Loneliness prevalence of community-dwelling older adults and the impact of the mode of measurement, data collection, and country: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to assess the prevalence of loneliness in many countries worldwide which have different ways of assessing it. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. SETTING: We searched seven electronic databases for English peer-reviewed studies published between 1992 and 2021. PARTICIPANTS: We selected English-language peer-reviewed articles, with data from non-clinical populations of community-dwelling older adults (>60 years), and with "loneliness" or "lonely" in the title. MEASUREMENTS: A multilevel random-effects meta-analysis was used to estimate the prevalence of loneliness across studies and to pool prevalence rates for different measurement instruments, data collection methods, and countries. RESULTS: Our initial search identified 2,021 studies of which 45 (k = 101 prevalence rates) were included in the final meta-analysis. The estimated pooled prevalence rate was 31.6% (n = 168,473). Measurement instrument was a statistically significant moderator of the overall prevalence of loneliness. Loneliness prevalence was lowest for single-item questions and highest for the 20-item University of California-Los Angeles Loneliness Scale. Also, differences between modes of data collection were significant: the loneliness prevalence was significantly the highest for face-to-face data collection and the lowest for telephone and CATI data collection. Our moderator analysis to look at the country effect indicated that four of the six dimensions of Hofstede also caused a significant increase (Power Distance Index, Uncertainty Avoidance Index, Indulgence) or decrease (Individualism) in loneliness prevalence. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that there is high variability in loneliness prevalence rates among community-dwelling older adults, influenced by measurement instrument used, mode of data collection, and country.

Self-endowed magnetic photocatalysts derived from iron-rich sludge and its recycling in photocatalytic process for tetracycline degradation.

The disposal of iron-rich sludge by landfill or incineration poses environmental risks and wastes resources. The utilization of iron-rich sludge for magnetic material preparation offers a sustainable and resource-efficient solution for its disposal. Herein, self-endowed magnetic photocatalysts were initially prepared by pyrolysis using iron-rich sludge without any additives. The photocatalysts performance were evaluated for tetracycline degradation, with the highest degradation rate of 95.3 % at a concentration of 10 mg·L-1 (pH = 7) within 5 h being achieved for the photocatalyst prepared at 800 °C. The reactive radical species in the photocatalysis process were confirmed to be •OH and O2•- activated by ferrous oxygen species under light irradiation. Furthermore, quinone-like structures induced bound persistent free radicals, which emerged as the predominant factors influencing 1O2 formation. The employed photocatalyst can be efficiently separated and recovered owing to its magnetism. This work presents an economic solution for antibiotic removal using waste iron-rich sludge.

Adsorption Performance and Mechanisms of Tetracycline on Clay Minerals in Estuaries and Nearby Coastal Areas.

Clay minerals in sediments have strong adsorption capacities for pollutants, but their role in the distribution of antibiotics in estuaries and nearby coastal areas is unclear. We evaluated the clay mineral montmorillonite (SWy-2) adsorption capacity for tetracycline (TC). We assessed the adsorption capacity of SWy-2 for TC by measuring the removal percentage of 30 mg/L TC over time. The effects of pH and ionic strength on the TC adsorption onto SWy-2 were investigated. We analyzed the kinetics of TC adsorption using a pseudo-second-order model and determined the adsorption isotherm using the Langmuir equation. SWy-2 particles were characterized using zeta potential, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses before and after TC adsorption. The removal percentage of 30 mg/L TC by SWy-2 reached 70.76% within 0.25 h and gradually increased to 78.64% at 6 h. TC adsorption was influenced by pH and ionic strength, where low pH enhanced and high ionic strength reduced the adsorption. The kinetics of TC adsorption followed a pseudo-second-order model, and the adsorption isotherm adhered to the Langmuir equation. The saturated adsorption capacity (qmax) of SWy-2 for TC was 227.27 mg/g. Zeta potential, FTIR, and XRD analyses confirmed that electrostatic interactions and chemical bonds played a significant role in the TC adsorption by SWy-2. SWy-2 clay mineral exhibits a substantial adsorption capacity for TC, indicating its potential as an effective sorbent to mitigate antibiotic contamination in estuaries and nearby coastal areas. The observed effects of pH and ionic strength on TC adsorption have implications for the environmental fate and transport of antibiotics. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm equation provide valuable insights into the adsorption behavior and capacity of TC on SWy-2. Characterization analyses support the involvement of electrostatic interactions and chemical bonds in the SWy-2-TC adsorption mechanism.

