bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
LONGEVITY IN CULTURAL CONTEXT: FINDINGS FROM FOUR CENTENARIAN STUDIES
Authors: Martin Peter , Poon Leonard
Published: January 2025

Life expectancy varies across cultural and international groups, but each culture contains long-lived individuals. To what extent survivors in different cultural groups have common or divergent characteristics is still being determined. The purpose of the symposium is to compare and contrast physical, functional, and mental health characteristics among four different cultural groups of centenarians: African American centenarians from the Health and Retirement Study, Hawaii centenarians of Japanese ancestry from the Kuakini Hawaii Centenarian Study, Japanese centenarians, and Native Americans from the Oklahoma Centenarian Study. The first study showcases longevity predictors for African Americans in the Health and Retirement Study, highlighting family longevity, individual and family resources, health behaviors, and physical, functional, and mental health. The second study utilizes centenarian data from the Kuakini Hawaii Centenarian Study, featuring their unique survivorship characteristics as participants age from 70 to 100 years. The third presentation highlights Japanese centenarians and reveals the diversity of physical and mental well-being of centenarians in Japan. Findings highlight the high bed-bound ratio among centenarians in Japan. Finally, the Oklahoma Centenarian Study identifies themes pertaining to underlying cultural influences using oral narratives of centenarian descendants of indigenous ancestry. The themes of “transmission of historical trauma,” “shared collectivism,” “leisure and sporting,” and “educational attainment“signify themes of adaptation and survival. The four centenarian studies suggest similarities and essential differences when comparing these exceptional cultural groups of survivors. Practitioners and policymakers should be responsive to the diverse needs of centenarians who provide cultural individuality to their communities.
UNVEILING LONGEVITY INSIGHTS: AFRICAN AMERICAN OLDER ADULTS IN THE HEALTH AND RETIREMENT STUDY
Authors: Nicholson Meneka Johnson , Martin Peter
Published: January 2025

Although there is considerable longevity literature, few studies have focused on African American older adults. The current study assessed different domains of longevity predictors for African American participants in the Health and Retirement Study. A total of 723 African Americans (Mage = 68.2) who participated in wave 2 of the HRS were included in this study. Family longevity, individual and social resources, health behaviors and health were used to predict their age at death (Mage = 79.5). A blockwise multiple regression was used for the analyses. Results indicate that father’s and mother’s age at death did not predict longevity. Education and number of children were significant predictors when added as a second block (β = -.24, p <.05 and β =-.13, p <.05, respectively). Of the next block, body-mass index and smoking (β = -.10, p <.05 and β =-.26, p <.05, respectively), but not alcohol intake, added significantly to explaining longevity. Four specific health markers (i.e., self-rated health, high blood pressure, diabetes, and multimorbidity, β = -.08, p <.05, β =.30, p <.05, β = -.26, p <.05, β =-.29, p <.05, respectively) all added significantly to the explanation of longevity. The two final blocks (ADL functioning and level of depression), did not add significantly to the equation. On the whole, the model explained 35 percent of the variance. The results are important for African Americans, policymakers and practitioners as they can help identify risk and resilience factors of longevity.
NAVIGATING PAYMENT, POLICY, AND HEALTH SYSTEMS: HOW THE ORGANIZATION OF PAID CARE AFFECTS WORKERS AND FAMILIES
Authors: Franzosa Emily
Published: January 2025

The complex structure of paid personal and home care services can cause confusion and frustration for families as they navigate multiple payers and providers to get the care they need. At the same time, the fragmented industry structure, combined with low reimbursement for paid care services, leads to poor quality jobs and high workforce turnover for paid caregivers themselves. While the COVID-19 pandemic laid bare existing fault lines in paid care delivery, it also suggested promising avenues for intervention. This symposium explores organizational factors that may improve stability of the paid care workforce. First, we explore the impact of wages. Miller et al describe the impact of state policies such as hazard pay in stabilizing the workforce shortage during COVID-19, while Jiyeon Kim’s innovative analysis examines whether holding multiple direct care jobs, which is common given the often part-time nature of paid care work, can lift workers out of poverty. Next, Patricia Kim and colleagues use integrated electronic medical record and interview data to explore the organization of paid care at end of life through the experience of patients receiving hospice care during the pandemic. Finally, Walkner et al share a promising pilot in the Veterans Health Administration to integrate paid caregivers into health systems by hiring them directly into health care teams. Together, this research highlights innovative avenues to improve pay, job stability and other key measures that may stabilize the workforce and reduce complexity in the paid care system.
THE COMBINED EFFECTS OF SMOKING, DRINKING, AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES ON THE COGNITIVE HEALTH OF OLDER ADULTS
Authors: Su Yan-Jhu , Dugan Elizabeth , Avila Jaqueline
Published: January 2025

Background

Poor health behaviors such as smoking tobacco, alcohol consumption, and limited physical activity may be associated with poor cognitive health. Unhealthy behaviors often co-occur, and little research has examined the combined or cumulative effects of unhealthy behaviors on cognitive health. This examines how common health behaviors may co-occur and their associations with cognitive health among older U.S. adults.

