bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SLEEP MEASUREMENT TECHNOLOGY IN THE 40 WINKS PRAGMATIC CLINICAL TRIAL: CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS
Authors: Richards Kathy , Cox Brian , Aguilar Vanessa , George Regina , Smith Kate , Geisser Sophia , Fry Liam , Morgan Robert
Published: January 2025

This presentation describes examples, challenges, and solutions for using technology as part of a pragmatic trial to both deliver a sleep promotion intervention and measure its outcomes. In this trial, target nursing home residents wear an actigraph on their wrist for one week. Actigraphs are a non-invasive way of monitoring activity and rest cycles. One effective and novel application of this technology is use of the actigraphy clinical report. As part of the intervention, the clinical report of the resident’s nighttime sleep, daytime napping, light exposure, and physical activity is shared with the nursing home staff during frontline staff huddles. The frontline staff then use the report to inform and target their sleep promotion interventions, for example, increasing daytime light exposure or activity, and to monitor effectiveness. Use of this technology is not without challenges. We will thus discuss several challenges and their solutions, including identifying the best wrist bands for securing the actigraphs and addressing manufacturer discontinuation of actigraph production and hardware service. We will also describe the trial’s initial pilot that compared the gold standard research actigraph with a less expensive and more readily available consumer-focused device and why we, ultimately, chose to use only the research device.
PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS: INVOLVING NURSING HOME CORPORATIONS AND SYSTEMS IN PRAGMATIC CLINICAL TRIALS
Authors: Hartmann Christine , Carwile Hope , Sloup Sharon , Taylor Tanya , Curci-Delgaro Kathy , Clark Valerie , Nash Princess , Fry Liam
Published: January 2025

Partnership with nursing home organizations is critical to implement and sustain embedded interventions. We present two successful examples from ongoing nursing home embedded pragmatic clinical trials. One example is from an National Institute on Aging-funded trial of improving sleep for nursing home residents in 3 large nursing home corporations that involved a pilot followed by a trial. During the pilot phase, external consultants trained nursing home staff in the intervention and simultaneously trained a corporate “coach” to be a train-the-trainer in the trial. Engaging corporate partners informed the research team’s understanding of the context and culture and the corporate coaches’ understanding of the intervention. During the 4-year trial, occuring now, corporate coaches serve as trainers for all participating nursing homes’ staff, with limited external support. The other example is from a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)-funded trial on preventing resident falls in State Veterans Homes. For this study, researchers partnered with an existing VA program focused on delivering a similar intervention. Because the existing VA program recently expanded into State Veterans Homes, and because research team members are expert in the intervention, partnership was a win for both parties. The existing VA program coaches gained an opportunity to work with State Homes that were eager to participate, agumented with additional support afforded by the research team. The research team gained extra help in implementing the intervention from experienced coaches. In both trial examples, partnership is pragmatic and key to the trial’s success.
IMPACT OF THE TEACHING NURSING HOME ON NURSING STUDENT’S PERCEPTIONS OF LONG-TERM CARE
Authors: Degenholtz Howard , Campbell Kenna , Kastner Keri , Treat Anny
Published: January 2025

The Teaching Nursing Home (TNH) is designed to improve the long-term care workforce and improve quality of care in nursing homes. The initiative has multiple components: enhanced clinical rotations for nursing students with partner schools of nursing, implementation of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement Age-Friendly Health System “4M” quality improvement model, and an online learning network. Nursing students at three schools of nursing participated in clinical rotations at four regional nursing homes. The experience was limited to students in one specific course at each school of nursing. At the beginning and end of each semester, students rated their competence in: patient assessment, collaborating with the care team, gathering clinical information, medication review, eliciting resident values, and health promotion. Students also rated their preferences for working in long-term care and with older adults. Data from 514 responses at the start of semester and 280 responses to the end of semester survey were analyzed. Analysis of student responses found that students self-rated competencies improved in all areas. Prior to their clinical experience, students ranked working in long-term care and with older adults lower than other settings or populations. The rankings were unchanged after their clinical experiences. Qualitative analysis found that most student comments (50%) were about skills, while only 1.5% were about potential careers in nursing homes. These findings suggest that the Teaching Nursing Home Program is meeting the pedagogical goals, however attitudinal shifts may require different strategies.
INCORPORATING GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS (GIS) MAPPING INTO GERONTOLOGY RESEARCH AND TEACHING
Authors: Jansen Taylor , Lee Chae Man , Silverstein Nina , Dugan Elizabeth
Published: January 2025

