bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
ESPO AND SOCIAL RESEARCH, POLICY, AND PRACTICE SECTION SYMPOSIUM: GOING THE EXTRA MILE: HOW PIONEERING GERONTOLOGISTS TRANSLATE RESEARCH TO POLICY AND PRACTICE
Authors: Jansen Taylor , Bybee Sara , Greenfield Jennifer 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Gerontologists must have fortitude to take the extra step in translating research to end-users like community stakeholders, policymakers, and older adults; Otherwise, research can be futile. In this symposium, participants will hear from speakers who have engaged in translational research from the local to federal levels. Dr. Kina White, from the Mississippi State Department of Health will speak to her successful dissemination efforts informing state policymakers and health professionals of recent research conducted on older Mississippians. Dr. White personally mailed a copy of the research to each mayor in Mississippi, an excellent example of fortitude. Another state-level example will come from Dr. Howard Degenholtz, a Professor at the University of Pittsburg, who recently worked with the Pennsylvania Department of Aging to facilitate a statewide needs assessment survey using the Age Friendly Communities Framework, which helped develop a 10-year plan for the Pennsylvania Department of Aging. Finally, Dr. Sheryl Zimmerman, University of North Carolina (UNC) Distinguished Professor and Executive Director of the national Center for Excellence in Assisted Living (CEAL@UNC) will discuss CEAL’s role to advance excellence through stronger connections between research, practice, and policy, and related advocacy at the federal level. Overall, the aim of this symposium is to answer the “so what” question that many students and researchers are presented with and motivate gerontologists to broaden their dissemination and advocacy efforts to have the most positive impact on our society, whether in research, policy, or practice.
ADVANCING HEALTHY AGING THROUGH PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY AND PRACTICE IN MISSISSIPPI
Authors: White Kina , Edwards-Childs Paulita 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Within a state less known for its investment in public health, the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) is advancing healthy aging through emerging public health policy and practice. While the overall state’s population is declining, between 2010 and 2021, the 65+ population of adults experienced a 29.3% increase. In partnership with Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and The John A. Hartford Foundation (JAHF), MSDH adopted the 6C’s Framework for Creating an Age-Friendly Public Health Systems (AFPHS) Framework and established a systematic approach to supporting older health and well-being. These efforts resulted in the achievement of exemplar status as a recognized Age-Friendly Public Health System. To achieve AFPHS Recognition, MSDH established a multi-sectoral Advisory Committee and developed a state-wide action plan based on the AFPHS 6C’s Framework using the collective impact process; developed a Healthy Aging Data Report (HADR) and county data profiles with over 120 indicators; partnered with AARP MS and the Mississippi Public Health Association on several endeavors, including the development of a champion program for older adult volunteers to encourage their communities to be age-friendly and promote intergenerational activities. At the intersection of policy and practice, HADRs were hand-delivered to mayors across all 82 counties, translating findings of chronic disease and disability indicators to advance policies that establish age-friendly communities and health systems to improve older adult health outcomes.
EMPOWERING OLDER ADULTS: A PARTICIPANT’S PERSPECTIVE ON VIVO’S ONLINE STRENGTH TRAINING PROGRAM
Authors: Pettis Jennifer 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
This abstract presents the narrative of a participant, detailing her positive experiences with Vivo, an online live and interactive strength training program. This presentation will illuminate the transformative impact of Vivo’s holistic approach to fitness among older adults. The participant, enthusiastically recounts her journey with Vivo, highlighting remarkable gains in muscle strength and energy levels. Engaging in Vivo’s tailored workouts, she experienced tangible improvements in her physical abilities, allowing her to navigate daily tasks with newfound ease and confidence. Notably, she emphasizes the program’s adaptability to her age group, catering to varying fitness levels while promoting safe and effective exercise practices. Beyond physical benefits, the participant underscores the significance of socialization within the Vivo community. Participating in live sessions facilitated meaningful connections with peers, fostering a supportive network that transcended geographical boundaries. These interactions not only enhanced her motivation but also nurtured a sense of belonging and camaraderie, vital components of holistic well-being among older adults. In conclusion, the participant’s narrative exemplifies the transformative power of Vivo’s online strength training program for older adults, showcasing its capacity to enhance muscle strength, energy levels, and social connectedness. This perspective underscores the program’s potential to promote active aging and improve overall quality of life among older adult populations.
