bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
TESTING PSYCHOLOGICAL RESILIENCE IN THE OLDER US POPULATION
Authors: Taylor Miles , Carr Dawn
Published: January 2025

The concept of resilience, broadly defined as the ability to successfully navigate or bounce back after stressors or traumas, has gained increased attention in several disciplinary literatures on aging. Certain challenges and setbacks, such as chronic condition onset and widowhood, become more normative in older adulthood. It is increasingly recognized that resilience is important to understanding health processes and independent functioning in later life. Aging scholars note that resilience can be operationalized as a set of individual characteristics promoting adaptation, a process of adaptation and/or coping, and healthy or beneficial outcomes after stressful setbacks or challenges. We focus on psychological resilience (PR), an individual’s capacity to navigate adversity through positive adaptation in a manner that protects health and well-being. Although numerous measures of PR exist, most are not incorporated into large longitudinal data on older adults that may provide insights on how this resource works across a variety of stressors and outcomes. In this session, we first discuss our collective work that has 1. innovated the creation of a PR measure that can be used in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), and 2. tested the validity and predictive efficacy of this measure in this nationally representative data source. We then present key findings from our research on the protective effects of PR across a number of stressors and outcomes, showing how its connection to health processes may be helpful in shaping future interventions.
COGNITIVE RESERVE IN AGING AND PRECLINICAL ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE
Authors: Soldan Anja , Pettigrew Corinne , Albert Marilyn
Published: January 2025

There is large inter-individual variability in cognitive and brain aging trajectories, which have been related to differences in cognitive reserve (CR), brain mainenance, and the influence of genetic and environmental factors across the lifespan. This presentation will discuss recent evidence regarding CR using data from the BIOCARD study, which includes ~ 300 individuals who were cognitively unimpaired and primarily middle-aged at baseline (mean baseline age=57) and have been followed with clinical and cognitive evaluations, brain imaging, and blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collection for over 20 years. This work has shown that higher levels of CR, indexed using years of education, literacy, and vocabulary measures, are associated with higher baseline cognitive performance and a delayed onset of Mild Cognitive Impairment, even in the presence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology and neurodegenration. By comparison, CR measures were not related to levels or rates of change in AD biomarkers (e.g, CSF and blood levels amyloid and tau), suggesting that CR influences cognitive and clinical outcomes through mechanisms other than AD pathology accumulation. Instead, further results suggest that measures of CR are associated with white matter hyperintensity burden and white matter microstructural integrity. Additionally, other modifiable lifestyle factors known to influence cognitive outcomes (e.g., physical activity, sleep quality and quantity, and engagement in stimulating leisure activities) are associated with measures of resting-state functional brain connectivity. Taken together, these findings suggest that modifiable lifestyle factors may promote cognitive reserve and resilience by improving aspects of functional and structural brain connectivity and cerebrovascular health.
AGE-FRIENDLY UNIVERSITY IN PRACTICE: DEVELOPING AN AGE INCLUSIVITY MICRO-CREDENTIAL PROGRAM
Authors: Hasworth Serena
Published: January 2025

This session will highlight findings from PSU’s “Age-Friendly University Campus Report” (Silverstein et al., 2021) and provide an overview of the activities to improve age-friendliness through the Better with Age Initiative, a program that invests in students pursuing career pathways in aging and faculty conducting aging-related research. Presenters will describe efforts to develop a free, self-paced Age Inclusivity micro-credential program for students and faculty at PSU in which participants learn to describe local and national growth of aging populations, analyze the intersectional experience of aging, reflect on personal attitudes of aging, determine how older adults play a role in society at large, and explore career opportunities in the aging field. Micro-credentials provide tailored learning experiences for students, faculty, and staff that supplement and enrich current curricular and professional development offerings. Presenters will describe how these programs have the potential to reach students who may not be interested in pursuing a formal degree or minor focused on aging, but who want to set themselves apart on the job market by demonstrating their knowledge and skills related to serving older adults in their unique field.
REAL-WORLD IMPLEMENTATION OF DEMENTIA CAREGIVING PROGRAMS: ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE PROGRAM INITIATIVE RESULTS
Authors: Menne Heather , Long Erin
Published: January 2025

Since 1992 grants from the Administration on Aging have supported community services for people living with dementia and their caregivers. Beginning in 2014, grantees began addressing specific gaps in community-based care and services. Papers presented in this symposium highlight examples of each gap area. First, Yoon Chung Kim addresses the gap area of serving people who live alone with dementia and the successes and challenges faced in serving this population. The next two papers present examples of improving care and services for individuals aging with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) with dementia or those at high risk of developing dementia. Dr. Kelli Barton discusses outcomes and lessons learned from the implementation of two dementia programs, Reducing Disability in Alzheimer’s Disease (RDAD) and Care Ecosystem, with the IDD population and their care partners. Dr. Faika Zanjani highlights the progress of the ADRD risk reduction health coaching delivered to older adults living with ADRD risk factors (e.g., diabetes, hypertension). Another gap area addresses the delivery of behavior symptom management training and consultation for family caregivers. Dr. Tamara Herrick discusses the impact and sustainability of the implementation of the Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer’s Caregiver Health (REACH) Community program within primary care and geriatrics settings. Dr. Christy Nishita presents the elements and successes of Hawaii’s memory care navigator model that educates, supports, and connects local families to the resources that they need. Erin Long, the Team Lead for Alzheimer’s and Dementia Programs at the Administration on Aging, Administration for Community Living offers discussion comments.
SUCCESSES AND CHALLENGES OF PROGRAMS FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE ALONE WITH DEMENTIA
Authors: Kim Yoon Chung , Lepore Michael , Gordon Kate , Tuladhar Lirisha , Menne Heather
Published: January 2025

