bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Developing Life Stories for Nursing Home Residents and Examining the Impact on Residents and Staff
Authors: Rose Miriam , Ejaz Farida , Polk Brian 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
A life story program was implemented in 16 nursing homes (NHs) in Ohio with partners including a company specializing in life story work and a gerontological institute. The aim was to evaluate the impact of the life story program on residents and staff. NH sites were selected from an urban/suburban and a rural county using sampling procedures ensuring variation in auspice, quality star ratings and bed size. A longitudinal design was used to conduct in-person interviews with residents at baseline (prior to the life story interview), immediately after the interview, and approximately a month after most life story books were delivered to a NH. Resident eligibility criteria included being age 60 or older, Medicaid-eligible, long-stay and having no to moderate cognitive impairment. Residents’ (n=238) average age was 77 years, 66% were female, and 52% had resided in the NH for 1-5 years. Cognitive scores declined over time, but depressive symptomatology improved significantly. Residents had very high levels of satisfaction with care, enjoyed telling their life stories and would recommend the program; these findings did not change. A pre-post study design was used with staff (n=198), who included nurse aides, nurses, administrators, social workers and activity staff. Their average age was 44 years. Although staff job satisfaction did not change significantly, the vast majority enjoyed learning about residents’ life stories and used them in care planning. The findings demonstrate that life story work may be useful in promoting person-centered care, although further testing is needed with a more generalizable sample.
The Creative Benefits Scale as a Predictor of Attitudes About Aging in Middle-Aged and Older Women
Authors: Israel Sarah , Adams-Price Carolyn 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
Expectations about aging are connected with both positive traits (e.g., wisdom) and negative traits (e.g., physical frailty). Adams-Price et al. (2016) created the Personal Longevity Scale (PLS), which measures positive expectations (Hope) and negative expectations (Dread). The purpose of this study was to examine how psychological benefits gained from participating in creative hobbies may positively impact middle-aged and older women’s attitudes about aging. In addition, we examined if participant age moderated this relationship. A total of 198 women, aged 50 to 82 years old, completed the Personal Longevity Scale (Hope and Dread subscales) and the Creative Benefits Scale (CBS; used to measure psychological benefits that people may experience as a result of long-term participation in a creative hobby). The CBS includes four subscales: gaining a sense of identity (Identity), getting a sense of relaxation (Calming), feeling closer to God or nature (Spirituality), and receiving recognition from others for one’s hobby (Recognition). Single moderation models suggest that higher Identity scores were linked to more positive attitudes about aging but did not significantly predict negative attitudes. Age provided a marginally significant moderation effect to this relationship such that older women who received more of a sense of identity from their hobby reported the most positive attitudes about aging. Spirituality was linked to more positive attitudes about aging but did not significantly predict negative attitudes. Neither Calming nor Recognition were predictive of either positive or negative attitudes about aging. Implications for women’s development will be discussed from an Eriksonian perspective.
Marital Status and Gender Differences in End-of-Life Planning
Authors: Stratton Lauren , Meinertz Naomi , Bartholomae Suzanne 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
Less than half of older adults make formal preparations to control difficult life transitions, yet planning can mitigate negative outcomes that accompany changes. To better understand multiple forms of end-of-life planning behaviors and the effect of demographic characteristics, we use data from the Understanding America Study (N=1812; aged 60+). We explored gender and marital differences in whether respondents created a will, living will, or declared a durable power of attorney for health care (DPOAHC), and who was chosen as DPOAHC (i.e., spouse, child, other relative). T-tests determined no significant gender differences in declaring a DPOAHC, creating a will, or living will. An analysis of variance (F=13.422, df=3, p&lt;0.001) found married respondents more likely to declare a DPOAHC than separated/divorced (p&lt;0.001) and never married respondents (p=0.002). Divorced respondents were less likely to declare a DPOAHC compared to widowed respondents (p&lt;0.001) and widowed respondents were more likely compared to never married respondents (p=0.001). Additional analyses found the same pattern in who created a will or living will. A follow-up analysis of variance found no gender differences within marital status categories (i.e., married men versus married women). Overall, respondents who were never married were less likely to have prepared any forms of end-of-life planning. These results highlight the importance of having close relationships on the level of preparedness for end-of-life planning. Additional implications include increasing awareness about end-of-life planning for more vulnerable audiences. Future analyses will integrate findings regarding financial DPOAHC and examine other socio-demographic characteristics, such as education and race.
