bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
RE-EVALUATING LOCUS OF CONTROL AMONG OLDER KAREN REFUGEES IN LONG-TERM RESETTLEMENT
Authors: Fields Noelle , Kitchens Katherine , Mitschke Diane
Published: January 2025

Recent literature has increasingly applied the concept of locus of control (LOC), a psychological measure for understanding individuals’ beliefs about controlling life events, to forcibly displaced populations, including older refugees whose experiences and coping mechanisms may be distinctly influenced by their age and cultural background. The cross-cultural validity of this construct, particularly among collective cultures experiencing long-term resettlement in the Global North, warrants further examination. This study, utilizing interpretative phenomenological analysis within the theoretical framework of homeostatic socio-cognitive systems theory, specifically explored the lived experiences of forced displacement and long-term resettlement among ten older Karen refugees from Burma resettled in the southwestern United States for an average of over 12 years. Aimed at capturing deep narrative insights, the research sought to extend the discourse on LOC’s cross-cultural construct validity, particularly within the context of older refugees adapting to life in a Western context. The findings underscored five emergent themes: Collective Orientation over Individual Agency, Collective Cultural and Communal Living, Interdependence and Communal Support, Shared Control within Social Networks, and the Importance of Relationships. These themes reveal a significant divergence from the individualistic assumptions underlying the LOC construct, highlighting the prominence of communal values, shared decision-making, and the critical role of relational dynamics within the collective cultures of older refugees. This study underscores the need for culturally sensitive research methodologies and intervention strategies that honor the unique lived experiences of older refugees from collective cultures, advocating for a reevaluation of psychological constructs like LOC in cross-cultural contexts.
UNDERSTANDING UNMET NEEDS AND SUPPORT AMONG DIVERSE FAMILY CAREGIVERS ENGAGED IN COMPLEX
Authors: Bell Janice , Whitney Robin , Link Benjamin , Bhurtel Shikha , Tonkikh Orly , Famula Jessica , Kelly Kathleen , Young Heather
Published: January 2025

More than 56 million family caregivers provided unpaid care to a family member in the last year. This group is increasing in number and diversity, while providing more intense and complex care, as more older adults are living longer with chronic and serious illness. We used assessment and service data from a large statewide database (CareNavTM) collected by 11 California Caregiver Resources Centers statewide to describe the caregiving demands, unmet needs and resource gaps of diverse family caregivers seeking help from the centers. Almost half of the caregivers identified as Black non-Hispanic, Hispanic/Latino, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Native American/Alaska Native or multi-racial/other. Older caregivers and those with low income were more likely to provide ≥40 hours of care weekly and to provide high intensity care (measured with the number of personal care activities supported and weekly hours of care). Younger caregivers, those in racial/ethnic groups other than White non-Hispanic, and those with low income were more likely to perform medical/nursing tasks. These groups of caregivers were also the least likely to have paid or unpaid help and the most likely to report adverse outcomes including fair or poor health status, worsening health and moderate or severe depressive symptoms. Taken together, these findings inform the California Department ofn Aging efforts to develop an equity plan for caregivers and are useful to other states seeking to develop policy to assure that all family caregivers have a range of high-quality services and supports that promote their physical, emotional, and financial wellbeing.
FORTITUDE IN DIVERSITY: MINORITY ISSUES AND INTEGRATIVE APPROACHES TO COGNITIVE HEALTH IN OLDER ADULT POPULATIONS
Authors: Saidi Ladan Ghazi , Miyawaki Christina
Published: January 2025

First, Dr. Ghazi Saidi, an associate professor at the University of Nebraska at Kearney and the symposium chair, will discuss cognitive health disparities and interventions aimed at improving the cognitive health of older adults in minority communities. She will also present the results of a scoping review on cognitive health, including demographic and lifestyle factors that impact cognitive health in older adults living in rural areas. Next, Jeein Jang, a PhD candidate at the University of Massachusetts Boston, will present a cross-sectional study exploring the associations between neighborhood characteristics and activity engagement, with a focus on different activity domains and race/ethnicity, using data from the 2018-2020 Health and Retirement Study. Michelle Xue, a PhD student at Duke University, will introduce a dementia prevention program specifically designed for older Chinese Americans at high risk for dementia, aimed at overcoming barriers such as language and transportation. Maki Karakida, another PhD candidate at UMass Boston, will present on the relationship between work/retirement status and sleep health, emphasizing the impact of race/ethnicity and nativity, particularly in African American and Hispanic populations, among 41,924 Americans aged 50+, showing that intersections of race/ethnicity and nativity significantly influence sleep quality. Lastly, Dr. Miyawaki, an associate professor at the University of Houston, will discuss a cognition program conducted in Houston by Vietnamese-American health professionals and university students, which addresses the gap in dementia care using the Cultural Exchange Model (CEM) to enhance dementia literacy.
MODIFIABLE FACTORS IN COGNITIVE HEALTH OF THE RURAL AGING POPULATION: A SCOPING REVIEW
Authors: Saidi Ladan Ghazi , Phatak Vaishali , McKelvey Miechelle
Published: January 2025

Introduction

This presentation highlights modifiable risk factors that impact the cognitive well-being of older adults in rural regions. Studies on rural population are rare due to its challenges. Considering the global distribution of the older adults, with more than 20% of America’s older population residing in rural locales, it is essential to recognize the specific risk factors inherent to these areas to foster healthy aging. We summarize the literature on cognitive health at aging in rural populations.

