bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CO-DESIGNING AN MHEALTH-BASED CAREGIVING MASTERY PROGRAM FOR DELIRIUM PREVENTION IN PERSONS LIVING WITH DEMENTIA
Authors: Choi Yong Kyung , Lin Shih-Yin , Santoso Kate , Pruskowski Jennifer , Fick Donna , Brody Abraham
Published: January 2025

Caregivers play an essential role in the prevention and early detection of Delirium Superimposed on Dementia (DSD) in community settings. To support caregivers, our study utilized a co-design methodology to adapt an existing evidence-based comprehensive dementia symptom management program originally designed for clinicians (Aliviado Dementia Care) for use by caregivers with a specific focus on DSD (Aliviado DSD Caregiving Mastery). We enrolled 10 caregivers of persons living with dementia (70% female; mean age=57.2; 5 caregivers having previously cared for their care recipient when experiencing delirium) to participate in a 5-week co-design workshop via Zoom. Over the 5 weeks, participants co-designed a series of family education videos, care plans, and communication guides; and refined the existing caregiver education articles and Aliviado mobile app. Session transcripts were analyzed immediately post-session using Instant Data Analysis to generate key themes for improvements. The main themes included caregiver-friendly language across program elements (e.g. changing “non-pharmacological” to “non-medication-based”), clear next steps (e.g. whether to go to the ER, timing to start a new care plan, etc.), and fine-tuning the app’s user interface (e.g. improved navigation between caregiver-administered delirium assessment questions). The co-design approach not only increased person- and family-centeredness of this program but also produced more actionable program components that empower caregivers to deliver DSD care and be better advocates for their loved ones. This collaborative process underscores the importance of engaging caregivers as co-designers, yielding a more accessible and user-friendly set of tools to support caregivers and their care recipients.
FACTORS RELATED TO DELIRIUM AMONG OLDER ADULTS IN NEUROLOGICAL INTENSIVE CARE UNITS
Authors: Cho Aeyoung , Lee Kyung Hee , Choi JiYeon , Kim Jung Yeon
Published: January 2025

Delirium, an acute confusion states, significantly increases in intensive care unit (ICU) patients and older adults due to COVID-19 pandemic. However, patients with neurological disorders face a challenge due to the difficulty in distinguishing symptoms caused by encephalopathy; there is particularly a lack of research about older adults in ICU. We investigated the incidence of delirium and related factors among older adults in a neurological ICU during the COVID-19 pandemic. A retrospective study was conducted using electronic medical record data from 945 older adults aged 65 to 93 years admitted to the neurological ICU at a tertiary hospital in Seoul, South Korea from January 2020 to July 2023. Delirium was evaluated using the Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist score. Logistic regression was performed using the SPSS/WIN 26.0 program. The incidence rate of delirium was 16.9%, and 49.8% of patients were categorized as subsyndromal delirium during ICU stay. Logistic regression revealed significant factors affecting delirium among older adults in the neurological ICU, including dexmedetomidine use (OR=8.13), length of ICU stay (OR=2.89, OR=3.61 and OR=6.05 for 3-5days, 6-10days and >10days, respectively), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels (OR=4.55), visual impairment (OR=2.13), APACHE II score (OR=1.07) and age (OR=1.05). Accurate awareness of delirium symptoms by health professionals and identification of delirium-related factors are crucial for effective patient management. Pre-classification of delirium high-risk groups among older adults admitted to neurological ICUs is essential for providing high-quality delirium care.
IS DELIRIUM EDUCATION IMPORTANT: MEDICAL STUDENTS’ ATTITUDES FOLLOWING A DELIRIUM WORKSHOP
Authors: Rosenstein Benjamin
Published: January 2025

Delirium is an all too frequent syndrome for which older adults, particularly those with dementia, are at an increased risk. As the population ages, medical students will encounter adults affected by delirium increasingly frequently during their rotations. Unfortunately, education related to delirium is inconsistent within US medical schools. Prior studies have shown students gain knowledge and skills following specific delirium education courses. However, medical students’ attitudes related to delirium as an educational topic have not previously been explored. This study used a thematic analysis to review 4th-year medical students’ reflections of a workshop focused on delirium evaluation, management, treatment, and outcomes. The review revealed 8 primary themes including aspects such as: students frequently encountered older adults experiencing delirium but were unaware of associated poor outcomes, they have limited to any education on delirium during their rotations, they feel this is an often overlooked yet important topic, and they found the workshop provided valuable skills applicable to their current and future practices. Most surprising was medical students’ recognition and reflection of ageist practices they had encountered, though it was not a specific topic within the workshop. This study demonstrates that delirium should be a standard topic in medical education. It provides significant clinical value and may improve medical students’ knowledge, practices, and attitudes, including counteracting ageism, thus promoting age-friendly care of older adults.
EMPOWERING AN AGE-FRIENDLY HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE: AN INTERPROFESSIONAL PROGRAM APPROACH
Authors: Tobey-Moore Leah , Beehler Melanie , Neill Kathryn , Dickinson Karen , Spradley Laura , McAtee Robin
Published: January 2025

