bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SELF-PERCEIVED PREPAREDNESS, AWARENESS OF RESOURCES, AND DESIRE TO INSTITUTIONALIZE AMONG CAREGIVERS OF VETERANS
Authors: Desir Marianne , Garcia-Davis Sandra , Munoz Richard , Pugh Mary Jo , Trivedi Ranak , Leykum Luci , Dang Stuti
Published: January 2025

We analyzed the HERO CARE survey responses of 2,925 caregiver/Veteran dyads to: 1) describe the extent to which caregivers of older Veterans feel prepared for their caregiving tasks; 2) assess whether caregiver awareness of VA caregiver support resources was associated with feelings of preparedness; and 3) identify impact of caregiver feelings of preparedness and odds of caregiver interest in institutionalization of Veterans care recipients. Caregivers described themselves as, “Not at all prepared,” Somewhat prepared,” or “Very prepared” for their caregiving tasks. We calculated descriptive statistics for Veterans and caregivers and compared them by levels of caregiver preparedness using chi-square tests and t-tests. We then conducted adjusted multivariable logistic regression analyses to assess the association between caregiver preparedness and awareness of VA caregiver support services, and between desire to institutionalize and caregiver preparedness. Caregivers were mostly non-Hispanic white (73.3%), female (83.3%), and ≥ 65 years old (72.8%); 62.6% of caregivers felt very prepared, 34.7% felt somewhat prepared and 2.7% felt not at all prepared. Caregivers who were aware of at least one VA caregiver support resource were 33% more likely to feel very prepared compared to caregivers who were not aware of at least one resource (OR: 1.3; 95% CI: 1.1, 1.6; p<0.01). Caregivers who felt very prepared for caregiving were 39% less likely to have desire to institutionalize compared to caregivers who did not feel very prepared (OR: 0.6; 95% CI: 0.5-0.8; p <0.001). Veteran-caregiver dyads may benefit from increased awareness of VA resources, including ones that support caregivers.
THE PMDC AS A FRAMEWORK FOR IDENTIFYING AND ORGANIZING PERSON-CENTERED CARE INTERVENTIONS: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW
Authors: Buron Bill , Killian Tim
Published: January 2025

Residents living with dementia (RLWD) in nursing homes (NHs) have cognitive and communication deficits. Person-centered care (PCC) practices ranging from improving bathing experiences to supporting communication skills have been the mainstay of non-pharmacologic dementia care treatment, although there are considerable variations in how PCC practices are conceptualized and implemented. In efforts to meet Kitwood’s (1997) challenge to promote personhood among RLWD, Buron (2008) developed the Personhood Model for Dementia Care (PMDC) to identify and categorize three levels of personhood: biologic, individual, and sociologic. Through this integrative review, the researchers use Buron’s PMDC as a framework to intuitively identify, organize and analyze recent literature on PCC interventions. The study leveraged new Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to identify relevant studies published in the past 5 years (2019-present). The researchers used AI tools to identify over 100 qualifying studies. Through a second phase manual review of the abstracts, the researchers applied the inclusion criteria; reducing the number of papers to approximately 35. Most interventions focused on individual personhood, followed respectively by sociologic and biologic interventions, although there was overlap, with some papers addressing more than one dimension of personhood as defined by the PMDC. In the third phase, the researchers focused on downloading PDF versions of these studies and utilizing Natural Language Processing (NLP) tools to characterize and describe the current landscape of PCC interventions in NHs, using the PMDC as a model to promote additional research and advance the provision of targeted PCC interventions for RLWD in NH settings.
EXPLORING HOW INTERPERSONAL FACTORS SHAPE HEALTH BEHAVIORS AMONG HISPANIC OLDER ADULTS: A SCOPING REVIEW
Authors: Campos Barbara Mendez , Lyons Karen , Lopez Bruna
Published: January 2025

As the U.S. experiences a significant demographic shift, particularly among older adults, this scoping review focuses on the Hispanic population, one of the largest segments of historically underrepresented racial/ethnic groups in this age cohort. An in-depth exploration of health behaviors becomes imperative with this demographic surge and an accompanying higher chronic illness profile. A noteworthy gap exists in understanding the influence of interpersonal factors on health behaviors, particularly among older Hispanic adults. This review systematically examines the existing literature on the roles of interpersonal factors within family and friends in shaping health behaviors among Hispanic older adults. Beyond the conventional categorization of cultural values like familismo, acculturation, fatalism, marianismo, machismo, collectivism, respeto, and religious beliefs as intrapersonal influences, the study emphasizes unraveling these factors within their relational context. It acknowledges the heterogeneity in adherence to these values and assesses their subsequent impact on health behaviors. Using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) framework, the review identifies 39 relevant articles from six distinct databases. The findings underscore the urgency for future research utilizing mixed methods, multi-source, dyadic, and longitudinal approaches. Affirming the central role of interpersonal factors, predominantly involving daughters and wives, the study signals a gendered lens in relational dynamics within this community. Uncovering the roles of interpersonal factors significantly influencing various health behaviors, including physician visits, treatment choices, medication adherence, healthcare service use, and vaccinations, the review highlights the need for tailored interventions and further nuanced research in this critical area.
“I FEEL LIKE A SOMEBODY AGAIN”: THE ETHICS OF CARE IN A SHELTER FOR OLDER ADULTS FLEEING ABUSE
Authors: Richardson Lena Rebecca , Canham Sarah , Weldrick Rachel , Hoselton Jill , Grittner Alison , Walsh Christine
Published: January 2025

