bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Association Between Metabolic Syndrome and Frailty in Healthy Community-Dwelling Older Adults
Authors: Ekram A R M Saifuddin , Espinoza Sara , Ernst Michael , Beilin Lawrence , Stocks Nigel P , Ryan Joanne , Woods Robyn
Published: December 2021

This study examined the association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and frailty status in relatively healthy community-dwelling older adults. Participants included 19,114 individuals from the “ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly” (ASPREE) trial. The diagnostic criteria for MetS were according to the International Diabetes Federation Task Force on Epidemiology and Prevention and the American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (2009); and comprised any three of five parameters: waist circumference, triglycerides, fasting blood glucose, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol or hypertension. Frailty and prefrailty were defined using a modified Fried phenotype (FP) comprising exhaustion, body mass index, grip strength, gait speed and physical activity and a deficit accumulation frailty index (FI) of 66 items. The association between MetS and frailty was examined using multinomial logistic regression. At baseline, 51.1% of participants met the criteria of MetS; of those, 41.8% and 2.5 % were prefrail and frail, respectively, according to Fried phenotype, while 49.6% and 11.8 % were prefrail and frail, respectively, according to FI. MetS at baseline was associated with an increased likelihood of prefrailty (RRR: 1.25; 95% CI: 1.17, 1.33) and frailty (RRR: 1.60; 95% CI: 1.28, 2.01) compared to no frailty after adjustment for potential confounders according to Fried phenotype, while the association was stronger for prefrailty (RRR: 2.74; 95% CI: 2.55, 2.94) and frailty (RRR: 5.30; 95% CI: 4.60, 6.11) according to FI. Overall, at baseline, more than half of the participants had MetS, and the presence of MetS was significantly associated with pre-frailty and frailty.
Cognitive-Behavioral Styles of Dementia Care Management: Targeting and Tailoring to Style
Authors: Leggett Amanda , Koo Hyungjung , Connell Cathleen , Gitlin Laura , Kale Helen
Published: December 2021

Despite an extensive literature on the stress process of caregiving, little attention has focused on how caregivers provide care (caregiving styles). To explore caregiving styles among 100 primary caregivers for persons living with dementia, we utilize k-modes machine learning analysis. This technique clusters caregiver’s use of behavioral (Dementia Management Strategies Scale; criticism, active management, encouragement) and cognitive (Caregiver Readiness Scale; understanding, adaptability) approaches into style profiles. Three styles were identified: Managers (n=25; high use of criticism, moderate use of active management and encouragement, poor understanding and adaptability), Adapters (n=48; low use of criticism, high use of adaptive management and encouragement, good understanding and adaptability), and Avoiders (n=27; low use of all behavioral strategies, moderate adaptability and understanding). Styles differ by demographic and care characteristics. Findings suggest that caregivers have variable approaches to care that are measurable, thus, targeting/tailoring interventions to caregiver style could be an effective approach.
Social Isolation Among Older Military Veterans
Authors: Suntai Zainab , Laha-Walsh Kirsten
Published: December 2021

Social isolation is an increasingly critical issue among older adults and has been found to affect several domains of well-being, including physical, psychological, and cognitive health. Research has found that military veterans often experience hardships in the transition back to civilian life including emotional trauma, depression, substance misuse and pain from combat-related injuries, which have been shown to persist well into older adulthood. As such, this study aimed to examine the prevalence of social isolation among older military veterans and determine which veterans are most at-risk of experiencing social isolation, using the Berkman-Syme Social Network Index as a framework. Data were derived from Round 1 of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), an annual longitudinal panel survey of adults aged 65 and older living in the United States. Results showed that about 4.5% of veterans in the NHATS are severely socially isolated while another 20.9% are socially isolated. After controlling for other explanatory variables, being White, being 85 and older, having lower educational attainment, being unmarried/unpartnered and having lower income were associated with an increased risk of experiencing social isolation. Interventions aiming to improve the well-being of older veterans should consider employing both preventative and amendatory measures. These may include the creation and administration of a standardized social isolation scale during visits to veterans’ affairs (VA) medical centers and a general effort to address stressors from military service by destigmatizing and improving access to mental health services.
Lithium Receipt and Risk of Dementia in Older Veterans With Bipolar Disorder in the VA Health System
Authors: Szymanski Benjamin , Ahearn Eileen , Smith Eric , Jedele Jenefer , McCarthy John , Katz Ira
Published: December 2021