THROUGH THE EYES OF CARE MANAGERS: UNDERSTANDING THE VALUE OF MEMBERSHIP TO THE AGING LIFE CARE ASSOCIATION
Authors: Shealy Carlisle , Teaster Pamela , Gray Jullie , Sands Laura 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Care managers, also known as Aging Life Care Professionals (ALCPs), have specialized knowledge pertaining to aging and disability. Through care coordination, they serve a critical role for families, caregivers, and older adults themselves. The Aging Life Care Association (ALCA) is a nonprofit member association aimed at promoting the work of ALCPs by offering continuing education, professional development, and ethical standards. To fill a gap in understanding the organization, we explored the usefulness and benefits of ALCA membership. We conducted 35 individual virtual interviews with members, exploring satisfaction with membership, organizational support to members, types of assistance members received, and engagement activities. Chapter presidents were recruited first, and afterwards, we used snowball sampling to recruit diverse members. Interviews were transcribed and thematically coded. Care managers joined ALCA for numerous reasons including networking, connections, and camaraderie. Relationships with other members contributed to why members remained in the organization. Care managers sought an association that gave their work professional credibility and standards. Members valued referrals, resources for growing a business, online educational resources online, and conferences. Participants suggested opportunities for greater inclusion of new members, especially those from diverse racial and ethnic and racial backgrounds as well as how to best apply ALCA’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. Others wanted education tailored for different career stages. Although opportunities exist to address challenges, membership in ALCA can improve access to information and services needed to coordinate improved care for older adults while also enhancing quality of care.
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT AND HOSPITAL USE AMONG COGNITIVELY VULNERABLE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE ENROLLEES
Authors: Fortinsky Richard , Lu Xiaomin , Grady James , Robison Julie , Steffens David , Kuchel George 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Medicare Advantage (MA) health insurance plans now cover more individuals than original Medicare. Very little is known about patterns of emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations among MA enrollees, especially those living with cognitive vulnerability due to dementia, depression, and/or recent delirium. Therefore, we explored factors associated with ED visits and hospitalizations among older adults enrolled in an MA plan and living at home with cognitive vulnerability. Our study cohort includes 406 adults age &gt;65 who completed a 12-month clinical trial; baseline data collected by interview were linked with ED and hospital use data from medical claims for 12 months following study baseline. Predictors, all from study baseline, included age group, sex, race, ethnicity, educational level, financial strain level, number of medical comorbidities, and cognitive vulnerability type: dementia only; depression only; dementia and depression; or delirium with dementia and/or depression. Cohort characteristics: 58.4% female; mean (SD) age=76.1 (7.0); 92.1% White individuals; 4.7% Black individuals; 39.4% had &gt;1 ED visit and 26.4% had &gt;1 hospitalization. Multivariate logistic regression results revealed that the likelihood of experiencing an ED visit was positively associated with number of medical comorbidities at baseline (AOR=1.18, p=0.001), and participants with depression only were less likely than those with recent delirium at baseline to experience an ED visit (AOR=0.33, p=0.02). These same predictors were associated with hospitalization likelihood (AOR=1.14, p=0.01; and AOR=0.27, p=0.01, respectively). We conclude that medical comorbidity burden as well as delirium history are important risk factors for subsequent ED visits and hospitalizations in this MA cohort.
OLDER ADULTS EXPERIENCING UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS IN LARGE URBAN CITY LACK BASIC RESOURCES
Authors: Kogan Alexis Coulourides 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Older adults constitute the fastest-growing segment of the homeless population in the US. Previous research has found older homeless adults to have more chronic conditions, premature mortality, greater odds of physical disability, and experience accelerated aging compared to housed populations. To inform programs to better serve this population, improved understanding of how they meet their basic needs is warranted. The purpose of this study was to explore the experience of unsheltered homeless older adults with meeting their basic needs for food, drinking water, toilet, hygiene, and healthcare in Los Angeles County. From 2021-2023 (24-months), we conducted a cross-sectional survey using the HOUSED BEDS assessment with people experiencing unsheltered homelessness and initiating care with Street Medicine (N=637). Quantitative data were analyzed to compare adults (18-49 yrs) and older adults (50+ years). Findings show that 40.3% of those sampled were older adults. Most older adults experiencing unsheltered homelessness identified as male (70%), Hispanic/Latino (46.6%), or Black/African American (25.6%). The majority of older adults had health insurance (79%) yet few (22%) had a primary care provider. Older adults lacked 24-hr bathroom access (22.3%), were forced to practice open defecation (82%), and relied on purchased food (50%) and drinking water (40.6%). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs explains that time and energy spent meeting basic needs of survival (including food, hydration, and sanitation) means time and energy not spent elsewhere, such as seeking healthcare. Results of this study suggest a need for scaling Street Medicine which provides basic needs and comprehensive, accessible primary care.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STATE MEDICAID HCBS PROGRAMS AND FAMILY CAREGIVING
Authors: Thunell Johanna , Parrish Elise , Miller Katherine 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
A growing number of persons are opting to age in place in home- and community-based settings. As demand for care in these settings increases, the supply of caregivers – both family and paid care – is not keeping pace. Yet, programs providing financial payments, education, and training for family caregivers may increase the likelihood of successfully aging in place. As no national long-term care insurance system exists in the US, most home- and community-based services (HCBS) are paid out-of-pocket or through Medicaid HCBS waivers. Through waivers, some Medicaid beneficiaries can pay family caregivers for care received. However, payment availability and eligibility criteria vary within and across states. We leverage the geographic-restricted NHATS data (2011–2019) to identify a cohort of respondents with at least one functional limitation. Using multinomial logistic regression, we estimated the relationship between living in state in a year with a Medicaid waiver providing payments to family caregivers and the likelihood of receiving: paid and family care, paid care only, family care only, or no care. After adjusting for demographics and family structure, we found respondents living in a state allowing for payments to family caregivers were 2.2 percentage points more likely to receive care by a family member only and 1.3 percentage points less likely to receive formal care only. Unpacking the mechanisms by which policies can incentivize (or reduce) caregiving has implications for broader policy discussions to (1) ensure an adequate workforce to meet the demand for care and (2) mitigate adverse consequences of family caregiving.