Enhanced Adsorptive Removal of Tetracycline by Phosphomolybdic Acid-Modified Low-Temperature Sludge Biochar.

Increasing the adsorption capacity and reducing the energy consumption of sludge biochar during preparation is important. In this study, a new modification method was developed to prepare phosphomolybdic acid-modified sludge biochar through the low-temperature pyrolysis of sewage sludge using phosphomolybdic acid as a modifier. Tetracycline was used to assess the adsorption performance of sludge biochar, and phosphomolybdic acid-modified sludge biochar was prepared at different temperatures. The results showed that the adsorption capacity of sludge biochar improved from 84.49 to 120.86 mg/g through modification with phosphomolybdic acid at 200 °C. The maximum adsorption capacities of phosphomolybdic acid-modified sludge biochar (200 °C pyrolysis temperature) at 298, 308, and 318 K were 283.87, 421.39, and 545.48 mg/g, respectively. Both liquid film and intraparticle diffusion were the main rate-limiting steps of tetracycline adsorption by phosphomolybdic acid-modified sludge biochar. Furthermore, the adsorption of tetracycline by phosphomolybdic acid-modified sludge biochar was mainly attributed to π-π interactions, electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonding, and pore filling.

Efficient photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline using magnetic biochar derived by iron-rich sludge.

Industrial wastewater treatment processes produce a large quantity of iron-rich sludge due to the extensive utilization of iron salt reagent. Reuse of iron-rich sludge is an attractive route for excess sludge disposal and management. In this study, sludge-derived magnetic photocatalyst was prepared using industrial iron-rich sludge as raw materials for the first time. The photocatalytic degradation system constructed by the sludge-derived photocatalysts were evaluated using tetracycline (TC) as the target contaminant, achieving a high degradation rate of 98.3% within 5 h under optimal conditions. Major reactive oxygen species in the photocatalytic systems were investigated using radical quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. The results suggested that •OH and O2•- were activated by photogenerated electrons and holes, respectively. Moreover, bound persistent free radicals induced by quinone-like structure in sludge-derived biochar were the predominant factors affecting radical 1O2 formation under the light irradiation. The reactive oxygen species of •OH, O2•-, and 1O2 played main roles in the degradation of TC. The used magnetic biochar can be effectively separated and recovered in aqueous solutions by the magnetism. This method provides a new cost-effective strategy for antibiotics removal from aqueous solution.

Hydroxyl Radical-Mediated Efficient Photoelectrocatalytic NO Oxidation with Simultaneous Nitrate Storage Using A Flow Photoanode Reactor.

The selective conversion of dilute NO pollutant into low-toxic product and simultaneous storage of metabolic nitrogen for crop plants remains a great challenge from the perspective of waste management and sustainable chemistry. This study demonstrates that this bottleneck can be well tackled by refining the reactive oxygen species (ROS) on Ni-modified NH2 -UiO-66(Zr) (Ni@NU) using nickel foam (NF) as a three-dimensional (3D) substrate through a flow photoanode reactor via the gas-phase photoelectrocatalysis. By rationally refining the ROS to ⋅OH, Ni@NU/NF can rapidly eliminate 82 % of NO without releasing remarkable NO2 under a low bias voltage (0.3 V) and visible light irradiation. The abundant mesoporous pores on Ni@NU/NF are conducive to the diffusion and storage of the formed nitrate, which enables the progressive conversion NO into nitrate with selectivity over 99 % for long-term use. Through calculation, 90 % of NO could be recovered as the nitrate species, indicating that this state-of-the-art strategy can capture, enrich and recycle the pollutant N source from the atmosphere. This study offers a new perspective of NO pollutant treatment and sustainable nitrogen exploitation, which may possess great potential to the development of highly efficient air purification systems for industrial and indoor NOx control.

Loneliness in Older Migrants: Exploring the Role of Cultural Differences in Their Loneliness Experience.

