bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
RECRUITMENT FOR A COMMUNITY-BASED SENSOR TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM: CHALLENGES AND SUCCESSES
Authors: Vogelsmeier Amy , Roberts Ashley , Bacon Suzette , Curtis Elizabeth , Robinson Erin , Reeder Blaine , Popejoy Lori 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Eligibility criteria for the ASSETs for AIP program included older and disabled adults who were one-year post-discharge from the Missouri’s Show-Me Home program and who lived within a designated service area. The service area was comprised primarily of rural Missouri counties within the central I-70 corridor with smaller urban centers retained while larger urban areas were excluded. The goal was to enroll 33 people in year one, with an overall goal to enroll 100 individuals over the three-year project period. A client list was provided to the ASSETs for AIP team based on contact information collected at client discharge from the Show-Me Home Program. Despite diligent efforts, the team encountered several recruitment challenges including: 1) obtaining current contact information for individuals 12 months post-program discharge, 2) working within a limited-service area, and 3) establishing client trust in a new, unknown program upon initial contact. Successful recruitment strategies included 1) partnering with state and local agencies to retrieve up-to-date client contact information, 2) reducing the time from program discharge to facilitate contact and align better with client needs, 3) extending the service area beyond mid-Missouri, and 4) sending out postcard-mailers to potential clients that provided a clear linkage between Show-Me Home program, ASSETs for AIP, and the University of Missouri. A connection to the University was particularly important because the University has a statewide reputation for providing services to our citizens. Within the past 6 months, our enrollment has increased by 225%, with successful recruitment ongoing.
TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT AGING ADULTS WITH A COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT
Authors: Czaja Sara , Ross Lesley 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Technology applications can play a key role in enhancing independence and quality of life for aging adults with a cognitive impairment (CI) and offer potential benefits in terms of memory support, cognitive remediation, safety/security, and engagement. Drawing from research conducted by the Center for Research and Education on Aging and Technology Enhancement (CREATE) and the Center for Enhancing Neurocognitive Health, Abilities, Networks, & Community Engagement (ENHANCE) this symposium will highlight examples of existing and emerging technology applications that provide support for aging adults with a CI and discuss challenges and benefits with technology-based approaches. S. Czaja will present findings from a pilot trial that evaluated the benefits of a technology system designed to support information and resource access, and social and cognitive engagement (PRISM-CI) for aging adults with a CI. W. Boot will focus on the unique benefits of virtual reality (VR) for aging adults with and without a cognitive impairment and highlight gaps in knowledge regarding the use of VR to provide meaningful social and cognitive engagement. N. Charness will discuss a project (AUGMENT) that is focused on providing support for mobility for aging adults with a CI due to stroke, MCI, or a traumatic brain injury. W. Rogers will highlight how video technology can provide socially and cognitively engaging activities for aging adults with a CI and present a systematic process to help guide the development of a video intervention for this population. Lesley Ross will lead a discussion of the highlighted topics and areas for future research.
VIRTUAL REALITY TO SUPPORT THE NEEDS OF OLDER ADULTS WITH AND WITHOUT COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENTS
Authors: Boot Walter 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Functional, cognitive, and mobility limitations can interfere with older adults’ ability to engage in socially and cognitively enriching activities, which can lead to further decline. Emerging technology solutions, including virtual reality (VR), have the potential to promote engagement in these activities in a way that can account for these limitations, allowing older adults to engage in productive and meaningful activities within their own home. However, an iterative, user-centered design process is necessary to ensure that these solutions reach their potential. This talk provides an overview of a number of recent studies examining the potential of VR to support older adults’ engagement in VR interventions aimed at improving mood and social connectivity. The following questions will be asked and answered during this talk, based on recently collected empirical data; What are the potential usability challenges associated with VR interventions?; What are older adults’ preferences for different VR experiences?; Can VR provide older adults with meaningful opportunities to engage in social interactions when they are distally located, but co-located in the same virtual space?; To what degree do older adults feel present in the virtual environment?; To what degree are older adults’ attitudes toward VR malleable?; If, and under what conditions, is cybersickness a potential barrier? This talk will conclude with a discussion of what is known and what is unknown regarding the use of VR to provide meaningful socially and cognitively engaging experiences for older adults with and without mild cognitive impairment.