THE UTILIZATION AND INFLUENCING FACTORS AMONG OLDER ADULTS IN HOME CARE SERVICES OF PROPERTY COMPANIES
Authors: Liu Kehan , Li Chunxiao , Chen Zijing , Yang Xiali , He Haiyan , Huang Chongmei , Liu Minhui 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Property companies offer home care services for older adults, potentially facilitating “aging in place.” However, it’s unclear if the services are being used. This study investigated the utilization of home care services provided by property companies among older adults and explored the influencing factors affecting their utilization. A convenient sampling method was used to recruit 266 older adults in residential areas managed by property companies offering home care. Data was collected using self-designed questionnaires, including demographic characteristics (e.g., age, sex, living arrangements), health characteristics (e.g., self-rated health), and the utilization of services (daily life care, medical care, psychoeducation, emergency rescue). Daily life care includes senior canteens, plumbing and electrical repairs, housekeeping, etc. Medical care includes accompanying treatment, health education, and check-ups. Psychoeducation involves counseling and recreational activities. Emergency rescue includes 24-hour hotline and home visits. Approximately 58.3% of older adults were aged between 60-69 years, 39.1% lived with children, and 46.6% rated their health as average. Among all the services utilized, the highest was participating in recreational activities (59.0%), utilizing plumbing and electrical repairs (56.4%) and 24-hour hotline service (52.6%). Logistic regression models revealed that older adults aged over 80 (OR, 95%CI=0.30, 0.12-0.79) and those with poor self-rated health (OR, 95%CI=0.22, 0.10-0.50) were less likely to participate in recreational activities. Living with children (OR, 95%CI=0.16, 0.04-0.61) negatively correlated with the use of 24-hour hotline service. The low utilization rates suggested a demand for property companies to design targeted services to enhance home care service utilization among older adults.
HOME HEALTH AIDE AND SOCIAL WORK VISITS IN MEDICARE ADVANTAGE AND TRADITIONAL MEDICARE BY RURALITY
Authors: Mroz Tracy , Garberson Lisa , Andrilla C Holly , Patterson Davis 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollment has grown rapidly over the last decade. Prior research suggests MA beneficiaries utilize home health less often than Traditional Medicare (TM) beneficiaries, but research comparing specific services within home health has been limited to individual plans or providers and has not examined rural-urban differences. Home health aide and social work services may be especially important for successful community discharge. Using 2018 100% Medicare files, we conducted hierarchical logistic regression analyses to examine receipt of home health aide and social work visits by MA enrollment and rural-urban status (categorized by Rural Urban Commuting Areas Codes into urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated small rural communities), controlling for beneficiary and community characteristics. Of the 3,143,742 beneficiaries included in analysis, 23% were enrolled in MA versus 77% in TM, and 83% lived in urban communities versus 17% in rural communities. MA versus TM beneficiaries had significantly lower odds of receiving aide and social work visits (OR(95%CI): 0.87(0.82,0.92) and 0.91(0.85,0.98), respectively). Beneficiaries in rural versus urban communities had significantly lower odds of receiving social work visits, with the lowest odds in small rural and isolated small rural communities. However, odds of receiving aide visits were significantly higher in rural versus urban communities and increased as rurality increased. MA beneficiaries in small rural and isolated small rural communities are at particular risk for poor access to social work services, but decreased access to home health aide services for MA beneficiaries may be attenuated for those living in rural communities.