In gerontology, research frameworks like the life course perspective and social determinants of health (SDOH) are often used to contextualize aging and health outcomes in later life. Increasingly, an emphasis on data visualization has been put on research to have practical value. Geographic information systems (GIS), a mapping software, is one data visualization tool researchers can utilize in their work to understand what role place, space, and built environment have on health throughout the lifespan and in later life. Incorporating GIS training into gerontology research allows for students to learn data visualization, but also to apply their teachings of the life course perspective and SDOH to further understand the impact on health in later life. In this presentation, the aims are twofold: 1) explain the practical uses of GIS in gerontological research, with examples from recent work by the Healthy Aging Data Reports, and 2) describe the process of engaging undergraduate and graduate students in research, teaching, service, and policy through GIS mapping. Firstly, examples of how GIS mapping has provided communities and states with information on their aging populations will be examined. Examples of how community stakeholders in New England, Mississippi, and Wyoming have used maps to implement interventions and advocate for policy change will be described to demonstrate the practical implications of mapping for policy change. Then, best practices of teaching and training undergraduate and graduate students on using GIS mapping for gerontological research will be offered, alongside anecdotal evaluations from students on the experience.
WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, GERONTOLOGY (AND OTHER HEALTH PROFESSIONS) STUDENTS GET GOING
Authors: Baralt José
Published: January 2025

In September of 2017, two category 5 hurricanes hit Puerto Rico. These hurricanes caused massive destruction and close to 5,000 excess deaths. Thousands of people lost everything, and many communities were isolated for weeks. The whole island was without electric power for several days, and some areas in the mountains did not get power back for 6-8 months. Hopelessness started to take over. The bravery and drive of a community leader who came asking for our help was the spark we needed to stand up and get going. Dozens of our students delivered food, water, medications, and healthcare services to those in need for several months. In January of 2020 these students and faculty went back to work in full force after a series of devastating earthquakes shook the island. And, to this day, our team still visits some of these communities, just to check on them and refer people with significant needs to the appropriate agencies. All this without skipping a beat in our academic work. Where did we find the fortitude to keep going with our community work AND our academic work? We did have three main sources of inspiration: 1) community leaders who rose above every possible challenge; 2) the communities themselves; and 3) our students and colleagues. The key behind this amazing response was that those of us who work in service professions thrive when we are needed. And our students certainly shone in the darkest period our island has lived in for many decades.
RISK FACTORS FOR FINANCIAL FRAUD AND INTERVENTION STRATEGIES IN DIFFERENT CULTURAL SETTINGS
Authors: Mi Hong , Lichtenberg Peter
Published: January 2025

This symposium, comprising five papers, explores financial fraud targeting older adults in mainland China and the U.S.A. Four papers delved into risk factors associated with financial fraud victimization, while one paper examined the efficacy of an intervention effort. The first study, leveraging the 2015 national survey of older Chinese, introduced an algorithm based on machine learning techniques to develop a financial fraud risk prediction model for older adults. This model underscored risk factors like lower education levels, advanced age, and loneliness, alongside protective factors such as awareness of rights protection and quality sleep. Drawing on the 2018 CHARLS data, the second paper investigated both the direct and indirect effects of physical functioning, family dynamics, and individual capital on fraud victimization, revealing psychological vulnerability and material wealth as mediating factors. The third study shifted focus to the U.S.A, profiling victims of postal scams. It identified low education and social isolation risk factors, echoing the patterns observed in the Chinese context in the first paper. The fourth paper examined fraud victimization among a distinct group of older individuals residing in the forest regions of northeastern China, highlighting the roles of financial literacy and internet safety in reducing financial fraud risks. The final paper broadens the research scope by evaluating an intervention designed to aid dementia family caregivers in rural Michigan to mitigate financial exploitation risks. The piloted case management model enhanced caregiver competence in addressing financial exploitation. Together, these studies enrich the understanding of financial fraud affecting older adults in both countries.
STIRRING THE POT OF AGING: DIVERSITY IS THE SECRET INGREDIENT
Authors: Thompson Alisha , Campos Barbara Mendez , Conner Laneshia
Published: January 2025

Aging and our experiences of this process are as unique as the ingredients in our favorite recipes that warm our hearts on chilly days. These components of diversity are crucial factors that influence our health outcomes and well-being across our lifespan, especially as we age. Empirical evidence highlights the importance of understanding how these factors flavor our experiences of aging. Through a series of presentations and discussions, we will explore factors often thought of when considering diversity such as race and ethnicity. Discussed will be how these factors influence end-of-life care preferences when contending with a serious illness and our ethical responsibilities to deliver culturally sensitive care. Next will be a discussion of the often-overlooked issue of intimate partner violence (IPV) among older immigrants. Emphasized will be IPV prevalence and its nuanced presentation among older immigrants. We will then expand our understanding of diversity, beyond race and ethnicity, by looking at additional factors of diversity such as differing cognitive, hearing, and visual abilities. The connections between sensory impairments and pain experiences and disparities in telehealth usage among patients with hearing, visual, or cognitive impairments will be elucidated. This symposium offers a comprehensive perspective on navigating the challenges faced by our diverse aging population. By fostering dialogue on these critical topics, we aim to empower healthcare providers, policymakers, and advocates to create a more flavorful and equitable future for older adults. Join us in stirring the pot of aging as we highlight that diversity is the unique secret ingredient.
IMPROVING ACCESS OR INCREASING DISPARITIES? IMPLEMENTATION OF TELEHEALTH LITERACY SCREENING PROGRAM
Authors: Boudreaux Madison , Lindgren Aleksandra , Bardales Rhonda , Wilks Scott , Carstarphsen Kathy
Published: January 2025