The Mediating Effect of Negative Emotion on the Well-Being Consequence of Belongingness Deficit Across Ages
Authors: Tsang Vivian Hiu Ling , Fung Helene 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
Previous studies suggested that the negative influence of belongingness deficit on wellbeing may be driven by an increase in negative emotion, but the age difference of this mediating effect is still uncertain. This study tested the mediating effect of negative emotion in the influence of relationship quality on depressive symptoms across age. Based on the potential biological decline in emotional sensitivity and better management of emotion with age, we hypothesize that negative emotion may be a weaker mediator in driving the consequences of relationship quality among older adults than younger adults. A total of 494 participants (19 – 85 years old, 60% was female) participated in this study at three timepoints with a two-year interval across Hong Kong, USA and Germany. Results suggested a significant partial mediating effect of negative emotion (b = -.0920, 95%LLCI = -.1315 to 95%ULCI = -.0568). In particular, poorer relationship quality at timepoint 1 predicted more negative emotion at timepoint 2 and therefore predicted more depressive symptoms at timepoint 3. More importantly, the mediating effect was moderated by age significantly (b = .0025, 95%LLCI = .0009 to 95%ULCI = .0042). As expected, the mediating effect of negative emotion decreased with age and became not significant among individuals at older age (b = -.0344, BootLLCI = -.0805 to BootULCI = .0075). Future studies can further investigate on age-related mediators in driving the consequences of belonginess deficit.
Caregiver Resilience as a Protective Factor for Elder Abuse
Authors: Yan Elsie 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
This study examines the protective function of caregiving resilience and caregiving self-efficacy for elder abuse. A convenient sample of 600 family caregivers of community dwelling older Chinese in Hong Kong were individually interviewed. Participants were assessed on the caregiving context, care recipient physical functioning and behavioral problems, perceived caregiver stress, neurotic personality, caregiving self-efficacy and resilience. Past year elder abuse was assessed using Revised Conflict Tactic Scale and Older Adult Financial Exploitation. Elder abuse is common in this sample: 7.5, 11.5, 24 per cent reported physical, psychological, and financial abuse respectively. Injuries were reported in 2.3% of the sample. Hierarchical linear regression analysis was conducted. Number of co-residing days and hours of care provided per week were entered into Model One; Care recipient physical functioning, behavioral problems, and caregiver stress were entered into Model Two; Caregiver resilience and caregiving self-efficacy were entered into Model Three. Care recipient behavioral problems and caregiver stress were prominent factors associated with abuse across all models. With the exception of physical abuse, caregiver resilience buffered the effects of care recipient behavioral problems and caregiver stress on all forms of elder abuse. No such effect was observed for caregiving self-efficacy. Intervention efforts aiming at fostering caregiver resilience could potentially prevent elder abuse.
Work and Functional Limitations for Older Workers: Does Measurement Make a Difference?
Authors: Andrasfay Theresa , Pebley Anne , Goldman Noreen 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
Social scientists have become increasingly interested in strenuous jobs as contributors to health inequality over the life course. Physically demanding work at later ages is of particular interest because it can have implications for retirement decisions, physical functioning, and disability, and strenuous jobs are prevalent among lower-income and minority older workers. Many studies have relied on occupational characteristics from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET), but few have assessed how these measures compare to self-reported occupational characteristics in terms of identifying social gradients in exposure and predicting future health outcomes. Using data from 16,683 respondents of the Health and Retirement Study, we obtained self-reported and O*NET measurements of general physical activity, frequency of lifting objects, and frequency of stooping/crouching required in the jobs they held at first interview. Pearson correlation coefficients revealed moderate correlations between the self-reported items and corresponding O*NET items. Though they are measured on different scales, both the self-reported and O*NET measures of physical demands revealed similar racial/ethnic and gender gradients in exposure to physically strenuous work. Lastly, we fit a series of random effects Poisson models to assess how these measures predict accumulation of functional limitations, a health outcome thought to result in part from strenuous working conditions. We found that while models using self-reported working conditions have the best fit with the data, models using the corresponding items in O*NET have comparable goodness-of-fit. These results suggest that, in the absence of self-reported physical occupational characteristics, O*NET characteristics provide a reasonable alternative.