Method

Articles were sourced from multiple databases and were subjected to rigorous inclusion and exclusion criteria following PRISMA guidelines. The initial pool of 92 articles was refined to 13 for an in-depth analysis.

Findings

The findings from our scoping review reveal three primary elements related to the rural context affecting cognitive health. We conclude that disparities are associated with demographics and healthcare access; facets of quality of life like physical activity, sleep patterns, and social engagement are essential in healthy aging; and overall physical and mental health play a vital role in healthy cognition in aging.

Conclusion

Research on healthy aging and Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) should consider rural residency as a possible risk factor.
GET TO KNOW THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING: NIA SESSION FOR EARLY-CAREER RESEARCHERS
Authors: Kelley Amy , Kelley Amy
Published: January 2025

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) at the National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, supports biomedical and behavioral research with a lifespan focus. NIA research seeks to understand the basic processes of aging, improve prevention and treatment of diseases in later life, and improve the health of older persons, in addition to an emphasis on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. NIA supports a variety of training and career development opportunities for students, junior faculty, early-career investigators, and emerging scholars. In this session, we will provide an overview of NIA-funded research, followed by a presentation on funding mechanisms and strategies to consider when applying for extramural grants, particularly for early-career scientists at multiple career stages. Finally, attendees will be able to join any number of breakout group discussions led by extramural NIA training staff and program officials to discuss programs, initiatives, mechanisms, and/or policies specific to various career paths.
IMPACT OF EARLY-LIFE EXPERIENCES AND CAREGIVING ON COGNITIVE HEALTH
Authors: Graham Karen
Published: January 2025

This symposium comprises four studies investigating the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and caregiving on cognitive health. In the first study, researchers investigate the association between ACEs and cognition in older African Americans, exploring the moderating role of active coping. While ACEs were not directly associated with global cognitive functioning, a negative relationship was found between active coping and cognition. This underscores the need for further research to understand the complex interplay between ACEs, coping mechanisms, and cognitive health. In the second study, researchers explore the association between ACEs and dementia, using data from the Health and Retirement Study. They found that individuals reporting ACEs have significantly higher odds of dementia, especially among men. This underscores the importance of trauma-informed interventions to reduce dementia onset. The third study focuses on data from the National Longitudinal Study of Youth. It reveals significant associations between childhood parental love and affection, dysfunctional parental relationships, and self-rated memory in older adults. Mediation analysis emphasizes the role of psychological resources in shaping subjective cognition. The fourth study examines the long-term effects of ACEs on mental health among Black dementia family caregivers. Results highlight the detrimental impact of childhood trauma on depression, depressive symptoms, and suicidal thinking. These findings emphasize the need for targeted interventions to mitigate the mental health consequences of ACEs in caregiving contexts. Together, these studies provide valuable insights into the multifaceted relationships between early-life experiences, caregiving, and cognitive health, highlighting the importance of targeted interventions to support individuals across the lifespan.
CLINICIAN INTERACTIONS WITH OLDER LGBT+ PATIENTS IN COLORADO: VISIBILITY, IDENTITY, AND EQUITABLE CARE
Authors: Valenti Korijna
Published: January 2025

The unique needs of older lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT+) patients continue to merit attention. It is critical to fill the gap between clinician-patient communication, viewing patients as individuals with distinct support systems, and spouse/partner inclusivity. Guided by a queer gerontology framework, this study analyzed perspectives of clinicians across Colorado (n = 20) regarding their experiences interacting with LGBT+ patients 55+ with serious illness, including a) how health care professionals perceive their knowledge of and interactions with LGBTQ+ patients; (b) how these perspectives may inform patient care; and (c) how to best conceptualize communication between clinicians and LGBTQ+ patients. Inductive thematic analysis revealed three main themes: 1) visibility and treatment of LGBTQ+ patients, 2) asking about identity, and 3) acknowledging limitations around the current state of care for LGBTQ+ patients. Participants noted varying levels of comfort with and knowledge about LGBTQ+ patients and patients’ chosen care partners Participants addressed barriers around not asking about sexual orientation or gender identity, treating all patients “the same,” and the need for increased advocacy and proactive communication by health care professionals. Findings reveal the need for improved knowledge acquisition, training, and inclusivity for clinicians to fully address older LGBT+ patient needs. Several participants noted experiences around discrimination in the clinical environment and the need to “do better,” learn more, and engage more deeply with patients. Clinician understanding of patient needs, the use of correct language, and familiarity with patients’ chosen care partners may lead to improved health care experiences for LGBT+ patients.
THE TEMPORAL SEQUENCE OF FRAILTY, SOCIAL ISOLATION, AND LONELINESS IN OLDER ADULTS ACROSS 21 YEARS
Authors: Mehrabi Fereshteh , Pomeroy Mary Louise , Cudjoe Thomas , Jenkins Emerald , Dent Elsa , Hoogendijk Emiel
Published: January 2025