The use of telehealth services is rising in the United States, especially since the pandemic, and continues to be explored as a method in removing barriers to accessing healthcare services. However, those living with vision, hearing, and cognitive impairments may be marginalized in the use of telehealth without an efficient and accurate way of measuring their use and comfortability of engaging with telehealth modalities. The Telehealth Literacy Screening Tool (TLST) was created to measure telehealth literacy, access, use of, and comfortability with technology. This study examined the differences between impairment groups to inform practitioners of potential barriers existing for those living with vision/hearing or cognitive impairments when using telehealth services. The TLST was administered to patients in an outpatient primary care clinic (N=128) over a 5-month period. Text message and email usage varied by group, with those living without visual/hearing or cognitive impairment reporting higher rates of use. Those with both visual/hearing and cognitive impairments had lower comfortability with opening apps than the group with either impairment, and lower comfortability with scrolling than the group with no impairment. The use of the TLST can help identify those patients with limits in telehealth literacy so their specific needs for education or other modalities can be met. This study strengthened the usefulness of the TLST in primary care practice and identified the disparity in telehealth usage among patients with hearing/visual or cognitive impairments.
SEX- AND WORKING-STATUS SPECIFIC WORKING LIFE EXPECTANCY AMONG OLDER ADULTS IN CHILE
Authors: Saito Yasuhiko , Sandoval Moises
Published: January 2025

The mandatory retirement age in Chile, 65 years for males and 60 years for females, was set in the 1980s. However, in view of accelerated population ageing in the country, there may be a need to reconsider these age thresholds. Thus, we estimate working life expectancy, i.e., years of remaining life spent working, at older ages by sex in Chile using (working) status-based multistate life table methods. Nationally representative longitudinal data on 1313 males and 1805 females from the Social Protection Survey, conducted in 2004, 2006, 2009 and 2015, were used to estimate working life expectancy at age 65 years for males and age 60 years for females. Men working at age 65 years, on average, could expect to live 21.6 years, with working life expectancy of 2.7 years (12.5% of life expectancy). Men not working at age 65 years could expect to live 21.2 years, with a much lower working life expectancy (0.2 years; 0.9% of life expectancy). A similar pattern was observed for women – those working at age 60 years could expect to live 25.9 years, with working life expectancy of 3.0 years (11.6% of life expectancy), and those not working at age 60 could expect to live 25.8 years, with only 0.5 years of working life expectancy (1.9% of life expectancy). The findings suggest the strong influence of the mandatory retirement age on working life expectancy in Chile and its role as a policy lever to increase working life expectancy among older adults.
TRENDS OF ORAL HEALTH STATUS OF OLDER ADULTS BY IMMIGRATION STATUS IN THE UNITED STATES: 1999–2018
Authors: Luo Huabin , Wu Bei , Qi Xiang , Moss Mark
Published: January 2025

National data on oral health of immigrants in the United States is limited. This study assessed the oral health trends of this population from 1999 to 2018, using data from the National Health and Nutrition Survey. The outcome variable—self-reported oral health—was categorized as a binary outcome: excellent/very good/good or fair/poor. The sample was 18,853 adults aged 50 years and older, including 14,154 US-born Americans, 2,980 naturalized citizens, and 1,719 noncitizens. Trends in self-reported fair/poor oral health across these groups were identified. The findings revealed a significant decline in the prevalence of fair/poor oral health among all groups between 1999 and 2018 (P for trend <.05). However, noncitizens consistently reported higher rates of fair/poor oral health compared to US-born and naturalized citizens. In the logistic regression model only controlling demographics, noncitizens were more likely (AOR=1.28) and naturalized citizens were less likely (AOR=0.80) to report fair/poor oral health. After further adjustment for education, income, and smoking status, the disparities in fair/poor oral health among the groups were not statistically significant. This study found an overall decrease in self-reported fair/poor oral health among older adults in the US during 1999-2018. However, significant oral health disparities persisted, particularly for noncitizens. Further research is needed to validate these trends and develop targeted interventions to address the oral health disparities among older immigrants in the US.
FAMILY DEMENTIA CAREGIVERS’ ASSISTANCE WITH ORAL HYGIENE CARE IN CHINESE AMERICAN COMMUNITIES IN NYC
Authors: Mao Weiyu , Wu Bei , Pei Yaolin
Published: January 2025

