bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
CHANGES IN TECH USE PREDICTING SOCIAL WELL-BEING FOR INTERGENERATIONAL PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS
Authors: Tsotsoros Cindy , Leedahl Skye , Brasher Melanie , Capolino Alexandria , Santilli Josie 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Previous research has shown that technology-based interventions show promise for reducing social isolation and loneliness. Less research has examined quality of life outcomes for these programs or interconnectedness of these outcomes when examining pre/post-change. This study examined the connections between technology use and knowledge with loneliness, social isolation, and quality of life before and after participation in the program. The final sample (N=324) was rather diverse regarding work and living status (for example, 67.5% retired; 67.8% lived alone; 70.1% had less than $30,000 income; 40.2% had a high school education or less). Using structural equation modeling, this study examined pre- and post-data to identify to what extent technology usage and knowledge (frequency of iPad use, digital competence) predicted an individual’s change in loneliness, social isolation, and quality of life. This final model showed excellent model fit (𝜒2(148, N=324)=247.01 p&lt;.05 with CFI = .95, TLI = .93, RMSEA = .05, CMIN/df = 1.67). Within this model, findings showed that digital competence improvements predicted quality of life, social isolation, and loneliness (Ad. R. Square = 0.17); the frequency of iPad use influenced social isolation and quality of life (Adj. R Square = 0.29); and loneliness influenced quality of life and social isolation (Adj. R Square = 0.81). There are multiple possible mechanisms through which older participants’ lives can be impacted by intergenerational technology programs. Understanding the complex interplay of factors helps us understand the potential benefits of these programs on quality of life.
DID STRONGER STATE AGE DISCRIMINATION LAWS REDUCE THE ADVERSE IMPACTS OF COVID-19 ON LABOR OUTCOMES OF OLDER WORKERS?
Authors: Bui Truc 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Covid-19 caused tremendous impacts on the health and employment status of older workers, while current literature shows that age discrimination increased during recessions. In this context, I examine whether stronger state age discrimination laws reduced the adverse impacts of Covid-19 on the labor outcomes of older workers. State age discrimination laws are stronger than federal law because they protect workers in smaller firms or require firms to pay harsher penalties if violating the laws. I use these two classifications to identify the strength of state protections and employ the difference-in-difference-in-difference method. Using CPS and QWI data, I compare the labor outcomes of older and younger workers, in states with stronger and weaker laws, before and after the Covid-19 recession. There is very little evidence that stronger state laws protected older workers from the adverse impacts of the Covid-19 recession. I even found that stronger state protections were associated with more negative effects on older workers. Although stronger state laws were associated with higher hiring and separation rates right after the Covid-19 pandemic started, the increases in hiring rates were high enough to offset the growth in separation rates, and those effects were more pronounced among older men. The findings were consistent with the effectiveness of stronger state laws during the Great Recession, implying that severe labor market conditions weakened the effectiveness of stronger state age discrimination laws. The results also question the protection of discrimination laws on intersectional discrimination against age and gender.
RESOLUTION OR WORK STRESS? WHY DOES RETIREMENT CHANGE HEALTH BEHAVIOR?
Authors: McKenzie Colin , Kajitani Shinya , Sakata Kei 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of retirement on actual health outcomes and intentions relating to these outcomes for Japanese men and women. The health outcomes investigated relate to alcohol and tobacco consumption, physical exercise, and psychological distress. This paper uses data from the first 14 waves of the Longitudinal Survey of Middle-aged and Elderly Persons (LSMEP) to estimate regression models explaining these health outcomes. An instrumental variable estimator using instruments constructed from the eligibility ages for various aspects of the Japanese pension is used to account for the endogeneity of retirement and income. Individual heterogeneity is dealt with by using a fixed effects estimator. For both men and women, it is found that there is no significant impact of retirement on the extent to which individuals report that they will take care not to drink too much, nor smoke too much, and to engage in a sufficient amount of exercise. While psychological distress declines for both men and women as they retire, the proportion of men drinking alcohol falls while there is no change for women. For both men and women, the proportion who are smoking falls after retirement. The proportion of males and females engaging in moderate amounts of exercise increases following their retirement. Taken together, the results suggest that reductions in stress following retirement are driving the results. Falls in income associated with retirement explain little of the behaviour observed.