Methods

This cross-sectional study used 2018’s Health and Retirement Study (HRS) data, including 7,467 respondents aged 65 and older. Cognitive function scores were assessed with the Telephone Interview of Cognitive Status-Modified. Health behavior combinations were assessed, including smoking status, drinking amount, and frequency of physical activities. Linear regression was used to examine the association between different health behavior combinations and cognitive function.

Results

The most common combinations were healthy ones: never smoking, no drinking, and high-level physical activity (15.47%; reference group). All combinations with a prevalence of less than 2% were combined as “other” combinations. Compared to the reference group, respondents who never smoked, had no drinking, and had no physical activities had lower cognitive function (b = -1.13, 95% CI: -1.56, -0.71). Other unhealthy combinations that impacted cognition were never-smoked, had no drink, and low physical activities; and former smokers had no drink and low physical activities.

Conclusions

This cross-sectional study found that high levels of physical activity and some drinking are associated with better cognitive health, while smoking was associated with poorer cognitive health. Policies to promote physical activity across the lifespan may be promising avenues to pursue.
HELPING BEHAVIORS AND COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING IN LATER LIFE: A FOCUS ON DOSE AND ASYMMETRIC EFFECTS
Authors: Han Sae Hwang , Burr Jeffrey , Tucker Julia
Published: January 2025

Despite the burgeoning literature linking prosocial helping behaviors and cognitive functioning, empirical evidence indicating whether and how much ‘prescribing’ helping behaviors to older adults would confer cognitive benefits is limited. Further, earlier studies mostly focused on formal volunteering, while little is known about the cognitive benefits of informal helping given directly to non-household individuals. This study aims to bridge these gaps by identifying the cognitive benefits of transitioning into a formal volunteer and informal helper role, respectively, and to uncover the optimal dose-response parameters linking helping and cognition. Using longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study (1998–2020), we followed over 30,000 individuals aged 51 and older during the observation period spanning two decades. Cognitive functioning was assessed with the modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (m-TICS; range: 0–27). Two forms of helping behaviors (i.e., formal volunteering and informal helping) were considered as status and time commitment. We used a multilevel modeling approach that allowed for estimating within–person effects specific to transitioning into (and out of) the respective helper role, as well as across different dosages of helping. Results indicated that transitioning into formal volunteering and informal helping were both associated with better cognitive functioning and slower cognitive decline. Further, moderate levels of helping (approximately 2–4 weekly hours) were consistently linked to robust cognitive benefits for both forms of helping. The study findings provide unique evidence supporting the view that social engagement through helping others in need represents modifiable lifestyle factors conducive to healthy cognitive aging.
GLYNAC SUPPLEMENTATION LOWERS POSTPRANDIAL INFLAMMATION AND OXIDATIVE STRESS TO PROMOTE HEALTH IN OLDER HUMANS
Authors: Sekhar Rajagopal , Kumar Premranjan , Taffet George , Minard Charles
Published: January 2025

Elevated oxidative stress (OS) and inflammation are linked to several age-related abnormalities, but factors contributing to these defects are not well understood. Meal consumption is a known stimulus of OS and inflammation. In a randomized clinical trial (RCT) we investigated the impact of a single carbohydrate test-meal on postprandial OS and inflammation in older adults (OA) and young adults (YA), and tested the effect of supplementing GlyNAC (glycine and N-acetylcysteine) vs. placebo. 20 OA and 10 YA received a 75g oral glucose-test-meal with assessment of 2-hour postprandial change in plasma markers of OS (as TBARS) and inflammation (as IL-6). These measures were repeated and compared after OA and YA received their assigned supplements. Pre-supplementation: After consuming the glucose-meal, OA had significantly higher 2-hour postprandial increases in OS (change in plasma concentrations of TBARS: YA 0.02 ± 0.19 vs. 1.09 ± 0.96 in OA, p=0.03) and inflammation (change in plasma concentrations of IL-6: YA 0.03 ± 0.03 vs. 0.52 ± 0.22 OA, p<0.001). Post-supplementation: GlyNAC protected OA from the glucose-meal driven increases in OS (TBARS pre: 1.03 ± 0.44 vs. post -0.04 ± 0.19, p<0.001) and inflammation (IL-6 pre: 0.52 ± 0.20 vs. post 0.05 ± 0.03, p<0.001). No effects occurred in OA receiving placebo or YA receiving GlyNAC. These data indicate that carbohydrate intake contributes to significant increases in postprandial OS and inflammation in OA. By protecting from the postprandial (and overall) rise in OS and inflammation after carbohydrate consumption, GlyNAC supplementation promotes postprandial health in older humans.
NOMADIC GERONTOLOGY: AGING AS A NOMAD IN MONGOLIA
Authors: Ng Reuben , Indran Nicole
Published: January 2025

