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Life Space and Activity Space Measurement: Making 'Room' for Structural Racism. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-11-28 Sarah L Szanton,Kamila A Alexander,Boeun Kim,Qiwei Li,Gilbert C Gee,Karen J Bandeen-Roche,Paris B Adkins-Jackson,Melissa D Hladek,Laura J Samuel,Emily A Haozous,Safiyyah M Okoye,Deidra C Crews,Roland J Thorpe
As we age, the ability to move is foundational to health. Life space is one measure of a person's ability to move and engage in activity beyond the home. A separate but related concept is activity space, a measurement of a person's spatial behaviors and visited locations that include social networks, neighborhoods, and institutions. In this article, we integrate the literature on life space and activity
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Predicting Exercise Behavior among Caregivers of Persons with Dementia- A Longitudinal Investigation Using an Extended Health Belief Model. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-11-17 Navin Kaushal,Adrián Noriega de la ColinaMD,Ni Cole R Keith,Donya Nemati
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Family caregivers of persons with dementia face an elevated risk of several chronic illnesses compared to their non-caregiver counterparts. While exercise is a strong preventive measure for several debilitating health conditions, longitudinal research guided by theoretical frameworks has not identified how behavioral determinants predict exercise among caregivers. This study
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Explicating Ageism in the Productive Aging Framework. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-11-17 Nancy Morrow-Howell,Ernest Gonzales
This essay argues for a fuller integration of ageism and age discrimination into the productive aging framework. We briefly review the productive aging scholarship and the extent to which ageism has been considered in regards to working, volunteering, education, and caregiving. We suggest that ageism has not been adequately considered, and we identify how it permeates productive engagement in later
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Can Changes in Older Adults' Technology Use Patterns be Used to Detect Cognitive Decline? Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-11-17 Reza Ghaiumy Anaraky,Amy M Schuster,Shelia R Cotten
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The number of older adults diagnosed with dementia is expected to more than double by mid-century. Monitoring older adults' cognitive functioning is essential for the early detection of dementia, which can increase treatment efficacy and slow the disease progression. Current approaches to detect preclinical dementia are expensive, invasive, and are not accessible to everyone
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Sleep Disorders and Cognitive Aging among Cognitively Impaired vs. Unimpaired Older Adults. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-11-07 Soomi Lee,Monica E Nelson,Fumiko Hamada,Meredith L Wallace,Ross Andel,Orfeu M Buxton,David M Almeida,Constantine Lyketsos,Brent J Small
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Sleep disorders often predict or co-occur with cognitive decline. Yet, little is known how the relationship unfolds among older adults at risk for cognitive decline.To examine the associations of sleep disorders with cognitive decline in older adults with unimpaired cognition, or impaired cognition (mild cognitive impairment [MCI] and dementia). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
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Perceptions of hospital care for persons with dementia during the COVID-19 pandemic: a social media sentiment analysis. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-11-07 Alixe Ménard,Tracey O'Sullivan,Michael Mulvey,Christopher Belanger,Sarah Fraser
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The COVID-19 pandemic led to many hospital service disruptions and strict visitor restrictions that impacted care of older adult populations. This study investigates perceptions of hospital care for persons with dementia during the COVID-19 pandemic as shared on Reddit's social media platform. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS This study combined an opinion mining framework with
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Needs for Aging in Place: Views of Older Moroccan Adults in the Netherlands. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-11-06 Hager Hussein,Jane Murray Cramm,Anna Petra Nieboer
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Due to health and/or financial limitations, older migrants may become especially dependent on their neighborhoods, highlighting the importance of investigating their experiences. We explored older Moroccan adults' views on the relative importance of neighborhood resources for aging in place. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Thirty Moroccans aged ≥ 65 years residing in Amsterdam
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Care Partner Confidence and Experiences in Legal Planning for People Living with Dementia: A Mixed Methods Study. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-11-06 Anna Jolliff,Beth Fields,Justin Boutilier,Alex Dudek,Christian Elliott,Matthew Zuraw,Nicole E Werner
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Care partners of persons living with dementia perform complex legal planning tasks. The purpose of this study was to survey care partners in the United States to understand their confidence and experience in performing legal planning tasks. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS This study used a parallel-mixed methods research design. We administered a web-based survey to 318 adults
