Family history and adaptation among centenarians and octogenarians.
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.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study confirm the importance of distal family history variables on present-day functioning.
Hensley
Bob
B
The College of Saint Scholastica, Duluth, Minn 55811, USA. rhensley @ css.edu
Martin
Peter
P
MacDonald
Maurice
M
Poon
Leonard
L
Jazwinski
S M
SM
Green
R C
RC
Gearing
M
M
Markesbery
W R
WR
Woodard
J L
JL
Johnson
M A
MA
Tenover
J S
JS
Siegler
I C
IC
Rodgers
W L
WL
Hausman
D B
DB
Rott
C
C
Davey
A
A
Arnold
J
J
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008132:Loneliness / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D012923:Social Class; D012944:Social Support