Gerontologists have made remarkable strides in understanding the experiences of older adults in various contexts. Yet, amid this progress, some communities remain overlooked, such as older nomads in Mongolia. Notably, Mongolia is one of the last bastions of nomadism in the world. Today, many of the remaining nomads are individuals in their later years. This study aims to illuminate the lived experiences of older nomads in Mongolia. Specifically, we explore how they navigate the duality of being old and nomadic, particularly amid a changing social, political, economic and environmental setup. We interviewed a total of 32 Mongolian nomads whose average age was 65.3 years. Thematic analysis was employed to identify themes related to life as an older nomad. Three themes surfaced: ‘Navigating Health Challenges Arising from Aging Bodies and Climate Change’ (Theme 1), ‘Desire to Preserve a Disappearing Heritage’ (Theme 2) and ‘Experiencing Neglect and Discrimination’ (Theme 3). This study marks an important foray into research on older nomads, airing the voice of a community that is not only under-represented, but also fast vanishing. In today’s context, their nomadic ways stand as an in bulwark against the tide of modernization. Our findings make a compelling case for continued research and policy design to enhance the quality of life of older nomads, even as their cultural heritage is safeguarded.
STATEWIDE PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE DEMENTIA DETECTION AND CARE
Authors: Segal-Gidan Freddi , Borson Soo
Published: January 2025

States are serving as sites for innovation in dementia care and practice. Representatives from three states, Washington, Georgia and California, will discuss their respective statewide dementia programs. Each state will provide an overview of their program, its goals and accomplishments. In California, the Dementia Care Aware program focused on reaching primary care teams with a training and support program for screening, especially for Medi-Cal (Medicaid) beneficiaries. In Georgia, Georgia Memory Net, has developed a statewide network of diagnostic clinics aimed at improving the standard of dementia care in people with a diagnosis.. Finally, Washington will discuss the Cognition in Primary Care program, which developed as a quality improvement initiative for primary care that provides a framework for evaluation of cognitive concerns and tools to assist in managing dementia as it progresses..
DEVELOPING A PRACTICAL, SCALABLE QI INITIATIVE FOR FQHCS IN WASHINGTON STATE: THE COGNITION IN PRIMARY CARE PROGRAM
Authors: Gaster Barak
Published: January 2025

In November 2020, the University of Washington (UW) was awared funding from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to adapt the Gerontological Society of America’s K.A.E.R. Toolkit for implementation in a large health system. Using focus group interviews, we developed a quality improvement initiative, Cognition in Primary Care (CPC), consisting of concise continuing education (CE) for primary care providers (PCPs) paired with tools to put that training into practice. The CE consists of Webinars which introduce the tools, which take the form of electronic health record (EHR) checklists and resource folders to facilitate performing cognitive evaluations in primary care. Between 2021 and 2023, the CPC program was implemented in 14 community-based primary care clinics at UW. Measures to assess outcomes showed positive effects including uptake of the EHR tools by PCPs, increased cognitive-tests entered into the EHR, and increased number of patients identified with cognitive impairment. During the symposium, attendees will learn the components of the CPC approach for quality improvement, as well as the methodology used to implement it and assess its effects. Finally, we will present an overview for how the CPC model is being packaged for dissemination to health systems across Washington State, with a focus on federally qualified health centers, supported by new CDC funding in the form of a grant through the BOLD Public Health Initiative.
MAKING MOVES: EPIGENETIC AGING AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH PAIN AND DISABILITY OUTCOMES IN OLDER ADULTS
Authors: Strath Larissa , Lipat Ania , Meng Lingsong , Huo Zhiguang , Foster Thomas , Johnson Alisa , Fillingim Roger , Cruz-Almeida Yenisel
Published: January 2025

Chronic pain (pain that is persistent or recurrent for 3 months or longer) is a leading cause of mobility interference and disability in the aging population. It is well known that chronological aging increases the risk of developing of pain and pain reduces physical function; however, limited data exist on how epigenetic aging, new hallmark of biological aging shown to predict pain and mobility outcomes. The purpose of this session is three-fold: 1) introduce the audience to the algorithmic epigenetic aging clocks; 2) examine whether decreased mobility and increased pain severity is associated with these epigenetic clocks, and 3) examine recent literature showing epigenetic age acceleration as a potential mechanism by which biopsychosocial factors could be influencing pain and mobility in older adults. Given the complex multi-dimensional experience of pain and disability that is dynamically sculpted throughout an individual’s lifespan along with the environmental interactions with the epigenome, these advances will be a welcomed approach and the future of personalized medicine in an aging population.
FAMILY CAREGIVING AMONG AFRICAN AMERICANS AND BLACK IMMIGRANTS: UNDERSTANDING DIABETES MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES
Authors: Addo-Mensah Dorothy , Conklin Jamie
Published: January 2025

