bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CAREGIVER USABILITY TESTING OF WEB-BASED AND VIRTUAL REALITY REMINISCENCE THERAPY FOR PERSONS WITH DEMENTIA
Authors: Sun Winnie , Quevedo Alvaro
Published: December 2022

Reminiscence therapy (RT) is a multi-sensory treatment that uses a combination of sight, touch, taste, smell and sound to help persons with dementia (PWD) remember events, people and places from their past lives. Currently, digital technologies such as mobile applications and immersive solutions including virtual and augmented reality, are gaining momentum as supplementary tools for RT. This paper presents a usability study of a web-based and virtual reality application to understand the limitations and opportunities of digital platforms for facilitating engaging experiences for PWD towards recalling memories, while easing the therapy process for the caregivers. A total of ten healthcare caregivers were recruited from the Geriatric Dementia Unit and Geriatric Transitional Unit in Ontario Shores Center for Mental Health Sciences, Ontario Canada. Usability feedback from the caregivers were collected from the interviews after the completion of the System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire. Institutional caregivers found both web-based and virtual reality (VRRT) usable with SUS score above average (68/100), but required improvements related to the onboarding training of caregivers. The interview revealed four overarching themes related to the VRRT: (1) Ease of use; (2) Positive impact on caregiving; (3) Potential of reduction in responsive behaviors; (4) Feasibility for promoting social connection during COVID-19 pandemic. Next steps will focus on improving the user experience and expanding the application for immersive VR supporting head-mounted displays, hand tracking, and physiological measures, as well as conducting an usability study with PWD to expand our understanding of using RT digital tools with various levels of immersion.
WHITE MATTER CHANGE NEAR CEREBRAL MICROBLEEDS AFTER MTBI INVOLVES AGE AND SEX DEPENDENT COGNITIVE DECLINE
Authors: Irimia Andrei , Ngo Van , Chaudhari Nikhil , Zhang Fan , Joshi Shantanu , O’Donnell Lauren , Sheikh-Bahaei Nasim , Chui Helena
Published: December 2022

We tested the null hypothesis that, after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), white matter changes near cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) are associated with cognitive decline. Magnetic resonance images were acquired from 62 adults with mTBI and from 203 matched healthy controls. A week post-injury, mTBI participants had 2.7±2.6 traumatic CMBs in WM, located 6.1±4.4 mm from the cortical mantle. About 6 months later, 97% of CMBs were associated with significant reductions (34%±11%, q < 0.05) in the fractional anisotropy (FA) of WM streamlines within ~1 cm of CMBs. Male sex and older age were significant risk factors for larger reductions (q < 0.05). CMBs in the corpus callosum, cingulum bundle, inferior and middle longitudinal fasciculi were associated with FA changes that were significantly and positively associated with changes in cognitive functions mediated by these structures (q < 0.05). These findings distinguish non-traumatic from traumatic CMBs according to CMB-related changes in surrounding WM. Our findings also challenge the assumption that traumatic CMBs are cognitively silent and identify older age and male sex as risk factors for mTBI-related cognitive decline in the presence of CMBs. In conclusion, mTBI with CMB findings on MRI can be described as a clinical endophenotype that warrants longitudinal mapping and quantification of cognitive function.
SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT IN LATER LIFE: INTERDEPENDENCE OF MARRIED COUPLE’S MENTAL HEALTH WELL-BEING
Authors: Kim Yulri
Published: December 2022

Social engagement in later life often provides a sense of belongings and social identity. Given its salient meanings for older adults in Korea where social ties play important roles on the mental health and well-being, different conceptualizations of social engagement have been examined, such as formal and informal social activities. As numerous studies have suggested, informal activities are associated with better well-being, however, it is unclear whether formal social engagement of husbands and wives influence the other partner’s mental health outcomes. Based on the Interdependence Theory (Rusbult & Van Range, 2008), we expect that formal and informal social engagement of husbands and wives are associated with their own depressive symptoms and further those of their spouses. Using a sample of 1,195 couples (Nf 2,390) of married older adults aged 65 and above from the 8th wave of Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA), we tested the relationship between social engagement and depressive symptoms using actor partner interdependence model (APIM). The findings indicated that for both husbands and wives, there was a negatively significant association between one’s informal social activity on their own depressive symptoms (actor effect) and their spouse’s depressive symptoms (partner effect). No significant findings were observed for formal social activities. Overall, this study suggests the importance of informal social activity compared to formal social activity to lower depressive symptoms for themselves and their spouses in later life. Moving forward, incorporating a partner’s informal social activity can provide useful information in predicting one’s own mental health well-being.
RESILIENCY AS A PROCESS: A QUALITATIVE INVESTIGATION INTO U.S. VETERANS’ EXPERIENCES AGING WITH HIV
Authors: Chan Kiera , Bender Alexis , Marconi Vincent , Justice Amy , Johnson Theodore , McInnes Keith , Perkins Molly
Published: December 2022

