Social gerontology
The social gerontology group investigates current topics in older populations and aims to strengthen research particularly in the field of active and healthy ageing. The program incorporates both quantitative and qualitative data and considers various living environments, giving special emphasis on senior housing.
The social gerontology group focuses on interdisciplinary research on active and healthy aging and conducts both qualitative and quantitative studies. The research topics include, for example, social participation and agency, physical and mental functioning, resilience, frailty, and ageing in working life.
Mikaela von Bonsdorff, Anna Lahti, Sini Siltanen, Sini Stenroth, Helena Levonmaa and Ann-Louise Sirén
A central part of the program is the BoAktiv Study, a project on senior housing as a determinant of healthy and active ageing. The quantitative part of BoAktiv includes a survey that has been carried out in 2018 and 2020. Over 330 persons living in Folkhälsan senior housing apartments participated in the survey on health, functioning, social participation, active aging, and sense of community. The qualitative part of the BoAktiv Study includes in-depth interviews on quality of life in the senior housing context and on what healthy ageing comprise. Results of the study are currently being reported.
In addition to conducting the BoAktiv study, the group collaborates closely within Folkhälsan and with national and foreign universities.
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Mikaela von Bonsdorff, Associate Professor in Gerontology and Public Health
Sini Siltanen, PhD, postdoctoral researcher
Markus Haapanen, MD, researcher
Anna Lahti, MSc, doctoral student
Ann-Louise Siren, MSc, doctoral student
Sini Stenroth, MSc, doctoral student
Helena Levonmaa, MSc, doctoral student
Jenny Ray, research assistant
Haapanen MJ, Vetrano DL, Mikkola TM, Calderon-Larranaga A, Dekhtyar S, Kajantie E, Eriksson JG, von Bonsdorff MB.
Early growth, stress, and socioeconomic factors as predictors of the rate of multimorbidity accumulation across the life course: a longitudinal birth cohort study.
Lancet Healthy Longevity. 2023 Dec 13:S2666-7568(23)00231-3.
Stenroth SM, Pynnönen K, Haapanen MJ, Vuoskoski P, Mikkola TM, Eriksson JG, von Bonsdorff MB.
Association between resilience and frailty in older age: Findings from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study.
Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2023;115:105119.
Siltanen S, Keskinen K, Lahti AM, Rantanen T, von Bonsdorff MB.
Active aging in senior housing residents and community-dwelling older adults: a comparative study in Finland.
J Aging Health, in press. 2023.
Sirén, A. L., Seppänen, M., & von Bonsdorff, M. B. (2023).
Social Participation Considered as Meaningful in old age− the Perceptions of Senior Housing Residents in Finland.
Ageing International, 1-21.
Lahti, A. M., Mikkola, T. M., Salonen, M., Wasenius, N., Sarvimäki, A., Eriksson, J. G., & Von Bonsdorff, M. B. (2021).
Mental, physical and social functioning in independently living senior house residents and community-dwelling older adults.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(23), 12299.
Haapanen MJ, Mikkola TM, Kortelainen L, Jylhävä J, Wasenius NS, Kajantie E, Eriksson JG, von Bonsdorff MB.
Body composition in late midlife as a predictor of accelerated age-associated deficit accumulation from late midlife into old age: a longitudinal birth cohort study.
J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2022:78;980-7.
Haapanen MJ, Jylhävä J, Kortelainen L, Mikkola TM, Salonen M, Wasenius N, Kajantie E, Eriksson JG, von Bonsdorff MB.
Early life factors as predictors of age-associated deficit accumulation across 17 years from midlife to old age.
J Gerontol Med Sci 2022:77;2281-7.
Lahti AM, Simonsen N, Seppänen M, Finne M, Sarvimäki A, von Bonsdorff MB.
Folkhälsans seniorboende och aktivt åldrande – BoAktiv-studien.
Gerontologia 2019;33:74-85.
von Bonsdorff MB, Kokko K, Salonen M, von Bonsdorff ME, Poranen-Clark T, Alastalo H, Kajantie E, Osmond C, Eriksson JG.
Childhood adversities and home atmosphere as determinants of physical and mental functioning.
Age and Ageing 2019;48:80-6.
Professor Timo Strandberg, University of Helsinki
Professor Marjaana Seppänen, University of Helsinki
Professor (emerita) Anneli Sarvimäki, Age Institute, Helsinki
Professor Taina Rantanen, University of Jyväskylä
Associate Professor Juulia Jylhävä, Karolinska Institutet
Professor Dorly Deeg, Amsterdam UMC
Associate professor Merja Rantakokko, University of Jyväskylä
Professor Anu Sirén, Tampere University
Samfundet Folkhälsan
University of Jyväskylä
Jan Magnus Janssons fond
Medicinska Understödsföreningen Liv & Hälsa
Juho Vainio Foundation