Older adults with bipolar disorder are at increased risk of developing dementia. The literature suggests lithium treatment may reduce the incidence of dementia. This study sought to inform clinical practice in the Veterans Affairs (VA) health system by estimating the effect of past year lithium receipt on dementia incidence among Veterans with bipolar disorder. Divalproex receipt was used as a comparison. Using VA medical records, 121,094 Veterans aged 50 and older with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder but no dementia diagnosis were identified in fiscal years 2005-2019. Follow-up continued until dementia diagnosis, 36 months from the index date, death, or the end of fiscal year 2020, whichever came first. 4347 (3.6%) were diagnosed with dementia during follow-up. Time-varying indicators of receipt of lithium and divalproex in the prior 365 days were calculated for each day, categorized as 301-365, 61-300, 1-60, or 0 days of receipt. Unadjusted Cox proportional hazards regression analyses indicated reduced dementia incidence with 301-365 (HR=0.86, 95% Confidence Interval [95%CI] 0.75-0.99) and 61-300 (HR=0.75, 95%CI 0.65-0.87) days of lithium receipt, compared to 0 days. For divalproex, 301-365 (HR=1.34, 95%CI 1.23-1.47) and 61-300 (HR=1.13, 95%CI 1.03-1.23) days of receipt were each associated with increased dementia incidence. Lithium effects were not statistically significant after adjusting for age, sex, race, ethnicity, medical comorbidities, and antidepressant, antipsychotic, and anxiolytic medication receipt. Divalproex effects remained statistically significant. Past year divalproex, but not lithium, receipt was significantly associated with dementia incidence among VA patients with bipolar disorder when adjusting for demographics and medical comorbidities.
Gait Speed Maintenance Is Associated With Sensorimotor and Frontoparietal Network Connectivity Among Older Adults
Authors: Hsu Chun Liang , Manor Brad , Lipsitz Lewis
Published: December 2021

Mobility impairment is a geriatric giant. Particularly, slow gait is associated with elevated risk for cognitive decline, disabilities and dementia. Gait is the product of complex neural network interactions and changes in their connectivity pattern may negatively impact gait speed. However, mechanistic neural correlates for gait speed maintenance and decline remained unclear. As such, the aim of this study is to investigate differences in neural network connectivity in older adults with and without gait speed decline over 24 months. This sub-analysis included 35 community-dwelling older adults age >70 years from the MOBILIZE Boston Study. Baseline assessments included four-meter gait speed test and resting-state fMRI. Gait speed was reassessed at a 24-month follow-up. Participants were stratified to “Maintainer” and “Decliner” groups based upon a cut-off of >0.05 m/s decline in gait speed from baseline to follow-up. A priori selected functional network included sensori-motor network (SMN) and frontoparietal network (FPN). Multivariate analysis of variance was performed to determine between group differences in network connectivity. Discriminant analysis was conducted to identify relative contribution of network connectivity to group classification. Between the 14 Maintainers and 21 Decliners (mean age 83.9 years), Maintainers were younger (p=0.088). After adjusting for age, Maintainers exhibited lower SMN premotor-precentral gyrus connectivity (p=0.023), greater FPN ventral visual-supramarginal gyrus connectivity (p=0.025), and trend level greater SMN-FPN cerebellum-occipital connectivity (p=0.053). Premotor-precentral gyrus connectivity showed greatest contribution to discriminant function. These preliminary findings suggest aberrant connectivity patterns of the SMN and FPN may be predictive of older adults’ ability to maintain gait speed.
Workplace Prosocial Activities and Daily Well-Being During COVID-19
Authors: Chi Kevin , Carstensen Laura
Published: December 2021

Workplace prosocial activities, such as providing unpaid assistance to colleagues, has been linked to better well-being. However, little is known about how these associations unfold in daily life. This study examines how prosocial activities at work are associated with daily well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. A sample of 22 employees (aged 22-69 years) from a wealth management firm reported their daily activities and well-being on 10 consecutive workdays. On days when individuals provided help to someone they work with, they experienced higher positive affect, and greater enjoyment and interest at work, compared to days when they did not provide help. Individuals who provided more help reported greater meaning at work. Initial findings suggest that workplace prosocial activities have positive implications for daily well-being during the pandemic. Subsequent analyses will examine whether these findings replicate in a separate sample of working adults. Age differences in helping and meaning will be discussed.
Effective Recruitment Strategies for Community-Dwelling Persons Living With Dementia and Their Caregivers
Authors: McPhillips Miranda , Connell LaShauna , Boateng Augustine , Petrovsky Darina , Sefcik Justine , Hodgson Nancy
Published: December 2021

Recruitment of diverse community-dwelling persons living with dementia (PLWD) and their caregivers (dyads) into randomized controlled trials (RCT) is challenging, time consuming and expensive. This presentation will describe community outreach efforts used over a one-year period to recruit dyads of PLWD and their caregivers in Healthy Patterns RCT. Community outreach yielded 296 inquiries, such that people expressed interest in joining the study. Of the 296 inquiries, almost all (95.6%) identified as African American, and 91(30.7%) consented to join the study. Presentations at senior centers yielded the highest number of inquiries (n=148), followed by staff presence at various community events such as health fairs and senior galas (n=145) and referrals (n=3). We found that community outreach was an effective recruitment strategy to generate inquiries among diverse PLWD and their caregivers to enroll in Healthy Patterns. We will discuss these strategies and provide suggestions for recruiting diverse dyads into clinical trials.
The Role of Caregiver Mastery in Anxiety Symptoms in People Living With Dementia
Authors: Hwang Yeji , Hodgson Nancy
Published: December 2021