SOCIAL SUPPORT BUFFERS THE EFFECT OF APOE4 GENE ON COGNITION
Authors: Payen Ameante , Bateman James , Bennett Jeanette 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
APOE4 allele is one of the most robust genetic risks for Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). It is associated with an earlier onset and conversion from Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) to AD dementia. Several studies have shown epigenetic interactions between the social context and the APOE4 allele’s relationship with cognition. Still, explorations of social risk factors for AD in genetically vulnerable populations are limited. This study explored whether the positive effects of social support (SS) on cognition are affected by APOE status in a sample of 115 older adults (n = 72.25, SD = 8.29). SS was measured using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), the preclinical Alzheimer’s Cognitive Composite-5 (PACC5) score to assess concurrent cognition, and the APOE polymorphism was determined via genotyping. As hypothesized, SS buffered the effect of APOE4 gene on PACC5 score, F(1, 107)=5.18, p = .02, Δ R2=.02. Specifically, older individuals who were positive for the allele displayed a significant and positive association between SS and mPACC5 (b=.19, p = .03). This relationship was not found for those who were APOE4 negative (b = -.04, p =.49). These results support the need to consider the epigenetic influence of social factors on later-life cognition, especially for those at risk for developing AD.
AGE-FRIENDLY CAMPUSES: NEED AND OPPORTUNITY FOR SYNERGY IN THE AGE-FRIENDLY ECOSYSTEM
Authors: Montepare Joann 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Historic shifts in age demographics are reshaping societies and challenging institutions of higher education to respond to older, more age diverse populations through new approaches to teaching, research, and community engagement. Student populations are also becoming more age diverse with adults looking to higher education for lifelong learning opportunities to enhance their personal and professional development as they age. This presentation will describe the guiding framework and set of principles provided by the Age-Friendly University (AFU) initiative to help institutions of higher education shape more age-inclusive practices. Age-friendly campuses can also create opportunities to support other initiatives beyond a campus such as those geared toward age-friendly communities, health care systems, and employers. This presentation will also discuss how synergistic AFU partnerships with other age-friendly initiatives can provide mutual support to strengthen and sustain these efforts. Challenges to this end will also be explored. Examples of existing and promising connections in the ecosystem will be offered to demonstrate the value of this synergy.
PERSPECTIVES OF CAREGIVERS TO BLACK AND HISPANIC PERSONS LIVING WITH DEMENTIA (PLWD) ABOUT END-OF-LIFE COMMUNICATION
Authors: Osakwe Zainab Toteh , Perez Sasha , Odlum Michelle , Stefancic Ana 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Black and Hispanic Persons Living with Dementia (PLWD) heavily rely on home healthcare to remain comfortably in their own home, even at the end of life. Despite growth in use of hospice in the U.S., research demonstrates persistent racial differences in utilization of hospice - a key indicator of high-quality end of life care. This is particularly relevant among older Black and Hispanic PLWD who experience additional burdensome interventions at the end of life which often run counter to their goals of care. This study examined perceptions of caregivers to Black and Hispanic PLWD regarding discussions with home healthcare nurses about end-of-life communication and transitions to hospice. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 19 Black and Hispanic family caregivers of PLWD. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, translated and analyzed using conventional content analysis. Results showed that Black and Hispanic caregivers of PLWD do not prioritize aggressive and burdensome care at the end of life, had low expectations of the healthcare system to support their needs and preferences at the end-of-life, and were willing to discuss and accept hospice if discussions were transparent about resources and entitlements; acknowledged the strengths of the PLWD/caregivers; involved positive and respectful communication with families during a home visit; acknowledged respect for their social communities and home environment; sat down during a home visit and recognized the role of religion at the end-of-life. Implications to improve care include incorporating family caregiver discussions, identify social determinants of health, and address the role of religion in future interventions.
THE ROLE OF SOCIAL ENTERPRISE ORGANIZATIONS IN SUPPORTING FAMILY CARERS OF OLDER PEOPLE LIVING WITH DEMENTIA
Authors: Cheshire-Allen Maria , Davies Abigail 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
This paper aims to present findings from a primary qualitative study that explored the role of social enterprise organisations (SEOs) in delivering co-produced support for family carers of older people living with dementia (PLWD). Defined in the UK, as businesses with a social or environmental purpose, SEOs are increasingly recognised as occupying a unique space in the landscape of adult social care delivery. In Wales, devolved legislation requires public bodies to collaborate with SEOs - this provision is intended to create a mixed economy of care with co-produced user-led services. To date, however, there is little firm evidence of SEOs delivering co-produced care solutions within the policy framework in Wales, which can be understood to be particularly permissive of SEO involvement, or of how the sector is involved in the delivery of support for family carers of older PLWD. Findings gathered through five focus groups with a purposive sample of family carers, and SEO care providers in South Wales, show how co-produced family carer support programmes are navigated and enacted, as well as how the individual agency of service providers, PLWD, and their carers are involved in these processes. Adopting an ethics of care approach, and utilising reflexive thematic analysis, key themes identified include competition between and within organisations, parochialism, capacity, and organisational barriers. This study highlights implications for policy and practice related to the rhetoric of co-produced support services for family carers, SEOs’ views on delivering that support, and family carers’ experiences of navigating and receiving SEO-delivered services.
