Gerontology Commons^™

The Effects Of Cognitive Training On Behavioral Functioning In Persons With Dementia, Abigail J. Dye

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Lack of engagement in pleasant activities and negative mood are two factors that decrease quality of life (QoL) for older adults with moderate to severe cognitive impairment. As enhancing QoL has become a primary treatment outcome for individuals with cognitive impairment, investigation into the ability of nonpharmacological interventions to increase engagement and positive mood has come to the forefront of research. Cognitive training is a nonpharmacological intervention that utilizes manualized techniques with the primary goal of enhancing different areas of cognitive function. Although the cognitive benefits of the programs have been widely investigated and established, the potential benefits that cognitive …

The Effects Of A Cognitive Training Program For Healthy Older Adults: A Program Evaluation Study, Jacklyn Gehling

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

As one ages, some degree of cognitive decline is expected. Despite this, declines in cognitive abilities and the possibility of developing dementia are common concerns among older adults. In response to these concerns, a variety of cognitive training programs have been developed that aim to improve or maintain cognitive functioning. Previous literature has shown mixed or limited findings on cognitive changes after implementation of cognitive training. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a cognitive training program designed for older adults with no to minimal cognitive decline. The current study included 19 participants who engaged in two, one-hour long cognitive training …

Comparison Of Nutrition Education Approaches On Fruit And Vegetable Intake In Older Adults, Noelle R. Blasch

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Most Americans do not consume recommended intakes of fruits and vegetables (F/Vs). Hands-on nutrition education applies social cognitive theory as participants practice preparing F/Vs. This study compared a four-week hands-on nutrition education program (L+HO) with lecture only (L) in older adults with assessments at baseline and weeks four and eight. Twenty-three women over the age of 50 participated in either four, 90-minute weekly L+HO classes (n = 14) or four, 40-minute weekly L nutrition education classes (n = 9). Vegetable intake significantly increased at four weeks compared to baseline for both intervention groups. Vegetable intake increased at eight weeks compared …

The Impact Of Career Experiences On Generativity And Postretirement Choices For Intelligence Community Baby Boomers, Marianne Victoria Kramer

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study focused on baby boomers and explored how a career with a mission-focus in the Intelligence Community influenced boomer generativity and subsequent choices after retirement. Baby boomers make-up the majority of the population that is retirement eligible today and have the benefit of a longer life expectancy commensurate with improvements in health care over the past century. Current retirement literature covers a range of options that redefine what retirement means today. This study employed a two-phase mixed method approach to investigate the characteristics and impacts of a mission-focused career, and to understand how such experiences impact postretirement opportunities and …

Barriers To Utilizing Resources For The Dementia Caregiver, Rebecca L. M. Shanafelt

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The family caregiver of a person with dementia (PwD) provides valuable care and experiences negative health outcomes as a result. These negative health outcomes can be mitigated utilizing resources, however utilization rates remain low. While there is some research on barriers to accessing resources there is very little focused on caregivers of PwD. This study through semi-structured interviews with caregivers of PwD takes a deep look into the experience of first signs, diagnosis, and utilization of resources to better understand what those barriers might be. This study found that because of the healthcare structure caregivers do not learn about resources …

Job Training And So Much More For Low-Income Older Adults: The Senior Community Service Employment Program, Cal J. Halvorsen, Olga Yulikova

Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging

An important anti-poverty program for older Americans is facing a serious problem: The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) was deemed “ineffective” by the Department of Labor. The department’s 2020 budget, in fact, proposes the program’s elimination. SCSEP, which places low-income adults aged 55 and older with multiple barriers to work in on-the-job training in nonprofit and public agencies while providing a modest stipend, has the goal of helping participants to transition into unsubsidized, gainful employment. Yet measures used to determine the program’s effectiveness focus solely on employment outcomes, ignoring important outcomes related to health and social engagement. This commentary …

Assessments Of Fit And Usability Of Work-Life Supports In The Context Of Diversity And Perceptions Of Fairness, Cal J. Halvorsen, Indrani Saran, Marcie Pitt-Catsouphes

Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging

There is a robust literature that examines outcomes associated with work-life supports. Scholars have considered the “fit” between employee needs and the supports available while others have examined the “usability”—or the potential consequences of using—work-life supports. In this article, we suggest that “fit” and “usability” could be related to both employees’ own demographic, social, and cultural identities, as well as perceptions of fairness at the workplace. While scholars have focused on organizational justice and workplace fairness for quite some time, the context of diversity—in its many forms—has rarely been included in this conversation or has simply been added as a …

Older Workers In The Time Of Covid-19: The Senior Community Service Employment Program And Implications For Social Work, Cal J. Halvorsen, Olga Yulikova

Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging

It has long been the goal of many gerontological social work scholars to increase the ability and opportunity for people to be engaged in paid and unpaid work throughout the life course. Yet the COVID-19 pandemic is revealing and exacerbating the financial insecurity of many older adults. In this paper, we review information related to older workers and how they might be affected by this pandemic and its aftermath, paying particular attention to the most socioeconomically and physically vulnerable older workers. We also offer first-hand experiences from our careers working with and conducting scholarship on older workers, paying particular attention …

How Self-Employed Older Adults Differ By Age: Evidence And Implications From The Health And Retirement Study, Cal J. Halvorsen

Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging

Background and Objectives

There has been increased attention in recent years on self-employment in later life, with about 1 in 5 workers past of the age of 50 working for themselves. This study aims to build upon previous documentation of the characteristics of self-employed older adults by estimating how these characteristics vary by age.

Research Design and Methods

Using 7 waves of the Health and Retirement Study with a sample of more than 16,000 working older adults, this study considers how the association between self-employment and sociodemographic characteristics; indicators of human, social, and financial capital; and risk tolerance differ between …

Cultural Variability In The Association Between Age And Well-Being: The Role Of Uncertainty Avoidance, Smaranda Lawrie, Kimin Eom, Daniela Moza, Alin Gavreliuc, Heejung S. Kim

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Past research has found a mixed relationship between age and subjective well-being. The current research advances the understanding of these findings by incorporating a cultural perspective. We tested whether the relationship between age and well-being is moderated by uncertainty avoidance, a cultural dimension dealing with society’s tolerance for ambiguity. In Study 1 (N = 64,228), using a multilevel approach with an international database, we found that older age was associated with lower well-being in countries higher in uncertainty avoidance but not in countries lower in uncertainty avoidance. Further, this cultural variation was mediated by a sense of control. In Study …

Holding The Therapeutic State At Bay? Balancing Autonomy And Protection In Singapore's Vulnerable Adults Act, Wing Cheong Chan

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Abuse, exploitation and neglect of adults raise complex issues on the freedom of the individual to choose for themselves versus the powers of the State to intervene. The law has traditionally limited the scope of compulsory intervention to extreme situations only which can frustrate social workers who deal with such cases. On the other hand, it would be unacceptable to allow intervention simply because it is assessed to be in the adults’ best interests. A balance therefore has to be struck between autonomy and protection. This paper examines how Singapore’s Vulnerable Adults Act identifies the point for intervention and embodies …

Among America’S Oldest, Opioid Overdoses Are On The Rise, Emma Davis

Capstones

Often overlooked in coverage of the opioid crisis, American seniors have experienced a dramatic increase in addiction in the last two decades. Drug overdoses in adults ages 55-64 have risen six-fold since 1999, according to the Center for Disease Control, and emergency visits due to opioid misuse tripled among those over 65 from 2006-2014, a study from Towson University found. This print and video piece investigates how heroin and prescription opioid use among older adults in New York City has contributed to the overdose rate; the consequences of opioid restrictions for geriatric pain patients; and the treatment options for seniors …

Aging Intimately, Niamh Mcdonnell, Giulia Hjort

Capstones

We’re both familiar with grief after the loss of family members over 75. This project is our way of giving back in a small way by listening, but also as a way of remembering the people we unexpectedly lost. Each person we’ve met on this journey has inspired us in their own way, with their stories of resilience through grief and aging. All of our collaborators on this project are constantly learning, taking risks, and moving forward through loss and pain. They aren’t defined by their age. Rather, they embrace it with a willingness to reinvent their approach to romance …

