bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
EMPOWERING FALLS PREVENTION IN OLDER ADULTS: INTENTIONAL ACADEMIC–COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS FOR SUCCESS
Authors: Pappa Sara
Published: January 2025

The Northern Virginia Falls Prevention Alliance exemplifies a robust academic-community partnership for deploying evidence-based falls prevention programs (EBFPP) within a metropolitan setting. The project provides accessible EBFPP such as “Stay Active and Independent for Life” (SAIL) for those at low to moderate risk, “A Matter of Balance” (MOB) aimed at alleviating the fear of falling, and the “Otago Exercise Program” (OEP) for high-risk individuals. Over eight years, the program has engaged more than 6,000 older adults, spread across many Northern Virginia community-based locations, showcasing a significant breadth of reach and adaptability. Adding to this, the recent incorporation of the “Saving Claire” Falls Prevention Project documentary heightens awareness and education, bolstering the program’s outreach. This presentation will emphasize the pivotal roles of collaborative community organization, sustainable program delivery, leader preparation, and fostering trust with older adults, thereby reinforcing public health endeavors to mitigate fall-related injuries. With over a decade of program evolution, this session will outline key strategies for sustainability, accessibility, and adoption. Emphasizing the practicality and impact of academic-community alliances, it will underscore how such partnerships are instrumental in advocating the successful uptake and sustainability of EBFPP
META-ANALYSES OF THE EFFECTS OF EXERCISE ON ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE: EVALUATING SYNTHESIS REDUNDANCY AND RESEARCH WASTE
Authors: Dagne Mahederemariam
Published: January 2025

Research redundancy emerges when studies are unnecessarily duplicated, which not only depletes resources but also inflates research waste. In the last twenty years, we have been seeing a significant redundancy in the number of systematic reviews and meta-analyses evaluating exercise and physical activity interventions for cognitive function in older adults with cognitive impairments, particularly those with Alzheimer’s disease. This presentation aims to dissect the prevalence of repeated studies within published meta-analyses through a living umbrella systematic review. It scrutinizes the overlap of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) across these analyses to elucidate the extent of redundancy and its implications on the accumulation of knowledge. Our analysis provides a critical assessment of the current landscape, charting a path toward more strategic, impactful research practices. By pinpointing specific instances of excessive duplication, we aim to foster a dialogue on refining research
STATE LEADERS DESCRIBE EXCITING AND REPLICABLE AGE-FRIENDLY WORK
Authors: Silverstein Nina
Published: January 2025

State leaders describe age-friendly work in their state and how tools like the healthyagingdatareports.org can be leveraged to expand and accelerate progress. James Fuccione (Massachusetts), Jennifer Rabalais (New Hampshire), Kina White (Mississippi), and Virginia Vincenti (Wyoming) will provide insights about their state. Silverstein will identify common themes and lessons learned.
AGHE FACULTY AWARD PRESENTATIONS AND LECTURES
Authors: Montepare Joann
Published: January 2025

The AGHE Faculty Award Presentations and Lectures will feature the Distinguished Faculty Award recipient lecture and the Rising Star Early-Career Faculty award lecture. The 2024 Distinguished Faculty Award recipient is Lynn M. Holley, PhD, FAGHE of the University of Nebraska at Omaha. This award recognizes persons whose teaching stands out as exemplary, innovative, of impact, or any combination thereof. The 2024 Rising Star Early-Career Faculty Award Lecture recipient is Yeonjung Jane Lee, PhD, of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. The Rising Star Early-Career Faculty Award acknowledges new faculty whose teaching and leadership stand out as influential and innovative.
POLICY SERIES: AGING AND PUBLIC POLICY: NAVIGATING THE INTERSECTIONS
Authors: Lepore Michael , McMullen Tara , Phillips Karon
Published: January 2025

Contemporary politics and public policy are rife with matters of aging and inequality. While an impressive history of public health achievements over infectious diseases has enhanced the possibility for populations to enjoy longer and healthier lives, these benefits have not been enjoyed equally. Rather than overcome disparities in longevity and health, existing public policies designed for the younger and less diverse populations of earlier generations have potential to further entrench age-related inequalities in current populations into the future. The Gerontological Society of America’s policy journal, Public Policy & Aging Report, has a rich history of directly tackling the thorny political issues at the heart of these inequalities, including national voting patterns of older White Americans supporting conservative political candidates and values that clash with their support of policies and programs from which they directly benefit. This symposium draws on such historic trends and contemporary research to shed light on the intersections of aging and public policy that we are navigating today, including federal and state legislative and regulatory initiatives to improve the economic security of low-income older adults, local programs in numerous states that use property tax levies for social care services to assist in maintaining community independence, and issues of voting access in the context of aging, disability, and cognitive impairment. Contributors to this session will build on recent publications in Public Policy & Aging Report and will engage in discussion addressing the 2024 US election and looking ahead to the future of aging and public policy.
UNDERSTANDING VOTING TRENDS AMONG AGING AMERICANS
Authors: Byrd Goldie , Foy Capri , Caban-Hol Allison , Gwathmey TanYa , Smyre Patricia , Williams Kelvin
Published: January 2025

