bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
CULTURE-RELATED TASK DIFFICULTIES AND NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES FOR CAREGIVERS FROM DIVERSE COMMUNITIES
Authors: Schaffer Rachel , Bass David , Powers Sara , McDavid Jenna , Le Ocean 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
The Diverse Elders Coalition, in partnership with its six member organizations and the Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging, completed a national survey of 840 family and friend caregivers from diverse racial, ethnic, and sexual orientation communities to understand their unique caregiving issues and challenges. Data from a subsample of 404 caregivers identifying as Hispanic/Latino, Asian, Southeast Asian or from multiple ethnicities were examined to determine the relationship between difficulties performing culture-related care tasks (i.e., assisting with immigration issues and language barriers) and a variety of caregiver outcomes. Regression analysis controlling for background and context characteristics showed caregivers experiencing more culture-related task difficulties had significantly higher levels of several negative caregiving consequences, including health strain (B=.19, p=.001), relationship strain (B=.17, p=.005), work strain, (B=.24, p=.000) isolation (B=.17, p=.002), and symptoms of depression (B=.29, p=.000). Moreover, higher levels of strain and depression among caregivers who reported high levels of culture-related task difficulties ranged from 26%-54%. More difficulties with culture-related tasks also were significantly related to dissatisfaction with support resources, including lower ratings of the quality of care receivers’ healthcare (B=-.20, p=.001), and lower satisfaction with support they and their care receivers received from family and friends (B=-.17, p=.006 and B=-.16, p=.011, respectively). Results suggest caregivers from diverse communities struggling with culture-related tasks experience more negative consequences of caregiving and less helpful social support. Service providers working with caregivers from diverse communities should assess for culture-related task difficulties, recognizing these problems may be a window into a variety of adverse caregiving effects.
HEARING LOSS AND SOCIAL ISOLATION: THE ROLE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SOCIAL COHESION AND DISORDER
Authors: Baik Sol , Lehning Amanda 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
Social isolation is a critical public health issue that socially isolated individuals are at increased risk for mortality and deteriorated health. Those who acquire hearing loss in later life experience difficulties with communication, potentially leading to social isolation. However, less is known about the social consequences of age-related hearing loss, and few studies have assessed the influence of environmental factors on hearing loss and social isolation. The aims of this study are to examine: (1) the association between hearing loss and social isolation of older adults over time, and (2) the moderating effects of perceived neighborhood social cohesion and disorder on this relationship. We analyzed 2,080 community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 or above from Round 1 to 3 of National Health and Aging Trends Study. We conducted random coefficient models, entering hearing loss as a random coefficient. Older adults with hearing loss were less socially isolated than those without hearing loss. However, the effect of hearing loss on social isolation varied depending on perceived neighborhood social cohesion. Older adults with hearing loss who reported high neighborhood cohesion had significantly lower social isolation compared to those without hearing loss, while those with hearing loss who perceived low social cohesion had significantly higher social isolation. Our findings suggest neighborhood social cohesion can serve as a potential protective factor for older adults with hearing loss. This poster will propose neighborhood-level interventions that could supplement other services for those with hearing loss, such as assistive devices that are rarely covered by health insurance.
COMPARISON OF CAREGIVERS FROM DIVERSE COMMUNITIES WHO IMMIGRATED TO OR WERE BORN IN THE US
Authors: Stratton Lauren , Bass David , Schaffer Rachel , Powers Sara , Le Ocean , McDavid Jenna 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
The Diverse Elders Coalition, in partnership with its six member organizations and the Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging, completed a national survey of 840 family and friend caregivers from diverse racial, ethnic, and sexual orientation communities to understand their unique caregiving issues and challenges. Data from a subsample of 369 caregivers identifying as Hispanic/Latino, Asian, Southeast Asian or multiple ethnicities were analyzed to understand similarities and differences between caregivers born in the US and who immigrated to the US. The Stress Process Conceptual Model guided selection of characteristics used for comparative analysis. Results of logistic regression revealed that caregivers born in the US were younger (B=-.08, p&lt;.001), had higher educational degrees (B=.42, p&lt;.001), and higher incomes (B=.34, p=.002). They assisted care receivers with more health-related tasks (B=.27, p=.013), but fewer culture-related tasks (B=-.51, p=.002); reported higher levels of strain in their relationship with care receivers (B=.66, p=.038); and were less satisfied with the quality of care receivers’ healthcare (B=-.62, p=.042). In terms of reasons for being a caregiver, there were no significant differences in cultural commitment to caring for older family members, however those born in the US were more likely to report providing care because it was more convenient for them than for other family and friends (B=.99, p=.002). Understanding the needs of diverse caregivers has implications for healthcare and service providers, such as providing training on diverse needs. Additionally, the differences between US born and immigrant caregivers highlights implications on the dynamic between caregivers and their care receiver.
