bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A Step Backward and Forward in an Age-Friendly University Initiative: Adapting a Campus Learning Partnership
Authors: Gautam Ramraj , Melillo Karen Devereaux , McDonough Carol 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
The 5-campus UMass system received designation as an Age-Friendly University (AFU) in 2019. AFU Principle 1 highlights the importance of involving older adults in University activities. UMass Lowell’s Center for Gerontology Research and Partnerships collaborated with the Learning in Retirement Association (LIRA) in Spring 2020 to offer aging-related courses around healthy aging. However, due to COVID-19, these were canceled and are re-scheduled for Spring 2021 via Zoom. The paper will describe the process of selecting course offerings with LIRA and the subsequent cancellation/rescheduling process and adaptation needed. A course will focus on AFU initiative and the opportunities and challenges at UMass Lowell. Likewise, the other course will offer a session on technology and aging where age-based digital divide and strategies for reducing it will be discussed. This paper will reflect on how the collaboration with LIRA and course selection process relates to the AFU principles 1, 5 and 9.
Designing Participatory Aging Research on Exclusion From Social Relations: A Citizen Science Project
Authors: Urbaniak Anna 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Many policies and initiatives aim at enhancing the social participation of older adults. Despite this growing interest in increasing social inclusion and combating social exclusion in older age, the voices of socially-excluded older adults and their experiences remain underrepresented in research. Based on data from the Austrian research project “Socially Excluded Older Adults: Voices and Experiences” (SEVEN), I reflect on what it means to co-create research with the hard-to-reach populations of socially excluded older adults. Data discussed is derived By inviting this group to participate in each stage of the research, the project develops an innovative approach that, on the one hand, facilitates and advances ways for socially-excluded older adults to express their voices, thereby empowering them and their self-advocacy, and, on the other hand, creates research insights that are able to grasp the life worlds of older, socially excluded adults more accurately.
Daily Financial Thoughts and Indices of Mental and Physical Health: The Importance of Socioeconomic Status
Authors: Piazza Jennifer , Rush Jonathan , Cerino Eric , Mogle Jacqueline , Stawski Robert , Charles Susan , Almeida David 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
The current study examined the associations between daily financial thoughts, socioeconomic status (SES), and indices of emotional (positive and negative affect (PA/NA)) and physical health (physical symptoms and cortisol). Participants (N = 782) from the National Study of Daily Experiences, a subsample of the Midlife in the United States Refresher survey, completed daily diary interviews and provided saliva samples, from which cortisol was assayed. Participants who, on average, reported more daily financial thoughts also reported more NA, less PA, more physical symptoms, and had higher cortisol AUCg (all p’s &lt; .05). These effects were more pronounced among people reporting lower SES. Daily fluctuations in financial thoughts also predicted daily fluctuations in NA, PA, and physical symptoms (all p’s &lt;. 01). Again, these associations were more pronounced among people reporting lower SES. Results indicate that intrusive, daily financial thoughts may be one pathway explaining the link between SES and health outcomes.
Grandchild Caring and Late-Life Depression: A Comparative Longitudinal Study in China and Europe
Authors: Yang Yazhen 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
The impact of grandparenting on the grandparents’ health has been relatively under-studied, and international comparisons can provide useful lessons for grandparents and policymakers. This study examined country differences in the effects of grandchild care provision on the grandparents’ depression in Italy, Spain, China, Denmark and Sweden using the longitudinal Harmonised CHARLS and SHARE data collected between 2010-5. Controlling for the grandparents’ depression in 2011, grandparents providing non-intensive grandparental care in China, Sweden and Denmark in 2013 were less likely to report depression in 2015 compared to those who did not provide any care in 2013. Such effects were more pronounced among grandmothers compared to grandfathers. The results indicate that the effects of grandchild caring on the grandparents’ depression in China was comparable to Denmark and Sweden. Future research can focus on identifying the causal pathways between grandparenting and wellbeing, and the implications of such pathways for older persons’ wellbeing worldwide.
Critical Age-Friendly Research and Representational Ethics
Authors: Oswald Austin 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
As the efforts of the Global Age-friendly Cities and Communities movement mature and continue to grapple with society’s shifting dynamics, blind spots and knowledge gaps are exposed. This research applies critical discourse analysis to examine the evolution of Age-friendly NYC using an intersectional lens committed to an ethics of representation. Over 1,000 pages of public records were analyzed to trace the history of this movement in relation to age, race, sexuality, gender, ability, and class. Findings suggest that Age-friendly NYC is a global leader of the age-friendly movement, yet social identities are represented neither equally nor universally in its initiatives. Discussions of race, sexuality, and gender are subtle. They also overlook how these identities may intersect and shape the aging experience for differently positioned older adults. A comprehensive understanding of the aging experiences of those with multiple intersecting identities is needed to inform future age-friendly policies and programs.