Growing interest in caring for the geriatric population is a challenge in healthcare education. In Arkansas (AR), 18% of the population is over 65. The Arkansas Geriatric Education Collaborative (AGEC) is a HRSA-funded Geriatric Workforce Enhancement grant recipient with a main goal to encourage health professions students toward careers in geriatrics. AGEC’s Geriatric Student Scholar Program exists to expand exposure and foster interest regarding older adults (OA) through experiential learning and interprofessional training. Each year, 4-5 students are chosen to further their knowledge and interest in the field of geriatrics. This year’s team of 5 students (pharmacy, physician assistant, medical doctor, audiology, and physical therapy) completed two geriatric-focused didactic events, two experiential community events, and an interprofessional education (IPE) team project. Their 2024 IPE project focused on Mobility from the 4Ms Framework of Age-Friendly Healthcare and was delivered via an active learning “escape room.” Reflection essays were submitted following each attended activity. AGEC activities supported students’ understanding and application of interprofessional, collaborative skills needed to care for OAs and allowed students to take on the role of educator by creating, designing, and evaluating a learning activity called “Falls and Fall Prevention in the OA.” Programmatic surveys at the conclusion of the 7-month experience demonstrated 1) positive overall experience, 2) enhanced interprofessional collaboration skills, 3) strong teamwork dynamics and 4) deepened interest in geriatrics.
EVALUATION OF A SOCIAL WORK AND NURSING INTERPROFESSIONAL TRAINING ON DEMENTIA-FRIENDLY CARE
Authors: Hasche Leslie , Ingle Pilar , Talamantes Michael
Published: January 2025

While social work and nursing education offer generalist professional degrees, several initiatives over the last 20 years have infused geriatric education and specialty training to counter the long-standing geriatric workforce shortages. However, these training programs are frequently separated within distinct disciplinary silos with limited opportunities for interprofessional training. Interprofessional education involves a critical pedagogy that increases knowledge about principles, ethics, and values of other professions, while also developing critical thinking skills to promote collaborative working relationships that improve care. The purpose of this study is to evaluate an annual interprofessional cohort training specific to Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias for social work and advanced practice nursing students. From 2019 to 2024, five cohorts (total n= 43, with 24 social work students and 19 advanced practice nursing students) have completed this training. Approximately 30 hours of learning activities supplemented their existing professional degree program education over a 6-month period. These activities included: (1) an immersive training with experiential Second Wind Dreams’ Virtual Dementia Tour, (2) webinar didactic content on dementia-friendly and interprofessional care and interprofessional dyad case consultations, and (3) individual, personalized coaching. Using a pre/post survey adapted from measures of interprofessional collaborative practice and geriatric social work competencies, results demonstrated consistent improvement across each of the domains: values and ethics, roles/responsibilities and communication, assessment and treatment, and teamwork. The positive evaluation findings for increasing interprofessional competencies in dementia-friendly care offer support for expansion to other disciplines, geographical regions, and over sustained time and for strengthening the geriatric workforce.
ADAPTING STEADI TOOLKIT FOR LONG-TERM CARE: A DELPHI STUDY
Authors: Thompson Hilaire , Phelan Elizabeth , McGough Ellen , Patel Kushang
Published: January 2025

The prevalence of falls for older adults in long-term care facilities (LTCF) is estimated to be 50-60%. However, fall prevention programs, such as the CDC’s STEADI, have not been validated for use in LTCF. Lacking are screening, assessment, and decision-support toolkits to be used with older adults residing in LTCF. This project seeks to address this gap by developing a refined toolkit for use in LTCF. As a first step, an initial list of adaptations to the STEADI toolkit were identified following four separate scoping reviews. Interventions were categorized in six areas: Assessment, Education/Training, Facility, Medication Management, Resident Lifestyle, and Referral. Subject matter experts from medicine, nursing, physical therapy, and long-term care administration from across the US were invited to provide feedback on the initial draft of toolkit interventions. Interviews (n=9) were transcribed and recommendations for changes to assessment and management strategies were identified. Following these revisions, we recruited individuals working in LTCFs to participate in two rounds of surveys using a modified Delphi technique. Respondents (n=51) were asked to rate 69 interventions as either not at all helpful, possibly helpful, helpful or extremely helpful. We established consensus as =/>60% of individuals agreeing that the intervention was “extremely helpful.” In round one, 37 interventions reached consensus for inclusion (Assess: 16; Education/Training: 4; Facility: 8; Medication Management: 2; Resident Lifestyle: 4; Referral: 3). In round two, three additional items reached consensus for inclusion. The toolkit is now being tested for feasibility, acceptability and impact on falls and fall-related injuries.
INFLUENCE OF SATISFACTION WITH INTERVENTIONS ON THE OCCURRENCE OF FALLS IN OLDER PEOPLE: RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL
Authors: Ansai Juliana , Maciel Leticia Teodoro , Sossai Mariana Ignácio , de Melo Mariana Luiz , Pereira Graziele Norberto , Silva de sá Mel , Pereira Ana Beatriz Simões , Gramani-Say Karina
Published: January 2025