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Internet-based conversational engagement randomized controlled clinical trial (I-CONECT) among socially isolated adults 75+ years old with normal cognition or MCI: topline results. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-11-03 Hiroko H Dodge,Kexin Yu,Chao-Yi Wu,Patrick J Pruitt,Meysam Asgari,Jeffrey A Kaye,Benjamin M Hampstead,Laura Struble,Kathleen Potempa,Peter Lichtenberg,Raina Croff,Roger L Albin,Lisa C Silbert,
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Social isolation is a risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia. We conducted a randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) of enhanced social interactions, hypothesizing that conversational interactions can stimulate brain functions among socially isolated older adults without dementia. We report topline results of this multi-site RCT (Internet-based conversational engagement
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Life Course Perspectives of Aging with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders in Psychiatric and Long-Term Care Facilities. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-10-31 Verónica García Walker,Tracie C Harrison
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders must manage residual symptoms as they age, and they may experience premature or accelerated aging in comparison with those without their diagnosis. To explore their life course perspectives, we interviewed institutionalized adults aging with schizophrenia spectrum disorders in middle and older age. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
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Meanings of Aging in the Right Place for Older Clients of a Temporary Housing Program. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-10-31 Sarah L Canham,Rachel Weldrick,Atiya Mahmood,Rachelle Patille,Morgan Cruz Erisman
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The concept of aging in place is acknowledged as the preference of older adults, yet without consideration of the intersections of diversity in later life is critiqued as unattainable, unrealistic, or even undesirable. This gave rise to the exploration of what is needed to age in the right place (AIRP). Building on existing research, we examined the meaning of AIRP to older
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Subjective Successful Aging Predicts Probability of Mortality Over 9 Years Among Adults Aged 50-74. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-10-26 Rachel Pruchno,Laura P Sands,Francine P Cartwright,Miriam Rose,Xiaofan Zhu
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Although the relationship between mortality and objective successful aging (health, functional ability, social engagement) is clear, the relationship between subjective successful aging (SSA) and mortality is inconclusive. Building on the broader literature regarding psychological well-being, these analyses examine the relationship between SSA and mortality, adjusting for
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Smart Speaker and ICT Use in Relationship with Social Connectedness During the Pandemic: Loneliness and Social Isolation Found in Older Adults in Low-Income Housing. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-10-25 Jane Chung,Tracey Gendron,Jodi Winship,Rachel E Wood,Natalie Mansion,Pamela Parsons,George Demiris
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Social well-being of older adults living in low-income housing was disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We explored low-income residents' experiences of social isolation and loneliness and strategies to remain socially connected during the pandemic. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS As part of a larger, 3-phase user-centered design study, we conducted a qualitative
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Community-Engaged Research with Latino Dementia Caregivers: Overcoming Challenges in Community Advisory Board Development. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-10-25 Maria M Quiñones,Silvia Sörensen,Kenneth Hepburn,Jahaira Capellan,Kathi L Heffner
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Latinos caring for a person with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) have the highest prevalence of caregiving. Yet, they are less likely to benefit from evidence-based interventions given their continued underrepresentation in ADRD-related research. Community advisory boards (CABs) have the potential to address barriers to research for underrepresented communities;
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"Terror is a better word:" A qualitative analysis of dementia-related anxiety. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-10-25 Molly Maxfield,Allie Peckham,Dara L James
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Dementia-related anxiety (DRA) is the fear of a current or future diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease or another type of dementia. Previous studies suggest diverse factors contribute to dementia-related anxiety, including emotional, social, and cognitive concerns. A mixed methods investigation was designed to explore DRA's underlying causes; we present a thematic analysis of
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The Joys and Stresses of Social Relationships and the Effect on Resiliency During the Covid-19 Pandemic: A National Survey of US Older Adults. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-10-24 Ashly C Westrick,Lindsay C Kobayashi,Matthias Kirch,Dianne Singer,Preeti N Malani,Jeffrey T Kullgren,Erica Solway,Jessica M Finlay