Anxiety symptoms in people living with dementia (PLWD) are the most distressing symptoms for caregivers. While caregiving is bidirectional relationship, little is known how caregivers can influence anxiety in PLWD. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between caregiver mastery and anxiety symptoms in PLWD. Secondary data analysis was conducted using baseline data from Healthy Patterns Study. The conceptual model of Factors Associated with Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia guided this study. Among the 169 study PLWD, 23.1% (n=39) reported having anxiety symptoms. In a multivariate logistic regression, adjusting for age, dementia stage, sleep, and depression, better caregiver mastery was significantly related to lower odds of having anxiety in PLWD (OR=0.87, p=0.046). These results suggest that interventions aimed at improving caregiver mastery may improve anxiety symptoms in PLWD.
Older Vietnamese Have the Highest Prevalence of Disability Compared to White and Other Asian Groups
Authors: Nguyen Hoang , Miyawaki Christina , Markides Kyriakos
Published: December 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the vulnerability of older adults with pre-existing health conditions and disabilities. A 2011 study reported that Asian older adults had lower prevalence of disability compared to non-Hispanic white. We revisited the estimate a decade later using the recently released 2015-2019 Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) from the American Community Survey (ACS). We estimated the prevalence of six types of disability in adults aged 60 years and older who self-identified as Vietnamese, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Asian Indian, or non-Hispanic White. We also compared the risk for each disability type between Vietnamese and non-Hispanic White (reference group) using the adjusted (age, sex, marital status, education and poverty level) odds ratios. All analyses used survey weights for point estimate and the jackknife method for standard error. Significantly higher prevalence of limitations in independent living, self-care, cognitive function, and blindness were reported by Vietnamese than by non-Hispanic White. Vietnamese also had the highest prevalence in all six types of disability of the Asian groups examined. The adjusted odds ratio of limitations in independent living, self-care, and cognitive function was significantly higher for Vietnamese than non-Hispanic White. These findings suggest a possible negative outcome trend with the aging of the Vietnamese population. We discuss the historical accounts of Vietnamese in the United States as war refugees and family reunion migrants, provide possible explanations for these new findings including changing demographic structures, and make recommendations for policy and practice that incorporate existing social and cultural resources in the Vietnamese community.
The Importance of the Pharmacist’s Role and the Quality of Pharmacy Services in Nursing Home Care
Authors: Bae-Shaaw Yuna , Joyce Geoffrey , Seabury Seth , Shier Victoria , Sood Neeraj
Published: December 2021

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services requires nursing homes (NHs) to provide pharmacy services to ensure the safety of medication use, such as minimizing off-label medication use for residents with dementia. This study examined NH’s response to this requirement and its relationship to medication-related outcomes. The contemporaneous relationship between the quality of pharmacy services and outcome measures were modeled using facility-level longitudinal data from 2011-2017 and facility fixed-effects. The results revealed that deficiency in pharmacy services increased medication-related issues by: 11% in inappropriate medication regimen, 5% in medication error rate >5%, and 3% in any serious medication errors. Additionally, deficiency in pharmacy services was associated with small but statistically significant increases in antipsychotic use, residents with daily pain, number of hospitalizations and rehospitalization rate. The results suggest that pharmacy services have a direct and immediate impact on medication outcomes. The results underscore the importance of pharmacy services in NHs.
Daily Perceptions of Aging and Implications for Stress Reactivity
Authors: Wilton-Harding Bethany , Windsor Tim
Published: December 2021

Awareness of one’s own aging has received increasing attention in the field of gerontology over the last decade. This study examines the role awareness of age-related change (AARC) may play in the association between daily stressors and well-being. Recently, individuals’ awareness of both age-related gains and age-related losses has been shown to vary on a day-to-day basis (Neupert & Bellingtier, 2017). We expected that increases in daily AARC-losses may be associated with increased emotional reactivity to daily stressors, whereas increases in AARC-gains may be associated with decreased reactivity. Data were collected in a daily diary study from a community-based sample of 152 Australian participants aged 53 to 86 (M = 69.18, SD = 5.73). Participants completed daily assessments of AARC, stressors and emotional affect (positive and negative) on their smartphones for 10 consecutive days. Analysis of within-person coupling using multilevel models indicated that daily increases in AARC-losses were associated with increased reactivity to daily stressors (represented by high negative affect and low positive affect). On the other hand, daily increases in AARC-gains were associated with decreased reactivity to daily stressors (represented by low negative affect). Results indicate that even short-term fluctuations in perceptions of aging may be an important factor to consider when investigating associations between daily stressors and well-being in older adulthood. Specifically, greater daily AARC-losses may contribute to lower emotional well-being, whereas an appreciation of positive age-related changes (AARC-gains) may play a role in mitigating emotional reactivity to daily stress experiences in older adulthood.
Differences in Self-Rated Memory by Race/Ethnicity
Authors: Franco Yujin , Saenz Joseph , Jang Yuri , Ho Jessica
Published: December 2021