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND: The scientific literature suggests the necessity of studying loneliness from a broader social perspective. This article aims to broaden the research on loneliness in older migrants by exploring the role of cultural differences through the lens of the social environment (as measured in social capital, discrimination, and ageism) and social situation (as measured in relational mobility, childness, and marital status). Based on Hofstede's Individualism Index, older migrants involved in the BBC Loneliness Experiment (N = 2164) were classified into three groups: cultural migrants (i.e., from a collectivist to individualist culture) (N = 239), migrants with a similar culture (i.e., within an individualist culture) (N = 841), and ageing non-migrants (N = 1084). OBJECTIVES: The two main objectives were (1) to compare the levels of loneliness among these three groups, and (2) to unravel how different influencing factors, such as the social environment, social situation, coping strategies, and personal characteristics, are related to loneliness. METHODS: Bivariate analyses were performed to determine the differences in the loneliness, social environment, social situation, and personal characteristic variables between the groups, with adjusted p-values according to the Bonferroni correction to limit the potential for type I errors (α = 0.005). Multiple linear regressions were performed to unravel the relationships between loneliness and the different influencing factors, namely the social environment, social situation, coping strategies, and personal characteristics. RESULTS: The bivariate analyses show no significant difference in loneliness across the three groups. The multiple linear regressions demonstrate that the social environment (i.e., social capital, discrimination, and ageism) is significantly associated with loneliness. Social capital acts as a protective factor for cultural migrants (ß = -0.27, p < 0.005, 95% CI [-0.48, -0.05]), similar-culture migrants (ß = -0.13, p < 0.005, 95% CI [-0.25, -0.03]), and non-migrants (ß = -0.21, p < 0.001, 95% CI [-0.28, -0.12]). Discrimination and ageism are both risk factors for loneliness across the three groups. Social situation, as measured in married/cohabitation status and relational mobility, shows a significant association with loneliness in the non-migrants and similar-culture migrants but not the cultural migrants. In terms of individual resources for coping strategies, engagement in active coping is protective for all three groups. Non-coping, the unawareness of any coping strategies, is a risk factor, while passive coping shows no significant association. DISCUSSION: The results show that the structural factor of the social environment in which older migrants' find themselves, rather than their culture of origin, is more important for older migrants' feelings of loneliness in later life. A favorable social environment with high social capital and low levels of discrimination and ageism protects against loneliness in the ageing population across cultures. Practical implications for loneliness interventions for older migrants are put forward.

Helping Behavior of Older Adults during the Early COVID-19 Lockdown in Belgium.

This study aimed to understand whether older adults not only received but also provided help during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Belgium, which factors motivated them to help, and whether older adults differed from younger age groups in terms of helping behavior and motives. Bivariate analyses were performed using data generated from an online cross-sectional survey in Belgium (N = 1892).The results showed that older adults who received help also provided it. This "interdependence" - mutual or reciprocal dependence - occurred regardless of age. In terms of motives for providing help, both older adults and their younger peers were primarily motivated by present-oriented and emotion-related motivation: older people were motivated to provide help by altruistic values and humanism, and enhancement motives linked to self-development.Policy implications of these results entail: during crisis situations, make use of the bond between older adults and their neighbors, such as caring communities.

Exploring the demographic and situational characteristics of older British people experiencing loneliness as positive within the BBC loneliness experiment.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to increase the understanding of loneliness experienced as positive, by exploring the demographic and situational characteristics of older people who experience loneliness as positive. METHOD: Two binary logistic regressions were conducted using data from those aged 60+ from the BBC Loneliness Experiment (N = 5250). RESULTS: The first binary logistic regression compared participants who experience loneliness always as positive (N = 219) to those participants who never experience loneliness as positive (N = 3004). Spending time alone did not emerge as relevant to experiencing loneliness as positive, but enjoying time alone was important (OR = 1.561 (95% CI = 1.313 - 1.856)). The lonelier older people were, the less likely they experienced loneliness as positive (OR = 0.708 (95% CI =0.644 - 0.779)). Men were more likely to experience loneliness as positive compared to women (OR = 1.734 (95% CI = 1.269 - 2.370)). Lastly, the experience of loneliness as positive was likely to decrease when older people had more years of education (OR = 0.887 (95% CI = 0.853 - 0.921)) but increased with age (OR = 1.067 (95% CI = 1.037 - 1.098)). The results of the second binary logistic regression comparing participants who indicated loneliness purely as positive with those participants indicate to experience loneliness sometimes as positive (N = 2027), are in line with the first regression analyses. CONCLUSION: The results are critically discussed by emphasizing the role of norms and cultures, gerotranscendence, and severity of loneliness, which might influence the experiences of loneliness. Further qualitative research is needed to elucidate the meanings of these positive experiences of loneliness.