This study examined the temporal patterns of social isolation, loneliness, and frailty among a national sample of older adults across 21 years (1995–2016). We applied random intercept cross-lagged panel models to seven waves of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA). We included 2,302 Dutch older adults ages 55 and older (Mage= 72.6; SD = 8.6; 52.1% female). Frailty was measured using the Frailty Index. Loneliness was measured using the 11-item De Jong Gierveld loneliness scale. Social isolation was measured using a multi-domain 6-item scale. Levels of social isolation and loneliness were weakly correlated during any given wave as well as across waves. Each condition was highly stable from one time point (T) to the next. Cross-lagged effects showed that frailty in T2 to T5 significantly predicted social isolation in the following waves (T3 to T6). For example, higher levels of frailty at T4 predicted higher levels of social isolation at T5 (β = 0.23, SD = 0.05, p < 0.001). Likewise, frailty in T2 to T6 significantly predicted loneliness in the following waves (T3 to T7). For example, higher levels of frailty at T5 predicted higher levels of loneliness at T6 (β = 0.33, SD = 0.06, p < 0.001). The reverse sequence (i.e., social isolation or loneliness predicting future frailty) was less common and exhibited a weaker relationship. Frailty may have important consequences for adverse psychosocial outcomes, including social isolation and loneliness. Public health policies should prioritize interventions that bolster social connection among pre-frail and frail older adults.
PERIPHERAL BLOOD CELL MITOCHONDRIAL FUNCTIONS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE AND ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE
Authors: Mahapatra Gargi , Bergstrom Jaclyn , Craft Suzanne , Molina Anthony
Published: January 2025

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) dementia associates with systemic mitochondrial bioenergetic decline. We previously showed blood cell mitochondrial bioenergetics recapitulates bioenergetic capacity of highly metabolically active organs like brain, liver, and skeletal muscles, and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) mitochondrial function relates to brain morphology. More recently, we examined PBMC and platelet bioenergetics in a cohort of older adults with dementia due to AD. We assessed mitochondrial function using complementary respirometric approaches in intact and permeabilized PBMCs and platelets from individuals with normal cognition (NC), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia due to probable AD (DEM). Cognitive abilities were assessed using Modified Preclinical Alzheimer’s Cognitive Composite (mPACC5) scores, and brain morphology using MRI. Our results indicate blood cells exhibit lower bioenergetic capacity associated with cognitive decline in MCI and DEM, with lowest capacities in DEM. Specifically, glucose-mediated respiration was significantly lower in DEM compared to NC. PBMC fatty-acid oxidation (FAO)-mediated respiration were progressively lower with MCI and DEM compared to NC, while platelet FAO-mediated respiration exhibited higher maximal respiration in MCI than NC and DEM. PBMC and platelet respiration positively correlated with mPACC5 scores and hippocampal volume, and negatively correlated with white matter hyperintensities. These findings indicate mitochondrial bioenergetic differences associated with cognitive abilities are systemic and blood-based bioenergetic profiling can be used as a minimally invasive approach for measuring mitochondrial alterations associated with dementia. Studies are underway to identify circulating factors underlying systemic bioenergetic decline and cellular mechanisms mediating mitochondrial dysfunction in PBMCs and platelets from older adults with cognitive impairment.
PROFESSIONALIZING GERONTOLOGY AND CREDENTIALING GERONTOLOGISTS
Authors: Schafer Donna
Published: January 2025

There are many reasons people want to work with older adults. However, there is no guarantee that these motivated people will enroll in a gerontology degree program. Many do not know about Gerontology; others are not confident they can find a job with a gerontology degree. Those who do graduate from gerontology degree programs may be frustrated in competing with graduates of other programs who are able to obtain licenses or with “graduates” of weekend workshops producing “gerontologists.” It is ironic that at a time when we need more people to work with older adults, gerontology degree programs often struggle to enroll students. Low enrollments threaten the survival of existing programs. Institutional perceptions about uncertain enrollments inhibit the development of new degree programs. We have not done a good job “marketing” our field either inside or outside academia. The National Association for Professional Gerontologists (NAPG) was founded in 2005 to address some of these problems. NAPG credentials the educational and practice experience of gerontology professionals using the AGHE Standards and Guidelines and the Gerontology Competencies for Undergraduate and Graduate Education. Thus far, NAPG has credentialed over 350 practicing gerontology professionals. We need to do more. NAPG proposes an effort to develop partnerships among like-minded organizations to promote the field and to attract funding to re-energize it. A coalition of partners needs to work with the employer community to convey the value of a gerontology education and ensure that graduates have the skills employers need.
ENHANCING THE AGING WORKFORCE: THE CASE FOR ACCREDITATION OF GERONTOLOGY PROGRAMS
Authors: Henke Maria
Published: January 2025