The right to vote, also known as “the franchise”, is a fundamental right of United States (US) citizens, and is essential to preserve the democratic republic of the US. However, voting often requires significant planning, time and effort, and there are considerable and persistent challenges and threats to voting for several demographic groups in the US, including older adults. In this analysis, we will examine voting trends in this population in four recent general Presidential Elections (2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020) using data from the Current Population Survey (CPS). Specifically, we will examine self-reported voting percentages among noninstitutionalized older US adults (ages 60 years or older) who report having disabilities compared to older adults without disabilities, after adjustment for demographic variables. In addition, we will compare engagement in early voting, as well as voting in person or via mail, among older adults with and without disabilities. Lastly, we will examine whether these results are moderated by race, gender or other demographic factors (e.g. education). Results will be discussed in the context of the extant literature, as well as the history of legislative facilitators and barriers to voting for American adults with disabilities. Finally, we discuss voting trends among adults with disabilities for the 2024 Presidential Election, and we provide suggestions for future education and research and additional facilitators to enhance voting rates for older Americans with or without disabilities.
CROSS-NATIONAL COMPARISON OF DISABILITY IN LATIN AMERICAN OLDER ADULTS
Authors: Osuna Margarita Maria , Ailshire Jennifer
Published: January 2025

Latin America’s population is aging rapidly. Little is known about disability prevalence among older adults in these countries. We estimate and compare disability prevalence from nationally representative surveys of older adults from Mexico (2015 Mexican Health and Aging Study, MHAS, N=6,699), Brazil (2015 Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging, ELSI, N=5,367), Colombia (2015 National Survey of Health and Wellbeing, SABE-Col, N=23,598), and Costa Rica (2005 Costa Rican Longevity and Healthy Aging, CRELES, N=2,607). Disabilities were defined using three harmonized measures: any limitations on (i) instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), (ii) activities of daily living (ADL), and (iii) mobility. Age-adjusted prevalence estimates were calculated by gender for each country, using WHO 2000-2025 Standard Population age categories. Findings reveal significant differences in disability prevalence across measures and countries. Prevalence of IADL disability in men ranged from 18% (Costa Rica) to 31% (Brazil). For women, IADL disability ranged from 24% (Colombia) to 30% (Brazil). ADL disability for men ranged from 10% (Brazil) to 20% (Mexico). Whereas women’s prevalence range was 12% (Costa Rica) to 23% (Mexico), mobility disability exhibited the highest prevalence and had the largest disparities. Prevalence in men ranged from 27% (Colombia) to 78% (Mexico). Women’s disability prevalence ranged from 43% (Colombia to 83% in Mexico. Findings highlight the heterogeneity of health inequalities and raise policy implications. Aging and healthcare policies should focus on supporting older adults, with stronger social protections and home improvements to support disabled older adults. Our study provides insights on disability patterns in Latin America.
POTENTIAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE 2011–2012 DROUGHT IN MEXICO ON OLDER ADULT HEALTH
Authors: Saenz Joseph , Peniche Jorge , Tanner Laura , Aguila Emma , Downer Brian , Wong Rebeca
Published: January 2025

Background

Climate change will increase the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as heatwaves, wildfires, hurricanes, and droughts. Few studies have evaluated the health impacts of drought exposure in low- and middle-income countries, which are most vulnerable to effects of climate change. This study evaluates how level of exposure to a major drought that affected Mexico from 2011-2012 related with post-drought health in older adults.

Methods

We use the 2012 Mexican Health and Aging Study (n=8,954 respondents age 50+) linked with municipality-level data from the Drought Monitor of Mexico to identify droughts in MHAS respondents’ community of residence from October 2010 to October 2012. Health domains evaluated included stress/mental health, physical health, and cognitive health. Linear, logistic, and multinomial regressions are used to estimate associations between the longest streak of consecutive months that one’s community was in a drought and health, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics.

Results

Six months of additional community-level drought exposure related with worse mental health and stress (higher depressive symptoms [β=-0.04, p<0.001], poorer self-rated health [OR: 1.11, p<0.01], poorer self-rated finances [OR: 1.09, p<0.05]) worse cognitive health (lower Verbal Learning [β=-0.03, p<0.01] and Verbal Recall [β=-0.04, p<0.01]), and increased likelihood of decreasing weight more than 5 kg during the drought (OR: 1.07, p<0.05).