Despite the significant burden of diabetes within African American and Black immigrant communities, there remains a notable gap in understanding the unique caregiving experiences and needs specific to these populations. Familial caregivers play a tremendous role in supporting disease management for their older relatives diagnosed with diabetes. The caregivers have a significant responsibility in providing instrumental (e.g., blood glucose monitoring, insulin administration) and material support (e.g., financial support, shopping) to older diabetic relatives. Research has shown that support from the family caregiver can improve the quality of life of a patient diagnosed with diabetes. This study aimed to investigate and elucidate the characteristics of family caregivers providing care to older diabetic relatives within African American and Black immigrant communities. With support from a librarian, we conducted a scoping review on PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus databases. The review yielded 538 unique articles that were independently screened by two reviewers in Covidence. The preliminary data shed light on the characteristics of caregivers and the various roles they undertake in providing care. It highlights the challenges family caregivers face in these communities, including financial strain, limited access to resources, and cultural barriers. Additionally, the data reveal the specific support needs of these caregivers, indicating areas where interventions and support programs could be targeted to address their unique circumstances effectively. Our study serves as a foundation for further exploration and the development of targeted interventions to better support family caregivers in African American and Black immigrant communities.
PREDICTORS OF DEPRESSION IN BLACK WOMEN WITH HYPERTENSION: A SECONDARY ANALYSIS OF HRS DATA
Authors: Hutto Lashawn , Odlum Michelle , Theeke Laurie
Published: January 2025

Black women experience a prevalence of depression and hypertension, with symptoms of depression going unrecognized. They describe worthlessness and hopelessness but also emptiness, lack of control, mood swings, and disinterest, which are not part of routine screenings. The Black women’s schema prioritizes strength, caring for others, and avoiding discussing feelings. Along with barriers of distrust of providers, self-denial of symptoms, limited depression knowledge, stigma, and financial limitations, diagnosis and treatment may be delayed. This study describes predictors of depression in black women based on data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). We examined individual, social, and relationship differences between black women with and without hypertension and used stepwise logistic regression to identify predictors. The sample included 407 Black women aged 50 years and above. Nearly half (47.7%) reported hypertension. The majority (94.6%) were married and had varying education, with the majority of participants having high school or less (66.6%). Women with hypertension reported worse overall health (X2=43.999, df=4, p=0.000), more health changes (X2=16.724, df=2, p=0.000), higher effort (X2=10.379, df=3, p=0.016) and depression scores (X2=9.518, df=3, p=0.23), restless sleep (X2=18.907, df=3, p=0.000) and less physical activity (X2=10.981, df=4, p=0.27.). Predictors for depression were loneliness (OR=3.509, 95% CI=1.364, 9.027), sadness (OR=2.272, 95% CI=1.026,5.031), restless sleep (OR=2.093, 95% CI=1.237, 3.542), unhappiness (OR=0.430,95% CI=0.258,0.71) and psychological problems (OR=0.194, 95% CI=0.038, 0.979). Future implications include building relationships with organizations that support black women with depression and longitudinal analysis of HRS data to explain the role of loneliness on depression and hypertension in this population.
COMMUNITY-ENGAGED RESEARCH WITH SOCIAL SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS FOR OLDER ADULT MENTAL HEALTH EQUITY
Authors: Steinman Lesley , Mitchell Mary , Wu Sherry
Published: January 2025

Twenty years ago, our research center collaborated with local community-based social service organizations to co-create and evaluate PEARLS, a community-based, collaborative care model for late-life depression. PEARLS builds capacity among trusted, front-line, non-clinical providers (e.g., case managers, community health workers) to be depression care managers, taking a “task shifting” and “task sharing” approach recommended to close the mental health treatment gap by improving access to quality care where older adults live, work, play, pray, and age. While PEARLS was developed with, in, and for communities underserved by clinical mental health care, for the past five years our community-academic partnership has focused on reaching older adults who have been historically marginalized by racism, sexism, ageism, and other structural inequities. The five-year PEARLS Equity Study is supported by CDC Prevention Research Center funding to improve older adult mental health equity through active community collaborations from design to dissemination. This symposium will bring feature several of our local PEARLS partners to highlight the value of community-engaged dissemination and implementation research to fortify the feasibility, equity, and sustainability of studies to improve the lives of older adults through the social service organizations working to support aging in place and quality of life. We will provide real-world examples that embody the GSA conference theme, the Fortitude Factor, offering take-aways for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to strengthen how community-academic partnerships are essential for generating and integrating research findings into aging practice and policy.
EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE ON LABOR MARKET PARTICIPATION OF INFORMAL CARERS IN CHINA
Authors: Yang Wei , Pei Xingtong , Xu Mingming
Published: January 2025