Falls are recurrent among older people, and there is a need of more personalized interventions to be adopted to prevent falls. The purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of satisfaction with the interventions on occurrence of falls in older people with a history of falls. This is a randomized clinical trial, with older people with at least 2 falls in the past year. Participants were allocated into Control Group (CG) (with monthly monitoring about falls and general health) and Intervention Group (IG). The IG was submitted to a case management intervention over 16 weeks, including a multidimensional assessment, intervention proposal and individualized care plan. The assessment consisted of falls data (falls calendar and monthly phone calls) over 16 weeks and satisfaction with interventions (Short Assessment of Patient Satisfaction SAPS 0-28, and overall satisfaction with care 0-10) after 16 weeks. The final sample consisted of 56 older people. The median SAPS score in the GC was 22.00 and in the IG 25.00 (p=0.046). The median overall satisfaction score was 10.00 in both groups (p=0.782). After 16 weeks, 34.5% of the IG and 48.1% of the CG fell (p>0.05), and 6.9% of the IG and 14.8% presented harmful falls (p>0.05). There was no influence of satisfaction with intervention on falls data over the short follow-up. Future studies that identify other factors related to improvements in falls data among brazilian faller older people are needed.
MACHINE LEARNING APPROACHES FOR FALL PREDICTION IN KOREAN COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER ADULTS
Authors: Cho Jungwon , Yang Minhee , Cho Eunhee
Published: January 2025

Falls cause significant physical, psychological, and financial burdens for older adults. They represent the second leading cause of death worldwide. On average, approximately 27% of older adults fall annually. To prevent fall-related injuries, identifying older adults at risk for falls and engaging them in fall-prevention interventions are important measures. This study aimed to develop and evaluate the fall prediction model for older adults in the community with machine learning approach. A total of 9,884 participants were included in the analysis from the 2020 Korean National Survey of Older Adults. The dataset included 48 predictor variables, including demographics, health status, health behavior, and environmental factors. We employed several prediction models, including logistic regression, decision tree, random forest, and support vector machine. Synthetic minority oversampling technique (SMOTE) approaches were employed to address class imbalance. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) ranged from 0.84 to 0.98 across four algorithms. The random forest model had the highest AUC value of 0.98, followed by logistic regression (0.91), support vector machine (0.91), and decision tree (0.84). Marital status, the presence of visual impairment, economic activity status, sex, and diagnosis of hypertension were the five most important features for predicting falls. Our findings suggest that machine learning methods can accurately identify older adults at a high risk for falls, potentially enabling early interventions and targeted preventive measures. This approach could ultimately lead to reductions in fall-related injuries and healthcare costs and improvements in the overall quality of life of older adults.
SYMPTOM BURDEN AND RECURRENT FALLS IN OLDER CANCER SURVIVORS: A LONGITUDINAL POPULATION-BASED STUDY
Authors: Bae Myeongjin , Patel Kushang , Gell Nancy
Published: January 2025

Older adults with a cancer history may be at greater fall risk as activity-limiting symptoms from cancer and cancer treatment often persist, even after treatment has ended. Therefore, we aimed to prospectively determine the effects of pain, fatigue, and sleep difficulty on fall risk in older adults with a cancer history. Data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study Rounds 1-5 (2011-2015) were analyzed. The study sample (n=1443) was limited to community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries who self-reported any history of cancer, other than skin cancer only. Symptoms were assessed through questions regarding pain, fatigue, and sleep difficulty. The main outcome measure was the cumulative incidence of recurrent (≥2) falls in at least one year from 2011. All analyses were weighted and accounted for complex sampling design. Incidence of recurrent falls was significantly higher among those with pain, fatigue, and sleep difficulty. In adjusted models, compared with those with no symptoms, the adjusted risk ratios for recurrent falls were 1.80 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.31–2.48), 2.10 (95% CI = 1.61–2.75), and 1.66 (95% CI = 1.25–2.20) for older cancer survivors with pain, fatigue, and sleep difficulty, respectively. For those with all three symptoms, the adjusted risk ratio for recurrent falls was 4.58 (95% CI = 2.82–7.42), compared to those with no symptoms. This study revealed the significant impact of aging and cancer-related symptoms on fall risk in older adults with a cancer history. Reducing symptom burden is needed to mitigate fall risk in this population.
THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN PATIENT-LEVEL PROACTIVITY AND RISK OF CANCER-RELATED FALLS
Authors: Lu Chuan , Zheng Qianyan
Published: January 2025