Elder abuse is one pathway into homelessness for older adults. Given the limited research on the experience of older adults staying in homeless shelters for victims of abuse, we conducted qualitative interviews with ten clients and five providers from an elder abuse shelter in Western Canada. Drawing on a feminist ethics of care framework, we explored what supports older survivors of abuse use to cultivate a sense of belonging at the shelter. Conducting a secondary qualitative data analysis, we identified three themes: 1) trust-building between providers and clients supports successful care-receiving by clients; 2) mutual care and caregiving by clients fosters clients’ sense of belonging; and 3) a perceived lack of care disrupts trust and impedes belonging. Our findings reveal how client trust is, in part, cultivated by providers’ acts of flexible, responsive care, supported by organizational policies and practices. In addition, clients’ acts of mutual care and caregiving towards other clients, friends, family, strangers, and animals contributes to their sense of belonging. In contrast, a perceived lack of care could be a source of conflict, though such experiences can be repaired through responsive care by providers and clients. Findings highlight the importance of shelter policies and practices which conceptualize older clients fleeing abuse as part of a multidirectional web of caring relations in fostering belonging. This study has implications for shelter program design that prioritizes trust-building through flexible, responsive care by providers, and recognizes client needs for care-receiving, caregiving, and mutual care.
WHY AI GOVERNANCE SHOULD BE A FOCAL ISSUE FOR GERONTOLOGY
Authors: Berridge Clara , Berridge Clara
Published: January 2025

Artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-mediated decision making currently impact older adults in numerous ways. From algorithmic decision making used in health insurance, employment, housing, and public benefits, to the information ecosystem, to social robots, AI applications implicate important issues of ethics, access, and ageism. The World Health Organization reports that the diverse interests of older adults are not well represented in discourses about AI policy making or governance. As AI harms are better understood, the call from public interest groups and from many academic fields has gotten louder for comprehensive AI and data privacy policy in the United States (U.S.), which lags behind other countries. Drawing from the international insights of European, Canadian, and U.S.-based research, this symposium will consider how older adults and their rights are represented in AI policy documents, laws, and policy discourse. Dr. Ho will discuss ethical concerns resulting from regulatory gaps in direct-to-consumer AI health monitoring platforms in the U.S context. Dr. Stypinska will highlight how European national (Germany, Spain, UK, Holland and Poland) and international policy documents related to AI position older adults. Dr. Gallistl will discuss the relevance of AI explainability in later life, as one of the key terms that currently inform EU AI-governance. Dr. Robillard will review findings and gaps from an analysis of international policies for social robots with aging applications. Participants with and without prior policy knowledge or AI research experience are welcome. Technology and Aging Interest Group Sponsored Symposium
END-USER PERSPECTIVES ON POLICIES FOR SOCIAL ROBOTICS WITH AGING APPLICATIONS
Authors: Robillard Julie , Dosso Jill , Ye Haiger , Guerra Gabriella , Riminchan Anna
Published: January 2025

Social robots, including those with artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled functionalities, are promising in their potential to support brain health in older adults in both home and healthcare environments, but their benefits must be weighed against ethical considerations and risks. To characterize and evaluate existing guidance in this field, we conducted a content analysis of n = 47 international policies on social robotics and conducted n = 18 semi-structured interviews with lived experience experts within the dementia and care partnership community and professional experts in the field of aging and dementia. Participants viewed social robots as potentially helpful assistive technologies and agreed with existing recommendations around the needs for respect for human rights and dignity, clear and consistent regulation, and public engagement. Participants recommended that policies prioritize cost and accessibility considerations, represent the needs of minority groups, and that they center around issues specific to aging and dementia. They reported that the responsibility for social robot policy development should lie with governments and the healthcare sector and called for increased consultation with end-users and medical professionals. Results also highlighted misalignments between the priorities of the aging and dementia community members and the existing social robot policy landscape. Potential harms and challenges to adoption of social robots were discussed, including discrimination, bias, and deception. Taken together, findings from this two-phase study can inform evidence-based policy recommendation for the development and implementation of AI-enabled social robots for aging.
AI DEVELOPMENT AND AGING POPULATIONS: CRITICAL JUNCTURE OR PATH DEPENDENCY? POLICY ANALYSIS
Authors: Stypinska Justyna , Rosales Anrea , Sourbati Maria , Koçer Rüya , Nadobnik Halina
Published: January 2025