U.S. military Veterans aging with HIV represent a unique special population. The aim of this qualitative study was to investigate risk and protective factors associated with Veterans’ ability to age well with HIV. Participants included 25 Veterans (≥ age 50) participating in the Veterans Aging Cohort Study who were recruited from the Atlanta Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center. This study conducted semi-structured interviews, social network mapping, and sociodemographic and health surveys. Participants ranged in age from 50 to 72, with a mean age of 59. Most (80%) were male, and more than half (60%) were African American. Findings showed that many participants experienced adversity in childhood or early adulthood, including military sexual violence, childhood abuse, and non-military domestic violence, as well as harassment based on sexual identity. Many also had histories of substance abuse. Although military life provided stability for some, most experienced some form of instability after leaving the service, including financial difficulties and loss of valued military ties. Timing of diagnosis, whether in the military or after the military, impacted resiliency. Receiving an HIV diagnosis was an important turning point in participants’ lives characterized by either maladaptive (e.g., suicide ideation) or therapeutic (e.g., health promoting behaviors) coping strategies. Positive social support, including close relationships many developed with providers at the VA HIV clinic, was an important protective factor. The sample experienced cumulative life events that shaped their ability to age with HIV. Findings have important implications for interventions to promote Veterans’ ability to age well with HIV.
RACIAL-ETHNIC VARIATION IN MULTIMORBIDITY PATTERNS AND HEALTHCARE SERVICES AMONG OLDEST-OLD PATIENTS
Authors: Cho Jinmyoung , Rahimighazikalayeh Gelareh , Allore Heather
Published: December 2022

Adults aged 85 years and older (“oldest-old”) are perceived as survivors resilient to age-related risk factors. Although considerable heterogeneity has been often observed in this population, less is known about the unmet needs in health and healthcare service utilization for diverse patients in healthcare systems. We examined racial-ethnic variation in patterns of multimorbidity associated with emergency department (ED) and clinic visits among oldest-old patients with multiple chronic conditions (MCCs). Administrative and clinical data from an integrated healthcare system for five years included 25,801 oldest-old patients with MCCs. Hierarchical cluster analysis identified patterns of MCCs by four racial-ethnic groups (White, Black, Hispanic, & Other). Clusters associated with ED and clinic visits were analyzed using generalized estimation equations. The average of 5.79 (±2.79) MCCs ranging from 5.36 (±2.61) for Other to 5.82 (±2.79) for Hispanic patients at baseline decreased over time. Hypothyroidism, Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementia, bone-and-joint, metabolism syndrome, and pulmonary-vascular clusters were commonly observed across the groups. Unique cluster patterns were identified among Black patients (e.g., renal diseases were grouped with metabolic syndrome cluster). While almost all clusters were significantly associated with ED and clinic visits among White patients, distinctive clusters were significantly related to ED and clinic visits among Hispanic patients (e.g., bone–and-joint cluster grouped with renal diseases was significantly associated with ED [RR=1.36, p < .0001] and clinic [RR=1.39, p < .0001] visits, respectively). Patterns of multimorbidity and its significant association with healthcare service utilization varied by race-ethnicity. Findings suggest a need for culturally tailored care management within integrated healthcare systems.
ANTI-AGING COMPOUNDS METFORMIN AND THIOFLAVIN T CAN ACT ON GENETICALLY DIVERSE, PROTEOSTASIS-COMPROMISED STRAINS
Authors: Driscoll Monica , Onken Brian , Xu Yunpeng , Song Yuhua , Achanta Madhuri , Sedore Christine , Phillips Patrick , Lithgow Gordon
Published: December 2022

The Caenorhabditis Intervention Testing Program (CITP) seeks to identify robust and reproducible pro-longevity interventions affecting a genetically diverse panel of representative Caenorhabditis strains from each of 3 species – C. elegans, C. briggsae, and C. tropicalis. The CITP test strains represent genetic diversity on the order of mouse to human. Anchoring principles of the CITP are that efficacious interventions that target fundamental and conserved biology will hold strong potential for translation to higher organism benefit and that such interventions can be rapidly identified using Caenorhabditis models. The CITP is creating multi-species “at risk” test sets, in which components of aging hallmarks (such as proteostasis, stress response circuits) are genetically compromised in diverse genetic backgrounds. Such genetic test sets might expand understanding of intervention action and help rank compounds for translational testing. Toward this end, we used CRISPR to generate deletion mutants of arsenite-inducible protein (C. elegans aip-1, human AIRAP/ARAPL) in which proteostasis and oxidative stress responses are compromised across phyla. All aip-1 mutants are short lived compared to their control wild type strains, highlighting the essential role of proteostasis in maintaining healthy aging. Our previous studies identified metabolic modulator Metformin and anti-amyloid Thioflavin T as effective pro-longevity, pro-healthspan interventions in multiple CITP test strains. We find that Metformin and Thioflavin T impact the aip-1 deletion strains similarly to WT variants. Together, our results demonstrate that Metformin and Thioflavin-T can positively impact lifespan in diverse genetic backgrounds in which proteostasis is compromised, suggesting wide-ranging health benefits of these potent pro-longevity compounds.
LESSONS LEARNED FROM AN ENHANCED SERVICE COORDINATION MODEL IN SENIOR HOUSING
Authors: Hennessa Alexandra , Stone Robyn
Published: December 2022