THE BURDEN OF COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT
Authors: Chaturvedi Ritika , Gracner Tadeja , Heun-Johnson Hanke , Tysinger Bryan , Goldman Dana 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Over 10% of American seniors (age≥65) experience cognitive impairment (CI) related to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). An additional 15-22% experience mild cognitive impartment (MCI), which often precedes ADRD and occurs earlier in life. However, CI burden estimates inclusive of MCI and early CI onset (age&lt; 65) are limited. Using microsimulation, we estimated the burden of CI (ADRD and/or MCI) over remaining life years above 50 overall and by disease progression, age of onset, and sociodemographic subgroups for a nationally representative sample of Americans (age≥50) with cognitive status information in the Health and Retirement Study (2000-2016). The per capita lifetime CI burden was $124K (95%CI:$101K-$148K) due to $162K (95%CI:$139K-$185K) and $6.40K (95%CI:$5.03K-$7.77K) in lost Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) and earnings, respectively, and $4.07K (95%CI:$1.82K-$6.33K) in informal care costs, offset by $48.6K (95%CI: $42.4K-$54.8K) in lower medical expenditures. The aggregate CI burden was $627B (95%CI: $511B–$743B): 59% due to ADRD and 41% to MCI. Individuals with MCI without progression to ADRD lost healthy life years valued at $119K (95%CI:$99K-$139K). Those with early CI onset were more likely to be from disadvantaged populations and carried the largest per capita burden [$376K (95% CI: $315K-$436K)] cumulating to 60% on aggregate, nearly half of which experienced during MCI. Individuals with lower education, progression to ADRD, or racial/ethnic minorities also carried disproportionate burden. MCI represents 41% of the overall CI burden and disproportionately affects individuals with early CI onset. Characterizing CI-related health and economic disparities at milder stages and younger ages should be prioritized.
THE POTENTIAL OF CROWDSOURCED ASSET MAPPING TECHNOLOGIES FOR SUPPORTING DEMENTIA CAREGIVERS
Authors: Ruggiano Nicole , Winton Tish , Daquin Jane , Jiang Zhe , Herzog Monica , Gray Jeff 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
It is well-established that caregivers of people living with dementia (PLWD) often report having difficulty finding information about education and support that is available to them in their community. Caregiver support groups have demonstrated to be an effective approach to caregiver education through mutual support, though many caregivers are unable to participate in caregiver support groups due to time and geographic constraints. Crowdsourced technologies that rely on volunteered geographic information (VGI) are a viable way of community members to provide mutual support on a variety of issues, including disaster response, traffic conditions, health, and travel. These technologies often rely on a mobile app where users upload VGI that are of interest to others who use the app. There are benefits and drawbacks of crowdsourced technologies. For example, they may be an easy way for community members to share needed information, though there may be challenges in the quality of data that users provide. This presentation will report findings from a project that examined dementia caregivers’ interest in using crowdsourced mapping technologies to share information about services and resources in their community that they have found helpful. Data were collected from a diverse sample of dementia caregivers living in Alabama through an online survey that was administered between June and November of 2022. Overall, it was found that caregivers were interested in using a crowdsourcing technology for support and education. Additional findings provide guidance for developing a crowdsourcing protocol that is based on caregivers’ reported information needs.
THREE DECADES OF RESEARCH GUIDING POLICY AND POLICY GUIDING RESEARCH IN AGING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
Authors: Peterson Lindsay 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
The Florida Legislature created the Florida Policy Exchange Center on Aging more than 30 years ago to conduct independent research and policy analyses on critical topics in aging. Housed at the University of South Florida (USF), the center brought together students and faculty to examine public policies that directly affect the health and well-being of older adults (e.g., the role of Medicaid funding in home- and community-based care and the effects of nurse staffing levels in nursing homes). As new policy questions emerge, the foundational work of the policy center continues to guide undergraduate and graduate education at the USF School of Aging Studies. This presentation describes the multiple opportunities to incorporate policy instruction into an interdisciplinary gerontology program. These opportunities depend on having faculty who maintain ties with the organizations that provide direct care and services to the public and who connect the policy lessons they learn through these relationships to their teaching and research. Another key element is access to health services data needed to answer critical policy questions. The goal of such an approach is to enable gerontology students to engage in policy analysis and development and to understand the essential links between research, public policy, and practice that improves the lives of older adults.
UTILIZING PALLIATIVE LEADERS IN FACILITIES TO TRANSFORM CARE: THE UPLIFT CLINICAL TRIAL IMPLEMENTATION
Authors: Unroe Kathleen , Cagle John , Ersek Mary 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
UPLIFT is an NIH funded clinical trial with a goal of improving quality of care for people with moderate to advanced dementia in nursing homes. The UPLIFT intervention consists of specialized training in palliative care and dementia care for two nursing facility staff who are identified as Palliative Care Leads. All staff training on the fundamentals of palliative care is also delivered. In addition to this internal capacity building, UPLIFT integrates specialty medical palliative care consultants into the care team. Palliative Care Leads screen residents for palliative care needs which prompt clinical consultations. Outcomes include surrogate (both nursing facility staff and family) reported symptoms of eligible residents. A total of 16 nursing facilities are enrolled in this stepped wedge trial, which concludes in 2025. Numerous implementation challenges have been identified and navigated throughout the trial. These include Palliative Care Lead turnover, nursing facility leadership turnover, communication with primary medical teams, and integration of palliative care NPs and MDs into the clinical care of the residents. Data on challenges is captured on regular fidelity check-ins with nursing home staff and interviews with Leads and palliative care providers. A description of these challenges and strategies the team is using to navigate them will be presented, including adaptations to study design and the intervention.