Cancer-related falls are prevalent among elder patients given physiological and functional compromise undergoing formidable antineoplastic treatment process. However, effective fall prevention can be challenging without a clear risk-navigating system and sufficient patient self-awareness. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate fall-related burden and identify potential risk factors among elders undergoing active cancer treatment, based on the public Medicare Health Outcome Survey (MHOS) collecting patient-reported outcomes provided by Medicare health programs in the United States. The study compared the distributions of clinically implemented fall prevention and patient proactive consultation regarding fall management using beneficiaries from 2018 (14937; 6.55%) to 2022 (21683; 7.74%) undergoing active cancer treatment. Multivariable-adjusted logistic regressions were performed using 2022 cohort to explore potential risk factors of falls. Fall occurrence rates sustained around 30%. Patient’s consultation rate revealed a significant growth over the 5-year period (2018: 29.39% vs. 2022: 34.27%; p< 0.001), while prevention implementation rates were without significant change. Lung cancer (OR=1.995, 95%CI=1.803-2.208) and colon cancer (OR=1.648, 95%CI=1.478-1.837) were associated with greater risk of falls compared to non-cancers. Patients who were advised to increase physical activeness (OR=0.719, 95%CI=0.664-0.779) and with active fall consultants (OR=0.171, 95%CI=0.157-0.186) exhibited significantly lower fall occurrences. This study substantiated the potential role of proactive measures, namely promoting patient’s physical activeness and risk awareness, in reducing fall risk among elders under antineoplastic treatment. Colon or lung cancer may be priority risk identifiers for fall prevention. Future prospective trials are warranted to establish clearer clinical guidance to minimize fall risks targeting elder cancer populations.
A BALANCING ACT: QUALITATIVE DESCRIPTIONS OF DAILY STRESS AMONG BLACK AND WHITE DEMENTIA CAREGIVERS
Authors: Eagle Angelica , Weber Emma , Noyer Emily , Turkelson Angela , Birditt Kira
Published: January 2025

ADRD caregiving is often stressful and time consuming, having potentially negative implications on the lives of caregivers. This qualitative study described negative daily experiences among ADRD caregivers, considering variations by relationship type and race. Participants from the SWELCare study included 159 ADRD caregivers (97 White, 62 Black) comprising 52 child caregivers, 91 spouse/partner caregivers, and 16 other family or friend caregivers, aged 21 to 86 (M = 62.72, SD = 12.34). Caregivers completed up to 5 interactive voice response interviews for 5 consecutive evenings, providing open-ended responses regarding their most negative event that occurred that day. The data revealed 7 major themes with the most frequently reported regarding: 1) caregiving responsibilities, followed by 2) other daily problems, 3) interpersonal tension with their care recipient, 4) study participation, 5) interpersonal tension with others, 6) physical health problems, and 7) emotional health problems. Over half of the responses included 2 or more themes, indicating negativity across multiple domains. The majority of the descriptions involved issues outside of caregiving tasks. Additionally, White caregivers were significantly more likely to report tension with care recipients than Black caregivers (30% vs 19%). Further, spousal/partner caregivers were significantly more likely to report tension with care recipients than adult child caregivers (31% vs 19%), which suggests interpersonal tension with care recipients vary by race and relationship type. These data identify areas outside of caregiving responsibilities that caregivers may need assistance with, which provides potential targets for improving caregivers’ daily lives.
ADVANCING RESPITE RESEARCH TO SUPPORT FAMILY CAREGIVERS OF OLDER ADULTS
Authors: Whitmore Kim , Swanson Sarah
Published: January 2025

One of the most frequently expressed needs of family caregivers of older adults is respite – a temporary break from the responsibilities of caregiving. ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center (ARCH) has advanced efforts to enhance the respite evidence base to assist with sustainability, promote continuous quality improvement, and help translate research into best practices. The Committee for Advancement of Respite Research (CARR) advises ARCH on the execution of its respite research initiative and is comprised of former members of the ARCH Expert Panel on Respite Research, research scholars and evaluators, and foundation representatives. This session will highlight the efforts of the CARR to address the following identified priority areas: • Define and measure the value (cost-effectiveness) of respite; • Recommend common data elements (CDE) for respite-related research; and • Expand culturally appropriate research with historically underrepresented populations This session will also provide an overview and discuss the application of the following products that have developed from the work of the CARR: • Measuring the Value of Respite which includes a proposed framework for research; • Recommended Common Data Elements (CDEs) for Respite-related Research; • Resources for Culturally and Linguistically Competent Respite Research; and • Ensuring Cultural and Linguistic Competence: A Guide for Respite Researchers. Finally, we will highlight how this work aligns with the research recommendations in the 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers.
LIFE COURSE APPROACH TO CAREGIVING FOR AGING PARENTS: THE ROLE OF ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES
Authors: Kong Jooyoung , Robert Stephanie , Fletcher Jason
Published: January 2025