Approximately a quarter of older adults with dementia or cognitive impairment live alone in the US. To address the needs of people living alone with dementia (PLAWD), the Administration for Community Living requires PLAWD-focused services in its Alzheimer’s Disease Program Initiative (ADPI). We examined final reports from ADPI grantees that served PLAWD to determine the types of services delivered, and successes and challenges faced in service delivery. Of 59 grantees, 52 were community grants and 7 were state grants. Grantees implemented strategies to identify and support PLAWD by partnering with local service providers and leveraging existing relationships (e.g., meal programs, adult day centers, senior residential communities, friendly visitor programs, transportation services). Grantees offered opportunities for companionship and support for socialization through buddy programs, phone calls, social and wellness programming, and regular home visits. Grantees utilized volunteers, interns, and staff from various disciplines to provide care management or to deliver services. Top challenges reported were difficulty making contact with PLAWD, high levels of stigma associated with dementia, fear of losing independence, and low awareness and a lack of understanding about programs. Findings demonstrate that a variety of services have been successfully provided to PLAWD. However, common challenges are experienced in service delivery. PLAWD need an expansion of services and support, including care management, care monitoring, and socialization. Given the importance of service access for PLAWD, raising awareness of programs, reducing stigma, identifying and reaching PLAWD is vital. Different approaches used and challenges faced between state and community grants are discussed.
THE BENEFIT OF COOPERATIVE EXTENSION FOR OLDER ADULT MENTAL HEALTH AND FUTURE GERONTOLOGICAL RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
Authors: Meinertz Naomi , Perepezko Kate , Buys David
Published: January 2025

Mental health concerns are a gerontological research priority; however, older adults who would benefit most from research in this area (e.g., rural, socially isolated) are often underrepresented in research. With representation in every U.S. state, the Cooperative Extension (Extension) system is ideally situated to work with researchers to reach and positively impact older adults. However, despite a strong history of success in bridging research and practice, Extension is an often-overlooked asset. The main objective of this symposium is to highlight exemplary partnerships between academic faculty and Extension systems to positively impact older adult mental health. The first presentation will discuss the results of a systematic review highlighting studies that employed Community-based Participatory Research methods with the Extension system to positively impact older adult mental health. The second presentation will share the process of culturally adapting the National Council on Aging’s ‘Aging Mastery Program’ through the Extension system and the impact on older participants’ feelings of social connectedness. The third presentation will present the findings of a novel program, ‘Rightsizing’, that reduces hoarding behaviors of older adults by addressing their emotional connection to their possessions. The final presentation will identify the process of partnering with a Cooperative Extension system that implements a multi-state physical activity program, ‘Stay Strong Stay Healthy’, to improve older adult physical and psychosocial outcomes. This symposium will conclude with a discussion led by Dr. David Buys connecting each of the presentations and emphasizing the role of the national Extension system in improving older adult mental health outcomes. Mental Health Practice and Aging Interest Group Sponsored Symposium
A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF COOPERATIVE EXTENSION COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH FOR LATE LIFE MENTAL HEALTH
Authors: Meinertz Naomi , Dozier Mary , Perepezko Kate , Lee JeongEun
Published: January 2025

Rural-dwelling older adults have greater mental health disparities with higher rates of depression and anxiety compared to their urban counterparts; however, reaching these communities to understand and address the specific psychological needs of rural-dwelling older adults remains a barrier for gerontologists. Due to the extensive reach of the Cooperative Extension system (Extension), with representation in every county across the U.S., Extension is primed to facilitate connections between researchers and rural communities to improve mental health outcomes for older adults. Despite the benefits of such partnerships, Extension is largely unknown and underutilized by gerontological researchers, which leaves many older adults unconnected with resources that could improve their mental health outcomes. To better understand this gap, we conducted a systematic review of gerontological studies that utilized Extension to reach and positively impact rural older adult mental health. Using the methods and results from these studies, we highlight the principles of community-based participatory research (CBPR) that make this gerontological research possible and beneficial for older adult mental health outcomes. We also explore the characteristics important for these collaborative relationships and underscores the role that Extension plays in improving mental health outcomes of older adults. Our review will contribute to gerontological research by outlining the advantages of CBPR conducted in partnership with the Extension system and providing guidance for researchers to make these connections that will reduce the mental health disparities between rural and urban older adults.
AMPING UP HEALTHY AGING: ENHANCING THE LIVES OF OLDER ADULTS AMONG DIVERSE POPULATIONS
Authors: Williams Ginger , Schneider Sue , Ishiwata Eric , Delgado Sara , Stoltenberg Peggy , Fruhauf Christine , Brothers Allyson
Published: January 2025

