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Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to explore the role of self-directed ageism in the relationship between frailty and quality of life in community-dwelling older adults.

Methods
Secondary data-analysis on data from the Belgian Ageing Studies. A stratified sample of 1895 participants, based on census data by gender and age, was drawn between 2017 and 2019. Frailty, quality of life and self-directed ageism were assessed by the Comprehensive Frailty Assessment Instrument, a numeric rating scale and a newly developed self-directed ageism scale, respectively. The validity of this new scale was assessed by exploratory factor analysis, while mediation analysis was used to explore if self-directed ageism mediates the relationship between frailty and quality of life.

Results
The self-directed ageism scale proved highly reliable (Cronbach's α = 0.898, Spearman-Brown = 0.906), explaining 58.86% of the variance in self-directed ageism. Respondents scored an average of 23.6 on 40 for self-directed ageism, 26.94 on 100 for frailty, and a median of 8 on 10 for quality of life. Mediation analysis showed that frailty negatively correlates with quality of life, and that this relationship is partially mediated by self-directed ageism.

Conclusion
Most respondents were identified as mild frail, experienced self-directed ageism, and those 80 or older rated their quality of life lower. The present study showed that frailty negatively correlates with quality of life and this relationship is partially mediated by self-directed ageism. We conclude that every effort should be made to prevent frailty, ageism and self-directed ageism as they impact community-dwelling older people's quality of life.

Purpose
Psychological frailty adds most to overall feelings of frailty, but is often neglected, although meaning in life is important for psychological well-being. The purpose of this paper is to explore the sources of meaning in life within psychologically frail older people.


Design/methodology/approach
Data (n= 16,872) generated from the Belgian Ageing Studies were collected, using the Comprehensive Frailty Assessment Instrument and the Sources of Meaning Profile (SOMP-R) instrument. Psychometric properties of the SOMP-R were explored using factor and reliability analysis and one-way-ANOVA analysis were used to asses mean differences.


Findings
Financial security, meeting basic needs and personal relations play an important role as sources of meaning in life. Moreover, the SOMP-R showed excellent psychometric properties.


Research limitations/implications
Due to the cross-sectional design of this study, evolution in time and causal links could not be assessed.


Practical implications
The findings of this study emphasize that sources of meaning in life are relevant and can be assessed using the SOMP-R upon which individually tailored care plans can be developed. The results show that, meaning in life as such plays an important role for psychologically frail older people. As a consequence, this offers insights to support these older people. Caregivers and policymakers might therefore take these results into account. Guarantee and/or follow up a frail individual's financial security, assessing and enabling one's personal relationships and meeting their basic needs are very important when taking care of psychologically frail older individuals.


Social implications
Besides the practical implications, the social inclusion of psychologically frail older people seems to be relevant.


Originality/value
To the best of the authors' knowledge, the association between meaning in life and psychological frailty in later life is not yet investigated. Further the findings of this study emphasize that sources of meaning in life are relevant and can be assessed using the SOMP-R upon which individually tailored care plans can be developed.

The study examines a hybrid theory containing individual characteristics, resources, and social factors and volunteering of older adults living in Belgium. As scholars have pointed out the underresearched importance of taking the recruitment potential of older adults into account, this study investigates whether potential volunteers, actual volunteers, and non-volunteers in later life are different from each other in terms of individual characteristics (e.g., religiosity), resources (e.g., socioeconomic status), and social factors (e.g., social networks and social roles). Data for the present research were derived from the Belgian Aging Studies, a sample of 31,581 individuals aged 65 to 80 years. Logistic regression analyses indicate that altruistic and religious values, physical health, frequent contact with friends, and providing help to others are important predictors for potential volunteers as well as actual volunteers. Overall, the results indicate important insights for recruitment and retention of older volunteers.

Population aging forces governments to change their policy on elderly care. Older people, even if they are frail and disabled, are motivated to stay in their own homes and environment for as long as possible. Consequently, the early detection of frail older persons is appropriate to avoid adverse outcomes. Several instruments to detect frailty exist, but none use environmental indicators. This study addresses the development and psychometric properties of the Comprehensive Frailty Assessment Instrument (CFAI). This new self-reporting instrument includes physical, psychological, social and environmental domains. The CFAI showed good fit indices and a high reliability. The underlying structure of the CFAI demonstrates the multidisciplinary nature of frailty. Using the CFAI can stimulate nurses and other community healthcare providers toward a more holistic approach of frailty and can guide them to take appropriate interventions to prevent adverse outcomes such as disabilities or hospitalization. © 2013 Mosby, Inc.

Utilizing a mixed-methods research design consisting of two consecutive phases, this study investigates older adults' perceptions and understanding of social connectedness factors influencing late-life volunteering. In the first phase, quantitative data from the Belgian Ageing Studies project ( N = 24,508, from 89 municipalities) was analyzed through regression modeling. In the second, qualitative phase, focus groups with older people were conducted in each of the six research locations, to elucidate and build on the quantitative results. The research findings indicate that formal connectedness is highly influential for both the potential to volunteer and actually doing so. Membership of an association and being a new resident are key determinants for volunteering in later life. Moreover, local policy also functions as an important bridge between long-term residents and new residents in terms of the social structure of the society and the extent to which people are integrated into the community.

Abstract Background Socio-ecological models emphasize the relationship between the physical environment and physical activity (PA). However, knowledge about this relationship in older adults is limited. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the relationship between area of residence (urban, semi-urban or rural) and older adults' walking and cycling for transportation and recreation. Additionally, relationships between several physical environmental factors and walking and cycling and possible moderating effects of area of residence, age and gender were studied. Methods Data from 48,879 Flemish older adults collected in 2004-2010 through peer research were analyzed. Walking, cycling and environmental perceptions were assessed using self-administered questionnaires. The Study Service of the Flemish Government provided objective data on municipal characteristics. Multilevel logistic regression analyses were applied. Results Urban participants were more likely to walk daily for transportation compared to rural (OR = 1.43; 95% CI = 1.22, 1.67) and semi-urban participants (OR = 1.32; 95% CI = 1.13, 1.54). Urban participants were less likely to cycle daily for transportation compared to semi-urban participants (OR = 0.72; 95% CI = 0.56, 0.92). Area of residence was unrelated to weekly recreational walking/cycling. Perceived short distances to services (ORs ranging from 1.04 to 1.19) and satisfaction with public transport (ORs ranging from 1.07 to 1.13) were significantly positively related to all walking/cycling behaviors. Feelings of unsafety was negatively related to walking for transportation (OR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.91, 0.95) and recreational walking/cycling (OR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.92, 0.97). In females, it was also negatively related to cycling for transportation (OR = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.90, 0.98). Conclusions Urban residents were more likely to walk for transportation daily compared to semi-urban and rural residents. Daily cycling for transportation was less prevalent among urban compared to semi-urban residents. Access to destinations appeared to be important for promoting both walking and cycling for transportation and recreation across all demographic subgroups. Additionaly, feelings of unsafety were associated with lower rates of walking for transportation and walking/cycling for recreation in all subgroups and cycling for transportation in females. No clear patterns emerged for other environmental factors.

As the drive towards creating age-friendly cities grows, this important book provides a comprehensive survey of theories and policies aimed at improving the quality of life of older people living in urban areas. In this book, part of the Ageing in a Global Context series, leading international researchers critically assess the problems and the potential of designing age-friendly environments. The book considers the different ways in which cities are responding to population ageing, the different strategies for developing age-friendly communities, and the extent to which older people themselves can be involved in the co-production of age-friendly policies and practices. The book includes a manifesto for the age-friendly movement, focused around tackling social inequality and promoting community empowerment