The high strain and burden of caring for aging parents have been well-documented. Few but growing studies have found the effects of earlier distal factors, such as childhood maltreatment, on negative mental health for caregivers of aging parents. Taking a life course approach to intergenerational caregiving, this study examined the long-term impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on adult caregivers of aging parents. Using data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS), we analyzed a sample of 412 caregivers of aging mothers. We conducted a series of latent class analyses (LCA) for a holistic assessment of the patterns of ACEs among the caregivers. Respondents’ exposure to ACEs available in MIDUS included parental neglect, emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual assault (perpetrator not specified), living with a household member with a substance use issue, and parental divorce/separation/death during childhood. Among the caregivers of mothers, we identified a five-latent-class structure: No/low ACEs (60%), Neglect and Household Challenges (12%), Paternal Abuse (5%), Parental Physical Abuse (16%), and Substantial ACEs (7%). The respondent’s education was significantly associated with latent class membership. Caregivers in the Substantial ACEs class showed consistently worse physical and mental health than those in the No/low ACEs class. The current study contributes to raising awareness of adult-child caregivers who experienced childhood trauma, who may deal with accumulated disadvantages from childhood adversities, their potential correlates, and current caregiving. Further investigations will help find ways to reduce ACEs’ impact in order to promote the health of these caregivers and strengthen their well-being.
PERCEIVED EXPERIENCES OF MINORITIZED FAMILY DEMENTIA CAREGIVERS IN MENTALIZING IMAGERY THERAPY
Authors: Zea Miranda , Gutierrez-Ramirez Paulina , Gomez Liliana Ramirez , Dueck Kimberly , Melero-Dominguez Maria , Jain Felipe
Published: January 2025

Family dementia caregivers often experience stress and caregiver burden as a result of their responsibilities. Specifically, family dementia caregivers from racial and same sex minoritized groups face challenges including a lack of access to culturally concordant resources. Mentalizing Imagery Therapy (MIT) is a new mindfulness and guided imagery therapy that is designed to enhance self and other understanding, and alleviate psychological symptoms. We aimed to describe the perceived impact of MIT on three minoritized caregivers: a Black female, an Asian male, and a White gay female partnered to a Black woman. Across virtual and in-person trials of MIT (n=99), the proportion of racial and ethnic minority individuals was ~70%, and at least 4% sexual minorities. MIT comprised four, weekly, two-hour sessions, incorporating mindfulness and imagery exercises. Semi-structured exit interviews were conducted for perceived experiences by two independent raters, and consensus achieved. We purposefully selected three participants who could clearly express their thoughts and who described cultural factors for in-depth examination. Individuals from minoritized groups participating in MIT reported experiencing positive changes in well-being and an increased capacity for mentalization in relation to themselves and others (particularly the person living with dementia). They also reported gaining insights into unique cultural factors that impacted caregiving. These results suggest potential promise of MIT for aiding the distinct challenges confronted by minoritized family dementia caregivers. Participants demonstrated heightened well-being, and an increased capacity for mentalization. Future research should validate these findings with minority populations in larger samples.
THE HEALING POWER OF COMPASSIONATE LOVE: LATER-LIFE CAREGIVING STATUS AND MENTAL HEALTH IN THE UNITED STATES
Authors: Lekhak Nirmala , Bhatta Tirth , Kamanga Foster , Fernandes Cecilia , Kahana Eva
Published: January 2025

The detrimental effects of family caregiving on mental health have been extensively established, with research focusing on emotional support as a mechanism to explain these relationships. However, previous research has not investigated such mechanisms across caregiving statuses especially among older caregivers. Furthermore, the significance of compassionate love in understanding the negative impacts of caregiving on mental health lacks attention. Using nationwide web-based data (n=1,861), we examined the unique role of compassionate love in explaining the differences in depressive symptoms, anxiety, and loneliness across caregiving status. Our ordinary least squares regression (OLS) estimates indicate that not caregivers, former caregivers, and caregivers who were not living with care-recipients (caregivers not in-residence) had significantly lower levels of anxiety, loneliness, and depressive symptoms than caregivers who were living with care-recipients (caregivers in-residence), with the most notable difference observed in loneliness. After controlling for socioeconomic status, health, and emotional support in our models, compassionate love entirely accounted for the remaining differences in depressive symptoms and anxiety between caregivers in-residence and not caregivers. Additionally, it fully explained the remaining differences in loneliness between former caregivers, caregivers not in-residence, and those living with them. Although considerably weaker (changed from b=-0.48, p< 0.001 to b=-0.38, p< 0.01), the loneliness gap between not caregivers and caregivers in-residence remained statistically significant even after accounting for love. Our findings highlight the importance of recognizing differences in caregiving status when designing future interventions to improve family caregivers’ feelings of love and mental health in later life.
THE PARADOX OF PAID CARE: BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES FOR SPOUSAL CAREGIVERS’ EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING
Authors: Fontaine Leslie , Savla Jyoti , Roberto Karen
Published: January 2025