For over five decades, gerontology programs have been attempting to address the needs of aging populations by preparing professionals equipped with specific knowledge, skills, and competencies. Of paramount concern to any gerontology program is that their graduates are prepared to be valuable members of the workforce. This can be done by establishing cohesive standards within the field so that future employers recognize and value the qualifications of gerontology graduates. These standards can be established and improved upon by creating a dialogue with future employers to more fully understand their workforce needs as well as to clearly communicate the value graduates from accredited gerontology programs bring to their organizations. It is important that there is a core of consistency from program to program. This consistency ensures that regardless of the specific focus or emphasis of each program, employers will recognize the particular skill set a gerontologist brings to their organizations and businesses. The Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE) is the educational arm of the Gerontological Society of America (GSA). AGHE has formulated a set of core competencies for gerontology programs. These competencies serve as the cornerstone of the accreditation process facilitated by Accreditation for Gerontology Education Council (AGEC), providing programs with a structured pathway towards recognition and validation. With the framework for accreditation established, it is imperative for programs to embark on this journey, ensuring alignment with the rigorous standards and expectations set forth by the field.
OLDER ADULTS WITHOUT CARE PARTNERS: A SCOPING REVIEW OF CURRENT EVIDENCE
Authors: Jones-Cobb Brittany , Lee Chaejeong
Published: January 2025

Demographic changes in rates of living alone, divorce, migration, and having no living partner, spouse, or children are leaving more older adults without the typical “informal” care providers that are the backbone of caregiving in the U.S. These older adults without care partners face a precarious situation given our lack of a robust care structure outside of family/social network members, reductions in publicly funded care, rising costs of privately funded care, and a care workforce shortage. Using the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines and PRISMA-ScR protocol, we conducted a scoping review of nine databases to synthesize the current evidence regarding this population’s risks and vulnerabilities; adverse consequences; and any interventions that have been developed and tested specifically for this population. Three independent reviewers screened and extracting data, and the first author conducted descriptive and thematic analysis. Precarities facing older adults without care partners included risk for social isolation, impaired self-care, delays and exclusions from medical treatment, and worse medication adherence. Negative outcomes included increased likelihood of hospital and nursing home admission, and death by suicide. No rigorously studied interventions are currently published that specifically target this population. However, some evidence suggested positive benefits from enhancing home-based environmental, formal care, and volunteer supports. Very few of the included articles in this review set out to specifically study older adults without care partners. This highlights our lack of understanding of their distinctive risks and outcomes, and the vital research remaining to develop and test interventions that effectively address this growing population’s unique needs.
THE USE OF VIRTUAL VOLUNTEERISM WITHIN THE AMERICORPS SENIORS RSVP PROGRAM: IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE
Authors: Crittenden Jennifer , Tarbox Nathan , Coleman Rachel , Campbell Leah , Thorne Adrienna , Chapman Chelsea
Published: January 2025

The COVID-19 pandemic spurred the opportunity, and in some cases the imperative, to develop virtual volunteer (VV) options for older adults. The AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP program, one of the largest networks of older volunteers in the U.S., engages adults 55+ in a variety of local volunteer service opportunities. RSVP program directors were surveyed in 2023 (N = 138) to explore the use of VV, challenges associated with VV, and the opportunities for expansion of VV strategies with older adult volunteers. The most frequently cited VV assignments used by programs included: Community health education (53.5%, n = 23), financial services such as tax preparation and financial education (50%, n = 21), and companionship/friendly visiting (48.9%, n = 22). Common challenges cited by programs included a desire to return to in-person activities by older volunteers and beneficiaries, a lack of comfort with technology, lack of internet connection, and lack of funding resources to develop VV assignments. Statistical testing confirmed that the use of virtual strategies is not evenly distributed across geographical services areas with current (44.7%, n = 21) and past VV programs (44.4%, n = 8) more likely to serve metropolitan areas than rural or suburban service areas (X2 (2, N = 138) = 10.37, p <.01). Despite mixed levels of satisfaction with VV, approximately one in three programs (31.7%, n = 20) projected an expansion of VV with older volunteers into the future. Additional findings and associated programmatic considerations will also be discussed.
READY, SET, VR!: VOLUNTEERS’ PERCEPTIONS USING VIRTUAL REALITY WITH PLWD IN COMMUNITY-BASED RESPITE
Authors: Agyemang Lillian , Milnamow Mary , Dauenhauer Jason , Bakk Louanne
Published: January 2025