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The COVID-19 pandemic placed unprecedented stress on older adults. Resiliency could mitigate deleterious effects of pandemic stressors. We described trends in resilience among US adults aged 50-80 years approximately one and half years after the onset of the pandemic, compared with before the pandemic, and evaluated associations between relationships and resilience. RESEARCH
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Black Appalachia's Oldest Old: Untold Stories of experienced racism and coping with religious practices/beliefs. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-10-24 Jill B Hamilton,Autherine Abiri,Charlyne A Nicolas,Ernest J Grant,Nakia C Best
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Racism and religion are recognized as prevailing Social Determinants of Health (SDoH). To explore ways in which racism and religion looms in the daily lives of African Americans, we analyzed the experiences of African Americans born during the Jim Crow years and living in the Southern Appalachian Region of the U.S. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Twenty-seven African Americans
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Exploration of the content and structure of preferences for leisure activities of people receiving adult day services using concept mapping. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-10-23 Mike Rommerskirch-Manietta,Johannes M Bergmann,Christina Manietta,Daniel Purwins,Kimberly Van Haitsma,Katherine M Abbott,Martina Roes
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Providing preferred leisure activities appears to be an important approach to support and empower people receiving adult day services (ADS) allowing them to age in place. To provide the conceptualization for a preference instrument, we actively involved people receiving ADS in exploring the content and structure of their preferences for leisure activities. RESEARCH DESIGN
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Older adult falls in the community: Does unsafe home environment have a risk role through the mediating effect of functional limitations? Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-10-23 Debasree Das Gupta,Uma Kelekar,Sidney C Turner
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Fall incidents from unsafe home environment are frequent in older-adult homes but the literature is ambiguous whether it is the presence/absence, or the interplay of such conditions and physical functioning that is of salience. We therefore estimated whether unsafe home environment adversely associated with subsequent falls among older adults and what proportion of this association
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Valuing Aging Services and the People Who Work in Them. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-10-17 Joseph E Gaugler
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Development and Validation of a Revised Ambivalent Ageism Scale for Use in the Health Care Sector: The AAShc. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-10-17 Sylvie D'hondt,Isabelle Ajoulat,Jean-Marie Degryse
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to adapt and validate the Ambivalent Ageism Scale among paramedical students for use in the health care sector. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted among the following paramedical students: physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and nursing students. Six items were added based on the literature and the scale was evaluated
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Positive Aging and Death or Dying: A Scoping Review. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-10-17 Robin Brown Otto,Noelle L Fields,Michael Bennett,Keith A Anderson
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES This scoping review aims to examine the extent and the manner in which research that utilizes successful, active, productive, and healthy aging framework(s) includes death or dying. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS An examination of peer-reviewed academic journal articles was conducted following Joanna Briggs Institute's methodological standards for scoping reviews and conforming
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Correction to: Critique and Postcritique: Analyzing Age Stereotypes in Literary Studies and Health Care. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-10-07
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Age-Friendly and Climate Resilient Communities: A Grey Green Alliance. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-10-06 Holly Dabelko-Schoeny,Geoffrey D Dabelko,Smitha Rao,Melissa Damico,Fiona C Doherty,Anthony C Traver,Marisa Sheldon
The world's population is aging while the Earth's climate is warming. The climate change crisis poses threats to our aging population and requires concerted action. Steps to address these threats present opportunities for improving livability for people of all ages while addressing the underlying drivers of climate change. Yet prominent action frameworks such as the World Health Organization's (WHO)
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A Quantitative Meta-Analysis and Qualitative Meta-Synthesis of Aged Care Residents' Experiences of Autonomy, Being Controlled, and Optimal Functioning. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-10-05 Emma L Bradshaw,Joel R Anderson,Ma A J Banday,Geetanjali Basarkod,Rafaan Daliri-Ngametua,Kelly A Ferber,Dylan Henry,Richard M Ryan
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The poor mental health of adults living in aged care needs addressing. Improvements to nutrition and exercise are important, but mental health requires a psychological approach. Self-determination theory finds that autonomy is essential to wellbeing while experiences of being controlled undermine it. A review of existing quantitative data could underscore the importance of