Self-rated memory is an important dimension of well-being among older adults that has also been linked to cognitive impairment over the long term. However, few studies based on nationally-representative samples have examined differences in self-rated memory by race/ethnicity. This study explores differences in self-rated memory across non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic older adults in the United States. Data were drawn from the 2011 wave of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS). The sample consisted of older adults aged 65 and older (N=4,753 non-Hispanic Whites, N=1,442 non-Hispanic Blacks, and N=388 Hispanics). Logistic regression was used to examine the association between having poor/fair self-rated memory and race/ethnicity, controlling for socio-demographic characteristics (age, gender, education level, income, and marital status), chronic conditions (heart attack, hypertension, diabetes, stroke, and depressive symptoms), objective memory status, functional limitations (activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living), and other social and cultural factors (economic vulnerability, religious practice, and limited English proficiency). I find that non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics have significantly higher odds of reporting poor/fair self-rated memory than non-Hispanic Whites. Compared to non-Hispanic Whites, Blacks and Hispanics had 33% and 56% higher odds of reporting poor/fair self-rated memory, respectively, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, chronic conditions, objective memory status, functional limitations, and social and cultural factors. These results provide evidence that understanding differences in self-rated memory across racial/ethnic groups may have important implications for health professionals, particularly in relation to conducting and interpreting cognitive screening assessments.
Sociocultural Differences in Accepting Technology for Older Adults Between South Korea and the United States
Authors: Kim Jeungkun , Kang Suk-Young
Published: December 2021

In recent years, Western-originated technology products for older adults are rapidly spreading in Korea, but discussions on technology acceptance taking into account the socio-cultural characteristics of older adults in Korea are relatively insufficient. The purpose of this study is to analyze the influence of the socio-cultural characteristics of Korean older adults on their intention to use technology compared to the United States. Due to Covid-19, a telephone and non-face-to-face survey was conducted for older adults aged 65-95 residing in New York State in the U.S. and the metropolitan area of South ​​Korea from September 2020 to January 2021(N=155 in South Korea, N=180 in the U.S.).In this study, the expanded technology acceptance model for older adults was conceptualized, and socio-cultural factors were used as mediators or modulators. Results show that Korean older adults had higher expectations that technology use would have a positive impact on their lives, and their product purchase intentions were higher than those in the United States(p<0.001). The main reason was that Korean older adults were less anxious about the leakage of personal information, had higher national trust and were relatively less resistant to robots than American older adults. In addition, Korean older adults were more confident that they could receive help in case of problems with technology products than their counterparts in the United States. This study suggests practical and policy alternatives for securing technology acceptance of older adults, taking into account the social and cultural factors of Korea and the United States.
Variation in Subjective Aging Among Middle-Aged and Older LGBTQ+ People: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Barbee Harry , McKay Tara
Published: December 2021

Studies suggest that women and men have different experiences of subjective aging—including interpretations of age norms, timing of life course stages, and aging anxieties—but few have addressed variation within sexual and gender diverse communities. Drawing on a sample of middle-age and older LGBTQ+ people from Alabama, North Carolina, and Tennessee (n=923), we analyze how four dimensions of subjective aging (age-related self-perceptions, generalized views of aging, aging bodies, and aging anxieties) vary within the LGBTQ+ population by comparing gay and bisexual cisgender men (GBCM), lesbian and bisexual cisgender women (LBCW), and transgender, gender nonconforming, and non-binary (T/GNC/NB) people. Using multivariate regression models, we find that LBCW reported younger ideal ages, more elongated perceptions of the life course, more negative predictions of prospective health, and less aging anxiety compared to GBCM. Regarding self-perceptions and generalized views of aging, T/GNC/NB people reported younger ideal ages and more condensed perceptions of the life course compared to GBCM. Regarding perceptions of aging bodies, T/GNC/NB people reported more positive views of physical changes within the last five years and more negative predictions of prospective health compared to GBCM. Finally, T/GNC/NB people were less anxious than GBCM about future sex lives but were more anxious about not being able to support other people in the future. Overall, while some results align with studies of the general population, we find that sexual and gender diverse people may have different subjective aging trajectories, and thus experience differential physical and mental health outcomes, compared with cisgender heterosexual adults.
Machine Learning Approaches to Understanding and Predicting Patterns of Adherence
Authors: Chakraborty Shayok , Bhattacharya Aditya , Tian Shubo , Roque Nelson , He Zhe , Boot Walter
Published: December 2021