Residents of affordable housing communities are growing older, and new residents are moving in at older ages. As these residents age, their need for services and supports increase. Approximately 5,200 housing communities subsidized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have a service coordinator on-site to help connect residents with needed services and resources. In 2021, the LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston (LTSS Center) conducted a process evaluation of the LSA Senior Connect Model, which was designed to build the capacity of service coordinators to better meet the needs of aging residents. The study activities included a review of program-related documents, analysis of resident assessments, interviews with staff, resident focus groups, and cost analysis. We will summarize the model’s framework and tools, and discuss lessons learned from the process evaluation. Lessons for policy and practice will also be discussed.
IMPACT OF INTERGENERATIONAL SERVICE LEARNING ON PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS FOR HOMEBOUND OLDER ADULTS DURING COVID
Authors: Chan Keith , Marsack-Topolewski Christina , Ratnayake Maggie , Graves Jillian , LaFave Sarah , Fenske Diane
Published: December 2022

More than 2 million of older adults are homebound and 5 million need help leaving their homes. They often experience social isolation, food insecurity, and lack of connection to community resources, which for many has intensified since the pandemic. To date, home-based services for those aging in place are lacking. Using newly available data, this study examined the benefits of an intergenerational home-based service learning program in reducing psychological distress for a community-based sample of 190 homebound older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Multivariate regression analyses were conducted to examine the association of living in one’s own home, disability status, presence of child and spousal caregivers, and length of services from the program with psychological distress. Findings indicated that length of service with the intergenerational in-home support program was associated with lower psychological distress (β = -0.16, p < 0.05). Having a child as a caregiver was associated with lower psychological distress (β = -0.15, p < 0.05). Poor health status was associated with higher levels of psychological distress (β = 0.16, p < 0.05). Living in one’s own home, having a spouse as a caregiver, disability status, and having a long-term medical condition were not associated with psychological distress in the analysis. Results from this study suggest that intergenerational in-home support services can help reduce psychological distress for homebound older adults. Policies and practice can support a pipeline of geriatric health professionals through innovative service learning models to benefit older adults, caregivers, and students.
SALIVA BASED BIOMARKERS TO IDENTIFY COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT IN OLDER ADULTS
Authors: Yata Vinod , Jain Shalini , Masternak Michal , Holland Peter , Agronin Marc , Yadav Hariom ,   MiaGB Consortium Team
Published: December 2022

The prevalence of cognitive decline and dementia is increasing in older adults, their prognosis is poor. Multiple emerging evidence shows that early intervention can delay and /or prevent their progression, however, early-detection markers are invasive, expensive, and not easy to routinely measure. Saliva can be an attractive source of early cognitive decline markers because oral health is linked with cognitive function and oral fluids are connected with brain fluids, and abnormal brain protein markers can leak out to saliva and vice-versa. Using global unbiased LC-MS/MS-based proteomics of 22 saliva samples of cognitively impaired and 39 cognitively healthy older adults (>60 years old) from large, multi-site study called Microbiome in aging Gut and Brain (MiaGB) consortium, revealed that 22 proteins were uniquely for cognitively impaired group while 44 were unique for cognitively healthy controls. In addition, among 78 differentially abundant proteins between cognitively impaired and control groups, half (39) were upregulated, and half (39) were downregulated. Notably, unique proteins in saliva of participants with cognitive impairment were from neurological pathways like NGF signaling, mTOR signaling and LPS-stimulated MAPK signaling. In addition, differentially abundant proteins in participants with cognitive impairment enriched with glucocorticoid receptor signaling, LXR/RXR activation, and L-DOPA degradation-pathways, while they were deficient of pathways like complement C3 and lysozyme pathways. We discovered that the novel saliva proteins and their pathways could blindly differentiate cognitive impaired from healthy older adults. These data suggest that we discovered novel saliva-based proteins that can be used as biomarker to predict/diagnose cognitive-impairment in older adults.
PATTERNS OF MULTIMORBIDITY IN AGING, RADIATION-EXPOSED NON-HUMAN PRIMATES
Authors: Quillen Ellen , Stainback Maggie , Justice Jamie , Olson John , Schaaf George , Cline J Mark
Published: December 2022