Impact of Doing Good on the Aging Self: Growth and Change Themes in Narratives of Prosocial Behavior
Authors: Graham Laura , Nakamura Jeanne , Ringler Noah 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
Contemporary theories consider development to be lifelong, suggesting a potential for personal growth in older adulthood. Narrative studies have found benefits of having growth themes in older adults’ broad life stories, yet there is limited research focusing on the specific experiences in later life that elicit growth. One potential for personal growth during older age is through prosocial behavior, but studies have overlooked how older adults narrate such experiences and the perceived impact the narratives have on the self. We conducted interviews with a sample of 47 older adults engaged in prosocial commitments to examine the types of perceived self-change as well as patterns in high points and low points of the experience. Narrative analyses revealed the majority of participants reported a change in the self, and half of the sample used growth themes to characterize the self-change. Inductive coding of change narratives revealed an emergent category of virtuous change (e.g., transcendence, wisdom, humanity), as well as a variety of other change categories (e.g., competence, cognitive abilities, negative changes). Those who grew narrated high points and low points with more integration than those who did not, displaying a multifaceted, complex understanding of significant episodes through a blend of both positive and negative elements within one story. These findings suggest that an integrated understanding of prosocial experiences may provide an avenue toward personal growth. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Determinants of Advance Directive Completion Among Older Chinese Americans
Authors: Wang Kaipeng , Wu Bei , Sun Fei , Kong Dexia , Liu Yanqin 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
Advance Directive (AD) allows older adults to communicate preferred care at the end of life. Numerous studies reported that ethnic minorities were less likely to complete AD then non-Hispanic Whites. However, determinants of AD completion among older Chinese Americans remain unknown. The present study aims to address this knowledge gap. Data came from a survey of 439 Chinese Americans aged from 51 to 103 living in two metropolitan areas in 2018. Participants’ average year was 75 (SD=9.37). About 63% were women and 93% were born outside the US. Approximately 14% of participants completed an AD. Guided by the Andersen’s Service Use Model, we used logistic regression to examine determinants of AD completion. Results show that older age (OR = 1.06, p &lt; 0.01), being employed (OR = 2.63, p &lt; 0.05), acculturation (OR = 2.09, p &lt; 0.001), having US citizenship (OR = 3.57, p &lt; 0.01), and expectation of intergenerational support (OR = 1.84, p &lt; 0.05), were positively associated with AD completion. Physical and mental health needs were not significantly associated with AD completion. This is among the first studies focusing on AD completion among Chinese Americans, one of the fastest growing older minority populations in the US. Findings highlight the influence of socioeconomic and cultural factors on AD completion and illustrates the importance of developing culturally sensitive interventions to promote end-of-life care decision-making among older Chinese Americans.
Financial Literacy in the Family Context: The Role of Spousal Education and Gender Among Older Couples
Authors: Li Yang 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
Despite recent advances in the literature on the association between one’s own education and financial literacy, the role of the family context in financial literacy has received limited attention. I examine whether spousal education is associated with one’s own financial literacy among older couples and whether this association differs by gender. Using data from the 2016 Health and Retirement Study (n=1,220), I employ a multilevel actor-partner interdependence model to examine the cross-partner effect of spousal education on own financial literacy among older couples. I analyze a set of regression models on pairwise data to estimate the moderating effect of gender. I find that having a college-educated spouse was associated with a higher likelihood of being financially literate and that wives’ education attainment was associated with a higher likelihood of financial literacy for husbands. Understanding the role of spousal education in late-life financial literacy adds to our knowledge about the role of the family context as related to individual financial knowledge and skills. Older adults may acquire financial literacy within the family, such as learning from a spouse.
Lifestyle Challenges Among Older Female Cancer Survivors
Authors: Krok-Schoen Jessica , Pisegna Janell , Arthur Elizabeth , Ridgway Emily , Rosko Ashley 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
The American Cancer Society recommends that survivors maintain a healthy lifestyle including a normal weight, being physically active, and maintaining a healthy diet to improve prognosis and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Unfortunately, the majority of cancer survivors do not engage in a healthy lifestyle. The largest proportion of cancer survivors are older adults (≥65 years), yet they are often understudied, particularly regarding healthy lifestyles. This study sought to examine the lifestyle behaviors (maintaining healthy weight, dietary intake, physical activity) of older female cancer survivors and to identify associations with HRQoL. Older female cancer survivors (n=170) completed surveys to assess HRQoL (RAND-36), diet quality (HEI-2015), physical activity, malnutrition, and BMI. Descriptive analyses, correlations, and stepwise linear regressions were utilized. The majority of the sample (mean age=74.67±8.43 years) were white (90%), married (54.4%), college-educated (63.9%), and breast cancer survivors (67.4%). Self-reported health was very good (42.6%) and good (39.6%) and general HRQoL was 59.48±15.34 out of 100. Self-reported physical activity was low; 75.3%, 54.2%, and 68.1% reported no strenuous, moderate, and mild physical activity, respectively. Mean BMI was 27.71±6.24 with 64% of the participants being overweight or obese. Mean HEI-2015 scores were 66.39±10.00, below the “good” diet quality score of 80. Risk of malnutrition was present in 27.4% of participants. Regressions found that being White (β=-0.528, p=0.001) and lower BMI (β =-0.405, p=0.024) were significant predictors of HRQoL. Results indicate the need for tailored health coaching for older cancer survivors regarding their lifestyle behaviors to improve prognosis and HRQoL.