IMPACT OF AGING POPULATIONS ON MUNICIPAL EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
Authors: Roldan Nidya Velasco , Coyle Caitlin E , Ward Michael , Mutchler Jan 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
The services that residents require from their local governments vary depending on the demographics of their populations. While municipalities have long sought to consider how changes in the young population may impact their school system needs, few systematic considerations have been developed relating to how aging populations may impact municipal service provision. This study aims to address this issue by focusing on demands on emergency services at the municipal level. Using data from the Massachusetts Ambulance Trip Record Information System (MATRIS) we explore the association between emergency medical services (EMS) demand and population age-structure. The data shows an overrepresentation of older people among EMS users. People age 65 and older represent 16% of Massachusetts’ population but account for 31% of the transported emergent calls —e.g., 911 calls— and 60% of the scheduled transports. Results from the OLS regression analysis suggest that communities with larger shares of older residents have significantly higher numbers of EMS calls. The type of community and other age-related community features such as the percentage of older residents living alone and the percentage of older population dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid are also significantly associated with the number of EMS calls. Contrary to our expectations, other resources available in the community such nursing homes or assisted living facilities were not significantly associated with number of EMS calls. Our research indicates that if growth in the older population occurs as projected, the demand placed on the EMS system by older populations will grow considerably in coming decades.
IMPROVING BRAIN AGE PREDICTION MODELS: INCORPORATION OF AMYLOID STATUS IN ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE
Authors: Ly Maria , Muppidi Nishita , Karim Helmet , Yu Gary , Mizuno Akiko , Klunk William , Aizenstein Howard 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
Brain age prediction may serve as a promising, individualized biomarker of brain health and may help us understand the heterogeneous biological changes that occur in aging. Brain age prediction is a machine learning method that estimates an individual’s chronological age from their neuroimaging scans. If predicted brain age is greater than chronological age, that individual may have an “older” brain than expected, suggesting that they may have experienced a higher cumulative exposure to brain insults or were more impacted by those pathological insults. However, contemporary brain age models include older participants with amyloid pathology in their training sets and thus may be confounded when studying Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We showed that amyloid status is a critical feature for brain age prediction models by training a model on 808 individuals without significant amyloid pathology from the ADNI, OASIS-3, and IXI cohorts. Our model accurately predicted brain age in the training and independent test sets, comparable to previous published models: [r(807) = 0.94, R2 = 0.88, p=0.001, MAE = 4.9 years, p=0.001], [r(39) = 0.67, R2 = 0.45, and MAE = 4.6 years]. We demonstrated significant differences between AD diagnostic groups [F(3,431)=30.7, p&lt;0.001], and our model was the first to delineate significant differences in brain age relative to chronological age between cognitively normal individuals with and without amyloid [mean difference, 95% CI; CN-Aβ(-) (-3.4, -4.9:-1.8), CN-Aβ(+) (-0.7, -1.9:0.5)]. Ultimately, incorporation of amyloid status in brain age prediction models improves the utility of brain age as a biomarker for aging and AD.