Discussion

Longer exposure to drought throughout the 2011-2012 drought was associated with worse health across multiple health domains. Future studies should seek to identify factors that may increase vulnerability or facilitate resilience in communities affected by drought.
INCLUSIVE MENTORSHIP IN GEROPSYCHOLOGY: CULTIVATING SAFETY, TRUST, HUMILITY, AUTHENTICITY, AND COMMUNICATION
Authors: Yenko Ira , Ma Flora , Blanken Anna , Son Claudia , Chin Laurie
Published: January 2025

Attention to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in mentorship is paramount; as such, the Society of Clinical Geropsychology’s Mentorship and Diversity Committees have joined forces to outline concrete methods to improve such practices. Mentoring across differences can promote intercultural mentoring relationships that embrace diversity and support inclusion. This presentation explores the significance of EDI and offers practical strategies to shift towards a more inclusive perspective in mentorship, with special attention to the development of geropsychology trainees. This includes recognizing and valuing the unique perspectives, experiences, and identities that both mentors and mentees bring to the table. By fostering an inclusive mentorship environment, we can maximize opportunities for individuals with marginalized identities and ensure equal access to resources, support, and opportunities. This presentation will review the following strategies: (1) Creating a safe and welcoming space for mentees and maximizing trainee comfort in expressing their thoughts, concerns, and questions; (2) Being reliable, consistent, and supportive by establishing a mentor-mentee agreement outlining expectations, goals, and boundaries to set the stage for a trusting relationship; (3) Authenticity and acknowledging there is no one “right” way to be a geropsychologist; (4) Humility to create a culture of feedback and growth and remain open to diverse perspectives; (5) Actively listening to demonstrate empathy and validate mentee experiences; (6) Encouragement. By fostering a culture of mentorship to uplift, support, and empower the next generation, we pave the way for a future where geriatric mental health is inclusive and responsive to the diverse needs of older adults.
QUALITATIVE INSIGHT ON PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES WORKING WITH DIVERSE OLDER ADULT POPULATIONS
Authors: Mohankumar Rakshitha , Kern Kristopher , Renn Brenna
Published: January 2025

The older adult population in the United States is expanding not only in number but also in diversity. Historically marginalized older adults face persistent and pervasive health disparities and barriers, spanning social, structural, and clinical factors, hindering access to services to help them age successfully and in a dignified manner. Regarding clinician barriers, training in the principles and practices of providing culturally respectful care is inconsistent. We sought to better understand ways that professional geropsychologists and trainees address diverse and intersectional identities during clinical practice and research with older adults. An online survey was distributed to the American Psychological Association Society of Clinical Geropsychology listserv. Questions included open-ended prompts asking about the ways in which respondents consider and engage in culturally responsive care to older adults with intersectional identities and those who have been historically marginalized by society, which were coded using qualitative thematic analysis. Respondents (n=28) were majority (81%) professional geropsychologists and primarily worked in the Department of Veterans Affairs, private practice, and/or academic settings. A common theme emerged of implementing a client-centered approach when working with this population, including adjusting existing measures and interventions to the needs of the individual and engaging in anti-discriminatory practices. Common limitations included desire for concrete strategies to increase access to care, working with LBTQIA+ older adults, and reducing stigma for seeking services. These results provide qualitative insight into how such issues are conceptualized in clinical practice across the U.S. and point to opportunities for training and professional development.
BUILDING BRIDGES TOWARD WORKFORCE DIVERSITY: STRATEGIES TO SUPPORT RESILIENT LEARNERS
Authors: Allen Rebecca , Ly Timothy , Ma Flora , Carpenter Brian , Moye Jennifer
Published: January 2025

The Building Bridges national virtual conference, held in March 2021, aimed to provide opportunities for psychologists to discuss the dramatic geropsychological workforce shortage, identify means to address this shortage, and discover opportunities and challenges in ongoing efforts to diversify this workforce moving forward. Fifty-six individuals at all stages of training completed a pre-conference survey about workforce diversification and identified advertising and outreach (12.6%), student and faculty recruitment (11.5%), and culturally aware mentorship (10.3%) as strategies for recruiting diverse individuals into geropsychology. Four active workgroups identified enhancing diversity awareness and cultural humility as the most important target areas for change. Qualitative memos from these workgroups were analyzed by a two-member coding team working with an expert in qualitative analyses. Across workgroups, eight emergent themes included: 1) need for financial support, 2) recruitment efforts for diverse students and faculty, 3) intentional awareness emphasizing strength in diversity, 4) creation of inclusive environments, 5) creation of safe spaces for honest and proactive dialog, 6) creation of intersectional and intergenerational learning opportunities, 7) outreach and networking opportunities, and 8) didactic and experiential training. The prioritization of these themes varied by workgroup, with the academia workgroup prioritizing intentional awareness and creation of safe learning environments and the post-licensure clinical workgroup prioritizing recruitment of diverse learners and faculty as well as networking. Strategies for implementing changes to practice that support resilient and diverse learners at all stages of training will be discussed.
TESTING THE GEROSCIENCE HYPOTHESIS
Authors: Montano Monty
Published: January 2025