Oral hygiene care is instrumental in maintaining good oral health. As dementia progresses, individuals face challenges performing adequate oral hygiene care and become dependent on their caregivers. The role of family caregivers in assisting with oral hygiene care for persons with dementia in the community becomes increasingly critical. This study explored the association between caregiving characteristics, care recipients’ oral health needs, and assistance in oral hygiene care among caregivers in Chinese American communities. Data came from a pilot study on Chinese dementia caregivers in New York City collected between November 2021 and June 2022. Purposive sampling was used to recruit family caregivers to participate in a survey (online or via telephone). Current caregivers (n = 76) were included in the present study. Caregiver assistance with oral hygiene care was measured by assistance with toothbrushing (yes or no) and assistance with flossing (yes or no). Results from group comparisons suggest that female caregivers tended to assist with toothbrushing, and caregivers with an average of 2.4 years in providing care tended to assist with flossing. Logistic regressions show that care recipients with tooth pain were 5.6 times more likely to receive assistance with toothbrushing. Moreover, care recipients with more natural teeth were 1.1 times more likely to receive assistance with toothbrushing. Care recipients with severe dementia were 98% less likely to receive assistance with flossing. It is important to raise awareness and address challenges among dementia caregivers regarding the importance of maintaining adequate oral hygiene care and, subsequently, promoting optimal oral health.
ASSETS, GAPS, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR AGE INCLUSIVITY: THE AIDHE MODEL, THE ICCS MEASURE, AND FURTHER APPLICATIONS
Authors: Bowen Lauren , Silverstein Nina , Montepare Joann , Whitbourne Susan
Published: January 2025

The Age Inclusivity Domains of Higher Education (AIDHE) model was developed to encourage attention to age inclusivity across seven key domains of institutional function —Teaching and Learning, Student Affairs, Outreach and Engagement, Personnel, Physical Environment, Research, and Services and Resources—and across the experiences of age-diverse students, faculty, and staff. To assess age inclusivity across the seven domains, we (Silverstein et. al. 2022; 2024) developed and tested the Age-Friendly Inventory and Campus Climate Survey (ICCS), which documents the presence of age-friendly campus practices; perceptions of those practices by faculty, staff, and students; and match between practices and perceptions; further, the degree of match along with agreement in the value of age inclusivity predicts perceptions of age inclusivity by campus constituents. The AIDHE model and data collected using the ICCS have supported further research to expand age inclusivity efforts. In a multimethod study (Bowen et al., 2024), we identified key challenges and transformative, actionable strategies to advance age inclusivity in Teaching and Learning, Personnel, and Student Affairs domains. Data were collected from 2,273 ICCS open-ended question, as well as from 16 faculty, staff, and student focus groups, to identify both challenges and potential strategies. These challenges and strategies were reviewed over two rounds by Delphi expert panelists, representing higher education administrators and leaders. Final analysis balanced each strategy’s transformative potential (through impact and priority) with its actionable potential (through feasibility and likelihood of implementation), which ultimately yielded 23 recommended strategies intended to address key challenges of age inclusivity in higher education.
DISSEMINATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF AGE-INCLUSIVE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES WITHIN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Authors: Kaskie Brian
Published: January 2025

Institutions of higher education employ a greater proportion of persons over 65 relative to the general labor force. Age-Inclusive Management Strategies (AIMS) seeks to change the narrative about aging academics by shifting focus away from individuals and toward organizational efforts to adopt strategies designed to recruit, retain, and support the financial security and well-being of the growing population of aging faculty and staff. Using the University of Iowa as a case study, I recount efforts to analyze data concerning the productivity and retirement of aging employees, engage and activate institutional leadership to support implementation of policies and programs for aging faculty and staff, and the adoption of three management strategies. These strategies include: offering information and education about retirement and age-related issues such as estate planning and end of life care, increasing access to caregiver support programs, and modifying policies to facilitate access to varied retirement pathway option for faculty and staff alike. Such efforts have been used to validate why Iowa City and the state of Iowa are consistently recognized among the best places in America to grow older.
“LET’S TALK TECH” IN THE ALGORITHMIC AGE: ENGAGING PEOPLE LIVING WITH DEMENTIA IN TECHNOLOGY USE DECISIONS
Authors: Berridge Clara , Turner Natalie
Published: January 2025