THE ROLE OF CASTRATION BEFORE OR AFTER PUBERTY ON SEX DIFFERENCES IN GROWTH AND LONGEVITY IN UM-HET3 MICE
Authors: Jiang Nisi , Cheng Catherine , Nelson James 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Sex differences in human aging and longevity are well known. Mortality rates of males are higher throughout life with no definitive mechanisms identified. Previously, we reported that genetically heterogeneous mice have sex differences in longevity like those of humans. Here, we report that prepubertal castration significantly reduced early adulthood mortality and increased median lifespan by 12.6% (n=236/group) to match female levels. It also shifted growth trajectories toward the female pattern, including a reduced rate of body weight gain and a prolonged growth period. Our findings suggest that testicular hormones are critical for these sex differences. We next tested whether a) exposure to gonadal hormones from puberty throughout life is required or b) only hormone exposure during the short period of pubertal development is sufficient to cause these sex differences. We castrated or sham-operated mice (n = 60/group) prepubertally at 20 days, or after puberty at 60 or 240 days. Prepubertal castration prolonged the period of growth as before, with dramatically increased fat mass and reduced lean mass, which reduced the lean/body mass ratio to a level indistinguishable from that of females. Although post-pubertal castrated groups also had reduced lean/body mass ratios, they were significantly higher than prepubertally castrated mice, but were unchanged between 60d and 240d groups. These results suggest that the narrow window of testicular hormone exposure during puberty is necessary for the full expression of sex differences in body composition trajectories. Its effect on lifespan will be presented at the meeting when mice are old enough for assessment.
IDENTIFYING PREDICTORS OF RESILIENCE IN SINGLE-ARM STUDIES OF PRE–POST CHANGE
Authors: Varadhan Ravi , Zhu Jiafeng , Bandeen-Roche Karen 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
With advancing age, older adults are at a greater risk of experiencing significant stressors. While frailty is the increased vulnerability to stressors, resilience is the ability to respond well to a major stressor. An important goal of geriatric research is to identify factors which influence resilience to stressors. Studies of resilience in older adults are typically conducted using a single-arm design where everyone experiences the stressor. In such designs, resilience is typically quantified as the degree of recovery in physical/cognitive/psychological functions after the stressor. The simplistic approach of regressing change versus baseline yields biased estimates due to mathematical coupling and regression-to-the-mean. Correction is necessary for eliminating the bias and drawing valid inferences regarding the effect of covariates and baseline status on pre-post change. We present a simple method to correct this bias. We extend the method to include covariates. Our approach considers a counterfactual control group and involves sensitivity analyses to evaluate different settings of control group parameters. We illustrate the method using a large, registry of older adults (N=7,239) who underwent total knee replacement (TKR). We demonstrate how external data can be utilized to constrain the sensitivity analysis. Our analysis indicates that baseline (pre-stressor) function was not strongly linked to recovery after TKR. Among the covariates, only age had a consistent effect on post-stressor recovery. A main takeaway of our work is that studies of resilience should consider, either directly or indirectly, the use of an appropriate control group.
GENDER DISPARITIES IN THE MENTAL HEALTH OF CAREGIVERS BEFORE AND DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Authors: Kalousova Lucie , Ratangee Brina 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Prior research has shown that many have experienced worsened mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study uses a large, nationally representative sample of caregivers interviewed by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). It implements regression models to examine the changes in mental health among informal caregivers for older adults, who are a high-risk group for COVID-19 infection. We ask: (1) has the average number of poor mental health days among caregivers increased during the pandemic; (2) has the increase varied by gender; (3) the condition of the person receiving care? Our results indicate that caregivers experienced a sharp increase in poor mental health outcomes at the onset of the pandemic, much sharper than non-caregivers. In 2021 and 2022, male caregivers’ mental health returned to pre-pandemic levels, while women’s caregivers did not. We hypothesize that gender disparity in mental health outcomes could be attributed to differences in the types of caregiving responsibilities, the level of stress experienced, and the social support available. Furthermore, our study also shows that caregivers providing care to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients have worse mental health outcomes than other caregivers. Women who care for AD patients have worse mental health than male AD caregivers, whose mental health did not significantly differ from other caregivers. The findings could inform policy decisions and support the development of interventions that aim to mitigate the negative impact of the pandemic on caregivers’ mental health.