This session explores the geroscience hypothesis through a series of cutting-edge talks examining the intersection of aging and chronic conditions, novel gerotherapeutics, and complex muscle, bone and adipose interactions.
XPRIZE HEALTHSPAN: A PATH TO ACCELERATE TRANSLATIONAL GEROSCIENCE
Authors: Justice Jamie
Published: January 2025

By targeting biological aging pathways with a single or combination of therapeutic treatments, it may be possible to restore function lost to age-related degradation of multiple organ systems. Interventions targeting aging pathways are being translated to humans, yet public perception, poor alignment and testing guidelines, and unclear regulatory and commercial pathways are barriers to clinical translation. XPRIZE Healthspan is a 7-yr $101M global competition to incentivize scientific teams to develop and test gerotherapeutics, accelerating progress from research & development to clinical trials. The winning team will demonstrate that their therapeutic treatment restores muscle, cognitive, and immune function in adults aged 50-80 years. The XPRIZE Healthspan concept was created through a deliberate process of scientific engagement and collaboration by 22 scientific advisors and technical experts across commercial and non-profit scientific sectors coupled with an open public comment period, and registration opened officially in July 2024. To date >420 investigative teams and companies from 53 countries have submitted an intent to compete. Teams span academic investigators, research networks or collaboratives, commercial start-ups, established biotech and pharmaceutical companies. A wide variety of potential therapeutics are proposed by teams for testing, including but not limited to AI-driven small molecule discovery, novel and repurposed pharmacologics, nutraceuticals, lifestyle interventions, devices, immunomodulatory agents, stem cell therapies, other biologics, and partial reprogramming – administered alone or in combination. In this talk we will review design of the global competition, describe frameworks for early-stage clinical trials, and provide an overview of the rapidly emerging field of translational geroscience.
UNHEALTHY COPING: SMOKING AND DRINKING BEHAVIORS AND RELATED RISK FACTORS AMONG DEMENTIA CAREGIVERS
Authors: Liang Jiaming , Aranda Maria
Published: January 2025

Dementia caregivers may adopt unhealthy lifestyle behaviors as a form of stress relief. While some interventions promoting healthier behaviors have been developed for dementia caregivers, their smoking and drinking behaviors have received limited attention. This study aimed to explore (1) the disparities in smoking and drinking behaviors between dementia caregivers and non-caregivers, and (2) potential risk factors associated with these behaviors among dementia caregivers. Utilizing data from the 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, we conducted cross-sectional analyses on 280 dementia caregivers and 9,878 non-caregivers. Multinomial regression revealed that dementia caregivers are more likely to be daily e-cigarette users compared to never-users (RRR = 0.33, p = 0.04). Additionally, zero-inflated negative binomial regression indicated that dementia caregivers tend to consume 0.22 more alcoholic drinks per occasion than non-caregivers (p = 0.03). Interaction analyses demonstrated that younger age and lower income are associated with daily tobacco use. In contrast, factors such as older age, being unmarried, home ownership, higher income, employment, fewer chronic conditions, and absence of depression are related to increased alcohol consumption among dementia caregivers (i.e., drinking on more days in the past 30 days, and consuming more drinks per occasion). This study underscores the increased risk of unhealthy smoking and drinking behaviors among dementia caregivers and highlights the need for targeted interventions to address these risk factors and promote healthier lifestyle choices among this population.
CAREGIVER NETWORK BURDENS FOR OLDER ADULTS WITH DEMENTIA RISK: FINDINGS FROM NHATS AND NSOC DATA
Authors: Svec Joseph , Nemmers Natasha , Lee JeongEun
Published: January 2025

A growing body of research indicates that caregiver networks constitute an important resource for older adult well-being as well as the adult caregivers themselves. Among dementia patients, caregiver networks often face heightened strain and burdens which correspond with poor overall health of all caregivers. However, the condition of a caregiver network is also shown in the literature to have a direct impact on the quality of care that is provided. This study examines the bi-directional nature of caregiver and care-recipient outcomes by examining the extent to which lagged measures of caregiver network burden corresponds with current dementia risk for older adults. We utilize data from the National Health and Aging Studies (NHATS) and the National Study of Caregiving (NSOC) to test associations of lagged caregiver burden within networks (e.g., financial, emotional, or physical difficulties) with care recipient dementia classifications (e.g. no dementia, possible dementia, probable dementia). Results from multinomial logistic regressions of four NSOC-NHATS data waves (N = 1,343) indicate that the odds of older adult possible dementia increase by 1% (OR = 1.01, p < 0.01) with each additional percentage increase in emotional difficulty shares within networks from the previous wave. Moreover, the odds of probable dementia increase by 2% (OR = 1.02, p < 0.01) with regards to both emotional and physical difficulty shares within caregiver networks. These findings suggest the importance of developing interventions that address diverse burdens by strengthening care coordination, communication, and support across network members to improve the cognitive health outcomes of older adults.
NIA DIVISION OF NEUROSCIENCE
Authors: Wagster Molly , Masliah Eliezer
Published: January 2025

