bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
NURSE–FAMILY INTERACTION DURING ACUTE HOSPITALIZATION OF OLDER ADULTS
Authors: Tonkikh Orly , Siegel Elena , Johnson Yuuko , Ogugu Everlyne , Young Heather 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Family caregivers play a vital role for older adults during acute illness, yet there is limited research on the dynamics between nurses and families of older adults in acute care settings. This descriptive qualitative study explored perspectives on interactions during acute hospitalization in medical-surgical units among 24 nurses and caregivers. We conducted semi-structured interviews and used thematic analysis to identify key conditions and patterns of interaction. Nurses acknowledge the importance of family input to tailor and execute care plans to improve patient outcomes. Hospital structures (e.g., discharge planning guidelines) and nursing values and priorities (e.g., patient safety) influence the ways nurses interact with families. For example, nurses take a proactive approach in response to perceived safety and behavioral concerns and discharge planning. Without the structure of a formal assessment of caregiver needs and priorities, nurses rely on families to initiate interaction and glean insights about family context and preferences from anecdotal information. For the most part, nurses and families operate in parallel worlds with three main patterns of interaction: (1) caregiver proactivity leading to bi-directional interaction; (2) unidirectional interaction from nurses to caregivers; and (3) limited interaction. The study highlights lost opportunities for meaningful engagement to advance the older adult’s health. While nurses acknowledge the benefits of family engagement, few structures (e.g., training and standardized assessment) exist to facilitate family involvement in the current patient-centered healthcare system. This provides direction for further exploration of structures to support optimal nurse-family interaction, to enhance continuity and quality of acute care.
COPING WITH AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS (ALS): EXPERIENCES OF PERSONS LIVING WITH ALS AND THEIR FAMILY CAREGIVERS
Authors: Ogugu Everlyne , Tonkikh Orly , Famula Jessica , Young Heather , Bell Janice , Fields Bronwyn , Oskarsson Bjorn 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that profoundly impacts the lives of people with the condition and their family caregivers. Little is known about the experiences of care at home among individuals with ALS and their family caregivers. This qualitative study explored these experiences in 14 in-depth interviews that included seven persons with ALS and 13 family caregivers. The findings were organized based on the Salutogenic Model of Health. The main sources of stress reported included the overwhelming nature of getting an ALS diagnosis, inadequacy of health care teams in providing emotional support and promoting shared decision-making in regard to the management of ALS, high level of illness acuity, the intense nature of caregiving involved in ALS, high cost of treatments and equipment, difficulties navigating the healthcare system, unavailability of suitable medical equipment, scarcity of paid caregivers competent in managing ALS, and lack of adequate training for family caregivers. Perspectives on positive coping included mental toughness, maintaining a positive outlook about life and the future, being proactive in seeking support to maintain function and quality of life, proactively communicating with care teams, advanced care planning, having a sense of control over ALS management plan of care, and taking a break from caregiving. Instrumental and emotional support from family, friends, community organizations, and healthcare teams, as well as sufficient insurance and financial coverage for ALS treatments, facilitated better coping. Future research and policies should focus on identifying effective multisectoral strategies for supporting people with ALS and their caregivers.
PROTECTING THE HEALTH OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES BY LOCAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
Authors: Miyawaki Christina , Nguyen Kim , Ho Tuong-Vi , McClellan Angela 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Nearly 50 years after the fall of Saigon (1975), studies continue to show the high prevalence of physical (ADL, IADL), mental (depressive symptoms), and cognitive (dementia) disabilities in older Vietnamese refugees. Adverse lifelong experiences in Vietnam and host countries may have impacted these results. Some refugees who arrived during their youth became health professionals while their children attend universities, predominantly enrolled in pre-health courses. Leveraging their bilingual/bicultural and health background, they have hosted free health fairs for their monolingual older Vietnamese for the past 16 years in Houston, Texas, the 2nd largest Vietnamese-populated city in the nation. Despite the high prevalence of dementia, no free cognitive healthcare has been provided. The purpose of the study is to report the collaborative efforts to fill the gap using the Cultural Exchange Model (CEM) and improve dementia literacy. The CEM teaches that to create knowledge, two constituencies need to merge within the Community. One arm of Vietnamese stakeholders (older adults, medical doctors) already exists. We formed another arm, Cognitive Health Initiative (CHAIN): 28 bilingual/bicultural Vietnamese university students, who were trained in Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). During 2023, we jointly attended 11 health fairs with Vietnamese medical professionals and offered 337 MoCA in Vietnamese and English. The results showed that older Vietnamese (≥65) scored the lowest (22.4/30) among participants (White=24.8; Black=23.9; Hispanic=23.3). Utilizing existing, underlying resilience and the unique affinity among local Vietnamese health professionals, our next steps include continuing to offer a “Memory Booth” by local Vietnamese pre-health students, thereby strengthening intergenerational relationships.