Over the last decade, Colorado State University Extension (CSUE) has focused on meeting the needs of historically marginalized communities with the highest rates of health disparities and social isolation. These disparities are largely due to language barriers and gaps in cultural competencies among healthcare providers. To bring healthy aging education and support to culturally diverse and underserved communities, CSUE led the adaptation of National Council on Aging’s (NCOA) Aging Mastery Program (AMP), a ten-session evidence-based curriculum (available in both English and Spanish) that supports older adults in aging well. The adaptation of AMP was implemented with Native American, Spanish-dominant immigrant, and East African refugee populations in Colorado. To adapt the program, we utilized state data to identify priority communities. Next, we conducted listening sessions to understand each community’s unique perspectives with a significant focus on developing trusting relationships. We then identified and supported members of each community as champions to teach the curriculum with CSUE’s coaching and technical assistance. Finally, we empowered these champions and their class participants to identify other gaps in knowledge and areas of interest, creating opportunities to develop ‘booster’ sessions. We prioritized paying our community champions to teach and lead in their communities. As a result, we’ve co-written grants and papers and created new programs alongside these champions. We are currently exploring expanding AMP in eight new communities across Colorado. Our program adaptation process has helped to break down barriers to implementing culturally relevant programs with underserved communities while bridging health equity gaps across the state.
WORKING WITH DIVERSE ELDERS IN RURAL COMMUNITIES (OPPORTUNITIES AND STRENGTHS)
Authors: Kopera-Frye Karen , Holley Lyn , Ford Cassandra
Published: January 2025

The focus of this symposium is to discuss the opportunities and strengths of working with diverse elders and older adults in rural communities. Accounts of field experiences will be shared, and methods of utilizing existing data that hold promise for addressing current problems; along with building the foundation of communication and relationship requisite to successful design, development, and implementation of improvements will be described through various studies with rural and/or indigenous peoples. We will discuss the role of social determinants of health, race, and rurality on frailty trajectories utilizing data from the National Health and Aging Trend Study. An innovative approach for leveraging older adult farmers’ expertise to facilitate effective emergency decision-making in Fraiser Valley, British Columbia, Canada, will be described. Ongoing research with Alaskan Native Elders provides insight into the need for effective research with Indigenous cultures, especially Elders, by developing trusting and mutually beneficial relationships. Research strategies involved historical, social, cultural, and inter-relational perspectives. Insight into how Cuidando con Respeto, a program with Latinx elders, builds bridges to health care and mutual understanding nurtured at the community level and shows promise in empowering caregivers within a familismo-culturally relevant manner will be shared. The use of mobile pain applications and considerations when designing health technology will be examined with diverse older adults.
PREPAREDNESS AND CUIDANDO CON RESPETO: A CULTURE-CENTERED APPROACH FOR LATINX CAREGIVERS
Authors: Kopera-Frye Karen
Published: January 2025

The Latinx community is the largest racial minority in the United States, yet many Latinx families are in socially vulnerable positions due to immigration crisis, discrimination, health inequities, and poverty. These factors have been shown to impact Latino mental health and well-being; particularly in the caregiving role. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2021) have recommended advancing the field by understanding the cultural aspect of dementia and caregiving in diverse populations and the resultant implications. An Evidence-Based Program, Cuidando con Respeto, aims to empower Spanish-speaking caregivers of loved ones with Alzheimer’s Disease. Fifty-eight Latinx rural dwelling caregivers, primarily daughters, caring for their elder parents with dementia were surveyed about their perceptions of the Cuidando Program and how prepared they felt for their caregiving role. Qualitative analysis of caregiver responses on Program effectiveness and perceptions of preparedness in caregiving areas, e.g., information, revealed overwhelming positive benefits. Caregivers felt more prepared for their caregiving role and appreciated learning coping strategies with disruptive behaviors. The Promotora-led training resulted in greater reported self-efficacy. Level of preparedness is an important caregiving dimension to address, especially with culturally diverse communities having strong cultural caregiving norms. The incidence of Latinx caregivers is rising; however, available culturally appropriate services are lacking, especially in rural areas. Familismo, a Latinx primary cultural value, refers to the importance of strong family loyalty, and contributing to the well-being of the nuclear, and extended family, and kinship networks. Cuidando con Respeto shows promise in empowering caregivers within a familismo-culturally relevant manner.
WISDOM OVER TEA: USE OF COMMUNITY-BASED APPROACHES WITH RURAL ALASKA NATIVE ELDERS
Authors: Lewis Jordan , Kim Steffi , Thompson Lena
Published: January 2025