Existing evidence from high-income countries suggests that long-term care insurance (LTCI) aimed at enhancing access to formal care can reduce the burden on informal carers and facilitate their reentry into the labor market. However, there is limited evidence regarding the specific carers who have been most impacted by such insurance. Drawing data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study of 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2018, we employ a staggered difference-in-differences model with propensity score matching to analyze the impact of LTCI on care burden reduction and labor market participation of the informal carers. Our study shows that LTCI substantially alleviates the burden on informal carers and promotes their labor market participation. Specifically, LTCI reduced care burden among spouses by 8.5 hours per month. We also found that LTCI’s impact on enhancing labor market participation was more significant among younger household members, reflected in an average income increase of 4,534 yuan per year. Our subgroup analysis highlights that LTCI primarily benefits informal carers providing care for older people with low income or those who were farmers or previously engaged in informal sectors. We urge the government extend the insurance program to additional regions and broaden its scope to include individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
INTERGENERATIONAL CREATIVE MOVEMENT INTERVENTION FOSTERS SOCIAL CONNECTIONS AND MENTAL HEALTH
Authors: Kostelic Amy , Bardo Anthony , Thiel Susie , Reardon Claire , Khalilian Mohammad
Published: January 2025

It is widely accepted that people flourish when experiencing a sense of connection and belonging. Yet, negative outcomes from the pandemic, like loneliness, remain elevated and relevant for younger and older women’s well-being. Additionally, life course transitions into both young adulthood and older age, while very different, are also similar in that they can challenge a woman’s social connectedness and sense of belonging. Our innovative multi-lesson education program aimed to connect first-generation female college students and college educated older women living in the community to promote a sense of belonging and enhance mental health by (a) combining interpretive dance in the form of physical activity and creativity; (b) engaging multiple generations via a humanistic approach centered around generativity; and (c) utilizing a sociocentric network approach to identify individual and program-level factors associated with positive outcomes. Results based on Social Network Analyses (SNA) demonstrated that our program was adept at fostering close intergenerational connections, which when triangulated with qualitative results from in-depth interviews, were found to be anchored in an emergent sense of belonging. Coupled with results from pre- and post-intervention surveys, the formation of these close intergenerational connections was found to positively impact mental health. The efficacy of our program was further established when pre- and post-intervention mental health assessments were compared between the participant (n=20) and control group (n=20). Our innovative program demonstrates the potential, though distinct, applicability of (a) creative movement activities and (b) SNA techniques for developing a programmatic scale up into other community settings.
NEIGHBORHOOD SOCIAL AND SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS AND COGNITIVE DECLINE FOR OLDER MEXICAN AMERICANS
Authors: Lee Ji Hyun , Rote Sunshine , Mahmoudi Elham , Armendariz Marina , Antonucci Toni , Manning Mark
Published: January 2025

Neighborhood resources are salient in healthy brain aging. Neighborhood “third places” such as community centers and local eateries are increasingly recognized for their role in supporting the cognitive health of older residents. However, less is known about whether cognitive benefits from neighborhood resources are experienced similarly across diverse older adults. In the current study, we examined the associations between the availability of neighborhood social (i.e., religious institutions, social clubs) and service organizations (i.e., senior centers, community food banks) on cognitive decline among Mexican Americans living in urban and rural areas in the southwest U.S. region. We linked the panel data from the 2004-2013 Hispanic Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly (H-EPESE) with the census-level data on the number of organizations from National Neighborhood Data Archive (N= 628, Age M(SD) = 80 (3.6), female 64%, U.S. born 54%). Cognitive decline was based on MMSE scores with cut-off points adjusted for low educational attainment. The generalized estimating equations model accounted for person-level covariates such as age, gender, years of education, marital status, nativity, and dual eligibility for Medicaid and Medicare. We found that, in urban settings, the presence of religious organizations was associated with better cognition, but a higher number of civic organizations were linked to worse cognitive health and a steep decline in cognition. Social and service organizations were not associated with cognition in rural settings. Our findings highlighted the importance of urban/rural contexts in identifying neighborhood organizations that may support healthy brain aging for older Mexican Americans.
NEIGHBORHOOD DISADVANTAGE, SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS, AND COGNITION AMONG MEXICAN-AMERICAN OLDER ADULTS
Authors: Scambray Kiana , Gutierrez Angela , Walters Monica , Tsotsoros Cindy , Sol Ketlyne , Choi HwaJung
Published: January 2025