The availability of technologies to support dementia care is outpacing our understanding of how to help families navigate use decisions and align with the values and preferences of the person living with dementia. This is an ethical problem made urgent by efforts to incorporate data from the home into AI healthcare applications where transparent disclosures are still aspirational. The misperception that people living with mild-to-moderate dementia cannot or do not want to be involved in decision making about their care is widespread, yet failure to enable decision making participation where possible reflects ageism and ableism. An added barrier to involvement in decision making about digital technologies is communication about the technologies themselves. Findings will be presented from a mixed-methods study of the first of its kind tool to facilitate empowered, shared decision making by people living with dementia and care partners about technologies that use a range of data (e.g., audio, visual, location) and include companion robots. Together with primary care partners, twenty-nine participants living with mild Alzheimer’s disease (AD) learned about, discussed, and documented their preferences for each of four categories of technologies through the Let’s Talk Tech intervention. Individual preferences were not consistent across technologies and varied considerably, supporting the need for personalized decision making. Most participants living with mild AD reported that they wanted (vs. unsure or do not want) each of five control-enhancing options, including being informed if a technology is used to monitor them and to have the ability to pause monitoring for privacy.
INVESTIGATING ETHICAL DIMENSIONS AND TENSIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE USE OF RTLS IN DEMENTIA CARE
Authors: Grigorovich Alisa , Harvey Kelsey , Smilovsky Kyle , McMurray Josephine
Published: January 2025

Real-time location systems (RTLS) are increasingly being developed to track older adults with dementia across settings. Specifically, it is believed that such technologies can support automation of care tasks (e.g. locating) and the development of clinical algorithms to predict changes in health and wellbeing. The limited available research suggests that these technologies can have significant ethical implications, including increasing control over older adults, and undermining their rights. In this study, we explored the experiences and perceptions of RTLS by older residents, care partners, and organizational decision-makers in one care home in Ontario, Canada. Findings demonstrate that participants (N=47) had a limited understanding of RTLS (e.g., how it could be used, data storage, ethical issues) and this in turn influenced their perceptions of its value. Residents were generally unaware of its purpose and more concerned with its aesthetics. Care partners and organizational decision-makers valued the RTLS for enhancing their efforts to control risk to the physical safety of residents and believed this was central to enhancing quality of care. Most had limited awareness of residents’ preferences and believed that their cognitive impairment and/or frailty disqualified their current or prior values and wishes, including their desire for privacy and autonomy, and thus could be legitimately overridden in the interest of protecting their safety. We discuss these findings in relation to digital ageism and offer suggestions to guide future policy and educational interventions to better align development and use of RTLS and similar surveillance technologies with the wishes and preferences of older adults.
DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS, NOT FUNCTIONAL STATUS, PREDICT MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY IN OLDER ADULTS WITH HEART FAILURE
Authors: Latimer Abigail , Wu Jia-Rong , Knoepke Christopher , Kang JungHee , Moser Debra
Published: January 2025

Background

Older adults (≥ 65 years) (OAs) with heart failure (HF) are at high risk of functional impairment and co-morbid depression. The impact on morbidity and mortality of these comorbidities in OAs with HF has not been well-studied. OBJECTIVE: To determine the extent to which functional status and depression predicted event-free survival (i.e., hospitalization or death) in OAs with HF.

Methods

We performed a secondary analysis from the Research Interventions in Cardiovascular Health HF Database of OAs with data on depressive symptoms using the Patient Health Questionnaire- 9 (PHQ-9) and functional status using the Duke Activity Status Index (DASI). Patients were followed for 2- years. Event-free survival was determined using Cox proportional hazards models.

Results

We included 157 OAs (mean age= 73 ± 6, 68.2% men, 87.9% White, 63.1% NYHA III or IV). Participants had an average DASI score of 11.49 ± 9.26 and 58% had at least mild depressive symptoms. At time of follow- up, 63 hospitalizations and 25 deaths occurred. The risk of hospitalization or death was 2.16 times greater for OAs who had depressive symptoms (95% Confidence Interval=1.27- 3.67, p <.01) compared to those without, regardless of functional status. The overall model showed a significant improvement in fit relative to the null [x2 (3)= 11.21, p <.05].

Conclusion

Caring for OAs with HF requires attending to depressive symptoms, given the independent risk of hospitalization and mortality, even in the company of varying functional status. Future research should evaluate effectiveness of depression treatments for these patients.
FRAILTY STATUS AND CATHETER ABLATION THERAPY FOR ATRIAL FIBRILLATION IN REAL-AF: A MULTICENTER CLINICAL REGISTRY
Authors: Chaves Paulo , Varley Allyson , Rajendra Anil , Sharma Dinesh , Thorne Christopher , Zei Paul , Osorio Jose
Published: January 2025