PERCEIVED NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTERISTICS AND ACTIVITY ENGAGEMENT AMONG RACIALLY DIVERSE OLDER ADULTS
Authors: Jang Jeein , Avila Jaqueline , Burr Jeffrey 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Engagement in social, cognitive, and physical activities is vital for healthy aging. Perceived neighborhood environment is associated with activity engagement, but there may be differences in this association between racial and ethnic groups. This study investigates the associations between neighborhood characteristics and activity engagement, emphasizing different activity domains and how race/ethnicity modifies this relationship. Using Health and Retirement Study data, the sample includes 9,180 adults aged 50 and above. The outcome is engagement in a list of 21 activities in the 2018-2020, measured as a total composite score and by domain (social, cognitive, and physical activities). The predictors are neighborhood social cohesion and physical disorder. Poisson regression analyses show a positive association between social cohesion and total activity engagement among older adults. Physical disorder is also positively associated with total activity engagement, suggesting that older adults in neighborhoods with high physical disorder may have tight-knit communities and strong bonds, working together to prevent further deterioration. Black older adults exhibit 1.03 times greater activity engagement than non-Hispanic Whites, while there were no differences compared to Hispanic individuals. Importantly, the association between social cohesion and overall activity engagement is weaker among Hispanics, even with the highest cohesion level. This suggests that Hispanics may prioritize individual autonomy in their activity choices over the influence of neighborhood social cohesion. Results by activity domains showed that the impact of social cohesion extended to each domain. Racial and ethnic differences warrant closer investigation in studies of neighborhoods and activity engagement in later life.
CO-DESIGNING A MOBILE-BASED COGNITIVE TRAINING WITH OLDER CHINESE AMERICANS AND THEIR ADULT CHILDREN
Authors: Xue Tingzhong (Michelle) , McConnell Eleanor , Wei Amy , Wu Bei , Xu Hanzhang 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Older Chinese Americans are at high risk for dementia, yet often fail to access to prevention services/programs due to language barriers, transportation issues etc. BrainHQ is a mobile-based, effective cognitive training program that can potentially address these barriers and delay cognitive decline in older Chinese Americans. In this study, we will apply an experience-based co-design approach that leverages the existing BrainHQ features and older Chinese Americans’ prior knowledge, lived experience, and social norms around dementia to co-develop a cognitive training intervention. We first have worked with BrainHQ to translate and adapt more than 30 evidence-based cognitive training exercises into Chinese. We then hosted focus groups among older Chinese Americans (n=21) to understand their perceived benefits and barriers regarding participating in cognitive training. We also interviewed their adult children separately as they are often influenced by the ideology of filial piety and assume a major responsibility for caregiving. Utilizing the findings of the focus groups, we will then conduct an experience-based co-design workshop with older Chinese Americans (n=6), their adult children (n=6), and community stakeholders (n=2) to improve the cultural and linguistic relevance of the intervention. We will start with a journey map where participants are guided to brainstorm challenges (e.g. fears and anxieties related to performance, time constrains, distrust) they may experience when participating in the intervention. Then they will be asked to create prototypes of intervention components to address these challenges. These findings will facilitate better delivery of the cognitive training among older Chinese Americans and inform broader implementation.
ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES AND DEMENTIA AMONG OLDER US ADULTS: ASSESSMENT OF GENDER AND RACIAL DISPARITIES
Authors: Brown Monique 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Six in ten US adults report exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). However, their effects on health outcomes are seen across the life course. ACEs have been linked to cognitive impairment. However, less is known about the association between ACEs and a dementia diagnosis. In addition, gender and racial disparities may exist in this relationship. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the association between ACEs and dementia, and to assess the related gender and racial disparities. Data were obtained from the 2012-2020 Health and Retirement Study (N=4,235 respondents aged 51 and older). ACEs assessed included emotional neglect, parental substance abuse, physical abuse, economic adversity, academic challenges, and problems with the law. Dementia was operationalized as ever having dementia. Crude and adjusted logistic regression models were used to determine the associations between ACEs and dementia. Additive and multiplicative interaction effects by gender and race were tested. Approximately 70% of participants reported ACEs and 3% reported ever having dementia. After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, depression, and gender and race interactions, individuals who reported ACEs had 15 times higher odds (aOR: 14.5; 95%CI: 1.56 – 133.9) of ever having dementia compared to individuals without ACEs. Interaction by gender was statistically significant where the relationship between ACEs and dementia was statistically significant for men (aOR: 3.29; 95%CI: 1.28 – 8.42) but not for women. Interaction by race was not statistically significant. Trauma-informed interventions addressing ACEs may reduce the odds of dementia onset, especially for men. Future research should examine pathways between ACEs and dementia.