Dr. Masliah will discuss research priorities of the NIA Division of Neuroscience. Dr. Masliah will also be available for small group discussion.
NIA DIVISION OF EXTRAMURAL ACTIVITIES
Authors: Santora Kenneth
Published: January 2025

Dr. Santora will discuss the work of the NIA Division of Extramural Activities. Dr. Santora will also be available for small group discussion.
NIA OFFICE OF SPECIAL POPULATIONS
Authors: Jones Patricia
Published: January 2025

Dr. Jones will discuss the work of the NIA Office of Special Populations. Dr. Jones will also be available for small group discussion.
THE SCIENCE OF BEHAVIOR CHANGE: MECHANISTIC RESEARCH IN PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA AND THEIR CARE PARTNERS
Authors: Cornelius Talea
Published: January 2025

Background

Interventions to support health and well-being people with dementia (PWD) and their care partners (CPs) lack efficacy and potency. Understanding why these interventions do—or do not—produce desired change has potential to improve outcomes in PWD and CPs. The NIH-funded Science Of Behavior Change (SOBC) promotes a mechanism-focused approach to developing rigorous, transparent, scalable, and effective interventions.

Methods

In the SOBC experimental medicine approach, researchers identify a mechanism hypothesized to underlie behavior change, measure the mechanism, influence the mechanism, and test whether change in the mechanism explains subsequent change in the outcome of interest.

Results

The SOBC website hosts instructional materials, a measures repository, a checklist for designing, conducting, reporting, and evaluating mechanistic research across a range of study designs, specific aims templates, and more. International efforts are underway to rigorously link measures to potential mechanisms of action and encourage deep thinking about how to operationalize (measure) theoretical constructs. The challenges of moving from theory to study implementation are compounded in dyadic research (use of self v. partner report, analyzing individual reports v. dyad means, etc.).

Conclusions

Study methodology must correspond to conceptual models, and valid measurement of mechanisms is essential. Casting a spotlight on the intricacies of dyadic research, particularly in PWD and CPs where one dyad member experiences progressive cognitive decline and the dyad must cope with these changes together, promotes more careful thinking around these important issues, and the SOBC method and resources can facilitate a more rigorous, transparent, and cumulative science.
DIVERSITY OF DAILY EXPERIENCES: SOCIOECONOMIC AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CORRELATES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTHY AGING
Authors: Lee Soomi , Koffer Rachel , Almeida David
Published: January 2025

As intensive longitudinal data collection becomes more widespread, innovative methods to quantify daily and momentary experiences are needed to advance theoretical understanding of daily life and its implications for successful aging. A particularly promising area of advancement is in quantitative summaries of rich categorical data regarding daily experiences (e.g., types of activities including physical activity, chores, volunteering, etc.; types of stressors including work stressors, arguments, social network stressors, etc.; types of social engagements, including with church groups, neighbors, family, etc.). This symposium will discuss a framework for understanding antecedents and outcomes of diversity of daily experiences and provide exemplary studies within this framework. First, Koffer will present a new X-versity theoretical perspective, an innovative approach to understanding the richness and balance inherent in diverse daily experiences and its significance in the context of healthy aging. Three domains of daily experiences (activities, stressors, and social interactions) will then be represented in empirical presentations to discuss socioeconomic and psychological correlates of diversity of daily experiences. Santos finds higher income relates to higher activity diversity between 2011-2022, with differences by race/ethnicity. Surachman finds more financial hardship relates to higher stressor concentration (narrow and unbalanced stressor experiences in daily life), particularly for older adults. Jeon finds COVID-19 pandemic-driven decreases in social activity diversity related to increased loneliness. The Discussant, Almeida will provide an overview of the advancements in daily diary and intensive longitudinal study of everyday life and discuss implications of diversity of daily experiences for health and well-being across the adult life span. Health Behavior Change Interest Group Sponsored Symposium
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHANGE IN FACE-TO-FACE SOCIAL ACTIVITY AND LONELINESS DURING COVID PANDEMIC IN US ADULTS
Authors: Jeon Sangha , Charles Susan
Published: January 2025

Objectives

Participation in diverse face-to-face social activities is linked to low levels of loneliness, but social restrictions during the pandemic were restricted in-person interactions. As a result, many people turned to technology to stay connected to others. The current study examined whether shifts in face-to-face social activity variety correlate with pandemic-related loneliness, adjusting for baseline loneliness and sociodemographic factors. We also examined whether this relationship varies depending on online social activity variety. Method: Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), we included 1,412 adults aged 50 and older who completed questions about social activity participation in 2016 (Wave1; W1) and 2020 (Wave2; W2).