There has been increasing interest in understanding if frailty assessment could improve clinical decision-making related to catheter ablation therapy (CAT) for atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. This prospective study assessed acute hospital complications, AF recurrence and AF-related hospitalization within 12 months after CAT according to frailty status pre-CAT. Study subjects (n=3,406) were patients in Real-AF, a multicenter clinical registry in the US, who underwent CAT with 12-month outcome data (2018-2022). Frailty scores were derived using the cumulative health deficit approach (deficits count divided by the total number of health indicators), and categorized: Fit (≤.12), Intermediate (.12–.24), and Frail (≥0.25). Cross-tabulations, trend tests, and logistic regression were performed. Mean age± SD of study subjects was 65.2± 11.0; males were 59.0%. Among patients who underwent CAT, 24.5% met criteria for Frail (score≥0.25). Frailty scores were correlated weakly with age (r=0.09; p<.01). Fit (1.2%) and Frail (1.3%) had similar acute in-hospital complication rates. Increasingly higher probability of AF recurrence (18.2% vs. 19.8% vs. 22.6%; p=.02), and AF-related hospital admission (2.1% vs. 3.4% vs. 4.6% vs. 5.4%, p=.02) within 12 months after CAT were observed across increasing frailty severity categories. Frailty remained associated with AF recurrence and hospitalization in age- and sex-adjusted models; e.g., odds of hospitalization post-CAT were 2.3 (95%CI: 1.0-5.0, p=.039) times higher in Frail than in Fit. Despite adverse trends with frailty, absolute 12-month risks after CAT, even among Frail, was low. Implementation research is warranted to establish the clinical value of frailty assessment for CAT-related decision-making in AF patients.
IMPACTS OF INTRATRIBAL DIVERSITY ON SERVICES FOR URBAN AMERICAN INDIAN ELDERS
Authors: Holley Lyn , Polk Donna
Published: January 2025

This paper presents a report of analysis of interviews with members of the leadership team that serves Native American Indian elders in a mid-size American city. The city studied is home to members of more than a dozen different tribes; it has only one ethno-specific services center for older persons. While these older persons share a heritage of genocidal colonization, they are from different tribes and cultures. Native Americans residing in rural circumstances (e.g., reservations) are more likely to share and treasure similar beliefs and practices than are urban Indians. Diversity of beliefs and practices almost ineluctably brings occasional conflict - e.g., different beliefs about the place of women at the Drum or in singing, decorating for holidays, education of children, and suitability of different foods or ways of cooking. While literature on services for Native Americans is slowly growing, little notice has been taken of the challenges of serving this population in an urban setting. This paper begins to fill the gaps in the literature by describing the challenges and identifying methods that are useful for observation, description and analysis of cultural beliefs and practices of persons in the group, and for identifying which of these beliefs and practices support development of trust and cooperation, and which inhibit relationship building among Native American Indian Elders thus gaining and, importantly, applying knowledge of relevant cultures to inform design of activities and services for these Native Elders.
SENOTHERAPEUTICS, AGING, AND AGE-RELATED DISEASES
Authors: Kellogg Dean
Published: January 2025

Increased translational clinical trials are addressing the utility of senotherapeutic agents as interventions for aging in general and for age-related diseases. Numerous pre-clinical trials have provided a good rationale for human clinical trials which are being increasingly proposed. At present a number of senolytic and senomorphic drugs appear to be safe and tolerable by older persons, hence new human clinical trials directed at efficacy in ameliorating age-related diseases and aging in general are now coming to the fore. This talk will review:1) what are these agents? 2) what are their mechanism(s) of action? and 3) what efficacy have they demonstrated?
EMOTION AND AGING: CUTTING-EDGE DIRECTIONS
Authors: Mikels Joseph , Carstensen Laura
Published: January 2025

Over the past few decades, the field has garnered a deep and broad understanding of age differences in emotional experience; healthy older adults generally experience a balance of more positive to negative emotions relative to their younger counterparts. But many questions remain, and novel understandings of this general pattern are emerging. This symposium will highlight the latest cutting-edge directions in the examination of emotional functioning in later life. Mikels will present data demonstrating that older adults experience more “love” (i.e., positivity resonance) relative to younger adults. Haase and colleagues will explain how emotional acceptance is an important way by which older adults achieve greater well-being relative to other emotion regulation strategies. English and Springstein will further consider how the flexible use of different emotion regulation strategies contribute to higher well-being across the adult lifespan. In yet another approach to understanding high levels of well-being in older adults, Stephens will show that savoring is a critical component of increased positive affect in later life. Underscoring the social underpinnings of well-being, Brown and colleagues will explain the critical role of understanding other people’s emotions accurately in building and maintaining social connections, especially for older women. This series of presentations will illuminate the myriad current directions that are under investigation in the study of emotion and aging, providing attendees with a rich understanding of the latest findings.
A PERSON-SPECIFIC APPROACH TO EMOTION REGULATION FLEXIBILITY ACROSS ADULTHOOD
Authors: English Tammy , Springstein Tabea
Published: January 2025