Research suggests that Hispanics live in more disadvantaged neighborhoods, and neighborhood disadvantage itself is associated with worse cognition. Few studies have examined whether social factors could buffer this relationship among Hispanic older adults. We examined whether social network size and relationship quality moderates the relationship between neighborhood disadvantage and cognition, and whether these moderations differed by gender in this cross-sectional study. We included 2069 participants (Mean age=81.9; 62% women) from the fifth wave of the Hispanic Established Populations for the Epidemiological Study of the Elderly (H-EPESE). Social network size was defined as the total number of children, relatives, and friends. Relationship quality was defined by how frequently the individual can count on and discuss deep problems with friends/family. Neighborhood disadvantage quartiles (least to most disadvantaged) were created from measures in the National Neighborhood Data Archive after linking with the H-EPESE individual-level data using the census-tract geocode. The Mini Mental State Examination, measuring global cognition, was the outcome. Multiple linear regressions with interaction terms were conducted to assess for moderation, which were repeated across the gender-stratified samples. Relationship quality moderated the association between neighborhood disadvantage and cognition whereas social network size did not. The adverse effect of living in the most disadvantaged neighborhood on cognition was observed among those reporting medium relationship quality (B=-2.94, p<.05). This relationship appeared to be primarily driven by women (B=-5.49, p=.02). These findings suggest that interventions to improve cognition among Hispanic older adults in disadvantaged neighborhoods should consider how relationship quality and gender impact cognition.
NIA START-UP CHALLENGE AND ACCELERATOR: EMPOWERING AGING RESEARCHERS FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESS
Authors: Toliver Joy
Published: January 2025

As an effort to support the development of aging researchers transitioning into entrepreneurship, the National Institute on Aging designed and launched its Start-Up Challenge and Accelerator. Through a five-month accelerator program, participants learn how to translate their research-driven solutions into market-ready products that promote healthy aging. Participants receive personalized mentorship, entrepreneurial training, networking opportunities, and a chance to win NIA funding. With cohorts in 2022 and 2023, the Startup Challenge and Accelerator supported the development of 40 transitioning entrepreneurs that are developing innovations to enhance the health and/or care of older adults and awarded cash prizes to eleven. Since the completion of the first cohort, graduates of the program have hit a multitude of milestones including, but not limited to, a company exit, raising venture capital financing, launching health system pilots, securing key strategic partners, and winning national pitch competitions. By attending this panel, you will learn more about the program, how to apply, and how past participants have leveraged the program to fuel their entrepreneurial growth and establish a path to success.
NIA FUNDED OBATALA SCIENCES: DRIVING DIVERSITY IN RESEARCH ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND ADVANCING REGENERATIVE MEDICINE
Authors: Frazier Trivia
Published: January 2025

Obatala Sciences, Inc. developed the first human-derived hydrogel for 2D and 3D cell culture which can be applied in various organ-on-a-chip models. The New Orleans-based Obatala Sciences fat-on-a-chip platform and supporting products offer researchers a new, more accurate way of modeling human fat tissue in-vitro. Obatala Sciences was spun out of the NIH/NIA funded LaCell LLC in 2017. To build on their prior SBIR and seed funding, Obatala Sciences raised $3 million in Series A investments in 2022. Obatala’s scientific and thought leadership are committed to promoting diversity to advance the study and prevention of diseases in the fields of obesity, diabetes, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. In 2022, Obatala also received NIA funding to create an entrepreneurship in biotechnology training program in partnership with universities in Southeast Louisiana. The newly developed program is leveraging the diverse background and training of the diverse regional student population to give students greater insight into biotech and entrepreneurial career paths.
IMPACT OF GENDER FOR ELDER MISTREATMENT WITHIN DEMENTIA FAMILY CAREGIVING
Authors: Pickering Carolyn , Wood Leila
Published: January 2025

Gender plays a significant role in interpersonal violence throughout life, particularly through gender-based violence or violence driven by gender-based power dynamics. However, understanding the role of gender in elder mistreatment within dementia family caregiving is more complex due to the various layers affected by gender. For instance, societal gender norms often lead to women being primary caregivers, and trends in dementia mean women are more likely to be care recipients. Gender influences access to caregiver resources, such as financial support, and impacts outcomes like caregiver depression. This symposium aims to explore the diverse ways gender influences elder mistreatment in family caregiving contexts. The first paper investigates how the gender of the caregiver influences the likelihood of engaging in various subtypes of elder mistreatment. The second paper delves into how polysubstance use affects the risk of different types of elder mistreatment, and how this risk varies based on caregiver gender. The third paper examines perceived reciprocity as a protective factor for elder mistreatment subtypes and explores whether it plays a stronger role based on caregiver gender. The last paper utilizes a gerofeminist lens to examine the intersection of gender and physical disability in the risk of being victimized by various subtypes of elder mistreatment.
GENDER DIFFERENCES IN TYPES OF AGGRESSION USED AMONG DEMENTIA FAMILY CAREGIVERS
Authors: Browning Wesley , Yildiz Mustafa , Pickering Carolyn
Published: January 2025