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Nature as a 'Lifeline': The Power of Photography when Exploring the Experiences of Older Adults living with Memory Loss and Memory Concerns. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-10-04 Elenyd Whitfield,Sukey Parnell Johnson,Paul Higgs,Wendy Martin,Sarah Morgan-Trimmer,Alexandra Burton,Michaela Poppe,Claudia Cooper
The visual is an underutilised modality through which to investigate experiences of memory loss in older people. We describe a visual ethnography with older adults experiencing subjective or objective memory loss, receiving a cognitive wellbeing group intervention designed to prevent cognitive decline and dementia (APPLE-Tree programme). We aimed to explore lived experiences of people with memory concerns
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Being present and meaningful engagement for aged care residents living with dementia: A mixed-methods evaluation of Australian care worker's experiences. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-10-01 John Swinton,Srivalli Vilapakkam Nagarajan,Mustafa Atee,Thomas Morris,Christopher J Poulos
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Meaningful engagement is essential for aged care residents living with dementia . Our knowledge pertaining to caring presence for residents living with dementia is limited. This study aims to understand care workers' experiences of providing care to residents , the challenges they face in being present with residents and support that enable them to be more present and provide
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Older Adults and Their Families' Online Reviews of Urban Nursing Homes in China. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-09-29 Hao Yuan,Xiumei Shen,Guangyan Kong,Chenhao Duan
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Social media has made online care facility reviews popular. By analyzing online reviews of nursing homes (NHs), managers and designers can acquire insight into the perceptions of the older adults and their families. This study aims to help improve the care and environment of NHs. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS This study employed a mixed-methods approach to analyze online NHs
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Type of Home Care - Informal Versus at Least Some Formal - Matters for Recipients' Perceived Control. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-09-29 Molly J Wylie,Kathrin Boerner,Edward Alan Miller,Kyungmin Kim,Jeffrey A Burr
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Perceived control is an important psychological resource for middle-aged and older adults. Aging in place may help foster feelings of control, yet many community-dwelling older adults must rely on others-whether family, friends, or professionals-for physical assistance. This study investigated how receiving home care from different sources was associated with two facets of
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Dementia prevention and individual and socioeconomic barriers: Avoiding "lifestyle" stigma. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-09-24 Nikki-Anne Wilson,Kaarin J Anstey
Recent decades have seen exponential growth in research on modifiable risk factors for dementia across the lifespan which has considerably advanced our understanding of brain health. Not all modifiable risk factors are equal, however, in the ease with which they can be addressed. Some individuals and populations face significant barriers to engaging in dementia risk-reduction behaviors. With the evolution
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Culture Change in Older Adult Care Settings: A Bibliometric Review. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-09-22 Lana V Ivanitskaya,Matthew P Bogner
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES We systematically analyzed research on the culture change movement, in the context of global efforts to transform the provision of older adult care in institutional settings. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Using Web of Science and Scopus publications relevant to person-centered care, culture change, or older adult care settings, we built bibliometric networks for keywords and
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Ageism in Birthday Cards: A Mixed Method Content Analysis. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-09-07 Shayne S-H Lin,Allison Walden
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Ageism is oftentimes sugarcoated within humor. Paper birthday cards are one delivery approach in which ageist messages are perpetuated and reinforced through humor. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A convenience sample of birthday cards (k = 227), all indicating a decade of age, were acquired from seven national retail stores in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The decades sampled ranged
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Getting to the Heart (and Context) of the Matter. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-09-02 Joseph E Gaugler
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The Profile of Stress and Coping Related to Successful Aging among Chinese Migrant and Non-migrant Grandparents. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-09-02 Yue Hu,Yiqi Wangliu,Helene H Fung,Jamila Bookwala,Jason Wong,Yuying Tong
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Around eight million older adults have internally migrated to take care of grandchildren in China. This study aimed to explore how Chinese migrant and non-migrant grandparents perceived successful aging and how they coped with challenges to successful aging. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Based on ecological systems theory, semi-structured interviews were conducted among 21 grandparents