People living with dementia (PLwD) and their caregivers prefer to “age in place” within the community. Community-based respite centers often have programming that enables caregivers to drop off their care receiver for a few hours while trained volunteers provide engagement. Few, if any, studies have explored Virtual Reality (VR) programming in community-based drop-in respite programs for PLwD. Within this exploratory study, a focus group with 8 volunteers aged 65+ was conducted to understand their experiences delivering VR in a drop-in respite center serving PLwD. Qualitative analysis revealed four primary themes: 1) Motivation, 2) Positive impact of VR, 3) VR Programming, and 4) Enhancing VR delivery. Volunteers shared a strong interest in learning new technology, and their motivation to use VR in respite center programming increased after training. Volunteers observed the positive impact of VR on client engagement and social connections and shared practical tips for improving VR delivery. Results provide evidence that VR can be successfully implemented in a community-based drop-in respite center for PLwD. Structural and individual-level factors may contribute to successful VR implementation, such as programs having technical and financial support from a larger social service agency, and volunteers’ motivation to receiving VR training. The level of enthusiasm demonstrated by volunteers in learning VR contradicts a persistent ageist myth regarding older adults and technology. In conclusion, VR is a novel approach for volunteers and clients to have meaningful social experiences within drop-in respite centers.
HISTORICAL NARRATIVES, CONTEMPORARY PORTRAYALS, AND STRATEGIES TO REFRAME AGING
Authors: Ng Reuben
Published: January 2025

Ageism is the discrimination of older adults based on their age, and the negative portrayals of older adults as derived from age-based stereotypes centered on illness, irrelevance, and incompetence. The insidious consequences of ageism to health prompted 194 member countries to collectively work through the World Health Organization on a global campaign to combat ageism. This talk showcases innovative methods in analyzing the historical narratives of aging over 200 years, contemporary media portrayals of older adults, and strategies to reframe aging.
FORWARD WITH FORTITUDE: THE VIRGINIA TECH CENTER FOR GERONTOLOGY
Authors: Shealy Carlisle , Teaster Pamela
Published: January 2025

The Center for Gerontology at Virginia Tech (VTCfG) celebrated its 45th year of existence and annual celebration of gerontology. The VTCfG offers two graduate certificates—the Graduate Certificate in Gerontology (for seated students) and the Certificate for Leadership in an Aging Society (for online students). The VTCfG has five Core Faculty Gerontologists, 95 Faculty Affiliates, one International Faculty Affiliate, 12 Center Associates, 140 Graduate Certificate Recipients, and over 10 graduate students pursuing the Graduate Certificate in Gerontology at any one time. The VTCfG has a Futures Board of 18 members from various entities and organizations in the state and nationally and participates in approximately 20 funded research projects at one time. Drs. Shealy and Teaster will provide a history of the VTCfG, challenges faced through the years, and opportunities and directions for the next 50 years.
IMPACT OF GERIATRIC SCHOLARS PROGRAM PSYCHOLOGY TRACK ACTIVITIES ON VA PSYCHOLOGISTS’ CLINICAL PRACTICE
Authors: Gould Christine , Gregg Jeffrey , Rodriguez Rachel
Published: January 2025

The significant workforce shortage for geriatric mental health providers is pronounced within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) where more than half of Veterans receiving care are over the age of 65 years. During the past 10 years, the Geriatric Scholars Program-Psychology Track (GSP-P) has developed and delivered a multi-component geropsychology training curriculum for VA psychologists serving older Veterans. Quantitative evaluation findings have demonstrated significant improvements in self-reported geropsychology knowledge and skills. However, detecting changes in clinical practice proves to be more challenging as VA psychologists’ practice includes components that are difficult to quantify (e.g., consultation, environmental interventions, facilitating family and team communication). To characterize GSP-P’s impact on clinical practice, we used a rapid qualitative analysis approach to examine open-ended responses about how clinical practice has changed on a survey of GSP-P alumni (N = 40 respondents, 27% response rate). Most (75%) respondents endorsed that GSP-P activities had an impact specifically on their clinical practice. Scholars noted improved conceptualization of patients’ presenting concerns. They described improved consideration of multiple factors including sensory changes, health literacy, medical health, and family systems. Increased use in standardized assessment measures and assessment of other factors (e.g., medications affecting cognition) emerged as well. Scholars described expanding intervention skills such as applying evidence-based psychotherapies with older adults and involving family members in therapy. These qualitative findings suggest that participation in the GSP-P activities has led to improvements in the quality of care provided to older Veterans with complex mental health, neurocognitive, medical, and functional needs.
MULTIDIMENSIONAL SLEEP HEALTH IN CARDIOMETABOLIC AND COGNITIVE AGING
Authors: Buxton Orfeu
Published: January 2025