Results

Regression analyses revealed that those who experienced a greater decrease in face-to-face social activity variety during the pandemic compared to four years prior had higher levels of loneliness compared to those who experienced less change in in their pre-pandemic level of face-to-face social activity variety, after adjusting for demographic, health-related factors and loneliness at W1. In addition, online social activity variety does not moderate the relationship between change in face-to-face social activity variety and later loneliness. Conclusions: Findings suggest that engagement in diverse face-to-face social activities is associated with low level of loneliness, but online social activity variety cannot compensate the loss of opportunities for face-to-face social activities in middle-aged and older adults even in the situation with the restricted availability of face-to-face social interactions.
EFFECTS OF REMINISCENT MUSIC THERAPY WITH ROBOT-ASSISTED REHABILITATION FOR POSTSTROKE RECOVERY OLDER CHINESE
Authors: Liu Qian , Liu Li , Wu Huiping , Liu Yujin
Published: January 2025

This study aimed to investigate the impacts of reminiscent music therapy combined with robot-assisted rehabilitation on older stroke patients’ rehabilitation self-efficacy, activities of daily living, self-esteem, positive emotion, and upper limb function. A single-blind, three-arm randomized controlled trial was conducted in a Chinese tertiary hospital from November 2022 to January 2024. Experimental group A received reminiscent music therapy combined with robot-assisted rehabilitation and usual care, experimental group B received robot-assisted rehabilitation and usual care, and the control group only received usual care. Songs released from 1935 to 1980 were obtained via three music apps (QQ Music, KuGou and NetEase) commonly used in China. Robot-assisted rehabilitation with five game modes was carried out by occupational therapists. Outcomes included rehabilitation self-efficacy, activities of daily living, self-esteem, positive emotion, and upper limb function, which were evaluated at baseline and post intervention. A total of 126 older stroke patients completed the study. Baseline balance was established across the three groups. After the intervention, participants in the experimental group A reported greater rehabilitation self-efficacy, activities of daily living, self-esteem, positive emotion, and upper limb function than did those in experimental group B and the control group (p < 0.05). All outcome measurements were significantly greater than those at baseline (p < 0.05). Reminiscent music therapy combined with robot-assisted rehabilitation is a promising method for improving mental health and rehabilitation outcomes in older stroke patients. It may be incorporated in routine rehabilitation training.
USING INFORMATICS AND GENERATIVE AI TO SUPPORT OLDER ADULTS’ UNDERSTANDING OF LAB TEST RESULTS
Authors: He Zhe , Bhasuran Balu , Jin Qiao , Tian Shubo , Hanna Karim , Lu Zhiyong
Published: January 2025

Viewing laboratory test results is the most frequently used function of patient portals, but lab results can be confusing for patients. In this project, we aim to gain insights into older adults’ challenges in understanding lab test results. To achieve the goals, we first conducted an online survey with 276 patients with one or more chronic conditions. We found that younger adults and patients who had never used patient portals had significantly lower lab test comprehension scores compared to older adults, and those with higher numeracy or with no multiple chronic conditions. Even though older adults performed better on lab test comprehension tests, most reported they have difficulty understanding lab results online and prefer that their doctors explain these to them. In the second study, we selected 53 lab results-related questions from a community Q&A website, Yahoo! Answers, and evaluated the answers to these questions from four generative large language models. We utilized a ChatGPT-based evaluator Win Rate to judge whether a target model has higher quality in terms of relevance, correctness, helpfulness, and safety than the baseline model. Then, we performed a manual evaluation with medical experts for all the responses to seven selected questions on the same four aspects. The results of Win Rate and medical expert evaluation both showed that GPT-4’s responses achieved better scores than all the other LLM responses from LLaMa 2, ORCA_mini, and MedAlpaca and human responses on all four aspects. However, LLM responses occasionally suffer from incorrect statements.
MANAGEMENT OF NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES: APPLICATION OF MULTIMODAL, EXPERT-INTERACTIVE AI VERTICAL MODELS
Authors: Mao Junyan , Tong Jialiang , Huang Weidong , Li Hongyu
Published: January 2025