This paper presents policy landscapes of five European countries - Germany, Holland, Spain, Poland, and Great Britain, as well as international documents (EU, UNESCO, Council of Europe) - scrutinizing their approaches to AI development through the lens of aging population. The research question addressed is: How are older persons represented and situated within AI governance in these national and international documents? The study, conducted as part of the “Ageism in AI (AGEAI)” research project, employs a policy text analysis to examine the explicit and implicit ways ageism manifests in AI development strategies. The research scrutinizes policy texts to discern the extent to which the needs, rights, wishes and perspectives of older individuals are acknowledged and integrated. The results show that economic growth, expected due to advancement of AI technologies, leaves a large segment of population – those not active in the labor market - beyond the scope of the policies. Furthermore, we observe diverse approaches and levels of inclusivity of the aging population across the five countries. While some nations exhibit explicit efforts to incorporate considerations for older adults within their AI policies, others demonstrate a significant gap in addressing age-related concerns. Moreover, the presentation will reflect on whether the direction of AI development proclaimed by the strategic documents reflects a pattern of path dependency of those policy instruments or suggests a more radical approach – a (new) critical juncture in development of technology for, by and with older adults.
PHYSICAL FRAILTY IN OLDER ADULTS: WHAT DRIVES AND PREVENTS IT?
Authors: Walston Jeremy
Published: January 2025

Physical frailty puts older adults at very high risk of adverse health outcomes and early mortality. There are multiple physiological and molecular changes that drive the development of frailty, including altered metabolism, activated inflammatory pathways, and autonomic nervous system dysregulation. Over the past several decades, our team has worked to identify specific physiological and molecular changes that drive earlier onset of frailty and late life decline in older adults. These pathway discoveries have also informed the underpinnings of physical resiliency in a subset of older adults, and helped to identify potential mechanisms by which older adults can live at lower biological risk of developing illnesses as well as functional and cognitive decline. This lecture will encapsulate how the evolving understanding of physical frailty, underpinned by decades of research, is reshaping our approach to healthy aging and reflecting a profound shift in the landscape of gerontology research.
OUR WAYS ARE A GIFT: NATIVE WAYS OF LIFE AND SPIRITUALITY AMONG ALASKA NATIVE ELDERS
Authors: Thompson Lena , Kim Steffi , Lewis Jordan
Published: January 2025

Spirituality plays an important role and tends to increase in importance as one ages, including for Alaska Natives. Spirituality is also one of the guiding principles of aging well and contributes to other aspects of Elders’ lives. The presence of spirituality does not ensure successful aging, but rather enables them to maintain a positive and healthy life. This presentation is part of a parent study that consists of 162 qualitative interviews with AN Elders over the course of 16 years, representing over 21 rural and urban communities across Alaska, and were analyzed using thematic analysis to explore the role of spirituality as a part of Native ways of life and successful aging. The Elders in this study practiced different forms of spirituality, including prayer, spending time on the land, participating in their Native arts and crafts, and spending time with family and community. Elders discussed how spirituality is found within most of their Native ways of life, including hunting, gathering, and preparing Native foods, and spending time with family and community. Spirituality is self-defined, unlike religion which relates to participation in a Western form of religion, like attending church. Some Elders in this study are both spiritual and religious, so it is important to ask about these practices and understand how they impact their understanding of aging in a good way. This presentation will conclude with a discussion of recommendations families, communities, and programs can do to integrate spiritual and religious activities into their programs to promote successful aging.
EVALUATION OF STAFF TRAINING FOR DELIVERING A GROUP MOVEMENT PROGRAM TO VA NURSING HOME RESIDENTS WITH DEMENTIA
Authors: Miller Matthew , Molly Delzio , Chesney Margaret , Jacob Riya , Lee Jennifer , Chao Linda , Barnes Deborah , Nicosia Francesca
Published: January 2025

Residents with dementia in VA nursing homes require complex care, but interprofessional staff rarely receive specialized training. Preventing Loss of Independence through Exercise (PLIÉ) is an evidence-based group movement program for residents with dementia that provides an opportunity for interprofessional staff to support mobility through functional movement, mindfulness, and other core principles. This study evaluated acceptability and impact of a remote program designed to increase scalability of interprofessional training for PLIÉ delivery among VA nursing home staff. The 10-week training program included weekly didactic sessions with pre-recorded videos (staff); weekly experiential sessions (staff, resident); and supervised teaching practicums (staff, residents). Satisfaction (staff, resident) and staff confidence in delivering PLIÉ were assessed using self-report questionnaires. Changes in resident fall history and physical function were examined using electronic medical records and the Minimum Data Set (MDS). Among 38 interprofessional staff enrolled across 4 sites, 29 (13 nurse, 6 recreation therapist, 10 other) attended at least 80% of the training sessions. The mean±SD staff satisfaction (N=22) was 4.5±0.7 (1: Poor, 5: Excellent) and confidence delivering PLIÉ was 6.7±0.7 (1: Cannot do, 7: Certain I can do). The mean±SD resident satisfaction (N=11) with the PLIÉ program was 3.7±1.0. The proportion of residents (N=32 residents; 31 male, 11 Black/African American) with a documented fall was lower after PLIÉ (Pre: 29%, Post: 6%, p=0.02), and attending more PLIÉ sessions was associated with physical function improvement (β:-0.83, p=0.03). These findings suggest the remote PLIÉ training program is acceptable and potentially improves resident fall rates and physical function.
SUICIDE IN MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT [MCI]: DATA FROM OVER 370,000 OLDER VETERANS WITH MCI
Authors: Morin Ruth , Ritter Aaron , Li Yixia , Byers Amy
Published: January 2025

