Gerontology Commons^™

Older Adults With A History Of Psychiatric Conditions Experience More Cognitive Decline Than Older Adults Without This History, Maria T. Brown, Miriam Mutambudzi

Population Health Research Brief Series

Having psychiatric conditions (such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and major depressive disorder) throughout one’s life can lead to faster rates of cognitive decline as one ages. This data slice explores the associations between psychiatric history and cognitive function among U.S. White, Black, and Hispanic adults ages 65 and older from 1995-2014. Findings demonstrate that having a history of psychiatric problems is related to lower cognitive functioning and a faster rate of cognitive decline for all three groups, but Black and Hispanic adults experience steeper declines compared with White adults.

Living Below The Line: Racial And Ethnic Disparities In Economic Security Among Older Americans, 2022, Jan Mutchler, Yan-Jhu Su, Nidya Velasco Roldán

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

New estimates based on the 2022 Elder IndexTM show that the risk of economic insecurity in later life is especially high for people of color. Comparing household incomes to the Elder Index, we calculate the percentage of independent older adults with incomes that fall short of what is required to support economic security. National averages suggest that among older people living alone, 43% who are White, 59% of those who are Asian, 61% of those who are Black, and 67% of those who are Latino have annual incomes below the Elder Index. The risk of economic insecurity is lower among …

Singapore's Hospital To Home Program: Raising Patient Engagement Through Ai, John Abisheganaden, Kheng Hock Lee, Lian Leng Low, Eugene Shum, Han Leong Goh, Christine Gian Lee Ang, Andy Wee An Ta, Steven M. Miller

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Because of their complex care needs, many elderly patients are discharged from hospitals only to be readmitted for multiple stays within the following twelve months. John Abisheganaden and his fellow authors describe Singapore’s Hospital to Home program, a community care initiative fueled by artificial intelligence.

Striving For Being In The Line Of Life: Personal Active Ageing Strategies In Iranian Seniors, Fatemeh Raeesi Dehkordi, Ahmad Ali Eslami, Fereshteh Zamani Alavijeh, Hossein Matlabi, Mehdi Nakhodaeezadeh

The Qualitative Report

Active ageing is a multidimensional, relative, and context-dependent concept with different paths and outcomes. This qualitative study aimed to explore personal active aging strategies in a specific context. Following a directed thematic analysis procedure, we conducted semi-structured individual interviews with 39 seniors (men and women) between the ages of 60-97 years selected with purposeful sampling, data collection and analysis were concurrent. We used directed content analysis to analyze the data from interviews, written narratives, and field notes. The reliability of data was fulfilled following Lincoln and Guba criteria. We stopped data collection when no new concepts were added, and data …

Paperwork, Paradox, And Prn: Psychotropic Medication Deficiencies In Assisted Living, Sarah Dys, Paula Carder

Institute on Aging Publications

Individual state approaches to assisted living/residential care (AL/RC) licensing and oversight in the United States result in different practice standards and requirements, including psychotropic medication use. We examined 170 psychotropic medication deficiency citations issued to 152 Oregon AL/RC settings from 2015 to 2019. Applied thematic analysis resulted in the following themes: (1) documentation issues are primarily responsible for noncompliance, (2) unclear parameters place direct care workers in a role paradox, and (3) there is a persistent disconnect about when to seek qualified expertise before requesting psychotropic medications. AL/RC-specific mechanisms for medication prescription and administration are necessary to improve the structure …

Enhancing Older Adults’ Mobility In Active Living And Tiered Living Communities, Yongping Zhang, Carol Kachadoorian, Wen Cheng, Edward Clay

Mineta Transportation Institute Publications

The U.S. population is aging rapidly. As people get older, they increasingly face issues such as increased susceptibility to injuries and the need to be assisted with many day-to-day activities. Older adults have the opportunity to opt-in to live in an older adult community (OAC) based on their needs and capabilities. This study comprehensively reviews existing governing development regulations and design criteria related to the older adults’ communities, conducts surveys among people involved with some of these communities in California, and recommends improvements to community design for active living and tiered living communities. This study proposes a new scoring system …