Resilience to stressors is a major component of biological aging and may mediate the onset of multimorbidity in older adults. The Wake Forest Non-Human Primate Radiation Survivor Cohort (RSC) provides a novel opportunity to study aging and resilience in 250 rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) with single-dose radiation exposures 0–15 years prior and 50 controls with semi-annual clinical, imaging, and biomarker measurements taken over their lifespan. Multimorbidity is extremely common among irradiated animals. Only 38% of animals have none of 20 common chronic diseases, falling to 16% of animals over age 8 and 11% over age 10 (middle-aged animals). 70% of animals have 5 or more diagnoses in this oldest cohort. The presence of any one disease increases the likelihood of having a second, co-morbid condition. Nevertheless, some animals continue disease-free until late in life, highlighting substantial variability in resilience. To identify patterns of multimorbidity, survival curves for each diagnosis were generated for age and time since radiation and k-median clustered resulting in four groupings of aging-associated morbidities. Bone, brain, and gastrointestinal disorders arise 3.5 years after radiation on average, followed by skin, heart, and cataracts. At 4.65 years, animals are at increased risk of being underweight and overweight and developing diabetes, hypertension, and hepatic dysfunction. Tumor, lung, and kidney disorders arise approximately 6 years after exposure. In all cases, these age-related disorders occur significantly earlier in irradiated animals than controls. These findings highlight the clustering of multimorbidities in aging, radiation-challenged primates and the potential of the RSC in studying resilience.
"NO TIME TO OVERTHINK IT, JUST DO IT'': AREA AGENCIES ON AGING AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Authors: Wilson Traci , Blair Elizabeth
Published: December 2022

AAAs have always been deeply engaged in addressing the health-related social needs of older adults from historically marginalized and underserved communities. As a confluence of COVID and social injustices moved issues of racial equity and inclusion to the forefront of national conversation, AAAs refocused their efforts to identify and address health inequities related to the social determinants of health (SDOH). One result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the urgency to reach and vaccinate older adults was that AAAs quickly formed new partnerships with culturally specific organizations. These relationships have developed and resulted in expanding culturally responsive service delivery. Presenters will describe this and other findings from a mixed methods study about AAA initiatives that seek to improve access and equity, such as inclusive community needs assessments, equity analyses that leverage census data to identify areas of greatest SDOH disparities, and dashboards to compare service recipients with community demographics.
OLDER ADULTS INFLUENCING THE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT OF VOLUNTEER CAREGIVERS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Authors: Gale Kathleen
Published: December 2022

Older adults who do not qualify for government entitlement programs but lack sufficient financial or other personal resources help them to age in place rely on community organizations to assist them with social determinants of health. However, these organizations struggle with high rates of volunteer caregiver turnover, a looming crisis spotlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. At least one group of volunteer caregivers continued to serve during this period. This phenomenological study investigated the experiences of eight volunteer caregivers who served older adults through a Faith in Action model volunteer driver program during the first year of the pandemic. Findings indicate that a volunteer’s commitment to older adults, awareness of the needs of older adults, and established relationships with older adults were more important than concerns about COVID-19. Study participants were alert to the needs of older adults during and between service activities, making personal sacrifices of time, money, and physical exertion to accommodate needs. Participants approached service caring for the older adult and expected reciprocal care in the form of appreciation and respect. They considered discontinuing service if efforts weren’t appreciated or if deeply held values were violated. The volunteer service organization was key in mitigating conflict within the relationship of the volunteer and older adult, thereby increasing the likelihood that the volunteer would continue serving. Implications include training older adult clients to meet expectations of care and appreciation for volunteers, managing volunteers whose personal sacrifices exceed the scope of volunteer service, and supporting volunteers whose values have been violated.
RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF A REDUCED SET OF NAVIGATION ITEMS IN COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER ADULTS
Authors: Prevratil Michael , Kossowska-Kuhn Dorota , Gray Nicholas , Charness Neil
Published: December 2022

Navigation is a complex skill that is used in everyday living, whether it be to travel across a country or to travel to a local store. How one successfully navigates through their environment involves many different processes, including spatial navigation, route generation, and orientation. An issue with investigating those separate constructs within navigation is the number of questions required to assess them reliably. As a part of a larger project, a large sample of community-dwelling older adults (ages 60–90) completed an online survey answering questions related to navigation. Among those were three subscales: a general wayfinding subscale, a subscale asking how often they felt lost when moving around near and far spaces, and a subscale asking how often they needed help navigating around near and far spaces. Each of these subscales contained fewer than eight items. The goal of the analysis was to determine the reliability and validity of these subscales, and this was accomplished through calculating Cronbach’s α and an exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Cronbach’s α for each of the individual subscales were above 0.8, indicating high reliability. EFA results output five unique factors. Noticeably, the wayfinding subscale was broken into two factors, one for route generation ability and one for mental mapping ability. while the “Feeling Lost” and “Needing Help” subscales produced a dichotomy between nearer distances (ex. Your immediate neighborhood) and farther distances (ex. Your state). This contrast, along with its implications, are discussed further.
NEW EVIDENCE OF HEALTHIER AGING. POSITIVE COHORT EFFECT ON COGNITIVE DECLINE
Authors: Massa Fernando , Marroig Alejandra , Terrera Graciela Muniz , Hofer Scott
Published: December 2022