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Prevalence Estimates of Arthritis and Activity-Limiting Pain Among Family Caregivers to Older Adults. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-09-01 Shelbie G Turner,Jamaica R M Robinson,Karl A Pillemer,M Carrington Reid
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Little is known about the prevalence of physical pain among family caregivers to older adults. We used national survey data to assess the relative prevalence of caregivers' arthritis and activity-limiting bothersome pain by caregiver and care recipient characteristics to identify which caregivers may be at a higher risk for physical pain. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We analyzed
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Perceived Anxiousness about COVID-19 and Preventive Behaviors among Dyads of Older Adults and Family Caregivers. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-09-01 Jiaming Liang,Maria P Aranda,Yuri Jang
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Adopting preventive behaviors is crucial to avoiding COVID-19 infection, and perceived anxiousness may influence such behaviors among older adults and their caregivers. This study investigated the relationships between perceived anxiousness about COVID-19 and preventive behaviors in older adult-caregiver dyads. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted
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The effect of aerobic exercises on arterial stiffness in older people: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-09-01 Lily Yuen Wah Ho,Rick Yiu Cho Kwan,Ka Man Yuen,Wai Chun Leung,Pui Ni Tam,Nga Man Tsim,Shamay Sheung Mei Ng
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Aerobic exercise is a cost-effective intervention to improve arterial stiffness, but its effects on older people are unclear; this review aimed to determine those effects. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Five databases were searched for randomized controlled trials of aerobic exercises. Backward and forward citations and clinical trial registries were also reviewed. Data were
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Does Subsidized Housing Prevent Health Decline and Two-Year Mortality Among Low-Income Older Renters? Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-09-01 Meghan Jenkins Morales,Stephanie A Robert
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES A growing number of older adults in the United States need subsidized housing, but only 36% of eligible households receive assistance. The purpose of this study is to examine if older renters living in subsidized housing are less likely to experience health decline and mortality over two years compared to low-income older renters who are likely eligible, but do not receive
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Correction to: Age is But a Number: Hippie Lessons on Commitment, Life, and Death. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-08-31
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Irrelevant interests? A qualitative study into how German family surrogates of persons living with dementia fulfill their legal role as advocates of an advance directive. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-08-31 Julia Fischer,Carola Roßmeier,Julia Hartmann,Lina Riedl,Maria Tensil,Janine Diehl-Schmid,Ralf J Jox
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES German legislation establishes advance directives (ADs) as legally binding instruments that all involved parties need to adhere to. This applies also to family members who have been authorized as official surrogates of the AD's author. As surrogates, they are expected to make sure that the AD is being implemented. Our study aims at uncovering how family members experience
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Filling In: Family Member Support for Non-Relative Residents in Long-term Care Homes. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-08-31 Jennifer Baumbusch,Heather A Cooke,Isabel Sloan Yip
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Past research about family involvement in long-term care homes mainly focuses on family members' involvement with their own relative, interactions with staff, and collective activities such as Family Councils. Our research provides novel insights into family member's involvement in the care of residents who are not their relatives, an area that has not previously been explored
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"We're not patients. We're inmates": Older Black women's experience of aging, health and illness during and after incarceration. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-08-31 Jennifer Elyse James
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The incarcerated population is growing older and by the year 2030, more than one-third of people incarcerated in the United States will be over the age of fifty-five. This population shift will have a profound impact on correctional healthcare systems as older incarcerated people often have multiple chronic illnesses and correctional institutions were not designed with aging
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Autumn in New York: The case of long-term care facilities in the "Safe Staffing" lawsuit with less staffing but similar COVID-19 outcomes. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-08-28 Jason Semprini,Brian Kaskie
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES In 2022, 239 New York state Long-Term Care Facilities (LTCFs) challenged a "Safe Staffing" law in court. Our study compares LTCFs involved and not involved in the lawsuit, testing for differences in staffing measures and resident outcomes during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS New York LTCF level data were obtained from the Centers for