Native Elders are often underrepresented in data collection efforts due to distrust of Western research institutions and Western methodologies. Through over 16 years and 162 interviews with Alaska Native (AN) Elders, the Alaska Native Successful Aging Team, led by Dr. Jordan P. Lewis, has been employing strategies to decolonize research. In this presentation, we will share stories and strategies for connecting with rural and remote AN Elders, including the role of sharing (food, tea, gifts, laughter), taking time to build relationships, and the importance of laughter with Elders. Furthermore, we will explain the role of an Elder-led advisory committee and its role in the implementation of Alaska Native driven values-oriented research. The use of community-based approaches, such as talk story, community member involvement, building trust, and maintaining sustainable relationships are necessary steps to conduct research that is Indigenous-driven and beneficial to the communities. Throughout this presentation, we will discuss Indigenous-driven research approaches and the necessity for the increased recognition of research strategies that involve historical, social, cultural, and inter-relational perspectives. Decolonizing approaches to data collection offer space for relationality, and offer a trusting and mutually beneficial environment to conduct research with AN Elders.
THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH ON FRAILTY TRAJECTORIES OF OLDER ADULTS IN RURAL UNITED STATES
Authors: Spangler Hillary , Xie Wenyi , Lynch David , Lin Feng-Chang , Batsis John
Published: January 2025

Background

Frailty is a geriatric syndrome of physical decline that increases an older adult’s risk for vulnerability to physiological stress. We aim to determine the impact of social determinants of health (SDOH) on frailty trajectories of older adults in rural areas.

Methods

We used data from the National Health and Aging Trend Study (2011-2020), a cohort of Medicare beneficiaries >65 years. Using cohorts from 2011 (n=8,245) and 2015 (n=8,334), individuals were categorized using Fried’s frailty phenotype. Rurality was defined using the Office of Management and Budget’s definition. Generalized estimation equations with generalized logit link function determined the impact of rurality and SDOH (transportation, family support, income, education) on frailty status.

Results

Using the 2011 (n=8,245) and 2015 (n=8,334) cohorts, participants were 57.1% and 55.8% female, median age 70-74 years old, and 18.5% and 19.3% lived in rural areas. Being married, having a college education, and higher income were protective against frailty progression. Urban areas had lower odds developing frailty versus pre-frailty, yet hastened developing pre-frailty versus robust. Urban adults with transportation to doctor appointments had lower odds of frailty progression, though not significant (robust->frail (OR 0.80, SE 0.09, p=0.47) and robust->pre-frail (OR 0.83, SE 0.08, p=0.49)). Hispanic ethnicity was protective against progressive frailty robust->frail (OR 0.40, SE 0.14, p=0.008) or pre-frail->frail (OR 0.55, SE 0.13, p=0.01).

Conclusion

Our findings suggest SDOH, race, and rurality may impact frailty trajectories. Future studies need to investigate the heterogeneity of aging in groups of older adults with similar SDOH and geography.
AGING IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
Authors: Stanley Jennifer , Chukwuorji JohnBosco , Stanley Jennifer
Published: January 2025

Aging in sub-Saharan Africa is a relatively neglected area of research despite the increasing proportion of the population aging. This collection of papers highlights how the varied cultures in sub-Saharan Africa shape development in later adulthood and emphasizes the critical need for research on aging to consider the sociocultural context. First, Chukwuorji and colleagues focus on how health behaviors and self-esteem explain the association between social support and successful aging among Nigerian retirees. Second, Porter and colleagues present a collaboration between scientists and older adults in knowledge generation. They find that access to both social and physical environmental elements are necessary to promote physical activity in their communities. Third, Burns and colleagues explore how place and gender interact when examining disability prevalence among older adults in Ghana. Fourth, Silverstein and colleagues report that culture and religion play an important role in shaping how palliative care is perceived. For example, a cultural norm for medical secrecy and a hesitancy to talk about death present unique barriers for palliative care. Fifth, in a qualitative study examining how older chronically ill Nigerians cope with their diagnosis, Mahmoud and colleagues report that older Nigerians do not want individuals outside their close family circle to know that they are ill. Individuals conceal their illness because they fear discrimination and want to maintain normalcy when interacting with others. All the papers presented in this symposium highlight the importance of considering the sociocultural context to understand the aging experience.
A CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECT ENGAGING NIGERIAN OLDER PERSONS IN A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSESSMENT FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Authors: Porter Michelle , Odeyemi Emmanuel , Chesser Stephanie , King Abby
Published: January 2025

