bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
SOCIAL ISOLATION AND RISK OF DEMENTIA: DO RACE, ETHNICITY, AND GENDER MATTER?
Authors: Lin Zhiyong , Liu Hui (Cathy) 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Social isolation has emerged as a significant predictor of dementia risk in later life. However, our understanding of how this association may vary across race-ethnicity and gender remains limited. To address this gap, we used longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study (2000-2016) to examine the link between social isolation and dementia risk among older adults, separately for non-Hispanic Whites, non-Hispanic Blacks, and Hispanics. We also explored gender variations in this association within each racial-ethnic group. Our results indicate that social isolation increases the risk of dementia for both non-Hispanic Whites and Blacks, even after controlling for basic sociodemographic characteristics. However, social isolation does not appear to be a significant predictor of dementia risk among Hispanics, suggesting that cultural and social factors may play a key role in the association between social isolation and dementia risk across racial/ethnic groups. Further, we found few significant gender variations in the association between social isolation and dementia, except for a stronger effect of severe isolation among Black men compared to Black women. Economic resources and health-related factors were identified as significant mediators of the relationship between social isolation and dementia risk for both non-Hispanic Whites and Blacks. Our study highlights the importance of addressing social isolation as a potential risk factor for dementia among older adults, particularly for those in vulnerable groups. The findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to reduce social isolation and promote social engagement in diverse communities to mitigate dementia risk.
COMMUNITY-BASED MUSICAL THEATER AND MEANING-MAKING IN LATER LIFE
Authors: McGovern Justine 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
This presentation will situate the impact of participating in artistic performances for the first time in later life in relevant scholarship. A growing body of research indicates that older adults benefit from active engagement in the arts, and that this can reduce loneliness, depression and isolation, and improve subjective well-being and quality of life. Benefits include strengthening social connections and a sense of belonging, as well as defining and asserting a sense of self. These outcomes can have a positive impact on physical health as well – older adults engaged in the arts experience lower rates of memory loss and balance issues, heart disease and other health challenges than peers not actively engaged with the arts or passively receiving arts. Participation in performance arts can also improve communication across generations and support processing of loss. Senior centers and community centers with senior members rarely, however, position engagement in performing arts such as musical theater front and center. Programming in visual arts (e.g., painting) and traditional arts (e.g., crochet) tends to take precedence, and this can be detrimental to center members for whom participation in performing arts can be transformative. The presentation will explore meaning-making processes embedded in arts performance and argue for promoting performance opportunities among older adults, as well as suggest ways to replicate the model in other settings.
MOTOR PATHWAYS TO DEMENTIA
Authors: Verghese Joe 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Emerging evidence indicates that non-cognitive manifestations such as gait impairments occur early during dementia. The Motoric Cognitive Risk (MCR) is a pre-dementia syndrome characterized by slow gait and cognitive complaints. MCR is a simple and easily accessible clinical dementia risk assay that does not require cognitive testing. MCR has incremental predictive validity for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias over its individual cognitive and motoric components. Recent studies from across the world have helped to elucidate the epidemiology, biology, and brain substrates of MCR; paving the way for future interventions to prevent progression to dementia.
BUILDING BRIDGES TO BETTER INTERGENERATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS
Authors: Shovali Tamar 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Intergenerational relationships are necessary to prepare the workforce for careers in the field of gerontology. Intergenerational interaction and reflection have been shown to result in valuable skills, such as positive attitudes toward older adults, increased knowledge of aging and needs of older adults, genuine relationships with older adults and a greater appreciation for older generations, greater comfort with the idea of themselves aging, and high satisfaction when embedded into course curriculum. Intergenerational contact in the structure of undergraduate courses also has reciprocal benefits, such as recognizing commonalities, building appreciation and trust, and creating a sense of belonging between generations that can be lasting. Building on empirical evidence, an intensive three-week intergenerational relationships course for first year students using intentional integration with general education goals, while also training students in basic understanding of aging is described here. Students collaborated with the college’s Academy of Senior Professionals, a unique community of retired older adults engaged in lifelong learning, to develop a college-wide intergenerational event. Considerations, outcomes, and lessons learned will be reviewed.