Prior research has demonstrated that receiving an MCI diagnosis increases risk for near-term suicide attempt. Moreover, psychiatric comorbidity associated with MCI, which may exacerbate conversion to dementia, is also associated with suicide risk. To our knowledge, the current study is the first to comprehensively characterize the occurrence of suicide attempt and associated clinical factors in a large nationally representative sample of older Veterans with MCI. This study leveraged a cohort of Veterans over age 50 who used VA healthcare between 2012-2020 (N = 5,059,526). There were 370,546 individuals with clinically diagnosed MCI identified. Among those, 5,101 attempted suicide (fatal and non-fatal) during the study period (1.4% of the MCI sample). Of those who attempted suicide, 574 were fatal (11.3%). Individuals who attempted suicide were significantly younger, more likely to be female, and less likely to be White than those who did not attempt (all p<.001). Psychiatric comorbidity was strikingly high among the MCI group with a suicide attempt (98.4% with an attempt had at least one psychiatric comorbidity compared to 81.5% who did not attempt). Specifically, there was significantly higher prevalence of any mood disorder, anxiety disorder, substance abuse disorder, psychotic spectrum disorders, and sleep disturbances. Of individuals with MCI who attempted suicide, 71.4% had prior suicide attempt before receiving an MCI diagnosis and nearly 80% had reported suicidal ideation at some point during the study period. Findings indicate a call for investigation into mechanisms of suicide risk and strategies for prevention/intervention in this vulnerable population of adults with MCI.
USING MICRO-CREDENTIAL TO ADVANCE LONG-TERM CARE STAFF EXPERTISE IN PALLIATIVE CARE FOR PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA
Authors: Sun Winnie , Calver Jen , Martignetti Lucas , Peters Volletta , Lemonde Manon
Published: January 2025

Background

Ontario Tech University partnered with experts from Alzheimer’s Society of Canada (Durham Region of Ontario) and Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences to develop a micro-credentialing certificate program in dementia care. This study aims to evaluate the usability and applicability of using micro-credential learning to advance long-term care staff’s expertise in providing palliative care for people with dementia.

Methods

Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs), Registered Nurses (RNs), Nurse Practitioners (NP) and Personal Support Workers (PSWs) (n=19) who worked in long-term care homes located in Southern Ontario completed a one-day training to pilot-test a gamified micro-credential education related to palliative care for people with dementia. Upon completion of the training, a quantitative pre-assessment and post-assessment were used to evaluate learner’s perceived knowledge, skill, attitude and confidence as measured by the Educational Self-Efficacy Scale.

Results

Overall, there was a statistically significant increase in knowledge after the micro-credential training (P<.0001), with a mean increase of 3.2 more questions answered correctly. Focus group findings revealed four key themes: opportunities of using gamified simulation to promote learner’s engagement; lack of palliative care training to support people with dementia; need to strengthen workplace training using micro-credential for upskilling; and meaning of palliative care in long-term care sector.

Conclusion

Palliative care is recognized to be an important part of work in long-term care as residents are often admitted with complex and life-threatening conditions. Participants highlighted the feasibility of enhancing their knowledge and competence in palliative care through specialized training using gamified, simulation learning through micro-credential training.
NEW INSIGHTS INTO MITOCHONDRIA AND CELLULAR SENESCENCE
Authors: Passos Joao
Published: January 2025

Senescence is a multi-functional cell fate, characterized by an irreversible cell-cycle arrest and a pro-inflammatory phenotype, commonly known as the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). Emerging evidence indicates that accumulation of senescent cells in multiple tissues drives tissue dysfunction and several age-related conditions. This has spurred the academic community and industry to identify new therapeutic interventions targeting this process. Senescence is a complex and highly heterogenous phenotype and despite tremendous progress in recent years we are still far from fully understanding it. There is no single, stand-alone marker that allows the identification of senescent cells, posing a challenge to their identification and targeting. Mitochondrial dysfunction is an often-unappreciated hallmark of cellular senescence which plays important roles not only in the senescence growth arrest but also in the development of the SASP and resistance to cell-death. In my talk, I will first describe some of our recent efforts to accurately map senescent cells in different tissues during aging. Additionally, I will describe how mitochondria contribute to the development of senescence and resistance to cell-death. Finally, I will propose that a detailed road map of mitochondrial biology in senescence will be crucial to guide the future development of therapies targeting cellular aging.
HOW OXIDATIVE DAMAGE TO TELOMERES PROMOTES PREMATURE CELLULAR SENESCENCE
Authors: Opresko Patricia
Published: January 2025