Live Peabody: An Age-Friendly Action Plan, Caitlin Coyle, Beth Rouleau

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

The vision of the Live Peabody Initiative is to inspire change in the City of Peabody so that residents of all ages and abilities can thrive. The success of this initiative is dependent on the involvement of a dedicated and passionate group of residents and stakeholders that will proactively spearhead this age-friendly effort. These individuals will actively collaborate with civic, business and non-profit organizations as well as state and local government officials to heighten awareness of the age-friendly movement and implementation of the action items outlines in this report—all to spur positive change for the City of Peabody. This report …

Objective Sleep Quality As A Predictor Of Mild Cognitive Impairment In Seniors Living Alone, Brian Chen, Hwee-Pink Tan, Irus Rawtaer, Hwee Xian Tan

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Singapore has the fastest ageing population in the Asia Pacific region, with an estimated 82,000 seniors living with dementia. These figures are projected to increase to more than 130,000 by 2030. The challenge is to identify more community dwelling seniors with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), a prodromal state, as it provides an opportunity for evidence-based early intervention to delay the onset of dementia. In this paper, we explore the use of Internet of Things (IoT) systems in detecting MCI symptoms in seniors who are living alone, and accurately grouping them into MCI positive and negative subjects. We present feature extraction …

Serum Myostatin And Igf-1 As Biomarkers Of Sarcopenia: A Proof-Of-Concept Design, Ashley Binns

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The population comprising older adults is growing exponentially, as are healthcare related costs. Nearly $20 billion is annually expensed by older adults for health-related issues affiliated with age-related decline in skeletal muscle mass. Yet, diagnostic criteria are not readily utilized in clinical practice. PURPOSE: Therefore, the purpose of this study was to provide evidence for use of blood biomarkers (myostatin, IGF-1) to predict appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) among middle-aged and older adults. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 106 individuals (n = 68 females; n = 38 males) aged ≥ 40 years of age (60.1 ± 11.1 y) …

The Role Of The Environmental Context In Advance Care Planning Among Older Adults, Brittany E. Gaines

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Research has focused on various individual characteristics associated with advance care planning (ACP), but little is known about how the environment context is associated with ACP. This study examined the role of environmental characteristics in ACP by addressing three key aims: 1) examine the independent effects of environmental factors on ACP, 2) assess the moderating effects of environmental factors on the associations between ACP and individual household income and educational attainment, and 3) conduct a longitudinal examination of ACP and environmental characteristics. I combined individual ACP information from the 2004 and 2011 waves of the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study with county …

Appmod: Helping Older Adults Manage Mobile Security With Online Social Help, Zhiyuan Wan, Lingfeng Bao, Debin Gao, Eran Toch, Xin Xia, Tamir Mendel, David Lo

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

The rapid adoption of Smartphone devices has caused increasing security and privacy risks and breaches. Catching up with ever-evolving contemporary smartphone technology challenges leads older adults (aged 50+) to reduce or to abandon their use of mobile technology. To tackle this problem, we present AppMoD, a community-based approach that allows delegation of security and privacy decisions a trusted social connection, such as a family member or a close friend. The trusted social connection can assist in the appropriate decision or make it on behalf of the user. We implement the approach as an Android app and describe the results of …

Social Prescribing For An Aging Population, Amy Clements-Cortés, Joyce Yip

Music Faculty Publications

As the human population is moving toward a demographic of aging individuals, increased levels of stress will be placed on the current health care system. “… As people live longer, there is a tendency or the onset of disease to occur closer to the end of life” (p. 441) and the incidence of mental health illnesses is prevalent in older adults. Currently, the medical model is dominant in the health care system and aims to cure any issue(s) without considerations in the cause or source. Social prescribing/social prescription enables physicians and health care professionals to refer individuals to non-clinical services, …

Planning And Presenting A Yearly Informational Conference For Grandfamilies, Susan M. Collins 3512464

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

Abstract

This practice brief describes the planning and implementation of a local yearly conference for grandparents raising grandchildren. The conference was first held in 2002, and today is offered by a task force consisting of Area Agency on Aging staff, grandparents, Human Service program staff, representatives of various provider agencies and organizations, and academics from a local university. This practice brief describes funding, venue, logistics of the conference day, topics of most interest over the years, and the challenge of reaching grandfamilies. Also described is how evaluation by grandparents has helped the conference evolve to remain relevant and meaningful for …