Defect engineering modified bismuth vanadate toward efficient solar hydrogen peroxide production.

Industry for producing the vital chemical hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) requires drastically reductions in energy consumption and environmental pollution. Solar chemical conversion from O2 to H2O2 is considered to be the most promising alternative method, nevertheless, weak energy coupling between photo-charges and adsorbed species limits the yield of H2O2. Herein, we demonstrate that oxygen vacancy-rich BiVO4 can efficiently generate H2O2 in pure water under visible light irradiation without any heterojunctions or precious-metal cocatalysts. Oxygen vacancies, as typical coordinatively unsaturated sites, enable efficient O2 adsorption and enrichment, and then thriving chemisorption can spatially facilitate photoexcited electrons transfer to oxygen species. Compared to pristine BiVO4, defective BiVO4 enhanced O2 adsorption and interfacial electron transfer rate to O2 by 19 and 23 times, respectively, resulting in a more than 32-fold increase in H2O2 production. This research offers a new perspective for bridging solar and chemical energy by assuring species chemisorption.

Ascorbic acid enhanced ferrous/persulfate system for degradation of tetracycline contaminated groundwater.

Persulfate (PS) activated by Fe(ii) has been widely investigated for degradation of contaminants. However, the Fe(ii)/PS systems used for actual contaminated groundwater remediation have been restricted by circulation of Fe(iii)/Fe(ii). Herein, an ascorbic acid (AA) enhanced Fe(ii)/PS system was developed for degradation of tetracycline (TC) contaminated groundwater. The influence of Fe(ii), AA, PS dosage and pH on degradation of TC was investigated, the free radicals produced in the reaction were identified and the reusability of Fe(ii) in the Fe(ii)/PS/AA system for degradation of TC was also evaluated. The results showed that AA significantly promoted the degradation of TC in the Fe(ii)/PS system, and a degradation rate of 86% for TC was achieved at 60 min. The dominant oxidant species for contaminant degradation in the Fe(ii)/PS/AA system is ˙OH. Appropriate Fe(ii), AA and PS dosage can improve the degradation rate of TC. Moreover, the degradation rate of TC in the Fe(ii)/PS/AA system under acidic conditions is higher than that under alkaline conditions. With the increase of reaction time, TC can also be completely degraded even with a little Fe(ii) or under alkaline conditions in the Fe(ii)/PS/AA system, and Fe(ii) showed a good reusability for the degradation of TC. Thus, the AA-enhanced Fe(ii)/PS system for the degradation of contaminants displays the advantages of less Fe(ii) consumption and a wide range of pH. This method provides a new strategy for in situ remediation of contaminated groundwater.

Motivators and barriers to social participation in two Chinese long-term care institutions: A focus-group study.

This study used focus group interviews with 40 older Chinese long-term care residents to explore their motivators and barriers to social participation in institutional settings informed by their lived experience. Using inductive thematic analysis, we found that motivators include pursuit of healthy ageing (better physical and mental health) and pursuit of meaningful ageing (sense of achievement and being useful, increased connectedness and realization of dreams from earlier life). The reported barriers illuminate structural components such as life-course experiences, long-term care-related barriers and Chinese policy-related barriers. The discussion highlights the importance of understanding the multidimensionality of motivators and barriers to social participation. To promote healthy ageing among institutionalized residents, staff and policy makers are recommended to initiate and support meaningful activities for residents. Residents' individual dreams and accumulated life-course disadvantages experienced long before admission to long-term care should also be considered when devising effective interventions to increase residents' level of social participation.

Whole-genome assembly of Ganoderma leucocontextum (Ganodermataceae, Fungi) discovered from the Tibetan Plateau of China.

Ganoderma leucocontextum, a newly discovered species of Ganodermataceae in China, has diverse pharmacological activities. Ganoderma leucocontextum was widely cultivated in southwest China, but the systematic genetic study has been impeded by the lack of a reference genome. Herein, we present the first whole-genome assembly of G. leucocontextum based on the Illumina and Nanopore platform from high-quality DNA extracted from a monokaryon strain (DH-8). The generated genome was 50.05 Mb in size with an N50 scaffold size of 3.06 Mb, 78,206 coding sequences, and 13,390 putative genes. Genome completeness was assessed using the Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs (BUSCO) tool, which identified 96.55% of the 280 Fungi BUSCO genes. Furthermore, differences in functional genes of secondary metabolites (terpenoids) were analyzed between G. leucocontextum and Ganoderma lucidum. Ganoderma leucocontextum has more genes related to terpenoids synthesis compared to G. lucidum, which may be one of the reasons why they exhibit different biological activities. This is the first genome assembly and annotation for G. leucocontextum, which would enrich the toolbox for biological and genetic studies in G. leucocontextum.