FOOD DESERT RESIDENCE AND COGNITIVE TRAJECTORIES IN US OLDER POPULATION AGED 65 AND OLDER
Authors: Kim Boeun , Szanton Sarah L , Thorpe Roland , Adkins-Jackson Paris , Crews Deidra , Samuel Laura 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
A food desert is defined as a census tract with limited access to affordable and nutritious foods. Inequitable access to healthy food may contribute to disparities in cognitive health, but little is known about the role of food deserts in cognitive health. We examined association between living in food deserts and cognitive function in older adults 65 years and older. These analyses employed cohort design by linking the US Department of Agriculture 2010 Food Access Research Atlas data to 2011-2021 National Health and Aging Trends Study. Orientation, executive function, and memory were assessed annually. Food desert residence at baseline was determined if more than 500 or 33% residents within a census tract had low income and low access to healthy and affordable foods. Weighted mixed-effects models were fitted among 5270 community-dwelling older adults without dementia at baseline. Mean baseline age was 76.7 (±7.4) years and 10.7% participants (n = 659) lived in food deserts. Black and Hispanic people and individuals with lower educational attainment were more likely to live in food deserts. At the age of 80 years, individuals living in food deserts showed orientation and executive function scores that were -0.26 points (95% CI: -0.48, -0.03) and -0.13 points (95% CI: -024, -0.01) lower than their peers, respectively. Living in food deserts was also associated with 0.05 points faster annual decline (95% CI: -0.09, -0.01) in orientation. Residence in food deserts is associated with worse cognition in older age and could be a driver of disparities in cognitive health.
NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTERISTICS AND INEQUALITIES IN SENSORY HEALTH AMONG OLDER ADULTS IN THE UNITED STATES
Authors: Goldman Alyssa , Pinto Jayant 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Sensory function plays a crucial role in older adults’ navigation of the environment, maintenance of personal safety, and in quality of everyday life. The residential neighborhood context is a significant social determinant of later life health and health disparities, but it has been understudied with respect to sensory function. We consider that residential neighborhoods are key sites of social and economic resources, social engagement, and environmental stimulation that could influence sensory health and inequalities in sensory impairment. We use data from 2,251 older adults who were interviewed at Rounds 1 and 2 of the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project in a series of longitudinal random effects models that examine how self-reported and objectively measured neighborhood characteristics are associated with self-rated vision and hearing. We find that older adults who reside in census tracts with higher levels of concentrated disadvantage report significantly worse self-rated vision and hearing compared with older adults who live in areas with less concentrated disadvantage. Residing in a more densely populated tract, however, is associated with better self-rated hearing. Black and Hispanic older adults’ self-rated hearing benefits significantly more from living in a densely populated tract than does White older adults’ self-rated hearing. In cross-sectional models, higher perceptions of neighborhood safety and social ties are associated with better self-rated vision. Our findings prompt a more nuanced understanding of how the social environment affects sensory health and highlight sensory function as a potential underexplored pathway through which neighborhood characteristics shape health disparities in later life.
FROM MICRO TO MACRO: PSYCHOSOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL PREDICTORS OF COGNITIVE AGING ACROSS DAYS AND DECADES
Authors: Hamm Jeremy , Mogle Jacqueline 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Healthier cognitive aging is multifactorial, shaped in part by modifiable psychosocial and behavioral predictors. Critically, these predictors exhibit day-to-day and year-to-year fluctuations that could be harnessed to promote better cognitive functioning with age. The present studies thus address short- and long-term differences in psychosocial (perceived control, relationship quality) and behavioral factors (light physical activity, muscle strength) as predictors of normative and non-normative cognitive aging. Cerino et al. use data from the National Study of Daily Experiences to demonstrate how daily perceptions of control over daily stressors relate to episodic memory and executive functioning across age. Jang and Mogle examine the association between daily appraisals of relationship quality and subjective cognitive decline as driven by daily stressful experiences. Hamm et al. use data from the Midlife in the United States Study to investigate how changes in light physical activity across 9-years predict changes in episodic memory and executive functioning beyond more vigorous forms of activity, particularly for older adults. Finally, McGrath et al. use 12-year data from the Health and Retirement Study to investigate a multidimensional measure of maximum voluntary muscle strength as an indicator of elevated cognitive impairment risk among older adults. This symposium thus integrates new research from deeply-phenotyped samples on psychosocial and behavioral factors implicated in cognitive aging and contributes to a more nuanced understanding of how healthier cognitive functioning across short (days) and long (decades) time spans is shaped by beliefs, social dynamics, and behaviors that are amenable to change across the adult lifespan.