A CROSS-NATIONAL COMPARISON OF RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE MOTORIC COGNITIVE RISK (MCR) SYNDROME
Authors: Jayakody Oshadi , Blumen Helena , Verghese Joe 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
The Motoric Cognitive Risk (MCR) syndrome predicts risk of Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. Cross-national comparisons of risk factors for MCR are important for identifying region-specific factors to design regionally tailored preventive interventions. We examined risk factors associated with MCR in 20,468 adults aged ≥65 years from the U.S Health and Retirement Study (HRS), English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS), China Health and Retirement Study (CHARLES), Harmonized Diagnostic Assessment of Dementia for the Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI-DAD), Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) and Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSI-Brazil). MCR was defined as the presence of cognitive complaints and slow gait with no mobility disability and dementia. Associations between demographic [sex, education], medical [hypertension, diabetes, Parkinson’s, heart disease, stroke, obesity, depression, multiple falls], sensorimotor [grip strength, hearing] and behavioral factors [smoking, sedentariness, sleep quality], and prevalent MCR were examined using logistic models. Despite some overlap, cohort-specific risk factors for MCR were identified with relative risk ratios ranging as: 0.4-2.8 for education and multiple falls in HRS, 2.3-7.4 for poor hearing and sedentariness in ELSA, 2.3-2.6 for poor grip and diabetes in MHAS, 1.9-2.2 for depression and sedentariness in CHARLES, 0.5-5.3 for education and stroke in LASI-DAD, 0.3-2.4 for education and depression in SHARE and 2.4-4.0 for multiple falls and stroke in ELSI-Brazil. In this cross-sectional, cross-national comparison of 21 countries, MCR associated risk factors were region-specific, laying the foundation for tailored interventions to prevent MCR and subsequently dementia.
RESEARCH ON AGING: THE INTERNATIONAL VIEW FROM THE EDITORS’ DESKS
Authors: Kim Kyungmin , Burr Jeffrey , Peng Changmin 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
We review the scope, content, and focus of the peer-reviewed journal, Research on Aging (SAGE), publishing its 45th volume this year. We will discuss how scholarship produced from researchers around the globe has changed over the years. Data on submissions, acceptance rates, and the important role of an international editorial board will be presented. The review process will be described, along with suggestions on how to increase chances of success when submitting original research. Although Research on Aging is sometimes considered to focus primarily on social gerontology, the scope has widened considerably, with manuscripts in aging studies published from such fields as economics, psychology, demography, public health, and public policy, as well as from sociology and social work, among others disciplines. One of several special issues forthcoming in the journal will be described to demonstrate the possibilities for international impact.
THE JOURNAL OF APPLIED GERONTOLOGY: AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE
Authors: Dobbs Debra , Robison Julie 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
The mission of applied gerontology is to bridge science and practice to benefit the health and well-being of older people, their families, their communities, and other contexts. The Journal of Applied Gerontology features original investigations or meta-analyses/systematic reviews with significant clinical, policy, and/or practice implications. This presentation will provide insights from the Journal of Applied Gerontology and its commitment to publish and disseminate scholarship with international application. Following an overview of the growing internationalization of peer-reviewed submissions to the Journal on a variety of topics and from a range of perspectives, the presentation will highlight opportunities to apply gerontological scholarship to aging contexts worldwide. Concluding comments will examine how outlets for dissemination and authors themselves can better position their work to enhance their influence on aging in an international context.
STRATEGIES USED BY OHIO’S NURSING HOMES TO RETAIN CERTIFIED NURSING ASSISTANTS: DO THEY WORK?
Authors: Dikhtyar Oksana , Nelson Ian Matt 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
A low retention rate of certified nursing assistants (CNA) in nursing homes (NHs) is a known problem; it drives up facilities’ operating costs and negatively impacts the quality of care provided. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this problem and left facilities scrambling to retain workers. Using data from the 2021 Ohio Biennial Survey of Long-Term Care Facilities, this study examines strategies implemented by facilities to improve retention of their CNAs. Facilities have tried to implement a variety of workplace environment changes such as allowing staff teams to manage schedule and financial benefit strategies such as longevity wage increase to improve their CNA retention. The statewide average NH retention rate was 64% for CNAs ranging between 0 and 100%. Three groups were constructed from the retention data: high or rate of 75% or higher (N = 220), medium or between 50% and 75% (N = 254), and low or under 50% (N = 145). We found that a higher proportion of low-retention facilities implemented most of these strategies compared to facilities with high and medium CNA retention rates. At the same time, we found that a higher proportion of administrators in the high retention group knew all their CNAs by name compared to the low-retention group (50.0% vs 41.7%). These findings suggest that environmental and financial strategies may not have much of an impact on retention rates, but making people feel respected and appreciated could.
OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES IN LARGE QUALITATIVE DATASETS IN GERONTOLOGICAL RESEARCH
Authors: Perone Angela , Saunders Pamela 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Qualitative research focuses on in-depth data to understand people, processes, and phenomena. It often involves smaller datasets that do not intend to produce generalizable results but instead illuminate nuances, counterexamples, or underrepresented voices. Qualitative data can produce theory and allow for in-depth analyses. Recent methodological developments have created opportunities for large mixed methods projects to produce voluminous amounts of qualitative data that can and sometimes are shared as secondary datasets. The growing use of big data has also produced new possibilities for large qualitative datasets. Additionally, longitudinal and comparative qualitative research can produce significant data. This symposium presents four studies that examine opportunities and challenges in large qualitative datasets in gerontology. The first article uses multiple qualitative datasets to examine how long-term care staff balance resident rights of safety and autonomy. The second article uses multiple qualitative methods in a larger mixed methods Friendship Study to examine meaningful connections among people living with dementia in long-term care. Through a multi-site community university partnership, the third study extracts qualitative data from over 500 patient records to examine experiences of terminally ill hospice patients from residential homes for the dying. The fourth study examines nearly ten years of qualitative data from over 20 communities to examine successful aging from an Alaska Native perspective. Altogether, these four studies illuminate diverse strategies for identifying qualitative data, using data software, managing data, addressing ethical dilemmas, and employing research teams for coding and analyzing large qualitative datasets in gerontological research. This is a Qualitative Research Interest Group Sponsored Symposium.
LONGITUDINAL CHANGES IN DAILY STRESS REACTIVITY AND FUNCTIONAL HEALTH ACROSS 20 YEARS OF ADULTHOOD
Authors: Rush Jonathan , Willroth Emily , Cerino Eric , Piazza Jennifer , Charles Susan , Mroczek Daniel , Almeida David 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
The daily within-person association between stress exposure and negative affect (i.e., stress reactivity) has been shown to be predictive of a number of adverse health outcomes (e.g., inflammation, chronic conditions). These findings typically rely on a single burst of daily assessments. Little is known about the influence of long-term changes in daily stress reactivity across adulthood and its association with changes in health outcomes. The present study examined whether longitudinal changes in daily within-person associations between stress and affect over 20 years predicted long-term changes in functional health. We used measurement burst data from the National Study of Daily Experiences subsample (N=2,880) embedded within the MIDUS longitudinal study. Three measurement bursts were separated by ten years, with each containing daily measures of stress and affect across eight consecutive days, yielding 33,942 days of data across 20 years of adulthood. Functional health was measured by basic and instrumental activities of daily living (BADL; IADL) at three measurement waves spanning 20 years. Multilevel structural equation models were fit to simultaneously model short-term within-person associations between stress and affect (i.e., stress reactivity) at Level 1; long-term changes in stress reactivity at Level 2; and the association between changes in stress reactivity and changes in functional health at Level 3. Changes in stress reactivity predicted changes in both BADLs and IADLs across 20 years (estimate=0.518, SE=0.153, p=.016; and estimate=0.656, SE=0.200, p&lt;.001, respectively). Individuals who increased more in their stress reactivity across the 20 year period also showed greater increases in their functional health limitations.
CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE INTERVENTIONS FOR OLDER ADULTS: FROM DEVELOPMENT TO ADAPTATION
Authors: Nkimbeng Manka , Cotton Quinton , Parker Lauren 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Culture is an important aspect of health and healthcare because it influences perceptions and health seeking behaviors, but many health interventions are developed without consideration of the cultural needs or do not include the voices of the of the target population. Yet culturally responsive interventions have been proven to be more effective than generic interventions. Opportunely, there is a growing understanding of the need for culturally responsive interventions but limited understanding of the process. This symposium will offer an overview of the process of developing culturally responsive interventions. It will present three unique projects that are in different stages and on different levels on the continuum of culturally responsive interventions and programs. African MADE is a culturally tailored dementia education program that was developed with the African immigrant community, while “Community-Organization Based Intervention Planning for Older Latine Adults: Lessons Learned” describes the co-development process employed in the design of an intergenerational respite program for older adults within the Latine community. Finally, we will present findings of a feasibility study of an evidence based intervention that was adapted for African American women with pain and depression.
EVALUATION OF THE DEMENTIA FRIENDLINESS OF AIR TRAVEL—A CANADIAN PILOT STUDY
Authors: Garcia Linda , Chiareli Alexandra , Robitaille Annie , Mulvey Michael , Primossi Valentina 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
An earlier initiative involving various stakeholders in the air travel industry, disability advocates, researchers, and individuals living with dementia and their travel partners identified five key areas to reduce the challenges faced by travellers living with cognitive limitations: there was a need for information and awareness on the topic, a discussion on disclosure and identification, a readjustment of processes and spaces, a need for formal training and standardized processes across jurisdictions. Next, focussing on current and planned initiatives for reducing these obstacles, the research team determined what might be available to consumers living with dementia and their families at Canadian airports. This symposium presentation will focus on the design and benefits of a citizen science approach for addressing the identified obstacles and the accessibility of the stated airport initiatives through the lens of passengers with dementia and their travel partners. Moreover, a prototype tool, adapted from the citizen science tool used in other presentations in this symposium, that includes data from the findings of both the stakeholder group and the airport analyses symposium will be presented and discussed in terms of its appropriateness and usefulness to evaluate the dementia-friendliness of air travel.