Cross sectional studies have shown cohort effects in cognition, limited research exists about cohort effects on cognitive trajectories. Indeed, most longitudinal research conducted to study aging-related cognitive change focus on the association between risk factors and mean change in cognition, considering individual differences too, but longitudinal norms of cognitive function are less studied. In this study, we aim to test whether cohort effects exist across the distribution of verbal fluency trajectories, that is, whether cohort effects vary across different trajectory quantiles. With this purpose, we estimated norms using data from 9 waves of the English Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSA). We considered the individuals born in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s to assess cohort effects. The methodological framework consisted of quantile mixed models where the effect of age was adjusted using splines. To test for possible cohort effects across the 5th, 50th and 90th quartiles, the coefficients associated with the splines varied among cohorts. Our results suggest that cognitive decline is less pronounced for individuals born in more recent decades (p < 0.001), supporting our hypothesis of cohort effects. Moreover, these results are consistent across quantiles (p-value < 0.001). Additionally, we found that quantiles of verbal fluency at a certain age is higher in participants from more recent cohorts compared to those in older cohorts. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of cognitive decline in older adults, demonstrating population changes over time at different levels of changes in verbal fluency.
RESILIENCE AMONG RESIDENTS, THEIR FAMILY, AND STAFF OF A CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY
Authors: Sefcik Justine , Hwang Yeji , Hathaway Zachary , Coates Martha , Hufnal Shelby , Stoll Isabella , DiMaria-Ghalili Rose Ann , Fisher Kathleen
Published: December 2022

There is emerging literature about older adults’ experience of loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic in long term care (LTC) facilities due to isolation protocols. Additionally, staff challenges while providing care for older adults in LTC has also been highlighted. While the literature emphasizes negative pandemic experiences, a gap exists with understanding resilience during the pandemic in LTC settings. The aim of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore the experience of resilience in a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) among residents, their family members, and staff. We conducted 19 in-person interviews and 1 via Zoom in fall 2021 with 5 residents (65 and older), 5 family members, and 10 staff (e.g., administrators, nurses, nursing assistants). A conventional content analysis was employed. While we did hear how the pandemic had a negative impact on everyone, the main themes of resilience identified were: 1) overcoming the pandemic together (sense of community); 2) experience and adaptation (over time being able to adapt to the disruption in their life); 3) staying safe (engaging in precautions and self-care strategies); and 4) positivity (mindset of getting through anything and relying on spirituality). Study findings can inform CCRC administrators on how to support residents, their family, and staff during future pandemics and other challenging times that may disrupt normal routines.
LACKING FAMILY TIES DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC: OLDER ADULTS CONCEPTUALIZATIONS OF SOCIAL SUPPORT
Authors: Van Vleet Bryce , Kinkade Emily , Fuller Heather , Huseth-Zosel Andrea
Published: December 2022

Social support from family provided benefits for coping during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, not all older adults had access to family. The present study investigates how older adults without access to traditional family ties conceptualized their social relationships throughout the first two years of the pandemic. A subsample of eight older adults without direct access to traditional family ties were identified from a larger 5-wave interview study conducted between April 2020 and June 2022. Transcripts were holistically coded and three overarching themes emerged: constraints of place, redefining family, and feelings of isolation and closeness. The first theme addressed having family members living far away and uncertainty of when they would get to see them again. However, these distance barriers could be overcome through technology. The second theme illuminated that during the pandemic, those without access to traditional family ties redefined their social relationships by developing fictive kin from neighbors, colleagues, and friends. The third theme highlighted that some older adults felt they were lacking strong social networks and were concerned they had nobody to contact if they needed help, while others felt that despite limitations, their social relationships grew closer due to connection through alternative forms of communication (e.g. texting). Results from this study clarify how traditional family ties were challenged and strengthened during physical distancing for some older adults. These findings extend the literature on how fictive kin forms in older adulthood during temporary crises and suggests potential avenues for social connection for older adults lacking traditional family support.
DIFFERENTIAL ROLES OF COVID-19-RELATED STRESSORS IN MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS: A NETWORK APPROACH
Authors: Zhang Wen , Liu Tianyin , Kiu Dara , Leung Yi , Kwok Wai-wai , Sze Lesley , Wong Gloria H Y , Lum Terry
Published: December 2022