COPING BEHAVIORS THAT INCREASE STRESS AMONG OLDER ADULTS
Authors: Rainville G , Williams Alicia R , Choi-Allum Lona 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
This study examined the efficacy of a series of 28 behaviors (e.g., comfort eating, attending worship services, getting a massage, etc.) in moderating the perception of stress among older adults. First, 28 individual behaviors were assessed to determine whether they buffered or exacerbated the impact of an objective stress measure (i.e., the count of stressful life events) on perceptions of stress (measured using Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale [PSS]). A full sample analysis used data from 1,000 randomly selected U.S. adults age 40 and older, but subsequent analyses explored coping behaviors for two age groups—those age 40 to 59 and those 60 and older. In the full sample analysis, multiple moderating conditions were noted including stress-buffering for worship service attendance, recreational shopping, and getting a massage. Also among the full 40+ sample, stress-exacerbation was noted for social media use and coping by “overreacting to things.” Factor analysis (employing a polychoric correlation matrix) reduced the 28 individual behaviors into 9 clusters comprised of related behaviors and representing a general coping approach. Looking within the age groups, significant stress-buffering was limited to those age 60 and older for two coping approaches—a “Self-Care and Travel” approach and an Inspirational approach (e.g., praying, attending church, etc.). For both age subgroups there was no coping approach, not even the hedonistic “blowing off steam” approach, that was found to exacerbate the impact of stressful life events on the perception of stress.
SMOOTHING THE MOVE FROM POST-ACUTE TO HOME CARE FOR OLDER CARDIAC PATIENTS: A SOCIAL WORK TRANSITIONS INITIATIVE
Authors: Burack Orah R , Auerbach-Burgoon Jessica , Mundy Sandra , Cimarolli Verena R 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
Transitioning across medical settings (e.g. from hospital to post-acute (PA) or PA to homecare (HC)) is a difficult time with numerous challenges, as critical information passes across sites, new systems are quickly established, and caretakers change. Older cardiac heart failure (CHF) patients, often with comorbidities and having fewer social supports, are especially vulnerable to rehospitalizations at that time. This study examines the impact of a Social Work Transitions (SWT) intervention, designed to ease older cardiac patients’ transition from a PA to HC setting, on rehospitalization rates. The SWT model for CHF patients was developed in a large healthcare system with a continuum of services for older adults including PA and HC. Once a patient enters PA from the hospital a transitions social worker (SW) remains the patient’s primary support and contact through PA discharge and the transition to HC. In HC, that same SW ensures needed services occur, conducts home visits, and provides additional follow-up via phone calls. Study 1: compared HC rehospitalization rates of CHF patients receiving SWT (N=28) with those not receiving SWT (N=26). This natural control group arose during the initial program months, as SW turnover occurred and some CHF patients were not accompanied by a transitions SW. SWT patients had half the rehospitalizations (25%) as controls (54%). Study 2 tracked 30 day rehospitalizations rates for the first 17 study months (N=257). Program rehospitalization rates (16.7%) were below the CMS benchmark (21%). These findings support using the SWT program to prevent unnecessary rehospitalizations in CHF patient.
BEYOND BINGO: THE IMPACT OF ACTIVITY ENGAGEMENT IN AN ALL-AFRICAN AMERICAN ASSISTED LIVING COMMUNITY
Authors: Vargas Inneke L , Bender Alexis A , Kemp Candace L , Perkins Molly M 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
More than one million older adults reside in assisted living (AL) communities in America. This figure is projected to double by the year 2030. It is typical for residents in these communities to have cognitive and physical impairments requiring differing levels of care. Due in part to these impairments, it is vital to the health and well-being of residents to participate in meaningful recreational activities. This secondary analysis of ethnographic observations totaling 818 hours and semi-structured interviews with 25 residents enrolled in an NIA-funded study (5R01AG047408) explores in depth barriers and facilitators to activity engagement in a large (90+ bed) moderate-income, all-African-American AL community located in a large urban city in the southern US. Residents range in age from 59 to 103 (mean = 85) and are predominantly female. We linked our findings from thematic analysis to six domains of quality palliative care identified by the 2018 National Consensus Project (NCP) Guidelines for Quality Palliative Care: cultural, physical, psychological, social, structures and processes, and spiritual aspects of care. Key barriers include limitations related to staffing (a low staff-to-resident ratio and high staff turnover) and activities that do not adequately address needs of residents with varying interests and abilities. A robust daily devotion and other activities that incorporate culturally relevant music are activities highly valued by most residents. Implications of these findings contribute to a larger effort to create positive change in the structures and processes of care in AL and can inform best practices for palliative care within these communities.
