RT Journal
A1 Levy BR, Slade MD, Murphy TE, Gill TM
T1 ASsociation between positive age stereotypes and recovery from disability in older persons
JF JAMA
JO JAMA
YR 2012
FD November 21
VO 308
IS 19
SP 1972
OP 1973
DO 10.1001/jama.2012.14541
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.2012.14541
AB 
To the Editor: Little research has been conducted on factors that account for why some older persons recover from disability and others do not. We considered a new culture-based explanatory factor: age stereotypes (defined as beliefs about old people as a category).1 Positive age stereotypes may promote recovery from disability through several pathways: limiting cardiovascular response to stress,2 improving physical balance,3 enhancing self-efficacy,4 and increasing engagement in healthy behaviors.1,4 We hypothesized that older persons with positive age stereotypes would be more likely to recover from disability than those with negative age stereotypes. Recovery was based on 4 essential activities of daily living (ADLs; bathing, dressing, transferring, and walking) that are strongly associated with use of health care services and longevity.5- 6