Telomeres are protective caps at chromosome ends required for genome stability and sustained cell proliferation. Oxidative stress is associated with accelerated telomere shortening and dysfunction, and telomeric sequences are highly susceptible to oxidative damage. To study how oxidative damage impacts telomere function, we use a chemoptogenetic tool that produces the common oxidative lesion 8-oxoguanine (8oxoG) selectively at telomeres. Human cancer cells =are largely unaffected by a single induction of telomeric 8oxoG, but chronic damage impairs cell growth and increases telomere shortening and loss. In contrast, a single induction of telomeric 8oxoG in non-disease human fibroblast and epithelial cells triggers hallmarks of p53-dependent cellular senescence. Telomeric 8oxoG promotes replication stress at telomeres, leading to telomere fragility rather than accelerated telomere shortening. Surprisingly, the loss of repair enzymes OGG1 and MUTYH partially rescues the telomeric 8oxoG-induced senescence and telomere dysfunction, while double knockout causes a near complete rescue. These glycosylases initiate base excision repair at sites of 8oxoG, leading to repair intermediates, including abasic sites and single strand breaks. Following telomeric 8oxoG damage, repair intermediates accumulate at telomeres in wild type, but not OGG1/MUTYH deficient cells. These data suggest that inefficient completion of 8oxoG BER at telomeres triggers cellular senescence via repair intermediates which disrupt telomere function. We uncovered a novel mechanism for telomere-driven rapid senescence that depends on DNA replication and glycosylase activity but occurs in the absence of telomere shortening. This mechanism may contribute to markers of telomere dysfunction that increase with age and oxidative stress in slowly proliferating tissues.
HIGH RESOLUTION SPATIAL PROTEOGENOMICS TO ASSESS TARGET ENGAGEMENT AND COMPARE SENOLYTIC EFFICACY IN THE BRAIN OF TAU TRANSGENIC MICE
Authors: Orr Miranda , Garbarino Valentina , Orr Timothy
Published: January 2025

Tau protein accumulation induces cellular senescence in Alzheimer’s disease and other tauopathies contributing to dysfunction and disability. Treating tau transgenic mice with pharmacological agents to clear senescent cells, “senolytics,” reduced brain pathology and improved structure and function. We now report results from directly comparing the previously used senolytic therapy, dasatinib plus quercetin (D+Q), to fisetin (FIS), a senolytic with a potentially favorable side-effect profile. Fourteen-month-old male and female wild type (WT) and tau transgenic (rTg4510) mice were treated intermittently for 12 weeks with D+Q, FIS or vehicle by oral gavage. Physical and behavioral outcomes were measured before and after treatment, and we utilized spatial proteogenomics for high-resolution target engagement. In vivo assessments included assays for exploratory behavior, cognition, stereotypic behavior, physical performance and frailty. Genotype- and sex-specific treatment effects will be discussed. Both senolytic treatments were equally protective against neurodegeneration as evidenced by smaller lateral ventricle size in senolytic treated rTg4510s compared to those vehicle treated. GeoMx digital spatial profiling and CosMx spatial molecular imaging data indicate treatment-specific effects with a genotype interaction. In general D+Q exerted a greater effect on tau neuropathology in rTg4510 mice; other treatment-specific differences across cell types and brain regions will be presented. Overall our data suggest that tailoring senolytic therapies to specific individuals in the future based on sex and disease state may provide the most benefit as we continue to translate this promising therapy to clinical use.
THE UNEQUAL ENTITLEMENT TO FILIAL CARE: HOW DO OLDER CHINESE IMMIGRANTS MOBILIZE SUPPORT FROM ADULT CHILDREN
Authors: Cao Xuemei
Published: January 2025

The broad-brush image of vulnerable older immigrants conceals their heterogeneous pathways to later life and their varied abilities to mobilize care during personal and health crises. This study examines why some older immigrants hesitate to seek help from their children whereas others feel entitled to ask for help. I conducted in-depth interviews with 42 older Chinese immigrants (aged 60 and above) in Massachusetts and ethnographic observations at various spaces where my participants congregated. Built on the cumulative advantage/ disadvantage theory, I show that international migration is a critical life transition that triggers immigrants’ unequal and gendered cumulation of material, cultural, social, and moral resources in the US and China. Those with earlier age at migration, higher socioeconomic status, and legal and social membership in the US can selectively preserve aspects of the ethnic culture of filial piety, and request help from their children as needed. By contrast, those who arrived in mid-to-late adulthood, who are of lower socioeconomic status, and who question earlier parenting and migration decisions (e.g., transnational separation) feel less entitled to seek help despite their desires for filial care. Unequal life-course resource cumulation leads to widening disparities in immigrants’ later-life health outcomes and well-being through the process of support mobilization. Considering that those who need help the most often feel least entitled to ask for help from their families, social and aging services should proactively offer support to these older adults to ensure their well-being and reduce inequalities.
FROM CARE DYAD TO SUPPORT NETWORKS: PURCHASE INTENTION FOR HOME- AND COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICE OF CHINESE OLDER ADULTS
Authors: Yan Zi , Sun Xin
Published: January 2025