Early work on emotion regulation typically focused on how often or how much individuals use “adaptive” strategies (e.g., cognitive reappraisal) or “maladaptive” strategies (e.g., expressive suppression”), largely finding little evidence of age differences in strategy use. However, there is growing attention to the importance of flexibly adjusting regulation efforts based on constraints and affordances of the situation, a skill that may increase with life experience. In the present research, we build on these recent theoretical innovations by considering both the “frequency perspective” and “flexibility perspective” in an adult lifespan sample. To do so, we utilize a novel statistical approach that models emotion regulation strategy use and person-specific strategy-situation fit associations with well-being. In an experience sampling study, 290 adults aged 25 to 85 years were prompted 6x/day for 10 days to report on their emotion regulation strategy use and various aspects of their current situation. Bayesian mixed-effect location scale modeling was used to simultaneously assess the relationships of flexibility and frequency of emotion regulation strategy use. Results suggest that individuals with higher well-being used some strategies flexibly and more frequently, some strategies flexibly but not more or less frequently, and some strategies more frequently but not flexibly. This work highlights the value of considering person-specific approaches to emotion and the need for attention to both flexibility and overall adaptiveness of regulation strategies. Work on adult development in emotion could benefit from incorporating idiographic perspectives that take individual differences seriously, rather than operating from more of a one-size-fits-all view of aging.
INDIVIDUALISTIC VALUES AND SUPPORT PROVIDED TO GRANDCHILDREN
Authors: Zhou Tianqi , Lakomý Martin , Silverstein Merril
Published: January 2025

The significance of individual values in family dynamics is widely acknowledged, but the role of individualism in shaping grandparental support remains insufficiently understood. In this study, we investigate the relationship between individualistic/collectivistic value orientation and two types of grandparental support (instrumental and emotional) provided by older individuals. We use data from waves 4-10 of the multigenerational Longitudinal Study of Generations to examine this link between values and support. Multilevel random-intercept models use all available respondents with the youngest grandchild aged 0-16, which makes a sample of 1309 older people nested in 307 families. Controlling for grandparents’ sex, ethnicity, marital status, health, and retirement, we found that individualistic value orientation influences instrumental support, while its impact on emotional support was not evident. Additionally, instrumental grandparental support tends to manifest more prominently within families featuring younger grandparents and younger grandchildren. In contrast, emotional support is more prevalent in families with highly educated grandparents, as well as those with more and older grandchildren. Our study complements previous studies on the relationship between values and intergenerational support by showing that individualism exerts an influence on specified forms of support such as transportation or shopping, help when sick, and childcare. These findings demonstrate the enduring presence of caregiving provided to grandchildren motivated by grandparental norms or religiosity within American families and – at the same time – reveal that the value changes can reshape the content and forms of grandparental care.
MIDLIFE NEIGHBORHOOD SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND COGNITIVE FUNCTION IN LATE LIFE: DIFFERENCES BY RACE
Authors: Cheng Greta Jianjia , Buchanich Jeanine , Gary-Webb Tiffany , Mair Christina , Shaaban C , Rosso Andrea
Published: January 2025

Evidence regarding the role of neighborhood socioeconomic status (NSES) as an upstream determinant of cognitive outcomes has lacked a life-course perspective and has relied on time-invariant NSES estimates. Compared to late-life, midlife NSES may be more relevant to cognitive outcomes, and associations with cognition may vary by race, reflecting the potential impact of structural racism. We examined racial differences in associations between midlife NSES and changes in cognitive function among older adults aged 70+. We included 341 (37% Black and 63% White) participants from the Pittsburgh site of Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study. Cognitive function was assessed repeatedly by Modified Mini-Mental State Examination (range: 80-100) throughout a 13-year follow-up. LexisNexis addresses from 1976-1985 were geocoded and linked to 1980 Census estimates (education, occupation, employment rate, household income, and home value). Midlife NSES (aged 49 to 58 years) for census tracts was calculated as the sum of z-scores of five estimates (range: -10.4 to 9.1, SD: 4.3). In linear mixed-effects models adjusted for census-tract and individual-level characteristics, midlife NSES was associated with baseline cognitive function among Black (β: 0.56, 95% CI: 0.14, 0.98), but not among White participants (β: -0.05, 95% CI: -0.31, 0.21) (p-value for interaction: 0.02). There were no observed associations between midlife NSES and the rate of cognitive change and no association between late-life NSES and cognitive function. Our findings suggest that midlife NSES are relevant to late-life cognitive function, particularly for Black individuals. Incorporating a life-course perspective is crucial to understanding racial disparities in cognitive outcomes.
NEIGHBORHOOD DISADVANTAGE AND THE ASSOCIATION OF PLASMA BIOMARKERS WITH COGNITION IN A COHORT OF DIVERSE ADULTS
Authors: Fan Erica , Royse Sarah , Reese Alexandria , Karikari Thomas , Pascoal Tharick , Shaaban C , Villemagne Victor , Cohen Ann
Published: January 2025