In cognitive training of older adults, adherence is a major challenge, but appropriate just-in-time adaptive interventions can improve adherence. To understand adherence patterns and predictors of adherence lapses, we aggregated data from two previous trials (N > 230) involving home-based cognitive interventions. This dataset, detailing 40,000 intervention interactions, contains information about intervention engagement and measures of objective and subjective cognitive performance, demographics, technology proficiency, and attitudes. Exploratory analyses were conducted to understand patterns and predictors of faltering adherence, using classification models, together with feature selection to remove redundant variables. Adherence behaviors in a week were predictive of quitting the following week. Game parameters such as the time of play were weak indicators of future playing patterns, whereas game success was a strong predictor of adherence. These and other useful observations will be incorporated in the design and development of the smart reminder system to be deployed in the APPT project.
A Qualitative Understanding of Motivations, Preferences, and Attitudes Toward Adherence-Based Technology
Authors: Dieciuc Michael , Zhang Shenghao , Gray Nicholas , Dilanchian Andrew , Carr Dawn , Lustria Mia , Boot Walter
Published: December 2021

The future of cognitive assessments and brain-training programs is very likely to involve mobile applications for phones and tablets. However, adherence to these programs over the long haul is notoriously low. In an effort to countervail this trend, we ran online focus groups with both older and younger adults to understand from a user-centered perspective how to better design apps to increase adherence. Using thematic content analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) with an inductive bottom-up approach (Frith & Gleeson, 2004), we found a surprising number of common themes across older and younger adults that superseded many of their superficial differences. For instance, both younger and older adults were reluctant to engage in the program unless it had some obvious perceived benefit; both wanted the program personalized to their individual preferences; both wanted the ability to customize features and reminders; and both generally agreed that the tasks had to be fun.
Defining Appropriate Resources for Nursing Homes to Reduce Potentially Avoidable Transfers After a Fall
Authors: Guerbaai Raphaëlle , Simon Michael , Zúñiga Franziska
Published: December 2021

Falls are common in nursing home (NH) residents and are the predominant reason for an emergency department (ED) transfer. Falls are responsible for 25% - 87% of ED transfers, a proportion of which are potentially avoidable. INTERCARE – an implementation science study reducing unplanned hospitalizations (2018 – 2020) – involved experts to identify potentially avoidable fall-related transfers. Focus group and stakeholder survey enabled identification of resources to safely manage some falls in NHs. 25.9% of fall-related transfers were potentially avoidable based on using root-cause analysis and discharge reports. Avoidability was associated to ED visit, compared to hospitalizations. Appropriate resources identified by stakeholders included timely access to outpatient services for diagnostic imaging (e.g., X-Ray) and clinical skills’ training in suturing and wound care for registered or specialist nurses. Although NHs are striving for a home-like environment, better access to basic diagnostic and treatment services within NHs should be possible.
IQ in Young Adulthood and Depressive Symptoms Over the Retirement Transition
Authors: Zulka Linn Elena , Thorvaldsson Valgeir , Hassing Linda B
Published: December 2021

Retirement can be a challenging life transition for mental health. Higher levels of IQ in young adulthood have been shown to be advantageous for different outcomes later in life such as quality of life and well-being. However, it remains unclear whether possessing higher cognitive abilities in early life also favors individuals’ mental health when facing challenges related to the retirement transition. In this study, we therefore investigated the relationship between IQ in young adulthood and depressive symptoms over the retirement transition. We used data of six waves from the longitudinal population-based HEalth, Aging and Retirement in Sweden (HEARTS) study, as well as data on IQ in young adulthood from conscription. In a piecewise structural equation model, we modelled trajectories of depressive symptoms (measured by the CES-D scale) before and after retirement and in relation to young adulthood IQ (n = 1722 men). Results indicated an average decrease in depressive symptoms over the retirement transition for this sample of men. Higher childhood IQ was associated with further reduction in post-retirement depressive symptoms while controlling for education, retirement age, and memory ability and cardiovascular health at baseline. Our findings support the conclusion that higher IQ in young adulthood may act as a protective factor for mental health in the retirement transition. Individuals with higher IQ in young adulthood may have acquired coping strategies throughout their life-course, which they can apply when handling challenges related to retiring.
Shared Positivity in Daily Life of Younger and Older Couples: Links Between We-ness and Positive Emotions
Authors: Meier Tabea , Huber Zilla , Dworakowski Olenka , Haase Claudia , Martin Mike , Horn Andrea
Published: December 2021

Positivity resonance, the shared experience of emotional positivity, may contribute to the quality of romantic relationships and foster couples’ sense of “we-ness”. The present study examined age differences in couples’ positive experiences in daily life, how they are shared with the partner, and how they are related with “we-ness”. In a 21-day experience sampling study, 62 younger (18-33 years) and 54 older (57-87 years) couples reported their momentary positive emotional experiences and disclosure. We-ness was operationalized as the rate of we-pronouns in couples’ audio-sensed daily conversations. As hypothesized, daily positivity was associated with we-ness, and older couples experienced more positive affect than younger couples. Older couples also showed higher manifestations of we-ness, and these age differences in we-ness were partially explained by more positive disclosure in daily life. Our results contribute to the literature on socio-emotional positivity and aging by showing how these processes manifest in daily life.
Cohort Differences in Self-Objectification
Authors: Tran Sydney
Published: December 2021