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Integrating STEADI for Falls Prevention in Outpatient Rehabilitation Clinics: An Outcomes Evaluation Using the RE-AIM Framework. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-08-28 Jennifer L Vincenzo,Jamie Caulley,Aaron J Scott,Brian S Wilson,Mariana Wingood,Geoffrey M Curran
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance) framework was used to describe implementation of the Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths, and Injuries (STEADI) Initiative (years 2018-2021) for screening and assessing all older adults > 65 years for falls risk across 34 outpatient rehabilitation clinics within a large health system. RESEARCH DESIGN
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Changes in Life-Space Mobility with Loss of Relatives and Friends among Older Adults: Results from the UAB Study of Aging. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-08-28 Amelia Driggers,Richard E Kennedy,Beverly Rosa Williams,Cynthia J Brown,David R Buys
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Increasing age brings greater risk of death of friends and family (hereafter referred to as loss) potentially impacting individuals' life-space mobility (LSM) trajectory. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Using the UAB Study of Aging, we examined differences in LSM trajectories of 1000 community-dwelling older Alabamians (65+years) with and without loss over 8.5 years. We measured
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Neither the third nor the fourth age: viewing old age through the philosophical lens of ambiguity. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-08-26 Susan Pickard
This paper argues that the philosophy of ambiguity, associated with Maurice Merleau-Ponty and Simone de Beauvoir, provides a helpful framework for understanding the complex and paradoxical nature of old age outside the dominant categories of the 'third' and 'fourth' ages. Building on philosophical literature in cultural gerontology including that focused on the 'art of living' and other approaches
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Aging Out-of-Place: Perceptions of Successful Aging Among Aging Burundian Refugees in the United States. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-08-24 Jonix Owino,Heather Fuller
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Refugees flee their home countries due to life-threatening situations and are resettled in countries such as the United States. For older refugees, their cultural background and forced migration experience may affect how they perceive successful aging in their host countries. As such, it is important to understand how aging refugees perceive aging well to enhance their well-being
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The Experiences of Skilled Nursing Staff in Memory Care Units During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-08-10 Patricia Holmes,Laura Santurri,Heidi H Ewen,Sharron Baggett
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) resulted in the need for multiple mitigation strategies. The impacts of these safety measures were felt more extremely by healthcare providers. This qualitative study focused on the experiences of staff in skilled nursing facilities, specifically in locked memory care units, during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. RESEARCH DESIGN
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A National Typology of Health Service Regulation in Assisted Living. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-08-07 Lindsey Smith,Paula Carder,Cassandra Hua,Sheryl Zimmerman,Philip D Sloane,Wenhan Zhang,Christopher J Wretman,Portia Cornell,Kali S Thomas
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES State regulating agencies use 350 different licenses and certifications to govern assisted living (AL), resulting in significant variation in regulations governing health services, the scope of practice, and capacity. This lack of standardization makes it difficult to compare and contrast AL operations and residents' outcomes across similarly regulated communities. RESEARCH
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Embedding Caregiver Support within Adult Day Services: Outcomes of a Multi-site Trial. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-08-07 Laura N Gitlin,David L Roth,Katherine Marx,Lauren J Parker,Sokha Koeuth,Holly Dabelko-Schoeny,Keith Anderson,Joseph E Gaugler
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Adult day services (ADS) provide quality-of-life benefits to people with dementia , but few provide systematic caregiver support. We report outcomes of a multi-site, national trial testing a staff-delivered caregiver program, ADS Plus. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Cluster randomized trial involving 34 ADS: 18 sites provided ADS (controls); 16 provided ADS and ADS Plus (intervention)
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A genealogy of the Life History Album (1884): Gerontology, genre, and health across the lifespan. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-08-02 Suzanne Bailey
This paper demonstrates what emerges when we undertake a literary reading of a medical text, examining its form and structure as a text. The study of what appears to be a singular publication reveals instead an under-examined moment in medical history that anticipates contemporary health investigations in modern medicine, while reflecting the limitations of medical and gerontological knowledge in the
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Measuring age-friendliness of transportation and mobility characteristics in communities: A scoping review. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-08-01 Kellia J Hansmann,David A Deemer,Stephanie Robert