A Critical Examination of Senior Housing: Promoting Equity Through Ensuring Safe Spaces
Authors: Perry Tam , Kilgore Zach , Appel Michael , Waktins Michele , Sanford Claudia , Archambault Dennis 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
As affordable senior housing communities aimed to address the health and well-being concerns of residents in the COVID-19 pandemic, special attention to safety during renovation had to be addressed. This paper offers case studies from members of a city-wide advocacy group, Senior Housing Preservation-Detroit. Eighty one percent of covid deaths in the City of Detroit are those 60 and above; 81.2% of deaths have been among African Americans (Detroit Health Department, 2021). With the grief and challenge in a city hit early on in the 2020 pandemic, these case studies will highlight how Covid-19 affected planned projects in senior buildings, how stakeholders such as developers, staff and residents responded and key considerations for future emergencies affecting senior housing communities. This paper offers critical perspectives applicable to many urban landscapes in order to raise awareness to policy makers, and practitioners.
Designing Socially Assistive Robots for People With Alzheimer’s and Related Dementia
Authors: Mitchell Kimberly , Zhao Xiaopeng , Yu Jinxiao , MacDougall Luke 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and is associated with memory loss and cognitive impairments that affect daily life. Approximately 5.8 million older adults in the U.S. are living with AD. People with AD often require high levels of care and assistance to maintain daily activities. The majority of care provided to a person living with AD or other forms of dementia is from a family caregiver, representing 18.6 billion hours of unpaid care valued at $244 billion. The long duration, time-intensive nature of caregiving imposes high burdens on caregivers. We designed a socially assistive robot to engage in conversation with people with AD, by engaging in conversation, helping them conduct simple daily tasks, and relieving caregivers of some of their responsibilities. Using design-thinking methodology, a prototype social robot has been created using 3-d printing technology and a single board computer based on raspberry Pi. Interaction between human and robot is implemented using the Mycroft open source voice assistant. The authors demonstrated that the robot is able to have natural conversations with human users. The overall cost of the robot is estimated to be less than $300, rendering it possible for wide distribution among the public. Future research includes further implementation of various cognitive assessment and cognitive training programs using the social robot to improve the quality of life for people living with AD.
Memory-Related Limitations and Care Needs of Gender Minority BIPOC Adults
Authors: Cicero Ethan , Lambrou Nickolas , Wharton Whitney , Flatt Jason 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Limited research exists investigating cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) among gender minority (GM) adults (transgender/non-binary/, including examining memory-related challenges among GMs who also identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC). 2015-2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data were used to explore care needs of GM and cisgender (CG) adults with subjective cognitive decline (SCD, N=441), which may be the first clinical manifestations of ADRD. Regression models examined SCD-associated functional limitations and care needs among GM-BIPOC, GM-White, CG-BIPOC, and CG-White adults. GM-BIPOC and GM-White were 2-4x more likely to have SCD-related limitations, require assistance with daily tasks, be unable to do day-to-day or social activities when compared to CG-White. GM-BIPOC were 2-5x more likely to be uninsured and experience cost-related healthcare barriers compared to GM-White and CG-White/BIPOC. Additional research is needed to improve care and well-being for this understudied population.
Marital Quality and Heavy Alcohol Use Among Older Couples
Authors: Curl Angela , Bulanda Jennifer , Roberts Amy Restorick 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Supportive marital relationships may reduce partners’ problematic health behaviors, whereas unhappy relationships may lack efficacious spousal monitoring of health and increase the likelihood of using maladaptive coping strategies, such as heavy alcohol use, to deal with relationship problems. We used pooled data from the 2014 and 2016 waves of the Health and Retirement Study to examine how both partners’ perceptions of marital quality were associated with heavy drinking. Our analytic sample included married couples in which both spouses were over age 50, completed the leave-behind psychosocial questionnaire, and provided non-missing data on marital quality and alcohol use (n=2,095 couples). Measures included both positive and negative dimensions of marital quality and controls for sociodemographic, economic, health, household and marital characteristics. Using Proc Glimmix, we estimated a dual-intercept Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM), in which separate equations were computed simultaneously for husbands and wives. For husbands, higher negative marital quality was associated with an increase in the odds of their own heavy drinking (OR=1.27), but there was no significant association between wives’ marital quality and husbands’ heavy drinking behavior. For wives, marital quality was not significantly associated with their own heavy drinking, but husbands’ higher ratings of both negative and positive marital quality increased the risk of wives’ heavy drinking (OR=1.60 and OR=1.75, respectively). Results suggest that marital quality is associated with heavy drinking in later life: self-ratings of marital quality matter for men, whereas spousal perceptions of marital quality are more important for women.