Recent research suggests that social factors may buffer negative outcomes of caregiving, including social isolation. In particular, spouse caregivers of partners living with moderate to severe dementia (PLwD) often find themselves confined to their homes, which reduces their opportunities for social interactions and intensifies feelings of loneliness and caregiver stress and burden. For many spouse caregivers, their primary in-person interactions are with paid caregivers. The aim of this study was to investigate if the use of paid helpers mitigated feelings of loneliness and overload among caregivers. Fifty-one rural spouse caregivers (61% wives, 98% White, 87% residing only with PLwD), answered structured interview questions that assessed their levels of loneliness, role overload, and degree of assistance from paid helpers. Low levels of overload and loneliness was experienced by 16% spouses, with 88% of them not utilizing paid services. In contrast, 65% of spouses reported significant levels of both overload and loneliness. Within this group, 62% of wives used paid helpers, whereas 75% of husbands did not. Multinomial regressions indicated that husbands without paid helpers experienced more pronounced feelings of loneliness and overload, whereas wives with paid helpers reported increased feelings of loneliness and overload, suggesting that paid support does not uniformly alleviate the emotional strain and loneliness of caregiving. Findings underscore the complex gender differences associated with paid support on the emotional well-being of spouse caregivers. Discussion highlights the benefits of paid assistance in addressing multifaceted caregiving outcomes and the need for more tailored and nuanced support strategies for spouse caregivers.
IMPACT OF COMMUNICATION ON INTERACTIONS BETWEEN FAMILY CAREGIVERS AND HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS
Authors: Khan Nadia , Benton Donna , Zhu Yujun
Published: January 2025

Family members providing care to older adults with progressive conditions are at an increased risk for caregiver burnout and poorer health. Few studies have examined how healthcare professionals interact with and support the family caregivers of their patients. This study investigated the perceived attitudes of healthcare professionals toward family caregivers and the experiences of family caregivers in healthcare settings where their loved ones receive medical treatment. We used a voluntary, anonymous survey through the software REDCap composed of Likert-scale questions to obtain the opinions of family caregivers to older adults diagnosed with a memory impairment (N=199). We conducted linear regression to examine the relationship between demographic characteristics and the quality of communication between caregivers and healthcare providers. Results showed that 57% of participants strongly disagreed or disagreed that their healthcare team gave them information on how to care for themselves while caring for loved ones. Preliminary linear regression analysis showed that there is a statistically significant positive relationship (p< 0.05) between the discussion of caregiver self-care and the demographic variables of income and education level. Additionally, 48% of participants strongly disagreed or disagreed that their healthcare team asked them about their well-being and quality of life. Our initial findings have implications for how healthcare professionals communicate with family caregivers about their well-being and the emotional burden of family caregiving. Additionally, our results demonstrate the need for new communication strategies between healthcare professionals and family caregivers that will effectively address their diverse needs. Word Count: 244
LONGITUDINAL CARE ARRANGEMENT PATTERNS AND SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING AMONG COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER ADULTS
Authors: Shin Esther , Kim BoRin , Park Sojung
Published: January 2025

Many older adults with health problems receive assistance from caregivers in their communities. The availability and nature of caregiving (e.g., formal or informal) is contingent on varying individual and contextual factors with important consequences in the care recipients’ life quality. Existing research tends to examine single sources of caregiving. Even when examined together, the majority of current investigations focus on older adults with dementia. Using the National Health and Aging Trends Study (2011-2022), this study identified distinct longitudinal trajectories of informal and formal caregiving and their association with subjective well-being among community-dwelling older adults aged over 70. We restricted our sample to those with caregiver support throughout the study period (n=1,200). Using group-based multiple trajectory modeling, we identified four longitudinal care patterns: (1) Consistently limited care (9.3%), (2) Predominantly sole informal caregiver (57.5%), (3) Multiple informal caregivers (17.2%), and (4) Dual caregivers (16%). In the consistently limited care group, older adults were more likely unmarried, educated, non-white, living alone, and with mobility issues. Those with multiple informal caregivers tended to be older, female, in poor health, and living in independent/assisted living. Conversely, older adults in dual caregiving were likely educated, covered by Medicaid, and residing in retirement communities. Findings highlight the role of sociodemographic factors in shaping patterns of caregiving arrangements, and having dual caregiving was associated with increased well-being among care recipients. Creating an affordable care scheme would be essential in supporting healthy aging among older adults who wish to remain at home with adequate caregiving support.
ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN UNMET NEED AND SELF-REPORTED HEALTH STATUS AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN CHINESE OLDER ADULTS
Authors: Huang Siou-Tang , Chong Weiguo , Chiu Herng-Chia
Published: January 2025

Background

The demand for home-based community health services has become more critical as the population ages. To what extent are associations between unmet need and health status crucial for health planning for older adults. The study aimed to examine the degree of unmet need and self-reported health status and quality of life for an older adult population.

Methods

Population-based data from the China Health and Longevity Longitudinal Survey (CLHLS) was used. Older persons who participated in both the 2014 and 2018 surveys were included. After match and exclusion, 2,271 subjects were analyzed. Community health services include services of home visits, mental and health prevention.