Multi-dimensional sleep health perspectives provide a holistic picture of the various independent and interacting facets of sleep health essential for health and wellbeing. This is key because characterizing sleep extends beyond simple measures such as the amount of time spent asleep and encompasses broad yet interrelated concepts. Taking a life course perspective, this presentation will provide theoretical background and empirical evidence for a 6-component multi-dimensional sleep health model using objective (wrist actigraphy) measures. This will, specifically, be examined in two large cohort studies of well-phenotyped participants. First, using data from the Work, Family and Health Study, evidence will be presented for the relationship of work-related stress, sleep health, and biomarker-based cardiometabolic risk in mid-life and older adults. Second, using data from the Einstein Aging Study, empirical evidence will be presented for the presence of 6-facet multi-dimensional sleep health construct using factor analysis, and its relationship with cognition and mild cognitive impairment. A more comprehensive approach incorporating sleep disorders into a multi-dimensional sleep health framework will also be discussed.
INTERPRETING ASSOCIATIONS OF SLEEP/CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS WITH COGNITIVE OUTCOMES: CHALLENGES AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Authors: Stone Katie
Published: January 2025

We and others have shown that a variety of sleep characteristics, both objective and subjective, predict cognitive decline and incident dementia. For example, degree of sleep fragmentation, circadian rest-activity rhythms reflecting timing and regularity of sleep, and sleep duration have all been identified as potential risk factors for cognitive decline and incident dementia in older adults. In addition, sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea and insomnia are potential risk factors. However, several of these sleep exposures are substantially correlated, whereas others may contribute to risk of dementia via very distinct mechanisms. A more comprehensive assessment of sleep health is critical to determine which factors are most strongly linked to cognitive outcomes. Furthermore, little is known of potential risk stratification based on sex/gender and other factors. This information is critical to inform potential intervention approaches. In this presentation, a brief synthesis of the epidemiology and other evidence linking sleep and cognitive outcomes will be provided. Future directions will then be discussed, including the need for novel methods to analyze multidimensional sleep health data, exploration of potential mechanisms, larger studies to facilitate risk stratification, and ultimately, implementation of randomized trials to test whether interventions targeting specific sleep disorders and characteristics can effectively slow cognitive decline and prevent onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. We will illustrate potential intervention approaches by describing a newly implemented randomized trial, the ESSENTIAL trial (#NCT05988385), which aims to determine effects of treatment for obstructive sleep apnea on biomarkers of Alzheimer’s Disease.
A CONVERSATION ON TRANSLATION AND ADAPTATION OF EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMS FOR CAREGIVERS
Authors: Eisenstein Amy , Hepburn Kenneth
Published: January 2025

There are currently a plethora of Evidence-Based programs designed to support caregivers. However, while caregivers represent a highly diverse population, cultural and linguistic characteristics and preferences are not always considered in the development of these programs. This symposium will bring together four research projects exploring lessons learned in their work around supporting culturally and ethnically diverse caregivers. Presenters will discuss specifics around when and why adaptations or new programs are needed and how to apply rigorous methods. The first paper will present lessons learned from the development and evaluation of a culturally tailored anxiety intervention for Latinx caregivers of older adults with cancer. The second paper will explore work on the translation and testing of an online program for Latinx family members who provide care for older people with dementia. Next we will hear about lessons learned from culturally adapting and tailoring an existing psychoeducation program for Black caregivers of persons with dementia. Finally, we will wrap up with a session describing a scoping review to identify common core components of family-centered interventions that could serve as a foundation for interventions that can be designed to support caregivers of all cultural and ethnic backgrounds. The session will be pulled together with a discussion on how we can take these lessons learned to continue to build programs in support of a culturally and ethnically rich population of caregivers, and will highlight gaps and further opportunities for research in the field.
THE PROCESS OF CULTURALLY ADAPTING AND TAILORING AN EXISTING PSYCHOEDUCATION PROGRAM FOR BLACK DEMENTIA CAREGIVERS
Authors: Epps Fayron , Alexander Karah , Bennett Stephanie , Clevenger Carolyn , Hebpurn Kenneth
Published: January 2025

Racial differences and disparities related to caregiving experiences exist at alarming rates for service utilization, care hours, and living below the federal poverty level among Black Americans compared to White caregivers. We developed a course, Caregiving while Black, to appreciate the culturally salient contexts, values, roadblocks, and education for Black caregivers of persons living with dementia. This project moved beyond existing psychoeducational interventions focusing mainly on dementia-related or crisis management education for family caregivers by keeping equity issues at the forefront of caregiver education. The course took an assertively “For Us; By Us” approach, prominently employing the voices and faces of Black healthcare providers, family caregivers, and PLWD. Building on materials from another caregiver psychoeducation crisis management course, we adapted and tested the course in a no-control longitudinal trial (n =75). This was a time-consuming process that took approximately 12 months. We learned that community partners, providers, and caregivers were eager to be involved in the course’s design. Out of the 75 caregivers who consented, 32 completed the course. Caregivers who couldn’t complete the course indicated they lacked motivation, wanted more guidance, and desired face-to-face interaction. Several Black faith communities echoed the preference for face-to-face interaction. This feedback will direct the revision of the Caregiving while Black course by offering greater interactivity and a cohort structure with a synchronous component to complement the asynchronous content to add greater interactivity. Overall, Black caregivers greatly appreciated the team designing a course for them.
HEALTH OUTCOMES OF AGING INDIVIDUALS EXPOSED TO HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS IN SOUTH FLORIDA
Authors: Koszalinski Rebecca , McFarland Malcolm , Parsons Michael , Reif John , Schaefer Adam , Kociolek Judyta
Published: January 2025