NUDGING ATTITUDE CHANGE THROUGH EXPERIENCE: UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULAR INNOVATIONS
Authors: Carpenter Brian 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Drawing students into gerontology and geriatrics remains a perennial challenge in light of negative stereotypes and ageism deeply entrenched in society. Nonetheless, instructors continue to forge ahead with curricular innovations designed to dismantle stereotypes, promote deeper understanding of the later stage of life, cultivate appreciation for the contributions of older adults, and entice students to consider further academic, extracurricular, and vocational opportunities in the field. This symposium brings together scholars and instructors who have implemented and evaluated course innovations with these goals in mind. The first presentation reviews findings from the Bringing Art to Life program that pairs teams of undergraduate students with persons with dementia attending an adult day services program and engaging in structured art therapy and reminiscence. The next presenter describes positive attitude change about aging among undergraduates in an advanced public health service-learning course. Next is a discussion of how health policy education has been successfully built into an undergraduate adult development and aging course. The fourth presentation summarizes results from a randomized educational intervention to undergraduate students to enhance death education and ensure more equitable access to quality end-of-life services and supports. The final presentation describes innovations in training MSTEM undergraduate students in aging. A Discussant will synthesize themes across presentations and engage session attendees to respond and share their own curricular experiences.
AN EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS TO PROMOTE AWARENESS OF END-OF-LIFE OPTIONS
Authors: O’Sullivan Kelly , Decker Autumn , Weaver Raven , Bolkan Cory 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Most people, of all ages, do not engage in advance care planning or know about available end-of-life (EOL) choices, despite the personal and societal benefits in an aging society, highlighting the need for educational intervention and outreach. We implemented an online educational intervention to explore accurate understanding of medical-aid-in-dying (MAID; available in ten states) among college students (n=415; Mage=19.6±4.4 years). Pre-intervention, 66% of participants had heard of MAID and 63% supported or strongly supported MAID. Participants were randomized to three conditions: control, testimonial narrative, or testimonial video explaining reasons why individuals pursued MAID (there were no significant differences in opinion by condition). Post-intervention, those in an intervention group were significantly more likely be more supportive of MAID legislation (p=.005); there were no significant differences between narrative or video conditions. Content analysis of open-ended responses revealed the importance of bodily autonomy and having a choice in health care. Participants who expressed neutral or conflicted perceptions wanted to learn more about the law and were concerned about individuals’ mental health when considering MAID. Negative responses reflected concerns about abusing the law and religious-based concerns. More accurate information about MAID and its safeguards is needed. In particular, the undecided group could benefit from selective interventions to improve understanding of MAID and other EOL care options. Future work should focus on education and outreach to individuals, families, and providers about aging and mortality issues to ensure more equitable access to quality EOL services and supports for people across the life span.
DEFYING THE ODDS: EXCEPTIONAL HOME HEALTH AGENCIES SERVING HIGH PROPORTIONS OF BLACK PATIENTS
Authors: Fashaw-Walters Shekinah 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Healthcare providers with the highest proportions of Black patients are typically assumed to be lower quality, whether they be hospitals, nursing homes, or primary care physicians. However, little research examines the providers that “defy these odds” and rise to the top of the quality ratings. Each year, Medicare home health provides skilled nursing and therapy services to over 3 million homebound older adults with physical and cognitive impairments, and compared to the general Medicare population, Medicare home health patients are more likely to identify as Black. This mixed-methods (QUANT--&gt;QUAL) project uses an assets-based approach as well as the tenets of the Public Health Critical Race Praxis to understand home health providers that are generally assumed to be low-quality providers – that is those who have the highest proportions of Black patients – but instead are high quality providers. This study uses star ratings and the Post-Acute Care Public Use File for home health agencies to characterize and identify agencies with high quality care and a high proportion of Black patients. Publicly available data allows us to characterize the structures and outcomes of these unique home health agencies; while primary data collection (via case studies of exceptional agencies) will allow us to report on their unique processes of care. Data collection and analyses are currently underway and will be completed by May 2023. In 2019, 28% of home health agencies were identified as having high-quality with a high proportion of Black patients, we have selected three agencies for case studies.