Investigations of family violence across the lifespan have revealed that men more often rely on physically aggressive tactics towards while women often rely on forms of psychological aggression. Physical aggression use also declines with age. We aimed to replicate, within a sample of dementia family caregivers, findings on gender, age and aggression from family violence research. We hypothesized that male family caregivers engage more often in physically aggressive behaviors towards their relative with dementia, while women engage more often in psychological aggression. Caregivers (n=453) self-reported frequency of neglect, psychological aggression, and physical aggression in the past 6-months at enrollment, 6-month and 12-month follow up. We utilized linear regression to investigate age and gender differences in abuse and neglect at baseline. We employed mixed models for repeated measures to investigate whether men engaged more often in abusive and neglectful behaviors across the three waves. Men (n=57) engaged more often in neglect and physical aggression than women (p’s<.05) at baseline. Caregivers who were older women engaged more often in neglect, while younger men engaged more often in physical abuse (p’s<.05). Based on our mixed model, men engaged more often in neglectful behaviors (B=-3.71, p=.001), physically aggressive behaviors (B=-1.55, p<.001) and overall total behaviors (B=-5.61, p=.001) than women across the three waves. Findings replicate those from prior studies examining family violence across the lifespan. Special attention should be paid to male caregivers in research and clinical practice as men are uniquely at risk for abusive and neglectful behaviors.
OUTCOMES OF ASSISTED LIVING ACCREDITATION IN NORTH CAROLINA
Authors: Zimmerman Sheryl , Efird-Green Lea , Sloane Philip , Reed David , Tian Yuke , Davis Scott , Preisser John
Published: January 2025

Accreditation is a widely used health care review process to determine if an organization meets a defined standard of quality. The opportunity for accreditation recently moved into the field of assisted living (AL); today, seven states have statutes and regulations allowing third party accreditation to satisfy full or partial compliance with state licensure or certification. Data indicate that compliance with accreditation standards may result in improved care, but it has not been evaluated in AL. In 2021, the state of North Carolina funded an AL accreditation pilot program to evaluate whether accreditation improves or maintains quality. Communities were randomly allocated to a control or accreditation arm and are being followed for two years to evaluate care and outcomes in five areas (workforce, resident outcomes, care coordination and transitions, medication management, person-centered care). Of the 146 communities originally enrolled that provided data, most are for-profit (96%) and part of a chain (73%); 44% pf residents have dementia, 25% have mental illness, and 53% receive state financial assistance. Preliminary results in the first two quarters (Q) found an overall increase in advance care planning discussions (53% in Q1 and 63% in Q2), and a decrease in medication administrations with one or more errors (1.2% in Q1 and 0.6% in Q2). This session will present results comparing communities in the control arm, accreditation arm, and those that successfully achieved accreditation, with findings having wide-ranging implications for the future of AL accreditation and regulation in North Carolina, and implications across the country.
INDIVIDUAL, FAMILY, AND COMMUNITY FACTORS THAT SHAPE COGNITIVE AGING: AN ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS APPROACH
Authors: Hamm Jeremy , Mogle Jacqueline
Published: January 2025

Healthy cognitive aging is shaped in part by individual and social-environmental factors that span systems delineated by social ecological models of lifespan development. This symposium addresses the role of individual- (beliefs, health behaviors), family- (relationship quality), and community-level (neighborhood quality) factors as predictors of normative and non-normative cognitive aging. Taylor et al. use individual-level data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) Study to demonstrate how a composite of control beliefs, purpose in life, and social support prospectively predicts healthier 9-year trajectories of cognitive aging. Hamm et al. use individual-level MIDUS data to document how (health behavior mechanisms) and when in the lifespan (age-moderated pathways) longitudinal changes in control beliefs predict corresponding shifts in cognitive functioning. McGrath et al. investigate novel methods in measuring individual-level indices of health behavior-dependent muscle function (force stability, explosiveness) that can better predict risk of cognitive impairment. Jang et al. use data from the National Study of Daily Experiences (NSDE) to identify the influence of different types of family-level relationships on the experience of daily memory lapses and associated negative affect. Finally, Cerino et al. use NDSE data to document how better neighborhood quality at the community-level is linked to better cognitive functioning, particularly for individuals who lack control over the daily stressors they experience. This symposium thus contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of how healthier cognitive aging is shaped by modifiable beliefs, behaviors, social dynamics, and neighborhood factors that span multiple ecological systems.
EDUCATION ON COMMUNICATION WHILE WEARING FACEMASKS USEFUL DESPITE THE END OF COVID-19 EMERGENCY
Authors: Shaw Clarissa , Williams Kristine , Coleman Carissa , Nakad Lynn
Published: January 2025

Communication with nursing home residents by formal caregivers is complicated with the use of facemasks. Yet facemask use is necessary to limit the spread of disease during surges of communicable respiratory illnesses. The purpose of this study was to develop and pilot test a web-based educational module to promote successful communication with nursing home residents while wearing facemasks. To create CHATO-PPE, we completed a scoping review of 39 articles and interviewed 19 formal caregivers, nursing residents, and family members from four states on best practices for communication with facemasks. We integrated these results to create a 30-minute web-based module. The module includes three videos we produced with a scenario that begins as an undesirable care encounter and with our education improves with practical communication tips and then becomes a successful care encounter with the integration of person-centered communication. To evaluate our module, we recruited a convenience sample of 26 formal caregivers in nursing homes. Confidence in dementia care measured by the CODE scale increased significantly from before to after the modules (p=.009). Greater than 90% of participants agreed that they would recommend the course to others, use the training in their job, and were satisfied overall. In post-education interviews, learners stated that mask use is still prevalent in nursing homes during surges of respiratory illnesses and CHATO-PPE provides helpful and feasible tips to implement during these times while also serving as a reminder of communication best-practices that can be used regardless of facemask use.
ASSOCIATION BETWEEN PRE–HIP FRACTURE ANTIDEPRESSANT USE AND HOSPITAL LENGTH OF STAY AMONG MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES
Authors: Mehta Rhea , Falvey Jason , Chen Chixiang , Dong Yu , Shardell Michelle , Yamashita Takashi , Orwig Denise
Published: January 2025