A main tenet of age-friendly principles is that the voices of older people should be guiding improvements to their communities. The purpose of this collaborative citizen science project was to examine the age-friendliness of a neighborhood in Lagos Nigeria in terms of its characteristics to enable physical activity. Citizen scientists (13 older adults, seven men and six women, 65 to 86 years old) were involved in data collection, analysis, and priority setting. For data collection, they used the Stanford Healthy Neighborhood Discovery Tool application on a tablet to record 156 photos and 151 commentaries (text and audio) of neighborhood barriers and facilitators to physical activity. The collaborative analysis and priority setting process led to the following facilitators being identified: pedestrian and traffic facilities (e.g., traffic lights, walkways); green areas and parks; multi-generational community features (e.g., programs / facilities); opportunities for social connection (e.g., neighborhood associations, churches); safety of destinations and services; and public toilets. Barriers included: hazardous walkways / traffic; noise pollution; refuse; selling of public parks; crime (e.g., kidnapping, criminal hideouts); no safe drinking water; and ageism. The identified priorities for change in this Nigerian neighborhood included both social and physical aspects of the environment: social connectivity; improved pedestrian and traffic facilities; and green and beautiful environments. By meaningfully engaging older adults, this type of approach shows promise for communities in making age-friendly changes.
THE NEED TO APPEAR HEALTHY: CONCEALMENT OF CHRONIC ILLNESS, PRIVACY, AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY AMONG OLDER NIGERIANS
Authors: Mahmoud Kafayat , Baker Tamara , Esiaka Darlingtina , Balogun Saliu
Published: January 2025

Prior research has highlighted the beneficial impact of social networks and social support on older adults’ physical and psychosocial wellbeing. The impact of the relationship between chronic illness and social networks on the psychosocial wellbeing of older Nigerians remains understudied. This study explored how older Nigerians with chronic illnesses navigate the physical, mental, and emotional changes due to their chronic disease diagnosis within their social contexts. The current qualitative study used semi-structured in-depth interviews with 19 purposively sampled older adults, aged 50 years plus, chronically ill, and receiving clinical care to examine the role of social networks in how chronically ill older Nigerians cope with their diagnosis. Three main themes reflecting participants’ experiences emerged from the findings: 1) closely-knit circles, 2) privacy and self-sufficiency, and 3) body image. Results show that chronically ill older Nigerians prefer to keep the knowledge of their conditions strictly within their close family circles. It was considered horrific to inform friends, community members, and religious groups about one’s chronic illness. Findings further reveal that the need to appear healthy to one’s social network stems from the fear of being discriminated against and attempts to maintain some level of normalcy when interacting with others. Additionally, feelings of inferiority and shame limited their participation in social activities and social network maintenance. We discuss the implication of the results for the mental wellbeing and quality of life of chronically ill older Nigerians and make recommendations for policies and resources that can improve the wellbeing of chronically ill Nigerians.
CARDIOVASCULAR-DERIVED CELL-FREE DNA: ASSOCIATIONS WITH FRAILTY AND AGING-RELATED COMORBIDITIES
Authors: Nidadavolu Lolita , Sosnowski David , Sivakumar Nikita , Bennett David , Phillip Jude , Maher Brion , Oh Esther , Abadir Peter
Published: January 2025

Cell-free genomic DNA (cf-gDNA) fragments are released into the bloodstream following cell death processes and higher levels are associated with age-related physical and cognitive decline. It remains unclear which tissues release cf-gDNA fragments in community-dwelling older adults with frailty. Serum cf-gDNA from 190 participants in the Religious Orders Study and Rush Memory and Aging Project (ROS-MAP) had DNA methylation performed via Illumina Methylation EPIC array. Hierarchical clustering derived distinct sub-populations based on cf-gDNA tissue of origin. Linear regression and mixed-effects models examined associations between tissue origin and physical measures. After neutrophils, vascular endothelial cells (5.3%), erythrocyte progenitors (4.8%), and monocytes (4.3%) were the most frequent cell types of origin. Hierarchical clustering demonstrated three sub-populations distinguished by cf-gDNA tissue origin: Cardiovascular, Erythrocyte Progenitor, and Immune Cell. Individuals in the Cardiovascular sub-group had enrichment of fragments from myocardial and vascular endothelial cells, demonstrated higher frailty scores, and had increased prevalence of myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, and stroke compared to other sub-groups. The Cardiovascular sub-group also had DNA fragments with increased biological age compared to the other groups (via GrimAge calculation), suggesting the cf-gDNA was released from older cells in the Cardiovascular group. Our study reveals a sub-group enriched with fragments originating from cardiovascular tissue that demonstrate higher future occurrence of frailty and cardiovascular disease and have cf-gDNA release from older cells compared to the other sub-groups. Using cf-gDNA to identify these at-risk individuals can allow for early initiation of treatments to attenuate progression to severe cardiovascular disease and frailty.
CULTIVATING RESILIENCE ACROSS DIVERSE AGING COMMUNITIES
Authors: García Catherine , Farmer Heather
Published: January 2025