This study examines the underlying types of intergenerational solidarity and informal support networks among impaired older adults in China, and explains how they may influence the home- and community-based service purchase intention of these individuals. Based on the 2018 and 2020 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Aging and Social Survey, a total of 3,564 older adults (aged 60 and above, with at least one child) were selected. First, we use K-means cluster analysis to identify four types of intergenerational solidarity among Chinese families: tight-knit, distant-but-intimate, independent-intimate, and emotional-detached. Secondly, we examined the size of three distinct types of informal support networks among Chinese older adults: general social networks, functional support networks, and emotional support networks. Subsequently, binary logistic regression was conducted to examine the relative impacts of intergenerational solidarity and informal support networks on impaired older adults’ purchase intention. Our findings highlighted the diverse impacts of informal functional/emotional support networks on older adults’ purchase intentions. These networks exhibit the potential to either substitute for or complement formal care, contingent upon the specific types of intergenerational solidarity. This research enriches the theoretical literature by incorporating both vertical and horizontal perspectives. It also enhances our understanding of the dynamics between ‘formal’ and ‘informal’ care within the Chinese context. This study underscores the necessity for precise targeting in service delivery, emphasizing the importance of considering the entire family and the influence of the older adults’ social network on service utilization and purchase decisions.
SOCIAL STRATIFICATION IN THE TIME-USE OF INFORMAL CAREGIVERS FOR OLDER INDIVIDUALS
Authors: Albertini Marco , Zanasi Francesca
Published: January 2025

In ageing societies, the increasing share of older adults places significant care burdens on family members, who experience negative consequences on psychological and physical health, and social isolation. These adverse effects have to do with time use restrictions because of the time priority required by caregiving. Caregivers often cut on labour market involvement, sleeping, and social activities and relationships they previously enjoyed. Despite extensive research, the socioeconomic disparities in caregiver experiences remain underexplored. For example, more disadvantaged individuals could suffer the most from caregiving, having limited possibilities to ‘buy time for themselves’ by purchasing services on the market. Our study, using data from the Survey of Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE, 2020), investigates how health shocks to partners (i.e., exogenous shocks leading to increasing demands for informal caregiving, such as the onset of dementia, hip fracture, stroke) influence caregivers’ daily activities; and how socioeconomic characteristics moderate this relationship. Preliminary results show that care responsibilities influence the caregiver’s time expenditure, with heterogeneity across gender and socio-economic status. The most affected by a partner’s health shock are men at the bottom of the income distribution and women at the top. When having an impaired partner, the former spend more time in household chores and cut on leisure activities, while the latter sleep less at night and cut on paid work. In conclusion, it is essential to understand which individuals face the consequences of caregiving and reiterate the importance of a social infrastructure supporting families caring for their dependent family members.
WHAT IS IN A NAME: DEMENTIA AND CAREGIVERS IN THE AFRICAN IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY
Authors: Nkimbeng Manka , Aswani Truphosa , Gaugler Joseph
Published: January 2025

African immigrants are among the racial/ethnic minority groups whose experiences of dementia are not fully understood. However, the use of appropriate terminology is necessary to facilitate appropriate outreach and research with the African immigrant community. The purpose of this qualitative study is to describe how African immigrants define dementia and care partners. Thematic analysis of transcripts from ten key informant interviews (with leaders including priests, executive directors, etc.) and three community conversations (30 participants). Themes describe that there are no accepted words for dementia or caregiver in many African immigrant languages. Translations for dementia are often based on the symptoms, other derogatory terminology, and myths. The concept of a caregiver or care partner is also unfamiliar to the community, even when individuals are performing such roles. The language surrounding dementia care significantly impacts healthcare access and quality care, especially for multilingual and multicultural communities. Identifying and clarifying these terminologies are a key component of outreach and education that is necessary to decrease the risk and burden of dementia in these communities that are disproportionately impacted.
INTERNATIONAL COMPARISON OF GENDER DIFFERENCES IN INFORMANT REPORTS OF COGNITIVE DECLINE IN OLDER ADULTS
Authors: Cantu Phillip
Published: January 2025

Informant assessments aid in diagnosing cognitive decline and dementia, yet cultural and social factors may influence reporting. This study investigates gender disparities in informant reports of cognitive function across the US and Mexico using data from Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP) of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and the Mexican Cognitive Aging Study (MexCOG). Analyzing 4,716 participants, we utilize comparable informant questions and contextual data, including age, gender, education, and MMSE scores. Logistic regressions model the relationship between gender and informant reports separately for each nation. Preliminary analysis reveals gender differences in informant reports of cognitive functioning in both countries. In general, informants were more likely to report symptoms of cognitive decline in the U.S. than in Mexico. Informants were more likely to report memory issues (forgets where things are kept, forgets where they put things), and difficulty with chores for women in both countries. There are fewer gender differences in orientation questions for each nation, maybe related to high level of impairment. In Mexico, informants are more likely to report conversation impairments for women. This study sheds light on the nuanced interplay of cultural and social factors in informant assessments of cognitive function among older adults in diverse national contexts.
ECONOMIC IMPACT OF DEMENTIA ON AFRICAN AMERICAN AND LATINO ADULTS: A GROWING CHALLENGE
Authors: Mudrazija Stipica , Aranda Maria , Gaskin Darrell , Richard Patrick , Monroe Stephanie
Published: January 2025