Results

The baseline age is 80.3 years old, 84.17 years old on average four years after. More than 10% of older persons lost their spouses during this period. There are 46.40% and 46.63% reported unmet need in 2014 and 2018, respectively. LMM analysis reveals that compared with the unmet group, those reported needs were fully met and partially met older appeared significantly better in health status (ß = 0.12, ß =0.01) and quality of life (ß =015, ß =0.11).

Implication

Our findings conclude that unmet services are highly negatively associated with health status as well as quality of life. To improve the older population’s health and quality of life, a community services survey is needed to design programs to meet the needs of various older populations.
FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH LIFE SATISFACTION IN VETERANS IN THE HEALTHY AGING PROJECT: BRAIN PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL CLASS
Authors: Kohli Maulika , Verstaen Alice , Trittschuh Emily
Published: January 2025

The Healthy Aging Project-Brain (HAP-B) was developed to encourage engagement in activities associated with successful aging. Across 6 sessions, HAP-B targets sleep, socialization, physical, and cognitive activity through myth-busting, developing SMART goals, and tracking behavioral change. This study aims to examine associations between physical and mental health factors with life satisfaction. Veteran participants (n=50, mean age = 70.6 years) were predominantly male-identity (88%) and White (76%). Linear regressions examined associations between physical and emotional functioning factors and life satisfaction at baseline, covarying for age. Results indicate that higher life satisfaction is significantly associated with lower depressive symptoms, higher emotional well-being, and higher self-efficacy in our sample. HAP-B is effective in facilitating behavioral change that has downstream positive effects on emotional functioning. It is feasible, accessible, and scalable, supporting a model of care among older adult Veterans that combines psychoeducational and skill-based approaches. Future groups may emphasize emotional well-being as a direct intervention target. There is a significant need to prioritize engagement with, and accessibility of, mental healthcare services to improve both emotional well-being and overall satisfaction with life. Healthcare providers are well-positioned to encourage engagement with activities that are protective against adverse cognitive aging.
PATIENT PORTALS PROMOTE SHARED DECISION-MAKING AND ADOPTION OF HEALTHY HABITS RELATED TO MENOPAUSE
Authors: Singh Roshni , Tang Fei , Ruiz Diana , Dang Stuti
Published: January 2025

Perimenopausal women would benefit from a better understanding of menopause, and associated conditions and therapies. We implemented a menopause educational intervention called “MyHealtheVet to Enable And Negotiate for Shared decision-making” (MEANS) using the Veterans Affairs (VA) patient portal MyHealtheVet (MHV), in the Miami VA Healthcare System (MVAHS). Intervention participants received weekly secure messages with information on menopause. Here, we examine the effect of the MEANS intervention on SDM and adoption of healthy behaviors. We enrolled 269 women at MVAHS in MEANS. Participants’ average age was 53.2 years; 42.4% white, 43.1% black, and 24.2% Hispanic; 63.2% had a college education, and 95.9% already used MHV; 160 completed the six-month intervention and evaluation. Post-intervention, 57.5% reported that MEANS allowed them to get information that would otherwise be difficult to obtain, 79% said it increased their understanding of menopause, 80% felt more confident to discuss menopause treatments with their provider. Many reported discussing menopause-related conditions and treatments with their providers: 39% reported having discussed hormone therapy, 46% discussed osteoporosis, 33% discussed urinary incontinence. Many had adopted positive health behaviors: 8.1% had started taking hormones, 48% started calcium, 78% started Vitamin D; 38% started doing Kegel’s exercise; 69% began exercising, and 70% improved their diet. This pilot patient portal intervention shows that patient portals may offer a scalable tool to enhance SDM between patients and providers regarding menopause-related topics and to promote healthy behaviors among racially and ethnically diverse menopausal women. This strategy may be extrapolated to other non-urgent conditions.
PERCEIVED AND ACTUAL BMI IN AGING ADULTS: A SCOPING REVIEW
Authors: Hubner Sarah , Boron Julie Blaskewicz
Published: January 2025

Sustaining a healthy weight across the lifespan is an important aspect of disease prevention and quality of life in aging. Still, approximately 77% of US adults deviate from ideal weight recommendations, contributing to disease and disability. Improving lifestyles is critical to reducing this chronic disease burden. Self-perception of weight status (perceived-BMI) and its accuracy (versus actual-BMI) may influence behavior through goal setting and motivation; however, this relationship remains understudied in aging adults. Examining BMI dissonance and its broader context within the aging population may contribute to better understanding how self-perception shapes behavior and wellness. The current study contributes to this goal by assessing the field via scoping review. Electronic database searches were carried out in: PubMed, APA PsycInfo, Sports Medicine & Education Index. Peer reviewed white literature published in English from database inception to May 2024 were included in the search. Eligible research was related to aging adults’ body form and included primary measures for perceived- and actual-BMI. Populations were community-dwelling adults, aged 45+. The search revealed 4160 titles. After title, abstract, and full text screen, 13 articles were selected for inclusion. Evaluation of the selected studies showed that diverse aspects of perceived-BMI were described, including diagnostic accuracy and alignment with actual-BMI, association with health literacy, behavioral impacts, and correlations to lifestyle change strategies. These synthesized results may contribute to understanding how self-perception shapes behavior and wellness; discussion will include how this review can inform interventions to promote healthier lifestyles and reduce chronic disease burden across the adult lifespan.
A PILOT TEST OF A NOVEL MEDICAL EDUCATION DEVICE FOR LVAD PATIENTS
Authors: Crittenden Jennifer , Longley Hannah , Lanba Asheesh , Kohli Amarpreet , Kumthekar Nihar , Inger Jacob , Hadsell Killian
Published: January 2025