LASTING IMPACTS OF ACES ON DEPRESSION/SUICIDAL THINKING IN BLACK DEMENTIA CAREGIVERS: A WITHIN-GROUP ANALYSIS
Authors: Browning Wesley , Yildiz Mustafa , Pickering Carolyn 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Family caregivers take on the caregiving role despite the quality of the pre-morbid relationship, and pre-morbid relationship quality is linked to many caregiving outcomes. As compared to White dementia family caregivers, Black caregivers often have lower rates of mental distress giving the misleading idea that they are not at risk for poor mental health outcomes. However, within-group analyses have been argued as a better design to understand variability of caregiver outcomes within racially minoritized groups. Therefore, we examined the long-term effects of childhood trauma on depression, depressive symptoms and suicidal thinking among Black dementia family caregivers. This study presents findings from a multi-time series study, in which participants (N=101) completed three waves including 21-day bursts of daily diary surveys (n=5,124). We utilized Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMM) to assess the influence of childhood physical neglect, emotional abuse, and physical abuse on risk of clinically significant depression, daily depressive symptom severity and daily suicidal thinking. GLMMs were conducted separately for each form of childhood trauma to avoid multicollinearity. GLMMs revealed all three forms of childhood trauma as risk factors for clinically significant depression over at each wave. Additionally, each form of childhood trauma was independently associated with increased daily depressive symptoms and suicidal thinking. Findings provide compelling evidence of the detrimental effects of childhood trauma on mental health among Black caregivers and help explain within-group variability. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions aimed at mitigating the long-term mental health consequences of early-life adversity in caregiving contexts.
SKELETAL MUSCLE MITOCHONDRIAL RESPIRATION ASSOCIATES WITH COGNITIVE FUNCTION IN OLDER ADULTS
Authors: Rosano Caterina , Kritchevsky Stephen , Miljkovic Iva , Newman Anne , Cawthon Peggy , Cummings Stephen , Coen Paul 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Lower skeletal muscle oxidative capacity has been linked with poor cognition in older adults. Prior studies have relied on spectroscopy assessment of post-exercise PCr recovery rate to indirectly determine muscle oxidative capacity. Here, we evaluated if mitochondrial energetics assessed in muscle biopsies and by spectroscopy is associated with processing speed and general cognition. The sample included 858 adults (mean age 76.34 +/- 4.97 years, 59% female, 84% Non Hispanic White) from the Study of Muscle, Mobility and Aging (SOMMA). Mitochondrial respiration was measured in permeabilized fibers from biopsies of the vastus lateralis as maximal oxidative phosphorylation (MAXOXPHOS). Muscle oxidative capacity (ATPmax) was assessed by 31P MRS. Cognitive function was assessed by Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) with scores adjusted for age and education, and sex. Multivariable linear regression models tested the hypothesis that higher mitochondrial energetics (MAXOXPHOS and ATPmax, in separate models) would be associated with higher scores on DSST and MoCA; all models were adjusted for race, muscle area, hypertension, diabetes and BMI. Each SD decrement in MAXOXPHOS was associated with a -1.7 point lower DSST score (95% CI: 0.68, 2.72) and a non-significantly -0.23 point lower MoCA score (95% CI: -0.00, 0.45). ATPmax was not significantly associated with either DSST or MoCA. Higher mitochondrial respiration is associated with faster processing speed in this population, independent of other known predictors of cognition. Future studies should assess the mechanisms underlying this association.
RECRUITING SEXUAL AND GENDER MINORITY OLDER ADULTS WITH AND WITHOUT DEMENTIA IN LONG-TERM CARE: OVERCOMING BARRIERS
Authors: Wright Morgan , Shippee Tetyana , Skarphol Tricia , Flatt Jason , Alberth Andrew , Moone Rajean , Rosser B R Simon 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Sexual and gender minority (SGM) older adults, including those using long-term care and living with cognitive impairment, are a growing population, but little is known about their unique experiences as they are often missing from research. This study investigates barriers and facilitators for recruitment of SGM older adults utilizing long term care (LTC) into research studies. As part of a larger study on SGM policies in LTC, we used purposive sampling to select twenty assisted living and nursing home directors for qualitative interviews. Participants were assisted living and nursing home administrators in Minnesota, identified as part of a larger survey on SGM policies in LTC. Qualitative coding and partially inductive/deductive thematic analysis resulted in the generation of three themes. The themes include the challenge of identifying SGM residents in long-term care, a need to be mindful of discrimination against SGM residents by other residents which can also hinder self-identification, and special considerations in working with SGM residents with AD/ADRD. Several strategies to overcome these barriers exist. The themes all contained information for future researchers that work with older SGM adults in long-term care facilities who may have AD/ADRD. Understanding barriers to identifying participants, addressing discrimination, and crafting appropriate consent processes for those with AD/ADRD are all important points for researchers.
