diabetes. 45 people were selected purposefully and randomly assigned to two experimental groups and one control group. The research instrument was DiTommasso et al.'s social-emotional loneliness questionnaire (SELSA-S, 2004). Zadeh Mohammadi's music therapy intervention (2004) was implemented in 12 90-minute sessions and Hayes et al.'s (2006) acceptance and commitment therapy was implemented in 8 90-minute sessions as a group for the first and second experimental groups. The data were analyzed using mixed analysis of variance. The results showed that there is a significant difference between the groups in the post-test and follow-up of social-emotional loneliness of the elderly (P<0.05). Also, therapy based on acceptance and commitment had a significant effect on the feeling of social-emotional loneliness (P<0.05), but music therapy did not have a significant effect on the feeling of social-emotional loneliness (P<0.05). Therefore, it can be said that only the treatment based on acceptance and commitment had a significant effect on the feeling of loneliness.

This research aimed to investigate the lived experiences of elderly individuals in relation to the empty nest phenomenon. A combined methodological approach was utilized for this qualitative study, employing a phenomenological method. Participants were purposefully selected using a targeted sampling method until theoretical saturation was reached. Ultimately, 17 elderly individuals residing in empty nests were chosen to undergo in-depth interviews. The obtained data were analyzed using descriptive phenomenological analysis. The empirical exploration of participants' experiences in confronting an empty nest led to the identification of eight main themes and 25 sub-themes: 1) Sobriety and adaptation (self-reflection and reliance on personal capabilities), 2) Self-care (engaging in pleasurable and health-promoting activities, receiving psychological services, and engaging in mindfulness exercises), 3) Attitudinal changes (revising perspectives on separation from children and nurturing hope for future reunions), 4) Emotional regulation strategies (accepting emotions related to separation, reevaluating memories, journaling thoughts and feelings, avoiding cognitive rumination, and learning from peer experiences), 5) Strengthening social bonds (determination to improve communication, perception of network support, utilizing support from family and parents, participating in collective activities, and maintaining connections and obtaining information about children), 6) Purposeful growth experience (resuming scholarly and cultural activities, reinterpreting life's meaning, and enhancing resilience and adaptability), 7) Focusing on self-fulfillment (prioritizing happiness and satisfaction for their children and assisting individuals with similar issues), and 8) Enhancing spiritual connections and engaging in religious activities (expressing gratitude, relying on faith, and participating in religious and spiritual activities).

As a natural process of maturation, aging has both positive and negative aspects and causes new alterations in a person's social and psychological standing. Therefore, psychological therapy can assist the elderly in recovering from their individual, societal, and economic impairments. In this context, it appears crucial to identify more effective therapies.

The purpose of the present study was to compare the efficacy of logotherapy with acceptance and commitment therapy in reducing elderly loneliness.

The research design was quasi-experimental and consisted of a pre-test, a post-test, and a control group. The statistical population comprised all elderly residents of Tehran in 2021, 45 of whom were randomly assigned to two experimental groups and one control group from among the elderly residing in health homes in Tehran. Data was collected using Adult social and emotional loneliness scale (ELS; DiTommaso et al., 2004). In the current study, the first experimental group received logotherapy (Frankel, 1963), while the second experimental group received acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT; Hayes, 2004). The control group did not get any intervention. Finally, the collected data were analyzed using one-way and multivariate covariance analysis.

Adjusting the pre-test scores revealed a significant difference between the groups of logotherapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and control in terms of loneliness at the post-test stage (P<0.05), and the two intervention groups compared to the control group had a significant effect on loneliness and its components, But the effectiveness of the two intervention groups was not significantly different (P<0.05).

Acceptance and commitment therapy and logotherapy, despite the use of unique techniques, have efficient and practical origins and features that reduce the feeling of loneliness in the elderly.

This study aimed to identify the elderly’s psychological and social problems, their needs, and priorities in order to provide implications for future research and intervention. The research method is qualitative and the statistical population is all the elderly of Tehran city, who are members of the Center of Senior Citizens’Association of Tehran city. 48 people were selected by purposive sampling method (four groups of 12 people). To collect information, a focused group discussion method was used to collect issues and problems of the elderly. The nominal group method was used to prioritize issues and problems. Results of the research showed that in the sample of the elderly, the category of worries about children was given the highest priority. The category of disturbing thoughts and memories was the second priority of the elderly. The category of anxiety about diseases and the category of financial, social, and geographical issues were the third and fourth priorities. Loneliness was also the least priority among the elderly. The results of the present study can be used by therapists to develop intervention programs to address the psychological and social problems of the elderly.

The main signs of cognitive dysfunction in the elderly. This study aimed to influence cognitive rehabilitation on cognitive performance (attention and memory) in the elderly. This study was quasi-experimental studies. The study sample included all nursing centers in korammabad in 2021 were elderly. The sample consisted of 30 elderly Tabriz which were selected. For data collection, analysis and continuous performance test computer memory boards were used. The data in spss version 21 using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) were analyzed. The result of data analysis showed that the experimental group compared to the pre-test and post-test significant change in the CPT and the boards were significantly different. This means that attention and memory performance in the experimental group than the control group. Considering that cognitive rehabilitation has a significant effect on the cognitive performance and improves their function, it can be used as a suitable method to improve that cognitive rehabilitation can improve attention and memory in the elderly

The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of painting therapy on health anxiety, loneliness and death anxiety in the elderly.

The research method was quasi-experimental with pre-test-post-test design with experimental group and control group with a follow-up test period. From the statistical population of the elderly living in nursing homes in Tehran in 2021, 30 samples were selected by convenience sampling and randomly divided into two experimental groups and a control group. Painting therapy was applied for ten sessions for the experimental group. The required findings were collected using the Health Anxiety Questionnaire (Salkovskis & Warwick, 2002), Loneliness (Dehshiri et al., 2007) and Templer Death Anxiety (1970) and were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance was analyzed.

Findings showed that the mean scores of post-tests and follow-up test of health anxiety, loneliness and death anxiety in the experimental group decreased and the results of repeated measures analysis of variance showed that painting therapy intervention to reduce health anxiety, loneliness and death anxiety in the elderly is effective (p <0.001).

Therefore, it is suggested that painting therapy intervention be used to reduce health anxiety, loneliness and death anxiety in the elderly