Environmental changes have profoundly altered the lives of individuals in South Florida. Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) and associated toxins produced by cyanobacteria and Karenia brevis impact the lives of Floridians, including aging individuals who recreate on the water in their retirement years. This interprofessional team of scientists and health professionals is concluding Year-5 of a longitudinal study to learn short-and long-term health impacts. Participants were recruited from publicly accessible sites, community groups, social media posts and in person events (Schaefer et al., 2020). Participants completed a questionnaire includes location, type, and duration of recreational or occupational contact with surface water and local beaches within the last 10 days. Activities included swimming, wading, boating, kayaking, paddle-boarding, tubing, fishing, and visiting a beach. Participants reported recreational fishing activities and consumption of locally caught seafood from impacted water bodies. Reif, et al. (2023) indicated that the most commonly reported symptoms were rhinorrhea, sneezing, headache, sore throat and dry cough. There was an increase of respiratory symptoms (74% of respondents), ocular symptoms (62% of respondents), and gastrointestinal symptoms (35% of respondents). Residential exposure was significantly associated with increased reporting of dry cough (p = 0.03), dyspnea (p < 0.01) and wheezy respirations (p = 0.04). Among persons reporting gastrointestinal symptoms, nausea (p = 0.02) and abdominal pain (p < 0.01) were significantly associated with residential exposure. Recreational exposure was significantly associated with sore throat and eye irritation. A secondary data analysis will specifically investigate the health impacts of aging individuals in this dataset.
HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE IN OLDER ADULTS AFTER HURRICANE IDA
Authors: Bordes Piper , Cherry Katie
Published: January 2025

Hurricane Ida made landfall in Grand Isle, Louisiana on August 29, 2021, the sixteenth anniversary of the 2005 Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the US Gulf Coast. Hurricane Ida claimed 87 lives in the US and caused an estimated 75 billion dollars in damages. In the present study, we examined post-disaster health and well-being in directly and indirectly affected younger and older adults. A total of 128 participants were sampled from three parishes (counties) where the storm devastation was more severe and two parishes farther inland with less damage. All were tested in person or virtually via the Zoom platform in a single session. They responded to several individual difference measures, a structured storm questionnaire and the SF-36 Health-Related Quality of Life Survey. Results indicated the physical health composite score was poorer for older adults, as expected (p <.001). In contrast, mental health scores were higher for the older adults, although age interacted with exposure status where the size of the age difference was reduced for those who were directly impacted by Ida (p <.01). Implications of these data for understanding older adults’ psychological health after decades of severe weather events are discussed.
BEYOND BURDEN: LINKING CAREGIVING EXPERIENCES WITH SELF-PERCEPTIONS OF AGING AND HEALTH BEHAVIORS
Authors: Mroz Emily , Turner Shelbie , Levy Becca
Published: January 2025

Family caregivers to older adults with chronic, progressive illnesses are intimate witnesses to complex diagnoses, symptoms, and medical decisions and the pathways for aging well amidst these challenges. Yet, little research examines whether or how navigating caregiving experiences influence caregivers’ beliefs about their own health, aging, and end-of-life in ways that inform their behaviors (e.g., preparation for their own age-related changes). Aligned with GSA 2024’s theme, this symposium examines caregiving experiences as potential “fortitude factors” that can guide positive aging attitudes and health behaviors. First, Rita Hu will introduce profiles of caregiving trajectories across the adult life course and describe associations between these profiles and caregivers’ self-perceptions of aging. Rachel Bloom will then present a qualitative study of former dementia-caregivers’ observations about the advantages and limitations of medical advocacy and end-of-life care services. She will describe how these observations can be steered by caregivers’ personal narratives from their lived caregiving experiences. Yifan Lou will then build on this by describing quantitative associations between dementia- and non-dementia-caregiving experiences and caregivers’ engagement in advance care planning, describing differences in ACP behaviors across racial and ethnic subgroups. In addition, a fourth presentation will spotlight Roberta Cruz, a family caregiver and member of the National Alzheimer’s Project ACT Advisory Council and IMPACT Collaboratory Lived Experience panel, who will share her perspectives on this emerging topic. Our discussant, Becca Levy, will integrate our presentations with the broader landscapes of research on self-perceptions of aging and caregiver wellbeing, concluding with recommendations for future research.
LINKING DEMENTIA CAREGIVING EXPERIENCES WITH EXPECTATIONS OF FUTURE HEALTH CARE NAVIGATION
Authors: Bloom Rachel , Lou Yifan , Monin Joan , Fried Terri , Falzarano Francesca , Mroz Emily
Published: January 2025