Sexual objectification socializes women to engage in self-objectification—the tendency to view one’s body as an object to be used by others and evaluating one’s value in terms of attractiveness to others (Noll & Fredrickson, 1998)—and leads to negative psychological consequences. As women age, their bodies move further away from the thin ideal (Guo, Zeller, Chumlea, & Siervogel; 1999) potentially making them more susceptible to body i concerns and dissatisfaction. However, may also begin using selection, optimization, and compensation (SOC) strategies, countering the impacts of sexual objectification, and promoting successful aging. We compared self-objectification between women in early adulthood (N = 132, M = 20.93) and women in late middle age or late adulthood (N = 86, M = 67.83). Results showed that older women had significantly lower levels of self-objectification than younger women. Our findings support the idea the SOC strategies protect against the consequences of sexual objectification.
Change, Correlates, and Structure of Personality Across Adulthood
Authors: Atherton Olivia , Beck Emorie
Published: December 2021

Personality is both stable and changing across the lifespan. However, many questions remain about the factors that account for individual differences in change, the consequences of personality for life outcomes, and how best to assess personality at different points in the lifespan. First, Olivia Atherton will discuss research on the development of the Big Five personality traits from young adulthood to midlife with a sample of Mexican-origin individuals, as well as sociodemographic and cultural predictors of personality change in this population. Second, Bill Chopik uses data from 90 countries to examine the consistency of age differences in positive personality traits in the second half of life, from midlife to old age, as well as how cultural characteristics moderate the terminal decline in positive personality traits. Third, Emorie Beck will present research demonstrating that personality traits from the Big Five to beyond are robustly associated with a number of key life events across countries, decades, sociodemographic moderators, and even when controlling for selection bias. Finally, Josh Jackson uses network psychometric techniques to examine coherence and differentiation among indicators of the Big Five from 14 to 85 in a large multinational sample, tracking age differences with consequences for the assessment of personality traits in older adulthood. We will conclude with a panel discussion of emerging issues in personality change, prediction, and assessment across adulthood, with each speaker providing unique experience and insight into the study of each area.
A Mega-Analysis of Personality Prediction: Robustness and Boundary Conditions
Authors: Beck Emorie , Jackson Joshua
Published: December 2021

Decades of studies identify prospective associations between personality characteristics and life outcomes. However, previous investigations of personality characteristic-outcome associations have not taken a principled approach to sampling strategies to ensure the robustness of personality-outcome associations. In a preregistered study, we test whether and for whom personality-outcome associations are robust against selection bias using prospective associations between 14 personality characteristics and 14 health, social, education/work, and societal outcomes across eight different person- and study-level moderators using individual participant data from 171,395 individuals across 10 longitudinal panel studies in a mega-analytic framework with propensity score matching. Two findings emerged: First, personality characteristics remain robustly associated with later life outcomes. Second, the effects generalize, as there are few moderators of personality-outcome associations. In sum, personality characteristics are robustly associated with later life outcomes with few moderated associations. We discuss how these findings can inform studies of personality-outcome associations.
Loneliness and Behavioral Changes During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Cudjoe Thomas , Li Qiwei , Drazich Brittany , Hladek Melissa , Samuel Laura , latkin carl , Boyd Cynthia
Published: December 2021

Concerns for the health impact of loneliness, a risk factor for morbidity and mortality, have risen amid the COVID-19 pandemic. However, relationships between loneliness and behavioral changes remains unclear. Utilizing data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study COVID-19 Supplement, we examine the cross-sectional relationship between loneliness and self-reported increase in each of the following behaviors during the pandemic (n=2,924): walking, vigorous activity, eating, use of alcohol and tobacco, watching television and sleeping. Adjusting for age, race, education, activity of daily living limitations, and chronic conditions, loneliness was significantly associated with a higher odds of more eating (odds ratio- OR: 1.42, confidence intervals-CI: 1.24,1.62), sleeping (OR: 1.35, CI: 1.18,1.56), and watching television (OR: 1.45, CI: 1.30,1.61). These results indicate that during stressful times like our current pandemic, loneliness may lead to morbidity and mortality through sedentary behaviors.
Predicting Technology Use Among Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic With Community Participation
Authors: Li Qiwei , Drazich Brittany , Samuel Laura , Cudjoe Thomas , Hladek Melissa , Szanton Sarah
Published: December 2021