NOVEL APPROACHES TO OBESITY TREATMENT IN OLDER ADULTS
Authors: Nicklas Barbara , Houston Denise , Batsis John 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
The prevalence of obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) among older adults (65+ years) in the U.S. has almost doubled over the last three decades, with approximately 40% of older adults living with obesity. Lifestyle modifications of moderate caloric restriction have been shown to improve the metabolic and functional health in older adults (e.g., lower blood pressure, fasting glucose, and interleukin-6, and improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness and gait speed). While lifestyle modifications of caloric restriction typically only produce modest weight loss – in the range of 5 to 10% - recent FDA approved medications to treat obesity produce significant weight loss – in the range of 15 to 20%. However, trials of anti-obesity medications have included few older adults. Furthermore, caloric restriction – by either lifestyle modification or anti-obesity medications – results in the loss of muscle and bone, potentially exacerbating sarcopenia and osteopenia. As a result, health care providers are often reluctant to recommend weight loss in older adults with obesity due to concerns regarding the overall safety and benefits of caloric restriction. Thus, different approaches to caloric restriction may be needed to minimize the potential risks of caloric restriction in older adults. This symposium will address the following in older adults: 1) whether time restricted eating (TRE) may be an alternative to caloric restriction (Houston and colleagues); 2) whether replacing lost weight externally reduces weight loss associated musculoskeletal tissue loss (Beavers and colleagues); and 3) whether semaglutide improves physical function, muscle mass, and biomarkers of aging (Cortes and colleagues). Obesity and Aging Interest Group Sponsored Symposium
SOCIOECONOMIC DETERMINANTS OF RACIAL INEQUALITIES IN COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING AMONG ADULTS 50+ IN THE US AND BRAZIL
Authors: Farina Mateo 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Racial inequalities in cognitive health are well-established. Black older adults have worse cognitive health than White older adults. However, evidence has been primarily found using data on the U.S. population, limiting scientific insight into how historically and socially constructed racial structures impact racial inequalities in cognitive health. Using nationally, representative studies from the United States (HRS) and Brazil (ELSI-Brazil), I examine racial inequalities in cognitive functioning (global and domain-specific) and their life-course socioeconomic determinants. I use a series of linear regression models to examine racial differences in cognitive functioning and to determine how accounting for life course socioeconomic conditions (retrospective childhood socioeconomic status, educational attainment, and adulthood income adjusted for household size) attenuate observed differences. Results show different patterns in racial inequalities in cognitive functioning across countries, with Black Americans having the lowest cognitive functioning in the United States and Asian Brazilians having the lowest cognitive functioning in Brazil. In Brazil and the United States, White older adults had the highest levels of cognitive functioning. However, the magnitude of racial inequalities differed by country, with preliminary findings showing greater differences in the United States than in Brazil. Lastly, regardless of country, childhood socioeconomic conditions and educational attainment greatly attenuated racial differences in cognitive functioning, reducing some racial inequalities to non-significance, indicating that the early life opportunities in establishing cognitive functioning may be substantially contributing to racial inequalities in both contexts. This research points to the need to consider context in understanding how and why racial inequalities in cognitive health arise.
NUMBER OF LIVING SIBLINGS AND COGNITIVE DECLINE AMONG OLDER MEXICAN ADULTS
Authors: Quashie Nekehia , Saenz Joseph , Zhang Xing 
Published: January 2025

Abstract

Objectives
A growing body of research examines the associations between sibship size and health in older adults. These studies largely focus on older adults’ physical health or mortality in high-income countries, yet cognitive health is understudied. Sibship size may impact cognitive development in early childhood and shapes opportunities for social support throughout life that potentially influence later life cognitive health. Using a gendered life course framework, this study evaluates how the number of living siblings in later life relates with cognitive health among older Mexican adults.

Methods
Data comes from the 2012, 2015, 2018, and 2021 waves of the Mexican Health and Aging Study (n=14,872 adults age 50+). We use latent growth curve models to evaluate how one’s number of living siblings relates with levels of latent general cognitive ability and nine-year cognitive decline and how these associations may differ by gender.

Results
Among men and women, those with no living siblings or only one living sibling had lower levels of cognitive ability when compared to those with 3 living siblings. However, very large sibship size (having 10+ living siblings) was also related with lower cognitive ability in men. Regardless of gender, the number of living siblings was not related with the rate of cognitive decline.

Discussion
This research broadens our understanding of the salience of siblings, an overlooked family resource, to older adults’ health. Our findings underscore the importance of alternative social support for older adults given Mexico’s changing demographics that challenge the reliance on family support in late-life.