THE SEARCH STUDY: A QUALITATIVE INQUIRY INTO DIVERSE STAKEHOLDER PERSPECTIVES ON HEALTHY AGING ACROSS CHICAGOLAND
Authors: Khan Mushira , Graham Karen , Washington Tarisha , Kim Abigail , Shah Raj C , Glover Crystal M 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
Older adults face increased risk of chronic diseases of aging such as Alzheimer’s dementia and other adverse age-related outcomes. However, the conceptualization of healthy aging and how age-related issues are addressed in community-based structures, particularly among racial and ethnic minorities, remain poorly understood, especially from the Stakeholder perspective. Stakeholders, such as faith leaders and members of community-based organizations, engage in regular negotiations to advance health equity in their communities by partnering and collaborating with older adults and their families as well as other local and federal organizations. The Stakeholder Engagement in Aging Research and Community Health (SEARCH) Study employs multiple research methods to illuminate Stakeholders’ perspectives on barriers and facilitators to healthy aging in diverse communities. This presentation highlights findings from in-depth, qualitative interviews with Stakeholders (N=37) serving African American, Latinx, and South Asian older adults. Emergent themes suggest that systemic racism, stigmatization, limited health literacy, and cultural beliefs serve as barriers to healthy aging across groups. Within groups, Stakeholders report precarious immigration status and fragile and fragmented life situations as barriers among Latinx older adults, while acculturative stress presents a challenge to healthy aging in South Asian older adults. Food insecurity and neighborhood factors such as exposure to violence and socio-economic disadvantages act as barriers among African American older adults. Conversely, religious faith and spirituality, familial support, and culturally-congruent care serve as facilitators across groups. The findings from this study underscore the continued need for intersectional, inclusive, and culturally-informed approaches to supporting healthy aging within diverse communities.
LOW GLUCOSE ENHANCES THE CYTOPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF METFORMIN AGAINST DOXORUBICIN-INDUCED CYTOTOXICITY
Authors: Ameer Fathima , Zhang Xiaomin , Azhar Gohar , Che Yingni , Wei Jeanne 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
Metformin, an oral anti-diabetic drug, is currently being investigated for its anti-aging properties and has also been used as adjunct therapy in cancer. Cancer is a disease of aging. Type 2 diabetes is also prevalent in older adults. We wanted to test the hypothesis that metformin could protect normal cells during chemotherapy treatment under different glucose conditions. We used C2C12 myoblast cells to study cellular bioenergetics, variations in gene expressions, and biochemical alterations induced by metformin and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (L-Doxo) under low glucose (2.7 mM or 50 mg/dL) and normal physiologic glucose (5.5 mM, or 100 mg/dL) conditions. Using confocal microscopy, we noted that treatment of C2C12 cells with 30 µg/mL L-Doxo under low glucose and normal physiologic glucose conditions induced cellular defects. Furthermore, L-Doxo treatment dysregulated the expression of mitochondrial fission and fusion genes, which may influence transformation of the network’s connectivity. L-Doxo treatment significantly reduced mitochondrial oxygen consumption rate (OCR) and extracellular acidification rate (ECAR). However, pre-treatment with 100 nM metformin provided protection against L-Doxo-induced damage and increased cell viability and ATP levels in cells even under low glucose conditions. Our data provide further evidence by which low dose metformin exerts protective effects against L-Doxo, a chemotherapeutic drug, under low glucose conditions. Metformin appears to act via AMPKα, Raptor, and SRF, and has significant cellular protective effects that may be useful in cancer and/or aging.