Technology use is important for older adults, particularly in the pandemic. The pattern of technology use among older adults varies significantly. We hypothesized that limitations of activities of daily living (ADL), wellbeing, and community participation of community-dwelling older adults before the pandemic would predict technology use during the pandemic. National Health and Aging Trends Study data on 2924 older adults were utilized. Adjusted for age, gender, race, education, marital status, and chronic conditions, previous well-being predicted more online social activities (OR=1.03, p =.03); previous ADL limitations predicted more telehealth use (OR=1.11, p=.014); and previous community participation predicted: learning new technologies (OR=1.46, p <.001), more telecommunication (OR=1.12, p=.007), more online social activity (OR=1.58, p<.001), and more telehealth use (OR=1.09, p= .04). The results of this study imply that high community participation promotes older adults’ transition to technology use. Older adults with low participation may need extra attention for such a transition.
Health and Working Beyond Retirement Age: Exploring Racial and Gender Intersectionality
Authors: Rooks Ronica , Leanage Allison
Published: December 2021

Little longitudinal research exists on health and working among older racial and ethnic minority adults. Following previous cross-sectional research, we examine the Health, Aging, and Body Composition (HABC) study comparing working vs. not working overtime among older adults. We hypothesize: 1) Black vs. White adults are more likely to work; 2) Black vs. White differences in working are greater among women than men; and 3) Working relates to fewer prevalent health problems than not working. We used gender-stratified descriptive statistics and generalized mixed-effects logistic regression with covariate adjustments to analyze the HABC cohort study, with community-dwelling, well-functioning Black (42%) and White older adults aged 70-79 in year 1 (n=3,069) to year 6 (n=2,091). We found support for all three hypotheses. Black vs. White adults were more likely to work overtime. Women were less likely to work overtime compared to men. White women were less likely to keep working compared to men and Black women. Lastly, older adults with fewer chronic conditions were more likely to continue working. Our study finds racial and gender differences among older adults working overtime. Intersectionality plays a role in older adults’ health and work disparities, leading us to explore the needs and/or benefits of working past retirement in specific groups. Our policy implication is for society to pro-actively invest in older adults’ health and productive activities, which may act as social determinants of health solutions to reduce disparities and growing social safety net program costs.
8-Year Changes in Frailty in Adults: Links to Cognitive and Physical Function and Mortality
Authors: Simpson Felicia , Justice Jamie , Bahnson Judy , Evans Joni , Hayden Kathleen , Krtichevsky Stephen , Johnson Karen , Espeland Mark
Published: December 2021

Deficit accumulation frailty indices are being evaluated as clinical markers of biological aging. In this context, it is to be expected that changes over time in such indices should be predictive of downstream changes in cognition, physical function, and mortality. We derived a frailty index (FI) based on deficit accumulation in 38 functional, behavioral, and clinical characteristics and examined associations between 8-year changes in FI and subsequent standardized measures of cognitive and physical function and mortality collected over years 8-18. We drew data from the Look AHEAD clinical trial of a multidomain intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) in 3841 adults, aged 45-76 years at baseline with overweight/obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Greater FI increases tended to occur among individuals who were older, non-Hispanic White, heavier, and who had greater baseline multimorbidity. Greater increases in FI were associated with subsequently worse levels of composite cognitive function and 400m walk speed (all p<0.001). Additionally, compared with the lowest tertile of FI change, hazard ratios [95% confidence intervals] for 10-year mortality for the middle and highest tertiles of FI change were 1.28 [1.03.1.58] and 1.56 [1.24,1.96], respectively. While assignment to ILI was associated with smaller 8-year increases in FI, this did not translate overall to better cognitive functioning compared to the Diabetes Support and Education control condition across years 8-18. Increase in FI over 8 years predicts subsequent reduced function and greater mortality. However, whether interventions generally targeting FI reduce risks for downstream outcomes remains to be seen.
Frailty and Mortality in a Community-Dwelling Relatively Healthy Older Population
Authors: Ekram A R M Saifuddin , Ryan Joanne , Espinoza Sara , Ernst Michael , Murray Anne , Woods Robyn
Published: December 2021

This study examined factors associated with frailty and studied the association between frailty status and mortality in healthy community-dwelling older persons. Participants included 19,114 individuals from the “ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly” (ASPREE) trial. Frailty was defined using modified Fried phenotype comprising exhaustion, body mass index, grip strength, gait speed and physical activity. A deficit accumulation frailty index (FI) using 66 items was also developed. Correlates of frailty were examined using multinomial logistic regression. The association between frailty status at baseline and mortality was analyzed using Cox regression. At baseline, 39.0% (95% CI: 38.3, 39.7) of participants were prefrail, and 2.2% (95% CI: 2.0, 2.4) were frail according to Fried phenotype, while 40.6% (95% CI: 40.0, 41.3) of participants were pre-frail and 8.1% (95% CI: 7.7, 8.5) were frail according to FI. Older age, female sex, lower education, African-American and Hispanic ethno-racial status, smoking, alcohol use, comorbidities, and polypharmacy were associated with frailty status. Pre-frailty increased risk of all-cause mortality significantly (Fried HR: 1.48; 95% CI: 1.28, 1.71; FI HR: 1.54; 95% CI: 1.31, 1.81); and the risk was even higher for frailty (Fried HR: 2.24; 95% CI: 1.67, 3.00; FI HR: 2.34; 95% CI: 1.83, 2.99) after adjustment for covariates. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and non-CVD-related mortality showed similar trends. These results highlight a considerable burden of pre-frailty among a large group of community-dwelling, initially healthy older adults. Both Fried phenotype and deficit accumulation FI similarly predicted all-cause, CVD and non-CVD-related mortality in relatively healthy older adults.
Impact of Physical and Social Frailty on the Utilization of Nursing Care Services in Very Old Adults
Authors: Zimmermann Jaroslava
Published: December 2021