'It's like a double-edged sword': understanding Confucianism's role in activity participation among first-generation older Chinese migrants in the Netherlands and Belgium.

While activity participation in later life has attracted considerable attention from policymakers and scholars, indoor and outdoor engagement among older Chinese migrants in Europe is understudied. Using in-depth interviews with 21 older Chinese migrants in the Netherlands and seven in Belgium, this study is among the first to explore older Chinese migrants' activity participation experiences from the perspective of Confucianism, the cornerstone of Chinese culture. More specifically, the impact of four acknowledged principles of Confucianism are considered: hierarchical relationships, family system, benevolence and emphasis on education. The findings show that, like a double-edged sword, these four principles have positive and negative effects on older Chinese migrants' activity participation. Hierarchical relationships promote formal organisational participation, yet concurrently dividing the Chinese community into smaller subgroups and endangering solidarity within the community. With regard to family system, which emphasizes intergenerational responsibility and obligation, older Confucianist migrants prioritise taking care of their grandchildren, resulting in less time to participate in outdoor activities. Benevolence, the third principle of Confucianism, restrains older Chinese migrants from political participation while encouraging them to attend community meetings where food is shared. Lastly, emphasis on education, of which self-cultivation is an important aspect, helps older Chinese migrants overcome feelings of loneliness and makes them prefer self-learning activity above formal learning settings (e.g. language learning) organised by the government. The article ends with policy recommendations on how to increase older Chinese migrants' outdoor activities.

Inhibitory effect of triterpenoids from the mushroom Inonotus obliquus against α-glucosidase and their interaction: Inhibition kinetics and molecular stimulations.

Bioassay-guided fractionation led to the isolation of a series of triterpenoids (1-46) including 12 new ones (1-12) from the mushroom Inonotus obliquus. The structures of all the compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis as well as by comparison with literature data. Triterpenoids 1-3, 6, 7, 16, 24, 25, 27, 38, 43, 44 and 46 showed strong α-glucosidase inhibition, with IC50 values from 11.5 to 81.8 µM. Their structure-activity relationships were discussed. Inonotusol F (24) showed the strongest inhibitory activity and it presented noncompetitive inhibition against α-glucosidase. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics stimulation further demonstrated that GLU302 and PHE298 were key amino acids for the inhibition of inonotusol F (24) towards α-glucosidase. This study indicates the vital role of triterpenoids in explaining hypoglycemic effect of Inonotus obliquus and provides important evidence for further development and utilization of this mushroom.

Older Chinese migrants in coronavirus pandemic: exploring risk and protective factors to increased loneliness.

Older migrants may be one of the most vulnerable populations during the coronavirus pandemic, yet the degree of impact remains largely unknown. This study explores (1) the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic for older Chinese migrants in Belgium and the Netherlands in terms of increased loneliness and its risk factors (reduced in-person contact, decreased social participation, feelings of existential threat) and protective factors (increased non-in-person contact, more individual activities), and (2) which risk and protective factors have contributed to the incidence and prevention of higher loneliness levels. Using quantitative data of a survey among 98 Chinese migrants aged 50 years and older in Belgium (n = 84) and the Netherlands (n = 14), the findings first indicate that the coronavirus pandemic has a significant impact on older Chinese migrants' lives. One in five experienced more loneliness. Second, reduced social participation (measured as less frequent participation in outdoor group activities) and financial insecurity (measured as experiencing financial difficulties) lead to higher than pre-pandemic loneliness levels. Problem-focused coping strategies (measured as increased non-in-person contact, via telephone or social media) and emotion-focused coping (measured as finding distraction through increased participation in individual activities) were not found to protect against increased loneliness in the pandemic. Two practical implications for loneliness interventions for older Chinese migrants are put forward. Organizing COVID-19-safe social participation activities and paying more attention to older Chinese migrants' financial situation can be beneficial when addressing higher levels of loneliness due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Enhanced photocatalytic CO2 reduction with defective TiO2 nanotubes modified by single-atom binary metal components.

