Abstract
REtiring Well: defining an Index of Risk and modelling of an Effective integrated cognitive-physical intervention (REWIRE) Retirement is among the ten most stressful events occurring in the elderly and has psychological and biological consequences, and can favour the onset of major age-related diseases, including depression and neurodegenerative disorders. This project aims to increase knowledge about HEALTHY RETIREMENT. To this end, a user-friendly personalised CUMULATIVE RISK INDEX regarding mental and cognitive health will be developed (objective 1), and the effectiveness of an intervention protocol for the maintenance of psycho-physical abilities will be determined (objective 2). The project will involve a large sample of participants (recruited from the staff of municipalities, hospitals and universities). The novelty of this study relative to the large longitudinal studies currently available will be its integration of cognitive, personality, psychological and affective variables in addition to the commonly used socio-demographic and general health ones. The first objective is to develop a cumulative risk index for post-retirement issues that is based on a set of psychological, cognitive, and socio-demographic data collected from participants three months before retirement (T0), at retirement (T1), six months after retirement (T2) and twelve months after retirement (T3). Based on the relevant pre-retirement predictors, the cumulative risk index will identify who is likely to show depression, anxiety, or cognitive disorders within the first year after retirement. The second objective is to test the effectiveness of a six-month, integrated physical-cognitive intervention protocol in a sample recruited at the retirement of those who are sedentary or not already engaged in sports activities. This protocol will use programs of open-skill physical activities that require continuous changes of activity, making them unpredictable and requiring flexible monitoring of the environment. These activities will be performed in groups to ensure socialisation and will be structured to be cognitively demanding, thus justifying their inclusion in an integrated physical-cognitive intervention. We will analyse how this intervention modifies the negative psychological and physical effects of retirement, paying particular attention to participants defined, post-hoc, as at high risk on the cumulative risk index. This project, which also makes use of data from other recent or ongoing European Union (EU) and Italian projects, will increase knowledge about retirement adjustment using a multidisciplinary approach and generate a validated tool that can contribute to evidence-based policies aimed at improving health in Italy and the EU.
Project details
Unibo Team Leader: Alessia Tessari
Unibo involved Department/s:
Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestrari"
Coordinator:
ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - Università di Bologna(Italy)
Total Eu Contribution: Euro (EUR) 202.368,00
Total Unibo Contribution: Euro (EUR) 123.623,00
Project Duration in months: 24
Start Date:
18/10/2023
End Date:
28/02/2026