BEHAVIOR-RELATED RISK FACTORS AND WORKING LIFE EXPECTANCY IN ENGLAND
Authors: Zaninotto Paola 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Over the past decades, the UK has introduced pension and labour market reforms that aimed at increasing the length of working life among the older working population. Behaviour-related risk factors such as low physical activity level, alcohol consumption, smoking as well as obesity are associated with labour market participation and early retirement. However, the extent to which the co-occurrence of these behaviour-related risk factors predict how long people stay in employment (working life expectancy) has not yet been investigated. We used a large nationally representative sample of older people in England participants of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), from 2002 to 2018. We applied multistate life table models to repeated measures to estimate sex-specific working life expectancy from the age of 50. We considered the following behaviours: smoking, daily alcohol consumption, being physically inactive and being obese. At the age of 50, men with no behaviour-related risk factors could expect to work on average 11 years (95%CI:10.96; 11.44) longer (9 for women, 95%CI:8.98;9.44), whereas men with 2+ behaviour-related risk factors could expect to work on average 9.2 additional years (95%CI:9.19; 9.85) (7.4 for women, 95%CI:7.3; 7.8). Men and women engaging in one behaviour-related risk factor had slightly higher lower working life expectancy than those not engaging in any behaviour-related risk factors.
IMPLEMENTATION AND EFFECTIVENESS OF VIRTUAL REALITY PROGRAMS IN LONG-TERM CARE SETTINGS
Authors: Savundranayagam Marie , Williams Kristine 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Virtual reality (VR) is an immersive technology that allows users to experience a computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional environment. It is used in healthcare for education and training purposes, as therapeutic interventions, and for social engagement. However, there are few studies exploring the use of VR in long-term care settings. The purpose of this symposium is to share lessons learned on the implementation and effectiveness of VR programs in long-term care settings. All studies use the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research to guide their exploration of the facilitators and barriers to implementation. They use qualitative methods, such as interviews, focus groups, and ethnographic observation, to collect data on the experiences of staff and residents participating in the programs. Study one highlights the critical need to engage decision makers to assess organizational readiness prior to creating an implementation strategy. Study two showcases the iterative process involved in translating an in-person, person-centered communication training into a VR training program for frontline healthcare workers. Study three features the benefits and challenges of using VR with older residents. Study four explores staff perspectives on facilitators and barriers to adopting VR in long-term care. The studies highlight the potential benefits of VR in enhancing communication skills, social engagement, and support for residents’ personhood. They also identify factors for successful implementation, such as staff champions, sufficient technological infrastructure, and organizational support for infrastructure and human resources. The studies offer valuable insights for researchers and practitioners working to implement novel VR interventions in long-term care settings.
GOOD FOR HEALTH, BAD FOR SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING: EFFECT OF CONTINUING WORK ON JAPANESE OLDER ADULTS
Authors: Katagiri Keiko 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Recently, the labor force rate of Japanese older adults has been increasing. The white paper of Japan’s Cabinet Office shows that half of the people in their late 60s are employed in 2022. Previous literature has indicated that work has positive effects on health and cognitive functions; however, the work environment is not age-friendly. Most companies set the mandatory retirement age at 60, after which people must work under a worse labor contract. This study aims to explore the effect of work on Japanese older adults’ subjective well-being and to examine whether social participation and civic activity can buffer work’s negative effects. Random sampling survey was conducted in 2019 on people living in the Tokyo and Hyogo prefectures. The response rate was 43.0% (N = 1,063, aged 50–74). Analyses of covariance were conducted on well-being, depression, anxiety, loneliness, and life satisfaction. We found that work has negative effects on anxiety and life satisfaction, with civic activity moderating the negative effect on life satisfaction. Gender differences were observed regarding anxiety and loneliness. Women showed higher anxiety, and men showed higher loneliness. Regarding age difference, people in their late 60s exhibited the lowest depression and those in their late 50s higher anxiety. It is argued that Japan’s third agers live in more difficult work circumstances than ever before, and it is thus necessary to explore age-friendly labor conditions for older adults.