Frailty, characterized by increased vulnerability to external stressors, has been found to increase the risk of healthcare utilization and nursing home admission. As the age group of 80 years or older remains frequently underrepresented in previous research, this study examined the impact of physical and social frailty on the utilization of nursing care services in very old population of North Rhine-Westphalia. Using data from a representative cross-sectional study, 1,577 community-dwelling and institutionalized individuals aged ≥80 years were included. Physical frailty was defined according to Fried’s criteria (exhaustion, weight loss, low handgrip strength, low physical activity). Social frailty was measured with self-reported loneliness, social isolation, and time spent with others. The use of outpatient care services, day care, informal and inpatient care were considered. Multinomial regression was applied to investigate the impact of physical and social frailty on the use of outpatient and inpatient care services, controlling for relevant sociodemographic and health related characteristics. Compared to very old adults who did not use any care services, no association was found between frailty and the use of outpatient or informal care. Comparing nonusers of care services with institutionalized individuals, nursing home residents were less likely to experience physical frailty and pre-frailty, but were more likely to be socially isolated and to feel lonely. These findings suggest that physical frailty might have been successfully prevented in the context of institutional inpatient care. However, early identification and intervention focused on social inclusion of the institutionalized very old individuals are needed to reverse social frailty.
From Day to Day to Year to Year: Developmental Antecedents and Outcomes of Changes in Emotion
Authors: Hamm Jeremy , Barlow Meaghan
Published: December 2021

Research shows that emotions play an important role in successful aging. However, less is known about how day-to-day fluctuations and multi-year changes in positive and negative emotions are implicated in adaptive development. Thus, the present studies address the developmental antecedents and outcomes of micro- and macro-longitudinal changes in different positive and negative emotions. Blöchl, Oertzen, and Kunzmann use 12-year data from the Health and Retirement Study to examine whether socioeconomic resources influence trajectories of positive emotion and physical functioning and their interrelations. Hamm, Wrosch, Barlow, and Kunzmann investigate psychosocial and health-related resources that predict two-year stability and change in adaptive and maladaptive daily patterns of calmness, excitement, sadness, and anger. Pauly et al. examine the extent to which health status moderates the association between daily fluctuations in seven affective states and corresponding changes in stress-related cortisol secretion. Turner, Mogle, Hill, Bhargava, and Rabin study how positive and negative emotions experienced in response to daily challenges (memory lapses) mediate the association between age-related challenges and life satisfaction in a coordinated analysis of two datasets. Finally, Barlow addresses the extent to which variations in daily experiences of positive and negative emotions exhibit age-differential associations with daily satisfaction with life (i.e., emotion globalizing). This symposium thus integrates new research on emotional aging and contributes to a deeper understanding of how adaptive development shapes and is shaped by day-to-day fluctuations and long-term changes in different emotions.
Linking Older Adults’ Daily Activities With Well-Being and Cognition: Examining Moderators and Mediators
Authors: Roecke Christina , Luo Minxia , Hess Thomas M
Published: December 2021

Increasingly more studies are showing that daily activities can be beneficial to wellbeing and cognitive abilities of older adults, but discussions about through which psychological mechanisms daily activities are associated with wellbeing and cognitive health have been scarce. This symposium, including three ambulatory assessment studies and one cross-sectional study, presents emerging theoretical hypotheses and recent empirical findings on this matter. Specifically, with 5-6 days of observations from 313 older adults, Brown and colleagues show that greater daily activity diversity is related to older adults’ higher overall cognitive functioning (executive functioning, memory, and crystallized intelligence). Hueluer and colleagues examine the moderating role of interaction modality on the relation of daily social interactions with wellbeing using data from 116 older adults over 21 days. Their results show that more face-to-face interactions — but not telephone or digital interactions — are associated with higher positive affect and lower loneliness. With data from 153 older adults over 15 days, Luo and colleagues show the mediating effect of positive affect in the association between momentary working memory performance and subsequent social activity engagement. Sharifian and colleagues show the mediating effects of solitary-cognitive activities in the association between depressive symptoms and global cognition, using cross-sectional data from 453 older adults, and also examine the moderating role of race. Finally, Tom Hess will serve as a discussant and provide an integrative discussion of the papers, informed by his extensive work on daily activities, motivation, and aging.