This study proposes a comprehensive management model for neurodegenerative diseases, leveraging multimodal, expert-interactive AI vertical models to tackle the challenges of environmental dependency, temporal constraints, and data singularity. The model aims to enhance patient prognosis, quality of life, and survival. Our research methodology unfolds in three phases: The first step involves conducting a bibliometric analysis to integrate findings from existing studies. The second phase “Early Detection and Prediction,” leverages computer vision (CV) and natural language processing to gather multimodal biomarker data, including voice, gait, vision, hearing, and PET scans. Data is analyzed using machine learning (such as SustaIn, Random Forests, and Support Vector Machines) and deep learning techniques for robust data modeling. The final step, “Effectiveness Verification,” entails executing randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with a triple-blind setup—ensuring blindness among participants, researchers, and assessors—to rigorously evaluate the developed model’s effectiveness. The research involved five-year data from 304 individuals aged 65 and older with neurodegenerative diseases. Objective biomarker data were collected through CV and sensors to facilitate early identification and diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases. A sophisticated platform facilitated real-time monitoring of mental and behavioral symptoms and activities of daily living at disease onset, integrating both pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions via advanced language models for holistic disease management. Utilizing dynamic video analysis and machine learning evaluations, the model significantly mitigated the progression of cognitive and physical impairments, enhanced quality of life, and decreased mortality rates, affirming the preliminary efficacy of the comprehensive management model.
THE MEDIATING ROLE OF SOCIAL ISOLATION BETWEEN FALLS AND COGNITIVE FUNCTION AMONG OLDER ADULTS IN THE UNITED STATES
Authors: Jung Wonkyung , Taylor Janiece
Published: January 2025

Social isolation and falls are significant concerns affecting the cognitive health of older adults. However, little is known about the interrelationships between social isolation, falls, and cognitive function among older adults in the United States (U.S.). This study aims to investigate the interrelationships between these factors and the mediating role of social isolation on the relationship between fall experiences in the past 12 months and cognitive function among older adults in the U.S. Utilizing Round 5 data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), we employed linear regression models using Hayes’s PROCESS macro with 5,000 bootstrapped mediation analyses in SPSS. Of the 947 participants, 60.8% were younger than 75 years, 38.6% were women, and most (77.1%) were White. Our findings revealed that social isolation did not mediate the relationship between falls and cognitive function. Additionally, we found no significant association between fall experiences and both social isolation and cognitive function. However, our analysis identified that socially isolated older adults were more likely to experience cognitive impairments (β =.84, P <.001). These results highlight the complex nature of the relationships among social isolation, falls, and cognitive function in older adults. Further research is warranted to explore potential mechanisms underlying the observed associations and to develop targeted interventions to address cognitive impairments among socially isolated individuals. Strategies targeting social connectedness may have promising implications for promoting cognitive health in older adults in the U.S.
PILOT OUTCOMES OF A FALL PREVENTION PROGRAM “LIVE-LIFE” FOR COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER ADULTS IN CHINA
Authors: Luo Yuqian , Mo Cen , Peng Wenting , Szanton Sarah , Liu Minhui
Published: January 2025

More than 70 million older adults fall at least once each year in China, which may lead to disability, fear of falling, social isolation and even death. We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial to evaluate the preliminary effects of the multi-component LIVE-LiFE program on health-related outcomes among community-dwelling older adults in China. Thirty-Eight participants, average 70.32 years old, 76.3% of female, were randomized to either the intervention group (n=20) or the control group (n=18) for 11 weeks. In the intervention group, participants received the LIVE-LiFE program (individualized strength and balance training, vision screening, medication review, and home hazards assessment and modification), whereas the control group received equal amounts of health education on fall prevention. To compare the differences of pre-post scores between two groups, we employed two independent sample t-test and independent sample Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results indicated significant differences and moderate effect sizes on 3-meter walking speed (P< 0.001, d =-0.603) and home hazards (P=0.043, d=-0.504). The paired t-test and paired Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used to examine the paired LiFE assessment data of the intervention group. Significant improvements were observed on the total scores (P< 0.001, d=1.260), balance function dimension scores (P< 0.001, d=0.962), and strength function dimension scores (P=0.002, d=0.776). Our study showed positive preliminary effects of the LIVE-LiFE program on improving both personal function and environmental safety. Future research should consider both internal and external factors to prevent falls among community-dwelling older adults with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up.
EMOTIONALLY MEANINGFUL GOALS IN LATE ADULTHOOD
Authors: Fung Nicole , Fung Helene H
Published: January 2025

Our perception of time greatly affects what kinds of goals we value and pursue. The socioemotional selectivity theory (SST; Carstensen, 1992; Carstensen et al., 1999) posits that people rearrange their goals in response to a limited future time perspective as they become older. Rather than investing in a limited and uncertain future, older adults will value and prioritize present-oriented emotionally meaningful goals over future-oriented goals. The SST literature thrived in the past three decades and emotionally meaningful goals were operationalized in various ways under different contexts. To better understand the changes in motivation when future time perspective becomes limited, we reviewed the empirical articles that formulated hypotheses according to the SST framework published since 1992. We identified different types of emotionally meaningful goals in the literature. The most prevalent type of emotionally meaningful goal in the literature is the pro-hedonic goal (preference towards positivity over negativity). Other types of emotionally meaningful goals include the pro-closeness goal (preference towards emotional closeness in social relationships), the prosocial and generativity goal (increased motivation to contribute to others), the social goal (increased importance in the social domain), the emotional goal (increased importance in the emotional domain), the self-maintenance goal (increased motivation for the intrinsic and self-concordant goal) and the meaningfulness goal (increased importance in meaningfulness). The empirical evidence of each goal will be reviewed and their relations to SST and a limited future time perspective will be discussed.
LONGITUDINAL ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN TIME PERSPECTIVE AND LIFE SATISFACTION ACROSS ADULTHOOD
Authors: Wirth Maria , Wettstein Markus , Rothermund Klaus
Published: January 2025