Global Rise of Depression Prevalence Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Egbert Anna , Karpiak Stephen , Havlik Richard , Cankurtaran Sadiye , Ozturk Sirinnaz 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
The immense burden of depressive disorders is on the rise, with global prevalence estimates in 2017 ranging from 4% to 13%. The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is likely to impact the established risk factors for depressive disorders. Thus, a rapid increase in depression prevalence can be expected amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Using epidemiologic data (N=111,225) derived from an extant online survey “Measuring Worldwide COVID-19 Attitudes and Beliefs” (launched by Fetzer and colleagues, March-April 2020) in 178 countries, we examined age-dependent global prevalence of depression and assessed the impact of social factors caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on depressive symptomatology. Point prevalence of depression was measured using the PHQ8 standard cut-off score (i.e., ≥10). Correlates of depressive symptoms were analyzed with hierarchical regression modeling separately in three age groups, i.e., 18-34, 35-54 and 55+ years. We found that nearly 20% of individuals globally revealed significant symptoms of depression, including 27% of young, 15% middle-aged, 9% adults aged 55+. These data suggest that the prevalence of depression is 2-5 times higher than global estimates preceding the COVID-19 pandemic. Regression modeling explained approx. 50% variability in depressive symptoms across the three age groups. Increased risk of depression was found in females, single or divorced individuals, and those who presented poorer health and higher anxiety. Social restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic were marginal risks for depression. Together, this study highlights the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of people of different ages and urges the development of increased access to psychological interventions.
Social Connectivity in the Context of COVID-19 and Long-Term Care
Authors: Garnett Anna , Pollock Hannah , Floriancic Natalie , Donelle Lorie , Babenko-Mould Yolanda , Oudshoorn Abe , Hand Carri , Forchuk Cheryl 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted older adults, particularly those residing in long-term care homes (LTCHs), causing immense loss of life and resulting in overall health declines in LTCH residents. These vulnerable older adults have also experienced extreme loneliness, anxiety and depression. Social connectedness is an important contributor to well-being and quality of life of older adults in LTCHs and family members are an essential component to this. However, restrictions driven by policies to protect resident safety, have constrained family members’ access to long-term care homes and limited in-person contact between residents and their families. In their absence, health providers have been integral to supporting connections between residents and their families within LTCHs. This study aimed to understand the experiences of social connectedness between residents and family members who have been physically separated due to the current pandemic and, to examine LTCH health providers’ experiences and responses to support social connectedness. Using a qualitative descriptive design, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 family members and 11 healthcare providers. Emergent themes from qualitative content analysis are: (a) all-encompassing impacts of separation; (b) advocacy became my life; (c) the emotional toll of the unknown; 4) the burden of information translation; 5) precarious balance between safety and mistrust for the healthcare system; and (d) a formulaic approach impedes connectivity. A more comprehensive understanding of the experiences and support needs of LTCH residents and their family members within the context of a pandemic can inform practice approaches to support social connections going forwards.
Feasibility Pilot: Problem Adaptation Therapy for Emotion Regulation in Community-Dwelling Older Adults
Authors: Sheffler Julia , Meynadasy Melissa , Kiosses Dimitris , Sachs-Ericsson Natalie 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Emotion regulation (ER) difficulties in older adults are associated with increased depression and decreased resiliency to stressful life events. In general, maladaptive ER is a transdiagnostic risk factor for a range of psychological and physical problems across the lifespan. Thus, interventions targeting ER may be valuable in reducing risk for a range of late-life pathologies. The present study evaluated and adapted an existing ER-focused treatment (i.e., Problem Adaptation Therapy (PATH)) for community older adults. We completed a small clinical pilot study to assess the feasibility of the adapted protocol and initial signals of effect of the intervention on ER, depression, and resiliency. Participants were recruited using an online survey, which was used to then identify participants scoring in the highest and lowest quartiles for ER. Individuals in the lowest ER quartile (N=27) were randomly assigned to the PATH condition or a physical health education (PHET) control condition. Of the 27 participants in the low ER group, four participants (3 PATH, 1 PHET) dropped out of the intervention. A paired samples t-tests revealed significant decreases in depressive symptoms, significant increases in self-reported ER skill, and improvements in resiliency (all ps&lt;.05) for the PATH condition. For the PHET condition, only significant increases in self-reported ER skill (t(12) = -2.68, p = .020) were observed. In sum, the intervention protocol proved feasibility and demonstrated initial signals of effect in the expected directions. Future studies will examine mechanisms of action and the efficacy of the adapted PATH protocol.