Antidepressants are the first-line treatment for depression among older adults. Their use presents important sex differences and is linked to hospital length of stay (LOS), which can affect hip fracture recovery. Given the push to deprescribe these medications among older adults, exploring the effect of antidepressant use prior to hip fracture among older adults with existing depression is important. Thus, our study examined the association between pre-fracture antidepressant use and hospital LOS among hip fracture survivors, and related sex differences. The sample included 17,936 community-dwelling Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries with depression and a hospitalization claim for hip fracture surgery between 2010 and 2017. Ordinal logistic regression was used to estimate the association between pre-fracture antidepressant use, measured 6 months prior to fracture, and hospital LOS in days, a categorical outcome variable classified into three groups (1-4, 5-8, and 8+ days) during the 30-day post-fracture period. In the covariate-adjusted model, hip fracture survivors with depression who used antidepressants pre-fracture had 6.7% higher odds of a shorter hospital LOS compared to non-users (odds ratio [OR]=1.07; 95% CI=1.01, 1.13; p=0.03). Males had longer LOS on average (mean=6.02, standard deviation [SD]=4.07) compared to females (mean=5.43, SD=3.17), but the sex-by-antidepressant use interaction was not significant (p=0.83). Treating existing depression with antidepressants was associated with shorter hospital LOS in this sample. The findings suggest a benefit of antidepressant use prior to hip fracture which may inform clinical decision-making surrounding depression management among hip fracture survivors to optimize recovery trajectories.
ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN INCARCERATION HISTORY AND DIABETES MANAGEMENT AMONG OLDER ADULTS
Authors: Blank Sabrina , Sneed Rodlescia
Published: January 2025

The number of older adults with criminal justice system involvement has increased by more than 280% since 1999. Previous studies show that justice-involved older adults have rates of chronic disease similar to those of the never-incarcerated; however, no studies have evaluated differences in disease management between groups. We examined associations between history of incarceration (HOI) and diabetes management using data from the Health and Retirement Study, a population-based sample of community-dwelling older adults. HOI was assessed via self-report. We assessed diabetes management via self-report/objective health indicators, health service utilization, and health behaviors. We used logistic and linear regression to evaluate associations between HOI and diabetes management, controlling for demographic characteristics. HOI was associated with fewer dental visits (OR: 0.069; 95% CI: 0.531, 0.917) and greater odds of insulin use (OR: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.13, 2.05), tooth loss (OR: 1.94, 95% CI 1.43, 2.65), foot swelling (OR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.90) and hospitalization in the last 2 years, (OR: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.12, 1.92). There was no association between HOI and other measures of diabetes management. Associations between tooth loss, dental visits, and incarceration were observed among White but not Black participants. Findings suggest that HOI may be associated with poorer diabetes management practices in some domains. Future research should identify interventions that improve diabetes-relevant outcomes among justice-involved older adults.
MAXIMIZING THE SCALABILITY OF THE CHRONIC DISEASE SELF-MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AMONG OLDER ADULTS IN STATE PRISONS
Authors: Sneed Rodlescia
Published: January 2025

Incarcerated older adults have high rates of chronic disease; however, there is limited chronic disease programming in most state prison systems. The Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) is an evidence-based program that has been used within state prisons on a limited basis, but there has been little research into efficient and effective strategies for scaling up the intervention within state prisons. Scale-up (i.e. deliberate efforts to increase the impact of successfully tested health innovations to benefit more people and promote sustainability) is an understudied concept with few existing empirical studies explicitly focused on the scale-up process. Assessing scalability, however, is crucial for ensuring sustainability of complex interventions within resource-poor settings. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and maximize the scalability of CDSMP among older adults in state prisons. Guided by the Scaling up Management Framework, we conducted interviews with representatives from 10 U.S. state prison systems on ways to maximize the scalability of CDSMP within state correctional settings. Participants provided information in numerous areas related to scale-up, including strategies for achieving buy-in, special situations where implementation might be especially difficult, potential funding strategies, and ideal partners for scale-up efforts. As the prison population continues to age, the burden of chronic disease within correctional systems will continue to increase, which contributes to skyrocketing correctional costs. Understanding how to expand evidence-based chronic disease programs within correctional systems is crucial for reducing disease-related morbidity and mortality among incarcerated individuals and for reducing costs.