Subjective representations of time are an important predictor of well-being. How time is structured and represented in individual behavior and experience, is itself subject to developmental change. Young adults focus on preparing for their future, whereas during midlife, shifts towards a more present-oriented time perspective should arise. Realizing that important life goals may no longer be achievable should lead older adults to detach themselves from these goals and focus more on present and past experiences. These age-related changes in time perspective supposedly are associated with greater well-being. Previous studies, however, yielded heterogeneous results. However, these studies mostly investigated only one dimension of time perspective and did not include younger and/or middle-aged adults. To overcome these limitations, we investigated how changes in four facets of time perspective (orientation towards the past, concreteness of the future, obsolescence, and finitude of life) are related to changes in life satisfaction and whether these associations are moderated by chronological age. We used data from an age-diverse sample comprising 459 participants (30 – 80 years) of the “Aging as Future” (AAF) study comprising three measurement occasion over 10 years. Longitudinal multilevel regressions indicated that individuals with overall higher concreteness and lower obsolescence reported higher life satisfaction. Additionally, individuals reported higher life satisfaction on measurement occasions when they scored higher on concreteness. These associations were not moderated by age, which questions the idea of age-differential associations between time perspective and well-being. Our study provides a deeper understanding of the relation between time perspective and well-being across adulthood.
INVESTIGATING SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH IN ASIAN AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS
Authors: Zheng Yaguang , Jiang Yanping , Wu Bei
Published: January 2025

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) are one of the fastest-growing racial minority groups in the United States, who disproportionately experience some unfavorable social determinants of health (SDoH), such as limited English proficiency, unemployment, lack of health insurance, low health literacy, lack of culturally and linguistically sensitive healthcare providers and programs, and reduced healthcare access. However, limited research has explored the impacts of SDoH on health outcomes among this population. The objective of this symposium is to address knowledge gaps by examining the association of SDoH with various health outcomes in AAPI. Jiang and colleagues explore the immigration stressors and sleep health among older Chinese immigrants using the longitudinal data from the Population Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago. Qi and colleagues examine the prospective associations of multiple SDoH with premature all-cause mortality and investigate their respective contributions among a nationally representative cohort of Asian Americans. Further, Wang et al. discuss the challenges and successes in recruiting Chinese and Korean American dementia caregivers living in minority and underrepresented communities for a large health intervention study. Lastly, Kim & colleagues examine the end-of-life care disparities for AAPI Medicare beneficiaries with dementia using Medicare data. Following the paper presentations, Dr. Wu will lead a discussion. The novel findings from this symposium will provide a comprehensive understanding of how SDoH impacts health outcomes in AAPI and how unique SDoH can be particularly targeted to improve health equity for this underserved ethnic minority group.
ENGAGING CHINESE AND KOREAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES IN DEMENTIA RESEARCH: A JOURNEY OF INCLUSIVITY AND PARTNERSHIP
Authors: Wang Jing , Mittelman Mary , Leong I Tek , Park Sung Ji , Qi Xiang , Pei Yaolin , Epstein Cynthia , Wu Bei
Published: January 2025

The NYUCI-ES Project, designed to deliver a family-based psychosocial intervention to enhance social support and reduce cardiometabolic disease risk for Chinese and Korean American dementia caregivers, has developed and undertaken a culturally sensitive recruitment strategy. Our navigation through the journey has shed light on the challenges and successes faced when recruiting in these minority and underrepresented communities. Common challenges include reluctance of involving other family members, stigma towards dementia and the concept of family counseling. Encountered challenges prompted us towards multiple efforts to engage the communities, including leveraging online communities, building strategic partnerships with local community organizations, participate in local events and make presentations at local service agencies, and working with community partners to adapt recruitment messages and methods to better align with cultural norms and preferences. For example, we replaced the term “counseling” with “family meetings” and used “memory issues” rather than “dementia” and emphasized the practical benefits and the opportunity for children to practice filial piety. For the Chinese community, our strategies focused on initiating the conversations with practical skills rather than directly discussing emotions. For the Korean community, framing the intervention in terms of discussing caregiving strategies while highlighting the personal and social benefits of participating in the study has helped lower the rejection rate. Our journey highlights the importance of culturally sensitive recruitment strategies in dementia research and demonstrates the potential for greater engagement and participation when communities are approached with respect, sensitivity, and an understanding of their unique cultural dynamics.