Bats: Secrets of Extended Healthspan
Authors: Teeling Emma 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Of all mammals, bat possess the most unique and peculiar adaptations that render them as excellent models to investigate the mechanisms of extended longevity and potentially halted senescence. Indeed, they are the longest-lived mammals relative to their body size, with the oldest bat caught being &gt;41 years old, living approx. 8 times longer than expected. Bats defy the ‘rate-of-living’ theories that propose a positive correlation between body size and longevity as they use twice the energy as other species of considerable size, but live far longer. The mechanisms that bats use to avoid the negative physiological effects of their heightened metabolism and deal with an increased production of deleterious Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) is not known, however it is suggested that they either prevent or repair ROS damage. Bats also appear to have resistance to many viral diseases such as rabies, SARS and Ebola and are the suspected reservoir species for a huge diversity of newly discovered viruses, including Sars-CoV-2 This suggests that their innate immunity is different to other mammals, perhaps playing a role in their unexpected longevity. Here the potential genomic basis for their rare immunity and exceptional longevity is explored across multiple bat genomes and divergent ageing and immune related markers (e.g. microbiome, telomeres, mitochondria, cellular dynamics, cytokine response) studied in wild bat populations. These findings provide a deeper understanding of the causal mechanisms of ageing and tolerant immunity, potentially uncovering the key molecular pathways that could be utilised to benefit society.
Feasibility of Routine Quality-of-Life Assessment in Long-Term Care Homes
Authors: Hoben Matthias , Banerjee Sube , Beeber Anna , Chamberlain Stephanie , Hughes Laura , O’Rourke Hannah , Stajduhar Kelli , Spiers Jude 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Maximizing long-term care (LTC) residents' quality of life (QoL) is the primary goal of care. However, most residents have cognitive impairment and care staff time is severely limited, leading to various complexities in measuring QoL. This study developed and assessed the feasibility of an approach to routinely measuring QoL in LTC residents. We used the DEMQOL-CH, a practical, reliable, valid tool, developed in the UK to be completed by care aides to assess QoL in residents with moderate to severe dementia. We recruited 45 care aides in 10 LTC homes in Alberta, Canada who we surveyed on the QoL of 263 residents via video calls. We assessed time to complete; care aide and manager perceived feasibility of completing the DEMQOL-CH; internal consistency and inter-rater reliability of DEMQOL-CH scores; and we conducted cognitive interviews with 7 care aides to assess care aide comprehension of the tool. Time to complete was on average 4 minutes with little variation. Care aides and managers rated using the DEMQOL-CH as highly feasible and valuable. The internal consistency of the DEMQOL-CH score was 0.80. The DEMQOL-CH score inter-rater agreement was 0.73. Cognitive interviews suggested good comprehension overall with some comprehension problems especially in care aides who speak English as a second language. Asking care aides to complete the DEMQOL-CH is highly feasible, requires minor resources, and reliability is high. However, some items caused comprehension and reliability problems. Reasons and possible solutions will be subject to further investigations.
Oral Health in Late Life: Challenges and Solutions
Authors: Chen Xi , Wu Bei , Shuman Stephen 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Older adults face a unique challenge in maintaining their oral health due to an increased disease burden, polypharmacy, functional impairment and other reasons. The five papers in this symposium describe the oral health issues in various groups of older adults and discuss different approaches to improve oral health for older adults. Using data from the Population Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago, the first paper examined the relationship between self-reported discrimination and oral health related quality of life and investigated how resilience mediated such a relationship among foreign-born older Chinese Americans. The second paper described the oral health concerns and related treatment needs in older adults receiving palliative care using a mixed method design. The third paper demonstrated how to use behavior change techniques to improve oral self-care skills of individuals with mild dementia and support their family caregivers. The fourth paper described a project that integrates the age-friendly health system's principles into specialty dental care to address healthy aging and oral health. This initiative helped prevent and change the false belief that aging inevitably involves deterioration in oral health. The fifth paper described the impact of COVID-19 on the management of oral health problems and access to dental care in older adults. Transformative changes in care delivery and the impact of vaccination on access to care was also explored. This symposium helps better understand the oral health needs in older adults and provides new evidence to improve oral health for these individuals.
Adopting the 4Ms Framework and Age-Friendly Concepts Into Dental Care
Authors: Arany Szilvia , Medina-Walpole Annette , Caprio Thomas 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
We report on launching a dental initiative that addresses healthy aging and oral health, focusing on prevention and changing the false belief that aging inevitably involves deterioration in oral health. Our project integrates the age-friendly health system's principles into specialty dental care at Eastman Institute for Oral Health, URMC. We established an oral health-centered framework with project elements of the 4Ms - what matters, medication, mentation, and mobility. We developed pilot 4Ms templates integrated into dental charts to implement healthy-aging key oral health processes, including oral health assessment, treatment planning, and oral hygiene support. We engaged all members of the dental team through educational sessions for providing care for patients affected by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. We leveraged on locally available interdisciplinary resources and the collaboration reflecting undergoing efforts at the University of Rochester Division of Geriatrics and the Finger Lakes Geriatric Education Center, a Geriatric Workforce Enhancement.