This symposium explores the multifaceted experiences of resilience and well-being among older adults from diverse cultural backgrounds, emphasizing the role of resistance and assertion of cultural practices for optimal aging and aging in place. Presentations span various communities in the U.S. that are not widely studied in gerontological research, offering a comprehensive perspective on aging challenges and strategies. The first presentation focuses on the concept of ‘Eldership’ among Alaskan Native Elders in promoting mutually beneficial relations within youth, communities, tribes, and organizations. The second presentation highlights perspectives from Native Hawaiian kumu loea (expert teachers) of traditional practices on regeneration of cultural practices and language, emphasizing the challenges and personal resilience of those reclaiming indigenous knowledge through resistance. The third presentation explores the well-being of older South Asian American women, identifying factors like robust social networks, participation in cultural events, and mindfulness practices as asset-based strengths that empower and support a sense of purpose. The fourth presentation identifies factors influencing life satisfaction among resettled Bhutanese older adults, uncovering the importance of social support and resilience. The final presentation investigates self-employment among older Hispanics, revealing intragroup disparities in safety-net program access and economic opportunities, showcasing how cultural identity serve as a proxy to later life financial security and well-being. Together, these presentations foster a deeper understanding of resilience across diverse aging communities, emphasizing the importance of cultural resistance and traditional practices as integral components of well-being, providing insights for those seeking culturally sensitive approaches to support the well-being of older populations.
FUTURE SELF CONTINUITY AND AGING PREPARATION ACROSS CULTURES: THE MODERATING ROLE OF FUTURE SELF-VIEWS
Authors: Wu Yiwen , Fung Helene H
Published: January 2025

Preparation for aging enhances well-being and lowers societal costs. According to Hershfield (2019), people view their future selves as strangers when making intertemporal decisions. Future self-continuity—the psychological connectedness to future selves—is crucial to people’s willingness to allocate resources for the future (Hershfield et. al., 2011). While studies have shown that higher future self-continuity promotes saving intentions (e.g. Hershfield et al., 2020), such relationships have not been examined among older populations in diverse cultures. This research aims to investigate the effect of future self-continuity on aging preparation and the moderating role of future self-views in two studies across six cultures. Two separate surveys have been conducted on N = 117 Australian older adults aged 55-86 years (Study 1, Mage = 61.7 SD = 6.6) and N = 2,940 older adults aged 38-99 years (Study 2, Mage = 61.5 SD = 15.2) across five cultures (Hong Kong, Taiwan, Germany, Czechia, and the United States). The results showed that future self-continuity predicted more preparation for aging in both studies, after controlling for age, gender, health, and social status. Further, the effect of future self-continuity on aging preparation was conditional on the valence of future self-views. Specifically, future self-continuity was positively associated with aging preparation when people held positive views towards their future selves, while such relationships became negative when people viewed their future selves negatively. These findings highlight the importance of considering both future self-continuity and future self-views in interventions to promote aging preparation among older adults across diverse cultures.
AN INTEGRATED ANALYSIS OF BETWEEN-COUNTRY DIFFERENCES IN DAILY COUPLING OF AGEIST ATTITUDES AND NEGATIVE AFFECT
Authors: Shrira Amit , Palgi Yuval , Can Reyyan , Kornadt Anna , Tse Dwight , Neupert Shevaun
Published: January 2025

Daily variations in subjective views of aging and their coupling with psychological concomitants are increasingly explored, yet potential cultural differences in these relationships have not been addressed. We, therefore, compared the daily coupling of ageist attitudes with negative affect (NA) across countries included in the Subjective AGES (Aging within Global Everyday Ecological Studies) project, encompassing 379 participants from the USA, UK, Germany, Israel, and Türkiye (ages ranged from 50 to 90; specific countries comprised 16% to 23% of the sample). Participants reported ageist attitudes and NA across 14 days. Within-person variability in ageist attitudes ranged from 15.5% (UK) to 53.7% (Türkiye) of the total variance. Overall, on days when participants had more ageist attitudes, they also reported higher NA. Cross-level interactions showed that the strength of ageist attitudes-NA coupling in the USA was moderate, while it was weaker in the UK and Germany and stronger in Israel and Türkiye. These findings suggest that the coupling of older adults’ daily ageist attitudes and NA varies across different countries. In European countries such as the UK and Germany, better access to healthcare services might mitigate the effects of ageist attitudes on NA. For Israel and Türkiye, the experience of a decline in social status due to a transition from a traditional and collectivist society to a modern and individualist one might increase the impact of views on aging. We will explore these explanations and future directions for the Subjective AGES project.
EMANCIPATORY PEDAGOGY: PRAXIS FOR RADICAL TRADITIONS OF LEARNING AND HEALING
Authors: DiCarlo Nicholas , Pond Brittney
Published: January 2025

The Emancipatory Sciences aim to advance knowledge and the realization of dignity, access, equity, healing, and social justice through individual and collective agency and social institutions. Literature suggests this theoretical framework, method, and practice embraces and pursues an impact on research, pedagogy, and systemic change within and beyond academia (Estes, DiCarlo, and Yeh, 2023; Reyes, Versey, and Yeh, 2022). This symposium aims to discuss emancipatory science and critical gerontology through intergenerational, intersectional, and healing oriented frameworks. We address the central questions: who participates and collaborates in such an endeavor and what methodologies and pedagogical approaches strengthen collective participation and democratize access to knowledge across generations. The presenters in this symposium discuss this central question through various facets, including 1) the use of Crone pedagogies to embrace our embodied histories and teach about life course perspectives grounded in standpoint theories of positionality in the classroom 2) UCSF’s Emancipatory Sciences Lab as praxis that creates collaborative spaces for co-learning 3) tangible findings from a digital storytelling project and 4) methodological considerations in participatory action research such as co-design, co-learning, and strengths-based language and design.
CRONE PEDAGOGIES AND THE EMANCIPATORY POTENTIAL OF HISTORICAL MEMORY
Authors: DiCarlo Nicholas
Published: January 2025