Medical assist devices, like the Left Ventricle Assist Device (LVAD), are increasingly used by individuals 65 and older. This project entails a pre-clinical trial feasibility study of a novel, non-invasive, mock LVAD device (the XVAD). Phase I testing consisted of adults under the age of 65 (N = 8, M = 28.5 years) and Phase II expanded study enrollment into the 65-90 age group (N = 4, M = 71 years). All participants wore the device for three to five days and experienced random device alarms similar to those provided by an LVAD device. Each alarm and participant response time was recorded by the XVAD device. Real time response data was supplemented with survey data, qualitative diary data, and feedback gathered via a debrief interview. Qualitative findings underscore the following: Importance of accessible device design for older adults, the influence of participant activity on alarm response times, the need for clarity related to alarm responses, and the impact of XVAD usage on daily activities. Findings indicate that feedback across phases, though they engaged different age groups, yielded convergence around accessibility concerns. Examination of response time device data indicates that while older and younger participants demonstrated different reaction times at the start of the trial, the groups demonstrated equivalent reaction times to device alarms at the end of each trial indicating the potential for effective patient training over time. Findings will be used to inform device development and can inform similar mock device trials that use a multi-generational phased testing approach.
DEVELOPMENT AND ASSESSMENT OF AN INTERVENTION PROGRAM USING PAIR GO: RESULTS OF AN EXPLORATORY STUDY
Authors: Iizuka Ai , Mulhorn Kristine , Ito Koki , Kitago Moe , Ura Chiaki , Okamura Tsuyoshi , Toba Kenji , Suzuki Hiroyuki
Published: January 2025

The board game Go, a traditional board game that originated in Asia, is associated with positive effects on cognitive function in older adults. However, as a one-on-one game, Go usually requires a single winner and a single loser. Pair Go creates a team-based game where winning and losing is a shared experience. Pair Go enhances social interaction because it is played by pairs of players. Social interaction has a positive impact on the mental health of older adults. This study aimed to develop a new intervention program using Pair Go and to explore the impact on mental health and social interaction. This single-arm intervention study was conducted from October 2023 to January 2024 in Tokyo, Japan. Twenty-eight community-dwelling older adults (71-86 years) attended Pair Go classes once a week for 90 minutes, for 12 sessions. Each session involved attending lectures, solving exercises, and playing Pair Go. Mental health, and social interaction were assessed before and after the intervention. Comparison of pre- and post-test scores using paired t-tests revealed that scores on the University of California, Los Angeles Loneliness Scale were statistically significant lower in the post-test (mean [SD] score, 38.5 [6.6]) than the pre-test (36.6 [5.9]) (p<.05). In addition, 50% of the participants made new social connections in the Pair Go class, such as having tea or making phone calls after the program. These results indicate that the Pair Go program may affect mental health and enhance social interaction not seen with the original Go.
ECOLOGICAL MOMENTARY ASSESSMENT TO MEASURE SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS IN OLDER ADULTS: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW
Authors: Choi JiYeon , Choi Seongmi , Kang Hun , Shin Jiyoung
Published: January 2025

While the importance of social connectedness in the lives of older adults is well-established, more comprehensive evidence is needed regarding its real-world operation. This study utilizes Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA), increasingly employed in social and health sciences, to capture real-time social interactions in everyday environments, aiming to conduct an integrative review to understand multifactorial components of social connectedness and identify implementation strategies for older adults. Five databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, and PsycINFO) were searched to retrieve studies published up to the year 2023. Of the 2,208 studies identified, 21 were selected for final analysis. Our analysis focused on identifying the multifactorial components of social connectedness (structural, functional, and quality) and assessment of EMA methods and participant adherence to the EMA. The components of social connectedness using EMA included the following: structural components such as social contacts or interactions (n=18), loneliness (n=9) as a functional component, and quality components, such as quality of social interactions (n=3). Additionally, as a context for understanding social connectedness, location at the time of assessment, and physical (e.g., pain, fatigue) and psychological states (e.g., anxiety, depression) were evaluated. Data were mostly collected using an app on digital devices (e.g., smartphone), with assessments conducted 5-6 times per day for 5 to 21 days, achieving an adherence rate of over 70%. Findings of this review highlight the current state of science in measuring social connectedness in older adults through EMA, focusing on its structural, functional, and quality components, and indicating its feasibility in real-world contexts.