Environmental Interventions to Promote Infection Control in Senior-Living Facilities: Cases in the USA and China
Authors: Wang Zhe , Li Bo 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
In the evolving situation of COVID-19, an outbreak of the contagious disease in a nursing home near Seattle prompted urgent calls for precautionary tactics in senior-living facilities. Worldwide, the USA and China are the countries with the largest and second largest populations of people aged 80+. More than two million older adults live in senior-living facilities in the USA and the number of beds in senior-living facilities in China has increased to 6.5 million in recent five years. The risk of infections including COVID-19 is tripled in senior-living residents because of age, close living conditions, and underlying health conditions. Infectious diseases account for one third of all deaths in people age 65+ in the USA. COVID-19 has a case fatality rate of 2.3% overall and as high as 15% in patients age 80+ in China. Together with health and services interventions, environmental interventions should be considered to prevent the possible spread of infections in senior-living settings. Based on a literature review and using empirical data of 12 senior-living facility designs collected in both countries, this research analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of existing facility environments in terms of infection control. Environmental interventions to promote infection control are suggested in the context of individual facilities. Proposed interventions are analyzed at two levels: spatial design and design details. Five factors are included: visitors screening, ventilation, isolation rooms, hand washing, and daily temperature checks. From the perspective of infection control, the cross-country similarities and differences of senior-living facility designs are discussed.
Age Differences in Response to Framed Side Effects Information About Hypothetical Medications
Authors: Minton Alyssa , Nievera Madeline , Young Nathaniel , Mikels Joseph 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
Framing equivalent information as a gain (e.g., 90% survival rate) or a loss (e.g., 10% mortality rate) can differentially impact judgments and decision making, such that people make more favorable judgements when information is presented as a positive gain versus a negative loss. The current study investigated how framing and age influences evaluative judgments of hypothetical medications used to treat common health issues when the equivalent probability of experiencing a particular side effect was presented as a gain (e.g., “86% of people who took this medication did not experience rash outbreaks”) or a loss (e.g., “14% of people who took this medication did experience rash outbreaks”). Younger and older adults were presented with health pamphlets for hypothetical medications with three unique side effects for each and indicated the medication’s perceived riskiness, how positively and negatively they felt about the medication, and their likelihood to take the medication. Numeracy, risk-taking behavior, and current affective state were also measured. When information was presented in a loss frame, people reported more negative feelings about the medication, leading to greater perceived riskiness, IE = -.785, SE = .13, p &lt; .001. Age indirectly influenced likelihood via the positive feelings about the medication, IE = .349, SE = .14, p = .013. Younger adults felt more positively about the medications than older adults, leading to an increased willingness to take the medication. These findings provide insight into how framing and age can differentially influence evaluative judgments, perceived risk, and willingness to take medication.
Impact of Instructions on the Positivity Effect in Younger and Older Adults’ Autobiographical Memories
Authors: Siedlecki Karen , Minahan Jillian , Yazdani Neshat 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
The positivity effect (PE) refers to age-related enhancement in memory for positive information or decreased memory for negative information. The PE is thought to be the result of age-associated shifts in motivational goals towards enhancing well-being. Research has demonstrated the PE in laboratory settings, and a meta-analysis showed that the PE was most robust in conditions with fewer instructions/constraints (Reed et al., 2014). Findings related to the PE in autobiographical memory (AM) are mixed. Goals of the current study include examining 1) whether the PE was evident across four increasingly restrictive AM conditions (involuntary AMs, voluntary AM with no constraints, voluntary AM within a specific time frame, voluntary AM within a specific time frame and related to a specific cue word), and 2) whether available cognitive resources (assessed with the Stroop task and a trail-making test) influence the PE, since cognitive control is essential for achieving goals. Participants (N=126) completed the shortened Memory Experiences Questionnaire for each memory, which assesses several phenomenological characteristics, including memory valence. There were no significant differences in memory valence between the younger (n=69, ages 18-34) and older adult (n=57; ages 60-85) groups for involuntary AMs or the less constrained voluntary AMs, but there was a significant difference for the most constrained AM wherein older adults rated their AMs as more positive than younger adults. Performance on cognitive control measures did not influence the AM valence. These results highlight the importance of considering the effects of type of stimuli and instructions when studying the PE.