COVID-19-related stress is heterogeneous and associated with increased mental health conditions in older adults. This study is to investigate relationships between different stressors and how different stressors may increase risks for mental health conditions through a network approach. A telephone survey was conducted among 4,921 older adults (age≥60) from April to June 2022 during the biggest community outbreak of COVID-19 in Hong Kong. The validated 8-item COVID-19-Related Stress Scale (CSS-old) (Cronbach’s α: 0.91) was used to investigate the different stressor for older people in Hong Hong. Respondents were screened for depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2), anxiety using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 2-item (GAD-2), and stressors with the CSS-old, 4708 responded to all questions. A regularized partial correlation network via graphical LASSO procedure was computed to analyze the relationship between 8 stressors; a directed acyclic graph (DAG) via a Bayesian hill-climbing algorithm was generated from CSS-old and comorbidity network with PHQ-2 and GAD-2 items. Network analyses identified CSS-old item 6 (families or friends infected), item 3 (daily life interrupted), item 5 (fear of infection affecting the family), and item 8 (worry for community’s health) as the core stressors. DAG analysis found a key triggering role for item 1 (suspension of community services), and the activation of the mental health problems occurred through item 1, which bridged the COVID-19-related stress and mental health problems. These findings suggested that providing support for families with COVID-19 patients and alternative services during community service suspension may reduce mental health problems risks.
A CROSSWALK OF COMMONLY USED FRAILTY SCALES
Authors: Sison Stephanie Denise , Shi Sandra , Kim Kyung Moo , Oh Gahee , Steinberg Nessa , Jeong Sohyun , McCarthy Ellen , Kim Dae
Published: December 2022

Several validated scales have been developed to measure frailty, yet it remains unknown how these measures are related. We used data from 7,070 community-dwelling older adults who participated in National Health and Aging Trend Study round 5 to construct a crosswalk among frailty measures. We operationalized the 60-item Frailty Index (FI), Study of Osteoporotic Fracture (SOF) Index, FRAIL Scale, Frailty Phenotype, Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), Vulnerable Elder Survey-13 (VES-13), Tilburg Frailty Indicator (TFI), Groningen Frailty Indicator (GFI), and Edmonton Frailty Scale (EFS). Missing data, needed for the calculation of frailty scores, were imputed using multiple imputation by chained equations method. We then linked the scores of each frailty measure to FI using the equipercentile method, a statistical procedure that links different scales by equating percentile distributions. Participants considered frail on FI (cutpoint of 0.25) corresponded to the following scores on each frailty measure: SOF 1.3, FRAIL 1.7, Phenotype 1.7, CFS 5.3, VES-13 5.5, TFI 4.4, GFI 4.4, and EFS 5.8. Conversely, individuals considered frail on each frailty measure corresponded to the following FI scores: 0.37 (SOF), 0.40 (FRAIL), 0.42 (Phenotype), 0.21 (CFS), 0.19 (VES-13), 0.28 (TFI), 0.22 (GFI), and 0.37 (EFS). The CFS, VES-13, TFI and GFI each discriminates between non-frail and frail people in the pre- to mildly frail spectrum on the FI, whereas the SOF, FRAIL Scale, Phenotype, and EFS detect those in the higher frailty spectrum on the FI. Our results provide clinicians and researchers with a useful tool to convert and interpret frailty across scales.
“IBASHO” AND THE OBJECTIVE WELL-BEING OF OLDER ADULTS IN A MARGINALIZED COMMUNITY
Authors: Watanabe Yuichi
Published: December 2022

“IBASHO” in Japan means a place where people can feel safe, have roles, and recognize their lives as meaningful. If IBASHO helps older adults to see their lives as meaningful, implementing “IBASHO” in the community would possibly contribute to community members’ objective well-being. This research examines the relationship between the activities that make up “IBASHO” and the objective well-being of older adults. Data were gathered by surveying a marginalized community every two years from 2009 to 2019 (Nf882). Multiple regression analysis was conducted. A six-point scale derived from a survey question measured the objective well-being of older adults as the dependent variable. For measuring “IBASHO,” five items asked about engagement in activities such as “hosting a tea meeting” or “holding a hobby workshop,” with the extent of engagement measured using a five-point scale. The total of these five items’ points (Cronbach’s alpha=.860) was analyzed as an independent variable. Gender, age, economic status, health status, and living alone were also included in the analysis. Results show “IBASHO” activity is a significant predictor of the objective well-being of older adults (p < .000) in the full model. Age, economic status, and health status are also significantly associated with well-being. Findings suggest that implementing “IBASHO” within community settings is associated with higher levels of well-being among older adults in the community. “IBASHO” is crucial to realizing the “no one left behind” policy in Japan.
PREDICTORS OF 400M WALKING TIME: THE STUDY OF MUSCLE MOBILITY AND AGING (SOMMA)
Authors: Cummings Steve , Patel Sheena , Cawthon Peggy , Coen Paul , Hepple Russell T , Mau Theresa , Newman Anne
Published: December 2022