A binary component catalyst consists of single atoms (SAs- Pt and Au) anchored on self-doped TiO2 nanotubes (TNTs), was developed for photocatalytic CO2 reduction. The defects introduced TNTs substrate was stabilized with atomic Pt and Au via strong metal support interactions (MSI), due to which, the covalent interactions facilitated an effective transfer of photo-generated electrons from the defective sites to the SAs, and in turn an enhanced separation of electron-hole pairs and charge-carrier transmission. The Pt-Au/R-TNTs with 0.33 wt% of SA metals, exhibited a maximum of 149 times higher photocatalytic performance than unmodified R-TNT and a total apparent quantum yield (AQY) of 17.9%, in which the yield of CH4 and C2H6 reached to 360.0 and 28.8 µmol g-1 h-1, respectively. The metals loading shifted the oxidation path of H2O from •OH generation into O2 evolution, that inhibited the self-oxidization of the photocatalyst.

High performance of the A-Mn2O3 nanocatalyst for persulfate activation: Degradation process of organic contaminants via singlet oxygen.

In this study, the catalytic activation of persulfate (PS) via metal oxides was investigated, and the A-Mn2O3 nanocatalyst was found to have the highest efficiency among other PS activators for the degradation of organic contaminants. Additionally, A-Mn2O3 exhibited a remarkable efficiency in activating PS for the degradation of phenol compared to both B-Mn2O3 and C-Mn2O3. This was attributed to the longer bonds between edge-sharing MnO6 octahedra, the unique structure, the high content surface -OH groups, and the average oxidation states. This indicated that all these properties played an important role in an efficient PS activation. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, scavenger tests, and chemical probes were conducted to investigate the reactive oxygen species (ROS). Singlet oxygen (1O2) was determined to be the main ROS generated from PS activation. A plausible mechanism study was proposed, which involved inner-sphere interactions. An electron transfer of the Mn species facilitated the decomposition of PS to generate HO2•/O2• - radicals, which were utilized as a precursor for 1O2 generation via direct oxidation or the recombination of HO2•/O2• -. Finally, the phenol and Sulfachloropyridazine (SCP) degradation pathways were proposed by 1O2 over the A-Mn2O3/PS system according to HPLC and LC-MS results.

Social Participation in Older Adults after Relocation to Long-Term Care Institutions in China: A Qualitative Study.

This study used focus group interviews with older Chinese long-term care residents (N = 40), to explore their perspectives and experiences of social participation in long-term care institutions. Based on previously established taxonomy of different activity levels, we found that their social participation centered on level 3 (involvement with others), level 4 (task-oriented activities), and level 5 activities (helping others). Participants indicated that their social participation had changed after relocation. Thematic analysis revealed three main themes: increased spare time, increased presence of peers, and new participation opportunities with lost old hobbies. Focusing on the positive changes after relocation and promoting meaningful activities of different levels may benefit long-term care residents.

Social Participation in the Daily Lives of Frail Older Adults: Types of Participation and Influencing Factors.

OBJECTIVES: The advantages of social participation for older adults are well established and have been adopted in aging policy frameworks. However, little is known about the social participation of frail older adults. This research examined the types of social interaction of very frail older adults and the factors influencing this participation. METHOD: Interviews with 38 very frail older adults were analyzed using Levasseur and colleagues' (Levasseur, Richard, Gauvin, & Raymond (2010). Inventory and analysis of definitions of social participation found in the aging literature: Proposed taxonomy of social activities. Social Science and Medicine (1982), 71, 2141-2149) taxonomy activity levels of involvement with others. A qualitative hybrid approach with inductive and deductive thematic analyses was used. RESULTS: Participants often disengaged from activities with high involvement with others, preferring activities with less involvement. Low-key participation emerged as an important type of social participation enabling frail older adults to remain engaged in society. Key factors that influenced social participation were functional decline, and the physical (e.g., traffic, the disappearance of local stores) and social environment (e.g., social networks and the presence of meeting places such as community centers). DISCUSSION: Findings advance our knowledge and recognition of the different ways frail older adults participate in society. Despite their frailty, older adults wish to stay socially active. Focusing on the social environment in the frameworks and policies of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities will benefit these individuals.