Crone pedagogies (DiCarlo, 2023) embrace abject identities as epistemoloical standpoints of wisdom. This emerging pedagogical tradition centers mourning loved ones, ancestors, and activist who shaped us and teaches an attentive respect for the ghosts that haunt us and pull at normative unconscious processes (Layton, 2019). Gerontological study provides a unique point of inquiry into how we carry knowledge across the lifespan and through generations, as ageism stereotypes, medicalizes, and segregates older adults– collapsing complex personhoods into tropes and units of business. This presentation features examples from teaching first year MSW students about ageism, decoloniality, and abolitionist movements. Historical memory positions teacher-learners with opportunities to celebrate and mourn the activists and scholars who are shaping the fight against policing, transphobia, and displacement. Crone pedagogies underscore the necropolitical dimensions of grief and grievability (Butler, 2009), and encourage critical reflection on survival in oppressive systems and collective praxes of resistance.
END-OF-LIFE CARE AND DECISION-MAKING IN CHINA: HOW TO IMPROVE END-OF-LIFE CARE QUALITY?
Authors: Lou Yifan , Pei Yaolin , Wu Bei
Published: January 2025

Alongside population aging comes the challenges of providing quality end-of-life care in China, where the largest and most rapidly growing older adults reside. Mounting qualitative evidence has documented the culturally different needs, experiences, and barriers of end-of-life care and decision-making among older Chinese, but the quantitative evidence is lacking. Aligned with GSA 2024’s theme, this symposium uses national and regional data to investigate potential “fortitude factors” that can improve end-of-life qualities for older adults and reduce burden for caregivers in China. The first paper will share policy-relevant findings on the urban-rural differences in pain, place of death, and their associations with the use of pain treatment at the end of life, a cornerstone of end-of-life dignity. The second paper will turn the attention to caregivers and present a population-based study on the individual- and household-level factors that may contribute to end-of-life caregiving burden and the role of the COVID-19 pandemic. Two studies on end-of-life care decision-making with a dyadic perspective will then be presented. The third one will focus on the children’s role, considering both number of children and financial responsibilities, in deciding end-of-life treatments for their parents under the culture of filial piety, using retrospective data. The fourth one will then describe older adults’ preferences for involvement and roles in their future end-of-life care decision-making with their loved ones and doctors, using regional survey data. Lastly, our discussant, Dr. Bei Wu, will synthesize these presentations and discuss the policy and practice implications in improving “good death” in China.
THE CAREGIVING BURDEN OF CHINESE OLDER ADULTS AT THE END OF LIFE: THE ROLE OF LIVING ARRANGEMENT AND COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Authors: Zhang Shuo , Zhang Wenjun
Published: January 2025

While there has been a surge of interest in studying end-of-life quality of lives of older adults in China to respond to population aging, the experiences of their caregivers remain largely unexamined. Chinese older adults in general may have to rely on their co-residing members to provide end-of-life care. To address the gap, we explored the association between living arrangement and caregiving burden during end-of-life stage before and during the COVID-19 pandemic using a representative sample. The working sample included 1043 decedents who died between 2017 and 2021 from China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey. Ordered logistic regression models were used to examine the impact of living arrangement and pandemic on caregiving burden at the end of life. Our results indicated that caregivers of older adults who lived alone and lived in empty-nest, stem, and nuclear families had higher caregiving burden than those lived in skipped-generation families. The COVID-19 pandemic increased caregiving burden and further strengthened the relationship between living arrangements and end-of-life caregiving burden. Particularly, caregivers to older adults who lived alone, lived in empty-nest, stem, and nuclear families during the pandemic had higher caregiving burden than those before the pandemic. The main findings highlight the importance of paying attention to the caregiving burden of caregivers to those who are not living in skipped generation families, especially during pandemic. Our findings implied that we need to develop comprehensive formal support system to reduce the caregiving burden for caregivers at the end of life.
BLAME-SHIFTING OR SHARING RESPONSIBILITY? CHILDREN’S ROLE IN CHINESE OLDER ADULTS’ END-OF-LIFE MEDICAL DECISIONS
Authors: Chen Lu , Zhang Wenjun
Published: January 2025