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Age-friendly communities are those with characteristics that can support and promote healthy aging. Among the common domains of these characteristics, transportation and neighborhood spaces are particularly relevant for older adults maintaining mobility in their communities. The objective of this scoping review is to provide a synthesis of age-friendly community indicators
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Social sustainability in aging populations: A systematic literature review. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-08-01 Kathrin Komp-Leukkunen,Juho Sarasma
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Social sustainability becomes increasingly important in aging populations. Yet scientific discussions on this topic are still emerging. This study helps to develop these discussions by exploring (1) how social sustainability is understood in studies on aging populations, (2) how this understanding differs across the topics discussed, and (3) how population aging is connected
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Associations Between Family Caregiving and Romantic Relationships: An Exploratory Study with Non-Distressed Couples Caring for an Outside Family Member. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-07-28 Christopher J Cannon,Robin A Barry
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Family caregiving-- providing emotional and physical health care for a family member or friend with an illness or disability-- can result in many outcomes, including stress and beneficial experiences. Both romantic and caregiving relationships are complex and varied. Nevertheless, little research has examined how caregiving and romantic relationships influence one another
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Understanding the Experiences of Family Caregivers of Nursing Home Residents with Dementia: A Grounded Theory Study. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-07-28 Catherine Verrier Piersol,Jenny Martínez,Felicia Chew,Bonnie Perry,Natalie E Leland
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Alzheimer's disease and related-dementias progress over time and result in cognitive decline, loss of independence, and behavioral and psychiatric symptoms of dementia (BPSD) that can lead to nursing home placement. Research has focused on examining the effects of nursing home placement on the family caregiver; however, their experiences are less understood. We sought to investigate
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Alcohol Use and Mortality among Older Couples in the United States: Evidence of Individual and Partner Effects. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-07-24 Kira Birditt,Angela Turkelson,Courtney A Polenick,James A Cranford,Jennifer A Smith,Erin B Ware,Frederic C Blow
BACKGROUND Spouses with concordant (i.e., similar) drinking behaviors often report better quality marriages and are married longer compared to those who report discordant drinking behaviors. Less is known regarding whether concordant or discordant patterns have implications for health, as couples grow older. The present study examined whether drinking patterns among older couples are associated with
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Caregiving among Older Black Same-Gender-Loving Women during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from Qualitative Research. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-07-22 Tonia Poteat,Porsha Hall,Mary Anne Adams,Dipa Sharma Gautam,Robynn Ashenden,Jennifer Horn
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Few data on caregiving during the COVID-19 pandemic use an intersectional lens to attend to how multiple social categories, such as gender, age, race, and sexual orientation, shape caregiving experiences. This analysis sought to explore caregiving experiences of aging Black same-gender-loving women. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Sixteen focus groups were conducted with 4-8 participants
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Pathways Linking Information and Communication Technology Use and Loneliness among Older Adults: Evidence from the Health and Retirement Study. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-07-22 Kunyu Zhang,Jeffrey A Burr,Jan E Mutchler,Jiehua Lu
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES This study investigated the association between information and communication technology (ICT) use and loneliness among community-dwelling older adults (aged 65+), as well as the mediating effects of social relations, perceived control, and purpose-in-life. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS The study used data from the 2014 and 2018 Health and Retirement Study (N=3,026), employing
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Aging and Emotional Well-Being after Disasters: Vulnerability and Resilience. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-07-20 Jo Nell Strough,Andrew M Parker,Lynsay Ayer,Vanessa Parks,Melissa L Finucane
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Climate change threatens well-being and has increased the prevalence of weather-related disasters. We investigated age differences in emotional well-being among adults who had experienced hurricane-related, unavoidable stressors. Socioemotional selectivity theory (SST, Carstensen, 2006) posits that age-related motivational shifts buffer older adults against psychological distress
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The Increasing Timeliness and Relevance of Gerontological Scholarship. Gerontologist (IF 5.422) Pub Date : 2023-07-18 Joseph E Gaugler