CHOREOGRAPHING INTERACTION WITHIN THE U-M HOMELAB: CONSIDERATIONS FOR AN OLDER ADULT POPULATION
Authors: Leonard Natalie M , Wank Marianthie , Nielsen Karen , Carmichael Alicia G , Wisniewski Maren , Raichur Vineet , Gonzalez Richard 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
Drawing from the lens of architecture, designing a research study for a controlled, simulated environment requires the consideration of three primary types of interaction involving people and infrastructure. These three types include the interface between and among the respondent(s) and the researcher(s), the interface between and among the people playing these roles and the infrastructure surrounding them (inclusive of self-report measures, sensing technology, furniture, etc.), and the interface between and among the various types of study infrastructure. The flow of a study across these interfaces becomes a form of choreography, with implications for protocol adherence, reproducibility, and data quality. Recently, a pilot study assessing an older adult population’s upper-body performance was our first iteration of research utilizing a simulated environment: the U-M HomeLab, an ADA-accommodating, one-bedroom apartment built within the basement of a large research facility. Nine participants, aged 61 to 72, with self-reported upper-body weakness completed a series of tasks resembling activities of daily living, such as lifting laundry baskets and vacuuming. By backtracking through our development of this pilot study, we illustrate how considerations of interface play a significant role across every stage of study design, incorporating aspects of wayfinding, dialogue, safety, acclimation, and visibility that are relevant to an older adult population. From these reflections, considerations of interface inform a “check-list” for simulation choreography, providing guiding questions for assessing these types of interactions while iterating through study design.
THE UNIQUE IMPORTANCE OF RELATIONSHIP QUALITY FOR COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER ADULTS
Authors: Tate Ashley M , Martire Lynn 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
Social networks can directly influence the health and well-being of older adults. Some work has suggested that network growth is associated with increased well-being. However, little is known about how the quality of relationships with confidants may be associated with better psychological well-being over and above the number of confidants. We aimed to test the hypothesis that feeling closer to confidants would be associated with lower anxiety and fewer depressive symptoms above and beyond the influence of the number of confidants as well as the number of children and grandchildren. To test this hypothesis, we collected data during face-to-face interviews with 131 community-dwelling adults who were between the ages of 58 and 94. Participants’ gender, age, marital status, self-rated health, and cognitive function were included as covariates in the models. In line with predictions, regression analyses showed that average closeness with confidants predicted significantly lower reports of anxiety (p &lt; .05) and depressive symptoms (p &lt; .001). Additionally, the number of confidants was not significantly associated with anxiety or depressive symptoms. Interestingly, having a greater number of children and grandchildren was associated with increased anxiety symptoms. These results extend previous work by suggesting that the quality of the relationship with confidants is more important for psychological well-being than the number of confidants. Future work should test these associations longitudinally so that directionality can be inferred.
CRYPTIC TRANSCRIPTION IS ASSOCIATED WITH AGE IN MAMMALIAN STEM CELLS
Authors: McCauley Brenna , Sun Luyang , Dang Weiwei 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
Aging is a multifaceted process that challenges organisms with stresses resulting from the dysregulation of cellular processes. Unsurprisingly, given how tightly regulated it is under normal conditions, transcription is one of the key pathways disrupted during aging. Indeed, dysregulation of transcription contributes to the activation of transposable elements, the loss of cellular identity, and decreased stem cell potency with age. Our previous work identified intragenic cryptic transcription (CT) as a novel type of age-associated transcriptional dysregulation that limits the lifespan of yeast and worms. Continuing this work, we show for the first time that CT increases with age in mammalian stem cells. Increased CT is associated with disrupted chromatin structure, particularly with the reduction of H3K36me3, a histone modification known to inhibit CT throughout eukaryotes. We propose that an age-associated reduction in H3K36me3 in actively transcribed gene bodies drives disruption of chromatin structure in these regions, resulting in an open chromatin state. This open chromatin state is permissive for the entry of RNA Pol II, which can then initiate transcription from within the gene body. These aberrant cryptic transcripts may contribute to the pathological load of mammalian aging.