Caregivers of people living with advanced dementia are often exposed to the complexities of healthcare coordination and decision-making over the disease trajectory. These observations can shape former caregivers’ expectations of healthcare available to them in the future, particularly approaching their end-of-life. We conducted a reflexive thematic analysis to characterize adult-child caregivers’ observations about healthcare provision for people with dementia, as well as exploring how and whether these former caregivers related these observations to their own end-of-life care expectations. Analysis of semi-structured interviews from 32 bereaved caregivers generated two themes describing how caregiving influenced caregivers’ understanding of a) the need for medical advocacy and b) the appropriateness of medical services at the end-of-life. For some former caregivers, having engaged in medical advocacy for their parents served to demystify the process of communicating with medical professionals about goals of care and the relative utility of medical interventions, fostering feelings of preparedness for self-advocacy around receiving what they judge to be appropriate care in the future. Some participants linked their observations to changes in their perceptions of hospice care, with the majority of this group expressing an increased appreciation for its role in enhancing comfort and reducing care fragmentation. Others indicated that caregiving reinforced their existing appraisal of hospice as appropriate for improving end-of-life experiences. This work indicates that former dementia caregivers’ healthcare observations shape their broader understanding of end-of-life opportunities and limitations within current medical systems, and influence their perceived ability to navigate similar contexts in the future.
ARE CAREGIVERS MORE LIKELY TO ENGAGE IN ADVANCE CARE PLANNING? EXAMINATION BY RACE AND ETHNICITY
Authors: Lou Yifan , Mroz Emily , Fried Terri , Zang Emma
Published: January 2025

Spousal caregivers may become more aware of the value of advance care planning (ACP) as they witness care-recipients’ declining quality of lives. Due to unique experiences that often occur when caregiving for a spouse with dementia, dementia caregivers may be more motivated to engage in ACP. This presentation examines the association between spousal caregiving experience across dementia and non-dementia contexts and caregivers’ ACP behaviors and explores the moderating role of race/ethnicity. We identified 17,486 married individuals aged 65+ from the Health and Retirement Study 2000-2020. Three dimensions of ACP were considered: completion of a living will, designation of a Durable Power Attorney of Health Care (DPAHC), and having discussions with anyone about end-of-life care wishes. Logistic regressions compared ACP outcomes between 954 dementia caregivers, 3015 non-dementia caregivers, and 13,517 non-caregivers, controlling for sociodemographic and health covariates. Interactions between caregiver groups and race/ethnicity were examined. Spousal caregivers were significantly more likely to engage in all types of ACP compared to non-caregivers. Compared to non-dementia caregivers, dementia caregivers had significantly higher probabilities of completing a living will and designating a DPAHC. White caregivers reported highest probabilities of all three ACP outcomes, and being dementia caregivers further increased those rates. Positive association between caregiving experiences and ACP behavior were not observed in Black and Hispanic participants, except that being dementia caregivers increased the probability of having ACP discussions for Hispanic participants. We will discuss policy, practice, and research implications for the heterogeneous effects of caregiving experiences on ACP across racial/ethnic groups.
PARTIAL REPROGRAMMING OF THE AGING NEUROGENIC NICHE
Authors: Xu Lucy , Ramirez-Matias Julliana , Hauptschein Max , Sun Eric , Lunger Judith , Buckley Matthew , Brunet Anne
Published: January 2025

Reprogramming of somatic cells by constant expression of the Yamanaka factors (Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, c-Myc) results in pluripotent stem cells and erases many hallmarks of aging in vitro. Partial reprogramming, or expression of the Yamanaka factors in a time- or cell-restricted manner, improves function in a variety of cell types from aging mice without loss of cell identity. But the impact of partial reprogramming on the aged brain has remained largely unknown. We examined how partial reprogramming affects the subventricular zone (SVZ), a conserved neurogenic niche in mammalian brains. SVZ neural stem cells give rise to newborn neurons and astrocytes throughout adulthood, but the process of neurogenesis declines with age, with a drop in neuronal precursor cells (neuroblasts) and negative impacts on olfactory discrimination and learning. Using single-cell RNA-sequencing, we find that partial reprogramming of the whole body in old mice restores the proportion of neuroblasts - cells committed to give rise to new neurons - in the neurogenic niche. Several molecular signatures of aging are also reverted by partial reprogramming. Interestingly, partial reprogramming in the SVZ neurogenic niche itself increases the proportion of neuroblasts and neural stem cells in old mice. Partial reprogramming of old neural stem cells in culture improves transcriptomic signatures of aging and boosts neuroblast and neuron production during differentiation, suggesting cell-autonomous effects. We find that partial reprogramming can rejuvenate aspects of the neural stem cell lineage in old brains, raising the possibility that this intervention could be used to counter brain decline in old individuals.