Studies of Alzheimer’s disease pathology have reported associations of plasma Aβ, tau, neurofilament light chain (NfL), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) with cognition. However, it remains unclear how these biomarkers are associated with cognition in non-White populations affected by structural racism. Discriminatory policies have long shaped US neighborhood resources. Thus, our aim was to investigate whether neighborhood disadvantage modifies associations of plasma biomarkers with cognition in a diverse cohort of 136 adults ≥50 years. Predictors were plasma biomarkers (Aβ40, Aβ42, pTau217, pTau231, NfL, GFAP) measured using single molecule array or mass spectrometry. Outcomes included cognitive impairment and neuropsychological test scores. Our modifier, neighborhood disadvantage, was measured using area deprivation index (ADI), a composite of socioeconomic condition measures by census tract: higher ADI corresponds with worse conditions. In adjusted linear models, higher ADI, pTau217, pTau231, NfL, and GFAP, and lower Aβ40 and Aβ42 were separately associated with worse cognition. We found ADI*pTau217 interactions on immediate and delayed word recall. In those with low ADI, higher pTau217 was associated with worse immediate (β=-1.82, p=0.005) and delayed recall (β=-22.82, p<0.001); there were no such associations among high ADI participants. We also found an ADI*Aβ40 interaction on Rey figure immediate memory recall such that in low ADI participants, higher Aβ40 was associated with better recall scores (β=0.06, p=0.006), but this association was not significant in high ADI participants. Taken together, relationships between plasma biomarkers and cognition differ by neighborhood conditions, motivating further study of how neighborhood-level factors affect diagnosis and prognostication of cognition.
NAVIGATING THE PATH FROM PHD TO PI: INSIGHTS AND STRATEGIES FOR RESEARCH INDEPENDENCE
Authors: Schafer Marissa
Published: January 2025

The path from PhD to PI can be a challenging uphill climb, and yet, there a are a multitude of steps one can take to increase the likelihood of securing an independent faculty research position. In this presentation, I will share insights from my path from PhD to PI. I will discuss key activities leading to research independence, including developing a research portfolio, engaging in skill-diversifying career development activities, and building supportive mentor-mentee relationships and networks. I will share my experience preparing for and participating in faculty job interviews, which include finding opportunities, giving job talks, and negotiating. As with research, there are many unknowns and many questions while looking forward to a career as an independent researcher. My goal is to share strategic opportunities and demystify processes to ultimately help others successfully navigate their path to research independence.
ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN MULTIPLE SOURCES OF SUPPORT AND STRAIN AND SELF-PERCEPTIONS OF AGING
Authors: Lee Gina , Chopik William
Published: January 2025

How people perceive the aging process is associated with important health, well-being, and cognition outcomes. For example, people with more positive self-perceptions of aging (SPA) live longer and have better cognition than those with negative self-perceptions (Levy et al., 2002; Tully-Wilson et al., 2021). One underappreciated source of variation in these aging perceptions might arise from our immediate social context—namely, the close relationships we find ourselves in. However, previous research has tested this in a piecemeal fashion, often neglecting the multiple relationships that we inhabit at once. The current study examined changes and variations in SPA and how these perceptions vary according to sources of support and strain from spouses, children, family, and friends. We used random intercept cross-lagged panel models to model within-person changes in SPA and support/strain over twelve years (2008-2020) among 22,160 older adults from the Health and Retirement Study. The results indicated that strain is more closely tied to SPA than support. Spousal support and SPA had positive reciprocal associations. SPA negatively predicted spousal strain, but not vice versa. Interestingly, higher strain from other family members and friends shaped more positive SPA, whereas support from these sources was largely unrelated to SPA. Child support/strain was not associated with SPA. Such findings provide a better understanding of how different close relationships shape aging perceptions. Future studies can test different mechanisms and outcomes underlying each relational contributor of SPA by exploring cognitive, psychological, and/or physiological factors.
WHEN DO FRIENDS MATTER? MODERATORS OF THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SOCIAL SUPPORT FROM FRIENDS AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS
Authors: Yu Xinfang , Ang Shannon
Published: January 2025

With shrinking family sizes in many parts of the world, older adults are beginning to rely more on friendships for support in later life. Because individuals get to choose their own friends (unlike family), the typical assumption is that perceiving more social support from friends is protective of mental health. In this study, we examine if the association between social support from friends and depressive symptoms is contingent on other factors, such as age and support from family. We use three waves of data (2014-2018) from a nationally representative study of older adults aged 60 years and above in China (N = 6,304 person-year observations). We estimated growth curve models with an accelerated longitudinal design, using interaction terms to assess whether age, friends, and family ties moderate the relationship between support from friends and depressive symptoms. The results suggest that the protective effects of friend support on depressive symptoms reduces with increasing age and greater family support. We also found the relationship between social support from friends and depressive symptoms was curvilinear – the direction of the relationship depended on the degree of support perceived. Our findings provide a more nuanced view of the benefits of friendships for psychological well-being, suggesting moderation in the positive effects of friend support despite the common assumption that they are always beneficial. Understanding how social support from friends contributes to their health can help guide efforts to maximize gains and minimize losses that matter most to people as they age.