MEASURING NATIONAL TRENDS IN SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS AMONG OLDER ADULTS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS
Authors: Pomeroy Mary Louise , Qian Yiqing , Ornstein Katherine 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Social isolation and loneliness have negative implications for the health and care of older adults. Few studies have examined longitudinal patterns of social isolation and loneliness among older adults, or how these experiences are shared by caregivers and personal care networks. This research symposium uses various survey data methods to highlight trends in social isolation, loneliness, and care isolation among older adults and their caregivers. First, we report on trends in social isolation and loneliness over time. Leveraging six waves of data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study Amsterdam (LASA), Dr. Mehrabi describes the temporal sequence of social isolation, loneliness, and frailty across 21 years among a national sample of older adults from the Netherlands. Dr. Umoh uses the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) to describe trends in intermittent and persistent social isolation among older Americans between 2011–2021. Next, we examine social isolation and loneliness in the context of caregiving. Dr. Clair reports on personal care networks and care isolation among family and friends caring for older adults with Type II diabetes. Dr. Qian uses the National Study on Caregiving (NSOC) to examine prevalence and correlates of social isolation and loneliness among family and unpaid caregivers of older adults. Dr. Pomeroy concludes the session with a discussion of the strengths and challenges of using national survey data to measure social isolation, offering methodological strategies for handling missing data and proxy reports for persons with dementia. Dr. Ornstein, as discussant, synthesizes the implications for policy, practice, and future research.
SOFT-TISSUE COMPOSITION ASYMMETRY PREDICTS LEG MUSCLE STRENGTH CHANGES OVER FIVE YEARS AMONG ICELANDIC OLDER ADULTS
Authors: Chang (Gudjonsson) Milan , Recenti Marco , Ricciardi Carlo , Ponsiglione Alfonso Maria , Amato Francesco , Gislason Magnus Kjartan , Gargiulo Paolo 
Published: January 2025

Abstract

Background
Age-related functional decline emphasizes the need to investigate how tissue composition impacts mobility and independence in older adults. One of the most critical functions associated with mobility disability among older adults is leg muscle strength. The current study investigated the significance of lower leg tissue composition asymmetry on leg muscle strength changes over 5 years among older adults.

Methods
A community-based population from Reykjavik, Iceland (n=3156, mean age=74.9) participated in a 5-year longitudinal study. Tissue composition asymmetry was defined by differences between the right and left sides of non-linear Trimodal Regression Analysis (NTRA) parameters assessed by CT scans at baseline. Among the total of 3156 study participants, 2737 were available for the longitudinal analysis. The maximum strength of the knee extension on the dominant side was measured by using a computerized dynamometer attached to a stable chair at baseline and follow-up assessment. Linear regression analysis was performed with covariates adjustment including age, gender, body mass index, and other lifestyle-related factors.

Results
The results of the study indicate that, after adjusting for covariates, two baseline asymmetry indicators (the amplitude of fat tissue (p&lt; 0.04) and the location of muscle tissue (p&lt; 0.03)) were significantly associated with changes in leg strength over 5 years.

Conclusion
The findings show that higher baseline leg asymmetry indicators, involving both fat and muscle tissue, can predict a greater decline in leg muscle strength during the 5-year follow-up. The composition asymmetry of tissues could serve as an important indicator for predicting mobility disability among older adults.
CAN YOU GET UP FROM THIS SOFA? SIT-TO-STAND POWER ASSESSMENT USING A SMARTPHONE DURING AGING
Authors: springer Shmuel , Baranes Guy , Hayek Roee 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Middle-aged individuals may face mobility issues that cannot be detected by conventional assessments. Lower-extremity muscle power correlates significantly with mobility performance during aging. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether an assessment of lower-extremity power based on smartphone accelerometry data during the 5x sit-to-stand test (5xSTS) can provide additional information about subtle mobility limitations in midlife. Twenty-three young (25.0±2.5 years), 25 middle-aged (52.0±5.2 years), and 17 old adults (70.0±4.1 years) performed the 5xSTS test on a standard chair and on a sofa with a smartphone attached to their lower-back. STS duration was measured by the difference between the time at the end of the last stand and the time at the beginning of the first sit-to-stand, and lower-extremity muscle power (STSp) during the rising phase was calculated by multiplying body mass, acceleration, and velocity. No differences in STS duration were found between young and middle-aged adults on both the chair and the sofa, while significant differences were observed between young and old adults on both seating surfaces. STSp differed significantly between young and middle-aged adults on the sofa only (586.5 watts vs. 448.7 watts, p = 0.037), and between young and old adults on both the chair and the sofa (p=0.028 and p=0.011, respectively). These findings demonstrate the utility of the smartphone motion unit as a practical and efficient tool to identify preclinical mobility limitations in midlife during demanding tasks with the long-term goal of minimizing age-related functional decline.