Filial piety is the core value shaping intergenerational interactions in China, where children are often considered the proxy decision-makers for older adults’ end-of-life treatment plans. End-of-life care decision-making is a complicated and culturally sensitive process. Prolonging older parents’ lives is often considered a reflection of filial piety in the medical decision-making context, however, budget constraints may weave into the decision-making process. The study addressed the literature gap by empirically investigating the role of children in the end-of-life medical decisions in China. Using data with 579 older decedents who had passed away due to illness from the China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey 2020, we examined the association between role of children, proxied by number of children and relative contribution of children to parents’ medical expenses, and end-of-life decision as a process outcome, measured by a categorical variable with four mutually exclusive groups of whether all life-sustaining medical efforts have been made and whether these decisions imposed financial pressure on their families. Results show that families with fewer children were more likely to pursue all potential treatments and experience financial pressure. Compared to families with shared financial responsibilities by all children, families with shared responsibilities by certain children were more likely to exhaust all potential treatments and face financial strain. Post-hoc analyses further showed that older adults with more children were more likely to be overtreated, particularly among those families with no financial concerns to pursue every potential treatment. Family-level interventions are needed to support end-of-life care decision-making in China.
THE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND MORTALITY CONSEQUENCES OF THE FAILURE OF THE FREEDMAN’S SAVINGS BANK
Authors: Warren John , Helgertz Jonas , Esposito Michael , Wrigley-Field Elizabeth , Hacker J David
Published: January 2025

The Freedman’s Savings Bank was chartered in 1865 to serve newly emancipated people across 17 states. Driven by mismanagement and fraud by the bank’s white officials, the bank failed in 1874 ─ costing many depositors large savings. Although there is debate about the short-term financial benefits for Black people of the bank’s creation, there has been no research on the longer-term effects of the bank’s failure on social, economic, or mortality outcomes among depositors who lost their savings. Using linked records from the complete-count 1860 through 1940 U.S. Censuses and exceptionally detailed records on the bank’s branches, deposits, and losses, we use a variety of empirical estimation strategies to estimate the effects of the bank’s failure on the life course outcomes of Black depositors and their children. This work speaks more broadly to the effects of negative economic shocks on the long-term well-being of older people.
AGE-FRIENDLY MEDITERRANEAN COOKBOOK:CULTIVATING CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION
Authors: Naim Sigal , Hirsch-Matsioulas Orit , Katz Ruth , Sapir Adi , Hochman Yael , Zisberg Anna
Published: January 2025

Creating a new reality for old persons on campus, with limited resources but boundless ambition, is both a challenge and an opportunity. In this presentation, we will focus on our experiences over the course of a single academic year, culminating in our university’s inclusion in the global network of Age-Friendly Universities (AFU) – a milestone marking the first institution in the Middle East to achieve such recognition, and only the third in the Mediterranean basin. By embracing the principles of the AFU initiative, we tapped into a broader narrative of societal transformation aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Central to our success were cultural values deeply integrated into Israeli society, including collectivity, solidarity, social ties, and audacity. Drawing on these values, we mobilized internal and external stakeholders, forged partnerships, and positioned ourselves as catalysts for change. We conducted comprehensive studies, mapped existing resources, and developed strategic future plans. Our experience illustrates how organizational culture, intertwined with societal dynamics, can drive meaningful change. Community engagement and partnerships played a pivotal role in highlighting the collaborative nature of our initiatives and the importance of involving diverse stakeholders. We invite participants to explore the intersection of culture, age-friendliness, and sustainable development, emphasizing the role of cultural values in shaping age-friendly initiatives. This presentation aims to inspire others to embark on similar journeys, utilizing culture to create inclusive environments where older adults can thrive.
FORTIFYING DEMENTIA CARE: EXPLORING FAMILY SELF-EFFICACY IN DECISION-MAKING, TRUST, AND QUALITY
Authors: Lopez Ruth , Zaguri-Greener Dalit , Kolpina Lola , Zisberg Anna
Published: January 2025

In Israel and many countries, individuals with advanced dementia often spend their final days in nursing homes (NHs). Families prioritize comfort, yet residents often endure significant symptom burden. This discrepancy arises partly because NH staff depend on families to guide end-of-life care. However, family members often lack confidence as decision-makers and struggle to partner with NH staff to translate their intimate knowledge of their loved ones’ preferences into comfort-focused strategies. The purpose of this pilot study employing cross sectional survey design, was to explore relationships among family self-efficacy for surrogate decision-making, trust with staff, and quality of care measures. Among 66 family members of NH residents with advanced dementia in Israel (average age 60, 53% female) self-efficacy was positively associated with trust (r=.32, p<.001), quality of decision-making (r=.34, p<.001), communication (r=.33, p<.001), family-staff relationships (r=.30, p<.01), basic care, and symptom management (r =.36, p<.001). Recognizing the pivotal role of family self-efficacy, interventions to enhance it may be warranted. Our findings also urge further investigation into the intricate interplay between these factors and the need to explore the directionality of these relationships. Understanding the influence of broader contextual factors, such as overall NH care quality, is crucial. Our study establishes a foundation for future inquiries, fostering a comprehensive understanding to enhance the well-being and advanced comfort of individuals with advanced dementia in NH settings.