EARLY PANDEMIC INTERGENERATIONAL RELATIONSHIP TYPOLOGIES AND WELL-BEING AMONG OLDER ADULTS
Authors: Chan Athena Chung Yin , Sneed Rodlescia 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated numerous changes in older adults’ social interactions; however, there has been limited inquiry into the structure and function of early pandemic intergenerational relationships and consequent implications for well-being. Informed by intergenerational solidarity theory, we explored typologies of older adults’ intergenerational relationships early in the pandemic, examining factors associated with each typology and associations between typologies and well-being. Participants were 7,840 adults aged ≥ 50 from the 2020 and 2021 waves of the Health and Retirement Study. We conducted latent class analysis using 12 indicators: associational (time with pets, frequency of in-person and virtual contact), structural (pet ownership and living arrangement), functional (receiving/providing support), and affectual (better relations). We used analysis of variance and post hoc analyses to determine whether individual differences (i.e., demographics, health status, and pandemic-related stressors), and well-being differed across typologies. Five latent classes were identified: low intergenerational relations (48%), pet owner with low intergenerational relations (15%), high contact and good relationship quality (tightknit, 11%), support provider (15%) and support recipient (12%). Older adults’ age, gender, marital status, and health status were related to their relation typologies. Low intergenerational relations and tightknit typologies reported greater well-being. Support recipients reported the most distress, while support providers reported higher growth and resilience. Pet owners with low intergenerational relations reported the lowest positive emotions. Overall, results encourage careful attention to the multifaceted nature of intergenerational relationships when understanding coping of older adults in the pandemic.
IS LIFETIME ABUSE FORGIVABLE IN OLD AGE?
Authors: Band-Winterstein Tova , Shulyaev Ksenya , Eisikovits Zvi 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Old age is characterized by reflection and retrospective examination of the multiple meanings of various life experiences including lifetime abuse. Forgiveness was found to have salutary effects on older adults’ wellbeing. To enhance understanding concerning the place and role of forgiveness in the reflective process in later life we performed a secondary analysis of data from four previous studies using in in-depth, semi-structured interviews (N=78) with older women who survived abuse. Concepts developed deductively from reviewing the literature contributed to an inductive thematic analysis of the interviews. Three major themes emerged from this procedure: (1) The dimensions of forgiving: The victim as subject. Movement towards forgiveness occurs along three dimensions: painful memories with negative emotions, commitment to social obligations and life circumstances. (2) Being forgiven: Between lost forgiveness and hope. This theme related to the boundaries between the roles of being a victim and a victimizer simultaneously and describes the hope and willingness of survivors to be forgiven by closely related persons. (3) Self-forgiveness and the aging self. Forgiving self can be conceptualized from total renunciation due to exhaustion from lifetime abuse to full recognition of self-accepting forgiveness resulting from decision-making based on strength. While recognizing the salutary effects of forgiveness, we cannot disregard that this is not a universally desirable process. The dimension of forgiveness needs to be included in the study of abuse throughout the old person’s life-course to better understand its complexity Such view should substitute the either/or approach based on the dichotomy of “forgiveness” or “unforgiveness”.
LIFE COURSE PATTERNS AND PREDICTORS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ADULT CHILDREN AND THEIR MOTHERS
Authors: Thomeer Mieke Beth , Reczek Rin 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Studies demonstrate that the content and quality of the parent-child tie is highly variable across the life course and that multiple social factors predict different aspects of that relationship. Separate research shows that childbirth experiences (e.g., age at birth) matter for the well-being of both the mother and child. However, limited research considers how the mother’s childbearing history is associated with adult child relationships at mid-life and beyond—namely contact and emotional closeness. We use Sequence Analysis on two linked datasets—the 1979 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY79) and the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth-Young Adults (NLSY79YA) (N=1,953) to identify life course patterns of closeness and contact between adult children and their mothers. We identify six unique sequences: (1) mixed quality/contact (9.9%), (2) distant (10.0%), (3) close with decreasing contact (13.2%), (4) increasing emotional closeness with high contact (16.4%), (5) mostly close with high contact (23.2%), and (6) always close with high contact (27.3%). We use regression analysis to estimate how different aspects of the childbearing biography are associated with each category. Relationships characterized by “always close with high contact” were associated with more siblings/childbirths and older age at birth. Relationships associated with “emotionally distance” were associated with births characterized as “mistimed,” being a middle or older child, and younger age at birth. Future analysis will consider selection factors such as family histories. This project demonstrates the need for life course perspectives on the child-mother relationship, recognizing the role of childbearing histories and the important diversity within and between individuals.