BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to analyze various 'family history' variables (i.e. childhood health, financial situation while growing up, living with grandparents before age 17, and number of children) among participants of the Georgia Centenarian Study. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether family history variables predict critical outcome areas such as cognitive functioning, activities of daily living, mental health, and economic dependence. METHODS: A total of 318 older adults (236 centenarians and 82 octogenarians) were assessed with regard to their mental status, ADL (activities of daily living) functioning, depression, family history, loneliness, and perceived economic status. RESULTS: Analyses indicated that the number of children significantly predicted the ability to engage in activities of daily living and loneliness. In essence, the more children, the higher the activities of the daily living score and the lower the loneliness scores. In addition, childhood health significantly predicted loneliness. The poorer one's health in childhood, the higher the loneliness scores. CONCLUSION: The results of this study confirm the importance of distal family history variables on present-day functioning. Copyright 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to analyze various 'family history' variables (i.e. childhood health, financial situation while growing up, living with grandparents before age 17, and number of children) among participants of the Georgia Centenarian Study. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether family history variables predict critical outcome areas such as cognitive functioning, activities of daily living, mental health, and economic dependence. METHODS: A total of 318 older adults (236 centenarians and 82 octogenarians) were assessed with regard to their mental status, ADL (activities of daily living) functioning, depression, family history, loneliness, and perceived economic status. RESULTS: Analyses indicated that the number of children significantly predicted the ability to engage in activities of daily living and loneliness. In essence, the more children, the higher the activities of the daily living score and the lower the loneliness scores. In addition, childhood health significantly predicted loneliness. The poorer one's health in childhood, the higher the loneliness scores. CONCLUSION: The results of this study confirm the importance of distal family history variables on present-day functioning. Copyright 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.
Authors: Peter T Nelson; Frederick A Schmitt; Yushun Lin; Erin L Abner; Gregory A Jicha; Ela Patel; Paula C Thomason; Janna H Neltner; Charles D Smith; Karen S Santacruz; Joshua A Sonnen; Leonard W Poon; Marla Gearing; Robert C Green; John L Woodard; Linda J Van Eldik; Richard J Kryscio Journal: Brain Date: 2011-05 Impact factor: 13.501
Authors: Leonard W Poon; Peter Martin; Alex Bishop; Jinmyoung Cho; Grace da Rosa; Neha Deshpande; Robert Hensley; Maurice Macdonald; Jennifer Margrett; G Kevin Randall; John L Woodard; L Stephen Miller Journal: Curr Gerontol Geriatr Res Date: 2010-09-26
Authors: Janna H Neltner; Erin L Abner; Gregory A Jicha; Frederick A Schmitt; Ela Patel; Leonard W Poon; Gearing Marla; Robert C Green; Adam Davey; Mary Ann Johnson; S Michal Jazwinski; Sangkyu Kim; Daron Davis; John L Woodard; Richard J Kryscio; Linda J Van Eldik; Peter T Nelson Journal: Neurobiol Aging Date: 2015-10-19 Impact factor: 4.673