Longer 400m walking time has been strongly associated with overall mortality and many other aging-related outcomes in prior studies. Inability to walk 400m defines ‘mobility disability’. We assessed characteristics that might contribute to 400m walking time in SOMMA, a cohort of 879 men and women over age 70. We excluded people with a gait speed < 0.6 m/s. The analysis included 49 factors representing several domains: muscle mass and strength, body composition, oxygen delivery, muscle mitochondrial ATP generation, fitness by cardiopulmonary exercise testing (VO2 peak), fatigability by questionnaire, usual physical activity, depressed mood, cognitive performance, lower extremity pain, lower extremity sensation, smoking, wealth and income, and general health. We used both elastic net and forward step-wise regression to generate multivariate models. Factors associated with longer (worse) walking time in both elastic net and forward step-wise regression models were: *weaker leg power, *fatigue during treadmill testing, *higher BMI, *greater self-reported fatigability, *worse performance on the timed DSST test, *fewer hours spent walking, *taking more medications, *older age, *poorer fitness (VO2peak), *more joint stiffness, *smoking, and *reduced peripheral sensation. These results indicate that 400m walk time is influenced by numerous factors. Some are also associated with overall mortality and aging outcomes and therefore they might underlie the prognostic value of the 400m walk. Additionally, some of the predictors could be improved, such as leg strength, cardiopulmonary fitness, more time walking, quitting smoking, and treatment of joint stiffness, perhaps reducing the risk of mobility disability.
SELF-TAILORED SUCCESSFUL AGING: OLDER ADULTS’ POINTS OF VIEW
Authors: Cohen Michal Tsadok , Rosenblum Sara , Meyer Sonya
Published: December 2022

The study aimed to map out the main constructs involved in aging successfully, as perceived by older adults, and highlight the importance of self-management. This qualitative study was comprised of eighteen interviewees and sixty participants across nine focus groups, including: Independent older adults aged 65 to 84 years living at home, health professionals working with older adults, and family members of older adults. Participants shared experiences concerning their everyday occupations and routines. Focus groups were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and qualitatively analyzed, using the constructivist grounded theory principles.

Results: Three successful aging theoretical categories emerged: self-management abilities, daily lifestyle, and individual differences. An example for self-management abilities can be described by a 67-year-old man’s son, who said: “He is a very busy man, he doesn’t have any commitments, but he always creates things for himself to do”. Results revealed diversity in how older adults perceive successful aging. For example, a 68-year-old woman said: “Retirement is like heaven, I enjoy every moment, there’s a lot to do”, whereas a 69-year-old man claimed: “Nobody needs you anymore… I retired a year ago and I still haven’t succeeded in organizing a daily schedule”. Additional results and quotes reflecting the categories will be represented.

Conclusion: Older adults who succeed in managing their daily life, and experience control of their own life, delineate successful aging. The diversity accentuates that each older adult needs to tailor their own self fitted “suit” to wear as they stride successfully into their aging years.
COMMUNITY CENTERED APPROACHES TO INCREASE PARTICIPATION OF AFRICAN AMERICANS IN BRAIN HEALTH AND ADRD RESEARCH
Authors: Barnes Priscilla , Cureton Bianca , Jessup Nenette , Sutton Natalie , Hill Carl , Shih Patrick , Hendrie Hugh , Lu Yvonne
Published: December 2022

African Americans/Blacks continue to be underrepresented as participants in Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementia (ADRD) and brain research. Numerous challenges such as lack of information about the Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementia (ADRD), socioeconomic barriers, historical and systemic racism, and distrust of research goals and processes persist in research participation. Research approaches tend to be more recruitment oriented rather than partnership driven that do not address these challenges. As a result, community engagement approaches are increasingly being recognized as a means of building trust and creating new pathways for participation in ADRD studies. This poster focuses on the preliminary work of the Collaborative on Aging Research and Engagement (CARE) --- a community academic partnership comprising the CARE Advisory Team (a community action team of 10 African American leaders), Alzheimer’s Association, the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Indiana Chapter, IU Schools of Nursing, Public Health, and Informatics, Computer Science, and Engineering, and the Indiana Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. The goal of the partnership is to facilitate active engagement of African Americans aged 45 years and older in research opportunities taking place in in Central and Northwest Indiana. Experiences and perspectives shared at the CARE Advisory Team meetings as well as memos from the researcher staff generated five lessons learned in building relationship oriented, as opposed to recruitment driven, processes. These lessons will be used to develop a community engagement framework focused on the integration of culturally relevant outreach practices in promoting ADRD research opportunities in African American/Black communities.
EXAMINING HUMAN-ANIMAL INTERACTIONS AND THEIR EFFECT ON FRAILTY IN LATER LIFE: A SCOPING REVIEW
Authors: Taeckens-Seabaugh Ashley , Corcoran Mary , Morris Kevin
Published: December 2022

Research suggests that human-animal interactions (HAIs) can improve the health and well-being of humans throughout their lifespan. While HAIs may facilitate healthy aging broadly, scant research has focused on HAIs as an intervention for adults aged 50 and older as it pertains to a comprehensive perspective of frailty. Moreover, scholarly literature lacks a consistent frailty definition, resulting in a lack of cohesion when evaluating the effectiveness of frailty interventions. This scoping review research proposes a comprehensive frailty definition and explores what is known about HAI interventions available to older adults as they relate to frailty statuses. Despite broad inclusion criteria, only four articles were relevant to this literature review, confirming the scarcity of relevant completed research thus far. Thematic analysis of reported results includes dog ownership as a protective factor regarding frailty statuses, the interconnected health effects of pet ownership, and meaning and purpose implications. Future interdisciplinary research should consider HAIs outside of pet ownership as frailty interventions for older adults, be mindful of population differences as they relate to intervention effectiveness, and work towards a universal, comprehensive definition of frailty that will aid in evaluating the frailty intervention effectiveness.
THE IMPACTS OF DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE ATTEMPTS AMONG OLDER MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN
Authors: Siu Alex , Chan Wing , Yan Elsie
Published: December 2022