In this study, we estimate the economic impact of dementia today and through 2060 associated with a) lost wages of persons living with dementia as well as their caregivers, b) excess medical care spending for persons living with dementia, c) value of unpaid care, and d) the value of wider economic costs (lost productivity, lost tax revenue), for African American and Latino adults living in the US and their caregivers. In 2020, the total economic impact of dementia for African American and Latino adults reached almost $94 billion, including over $62 billion (66%) in unpaid care and over $31 billion (34%) in various costs for older adults, their caregivers, and others. Latino and African American adults accounted for 60 and 40 percent of the costs, respectively. By 2060, the economic impact of dementia for African American and Latino adults will increase to $1.4 trillion (in 2060 dollars). The share of the total attributable to unpaid care will decline from 67 percent to 60 percent, while the share of various costs will increase, and most notably forgone wages (from 21% to 27%). The shift in the cost distribution is due mainly to shifts in the caregiving population’s age distribution and educational attainment level. Efforts aimed at keeping working-age caregivers attached to the labor force will become increasingly important to limit the fast growth in the value of work-related costs of caregiving.
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING INFLUENCES ON COGNITIVE FUNCTION IN MEXICAN AMERICAN IMMIGRANTS
Authors: Kim Jeung Hyun , Silverstein Merril
Published: January 2025

The present research investigates the mechanisms through which different cultural resources retained by the very old Mexican American immigrants shape their psychological and cognitive wellbeing. The very old immigrants are likely to adhere to the traditional values originated from their country of origin and may be isolated from the mainstream culture. The roles that acculturation and the availability of ethnocultural resources like familismo and religious practices play can generate their loneliness and depression, which then, lead to their cognitive health disparities. It uses HEPESE (Wave 7), the epidemiological study of older Mexican Americans residing in the Southwestern U.S. Path models are utilized for the analysis. Of 368 very old immigrants, results reveal that stronger intergenerational ties and marriage reduce loneliness while increased acculturation, immigrating at a younger age as a proxy measure of acculturation, and fewer religious engagement elevate depression. Though there is a marginal association between the psychological wellbeing and the global cognitive health, cognitively impaired individuals are likely to associate with their adult children more. When stratified across cognitive dimensions, immigrating at an older age and depression demise their memory function. A more active religious engagement lessens their depression, which can further strengthen their memory function. Regarding the nonmemory function of the immigrants, their cultural resources and psychological wellbeing do not show significance. The discussion focuses on how the possession of ethnocultural resources renders benefits to the very old immigrants across health dimensions while their acculturation, age-at-immigration, has different influences on their psychological and cognitive wellbeing.
CROSS-NATIONAL PREVALENCE OF RISK OF DEPRESSION AMONG OLDER ADULTS: ARE THERE GENDER AND AGE DIFFERENCES?
Authors: Iriarte Antonia Diaz-Valdes , Medina Jose
Published: January 2025

Depression among older adults is becoming one of the most pressing issues in public health, yet it remains one of the less recognized problems and is one of the leading causes of disability in this age group. Among older adults, depression often goes unrecognized. Although depression has been widely studied, there are still several unanswered questions regarding country/context differences, gender, age, and cohort differences, as most studies have been conducted in specific contexts. This study aims to examine cross-national gender gaps in the prevalence of depression risk from 2000 to 2020, controlling for age and cohort effects. A random-effects model with robust standard errors was conducted to examine depression cases and predict probabilities. Our analysis involved a sample of 248,559 individuals aged 50 and older from 35 countries, spanning the years 2000 to 2020. Throughout the examined period, the average predicted probability of depression was 24.01% for males and 35.70% for females. This translates to a consistent gender gap of 11.69 percentage points. Notably, while the gender gap in depression probability remained stable over time, both males and females exhibited an upward trend in depression probability during this period – about 3% and 5% respectively. This study contributes to the current literature and seeks to explore the prevalence of depression risk cross-nationally using harmonized measures of depression, which has not been done yet. Our study highlights the importance of screening and treating depression among older adults to reduce the consequences of depression, especially among women, who are disproportionately affected.
CAREGIVING, LIVING ALONE, AND OLDER WOMEN’S MENTAL HEALTH: A NUANCED VIEW AMID THE STRESS OF COVID-19
Authors: Zhu Yiwen , Farmer Justin
Published: January 2025