Suicidality among older adults has attracted much attention due to their vulnerability. Older men who have sex with men (OMSM) have rarely been studied psychologically. Study examines factors that affect the mental health of OMSM, including depression, suicidal tendency, and suicide likelihood. OMSM in the United States are analyzed using descriptive statistics for correlations between depression and suicidal tendency. A literature review helped us select scales based on the regression model we constructed. Control variables were assessed for validity and relevance. A dependent variable was depression, and a dependent variable was suicidal tendencies. Depression and suicidal tendency scores significantly differed between men who have sex with men and the general population (t = 67.084,58.193, P < 0.01). Suicidal tendencies and depression are significantly higher among homosexuals than among general groups. The regression analysis shows older men who have sex with men are more likely to suffer from depression and suicide (P < 0.01). Depression and suicide rates in OMSM are higher than those in the general population. The level of depression, in the intermediary test, mediates both the effect of OMSM on individual suicidal tendency and individual suicidal behavior (P < 0.01). Suicidal tendencies in OMSM can be reduced through depression intervention.
ASSOCIATION BETWEEN STATE AND TRAIT ANXIETY AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE
Authors: Cui Ruifeng , Owsiany Montgomery , Shalaby Alaa
Published: December 2022

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) consistently ranks among the top ten leading causes of death, with prevalence rates being the highest among middle aged and older adults. Research has found that CVD has a negative bidirectional association with anxiety. However, the literature is limited regarding what specific aspects of anxiety, i.e., state and/or trait, are associated with CVD. The present study investigated the association between state and trait anxiety and CVD in a national sample of 640 middle aged and older adults. Participants (M age = 56.2, SD = 11.8) were from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) Biomarker sub-project. State anxiety was assessed with the Mood and Anxiety Symptom Questionnaire-anxiety subscale and trait anxiety was assessed with the Spielberger Trait Anxiety Inventory. In a binary logistic regression model including both state and trait anxiety, only trait anxiety significantly predicted presence of CVD (p = .05). In particular, trait anxiety was significantly associated with circulatory disease (p = .05), heart murmurs (p = .03), and blood clots (p = .03). Among middle-aged and older adults, trait anxiety is associated with having several different CVDs. These findings support assessing and addressing trait anxiety among middle aged and older adults with CVD.
THE JOURNAL OF APPLIED GERONTOLOGY: AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE
Authors: Robison Julie
Published: December 2022

The mission of applied gerontology is to bridge science and practice to benefit the health and well-being of older people, their families, their communities, and other contexts. The Journal of Applied Gerontology features original investigations or meta-analyses/systematic reviews with significant clinical, policy, and/or practice implications. This presentation will provide insights from the Journal of Applied Gerontology and its commitment to publish and disseminate scholarship with international application. Following an overview of the growing internationalization of peer-reviewed submissions to the Journal of Applied Gerontology on a variety of topics and from a range of perspectives, the presentation will highlight opportunities to apply gerontological scholarship to aging contexts worldwide. Concluding comments will examine how outlets for dissemination and authors themselves can better position their work to enhance their influence on aging in an international context.
FINANCIAL HARDSHIP AND INCOME SECURITY AND MENTAL HEALTH AMONG OLDER WORKERS: MULTI-CHANNEL SEQUENCE APPROACH
Authors: Shin Oejin , Park Sojung , Kwon Eunsun , Ryu Byeongju
Published: December 2022

Drawing on the life course perspective and multi-channel sequence approach, this research identifies long-term financial hardship and income security patterns among older adults and examines their relationship with depressive symptoms. Data were from the 2010 to 2018 HRS with 3,077 older workers aged 62–71 in 2010. Four clusters of key sequences were identified: 1) High food and low medical insecurities with private pension plans (43%); 2) Moderate food and low medical insecurities with gradually acquired private pension plans (13%); 3) High food and low medical insecurities with both private and employment-based pension plans (40%); 4) High food insecurity with employment-based pension plans(3%). Regarding the association with depressive symptoms, a group of people who experienced high food and low medical insecurities with private pension plans (b= 0.14, p < 0.1) and those who experienced moderate food and low medical insecurities with gradually acquired private pension plans (b= 0.32, p < 0.01) were more likely to have depressive symptoms compared to those high food and low medical insecurities with both private and employment-based pension plans. These findings highlight the heterogeneity of long-term patterns of financial hardships and patterns of income security, including the limited accessibility for a pension plan through their occupation and that an individual pension plan may not be sufficient to ensure mental health in later life. The results imply the importance of dual security of private and employment-based pensions on their mental health and provide important insights for future tailored income support programs for older adults.