Caregiving and living alone are potentially stressful psychosocial experiences for older adults, but prior findings are inconsistent: caregiving may be associated with prosocial benefits, and living alone is distinct from social isolation. In the context of heightened collective stress during COVID-19, we examined caregiving and living alone in 27,646 older female former nurses (mean age 67) from the Nurses’ Health Study II. We assessed whether caregiving and living alone were prospectively associated with multiple facets of mental health. In May 2020, participants self-reported personal caregiving roles (yes/no) and living arrangements (alone/with others). Caregivers reported their stress levels concerning common COVID-19-related caregiving tasks; all participants reported on social support. Seven mental health outcomes were assessed at 1-6 timepoints over one year, including depression, anxiety, perceived stress, loneliness, psychological well-being, social well-being, and gratitude. All analyses accounted for covariates including pre-pandemic mental health and multiple testing. Caregiving and living alone associated with higher distress and lower positive functioning. Nuanced perspectives emerged with respect to caregiving stress and social support: while stressed caregivers had worse mental health (e.g., OR depression =2.08[1.88-2.31]), caregivers not experiencing stress had better mental health (OR depression =0.74[0.67- 0.81]), in comparison to non-caregivers. Older women living alone with adequate social support showed comparable mental health to their counterparts who lived with others, while participants lacking support reported substantially elevated distress (e.g., OR depression =3.11[2.55-3.79]). We provided a more nuanced understanding of caregiving and living alone among older women; caregiving stress and social support may be promising intervention targets.
MULTIMORBIDITY COMBINATIONS AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOM TRAJECTORIES AMONG US OLDER ADULTS
Authors: Bishop Nicholas , Walker Kealie , Nagel Corey L , Newsom Jason , Botoseneanu Anda , Allore Heather , Quiñones Ana
Published: January 2025

Multimorbidity (2+ chronic health conditions) is directly related to increased patient burden, but the association between specific multimorbidity combinations and trajectories of depressive symptoms among older adults is unknown. We used data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) to estimate the association between multimorbidity combinations identified in 2012 and trajectories of depressive symptoms from 2012-2020 in adults aged ≥ 65 (n=9,004; mean age: 75.3; % female: 58.7%). Self-reported physician-diagnosed conditions included arthritis, hypertension, diabetes, heart conditions, cancer, lung disease, and stroke. The eight-item CES-D measured depressive symptoms. Multimorbidity combinations were used to predict quadratic latent growth trajectories of depressive symptoms, adjusting for sociodemographic, behavioral, and childhood characteristics and the complex sampling design of the HRS. In 2012, 75.6% of respondents experienced multimorbidity and the average depression score was 1.4 (SD=1.9). Nine unique multimorbidity patterns were identified, most common being hypertension+arthritis (14.6%), hypertension+heart conditions+arthritis (7.1%), and hypertension+diabetes+arthritis (6.1%). Several multimorbidity combinations were associated with greater baseline depressive symptomatology (e.g., compared to those reporting no conditions at baseline, those reporting hypertension+lung disease+arthritis had 0.96 more baseline depressive symptoms (SE=0.2, p<.001), and those reporting hypertension+diabetes+heart conditions+arthritis had 0.93 more baseline depressive symptoms (SE=.2, p<.001), respectively). Several multimorbidity combinations were associated with linear and nonlinear change in depressive symptoms, with hypertension+cancer+arthritis and hypertension+diabetes+arthritis being associated with the most rapid increases in depressive symptoms. Our work highlights the increased risk of depression among older adults with varied multimorbidity combinations and speaks to the mental health burden associated with multimorbidity.
DECADES OF CONNECTION: THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL NETWORK TRAJECTORIES ON COGNITIVE HEALTH ACROSS 29 YEARS
Authors: Hu Rita , Antonucci Toni , Ajrouch Kristine
Published: January 2025

The current study used Latent Growth Curve Modeling to examine the associations between overall network, closest, close and weak social tie trajectories across the lifespan and cognitive health later in life. Participants (N = 145) were from the longitudinal Social Relations study and the Detroit Area Wellness Network study, with four waves of data spanning from 1992 to 2021. Participants had a wide age range in Wave 1 (Mage (SD) = 46.9 (8.01) [37 - 71]) and were mostly women (69%) and White (82%). Social network structure was measured using hierarchical mapping with inner, middle, and outer circles symbolizing the emotional closeness of the relationships. Cognitive health was measured by a latent variable based on episodic memory, language, attention, and working memory. Results showed that increases in both overall network size and the size of closer social networks (middle circle) over time were significantly associated with better cognitive health (overall network size: β = 0.490, p <.064; middle circle size: β = 1.864, p =.005). Gender-specific analysis revealed no significant differences in model fit between constrained and unconstrained models, suggesting the absence of substantial gender differences. However, it was noted that for men, the increase in closer social networks over time positively impacts cognitive function. The study contributes to the understanding of the complex role social ties play in cognitive aging and underscores the necessity for targeted interventions to bolster social connections among older adults, with a nuanced approach considering gender-specific dynamics.