Socio-Emotional Resilience Among Older Adults During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Cindy J. Lahar, Angela L. Nadeau, Jayne Violette, Summer Roberts, Diana Reindl

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

The detrimental impact of social isolation on health and well-being has been reported in older adults (Prohaska, et al., 2020). Yet findings also demonstrate that older adults have a motivational shift to prioritize emotionally meaningful goals and experiences (Carstensen, 1993; Sakaki, et al., 2019), prioritize emotional meaning in situations, focus on positive emotions and stimuli over negative feelings and live in the present rather than focus on future preparedness. Socioemotional selectivity theory (SST) (Carstensen, 1993; Carstensen, Fung & Charles, 2003) suggests that older adults have a limited sense of time left in life and shift their focus to meaningful and …

Aging In Westborough: A Community Needs Assessment, Ceara Somerville, Caitlin Coyle, Mary Krebs, Holly Stockdale

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

This report describes research undertaken by the Center for Social & Demographic Research on Aging (CSDRA) within the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston, on behalf of the Town of Westborough. The goals of this project were to investigate the needs, interests, preferences, and opinions of Westborough’s residents age 55 or older by engaging the community regarding their experiences and needs relevant to the Council on Aging’s (COA’s) objective to identify and serve the needs of all Westborough citizens 55 and older. The contents of this report are meant to inform the Town of Westborough, the Westborough COA, …

Building An Age & Dementia Friendly Barnstable: An Action Plan, Caitlin Coyle, Beth Rouleau, Shayna Gleason

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

The Town of Barnstable has long-been aware of its aging population and, as a result, has initiated a number of planning processes to advance the livability of the community for all ages---this report documents the Age & Dementia Friendly planning process and associated ideas for action.

Aging In Norwell: A Community Needs Assessment, Caitlin Coyle, Beth Rouleau

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

This report describes research undertaken by the Center for Social & Demographic Research on Aging within the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston, on behalf of the Norwell Council on Aging. The goals of this project were to investigate the needs, interests, preferences, and opinions of Norwell’s residents age 50 or older. The contents of this report are meant to inform the Town of Norwell, the Norwell Council on Aging and Senior Center, and organizations that work with and on behalf of older residents of Norwell for the purposes of planning and coordination of services. The report will …

Digital Literacy Among Older Adults In Singapore, Mindy Eiko Tadai, Micah Tan

ROSA Research Briefs

Singapore stands as the fourth most digitally competitive country, after Denmark, USA, and Sweden, in the latest edition of the IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking (IMD World Competitiveness Center, 2022). This global ranking measures the capacities of 63 nations to adopt and explore digitally transformative practices across government, industry, and wider society. Among households in Singapore, an astounding 99% have Internet access and 92% have computer access (Infocomm Media Development Authority, 2023). Even within the eldest surveyed cohort, proportions of smartphone usage have risen from 28% in 2017 to 48% in 2021 among resident Singaporeans aged 75 and above, and …

Asset-Rich And Cash-Poor: Which Older Adults Value Reverse Mortgages?, Joelle H. Fong, Olivia S. Mitchell, Benedict S. K. Koh

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Home equity represents a substantial share of retirement wealth for many older persons, particularly in Asia where national housing policies have encouraged home-ownership. This paper explored the potential for reverse mortgages to help 'asset-rich and cash-poor' older Singaporeans unlock their home equity while ageing in place. The empirical analysis was based on a nationally representative survey of home-owners age 50+ in the 2018 Singapore Life Panel (N = 6,258). Our analyses showed that the average older home-owner holds some 60 per cent of total net wealth in housing equity, suggestive of high demand potential for reverse mortgage products. Nevertheless, actual …

Acculturation And Health Services Utilization Among Older Asian Americans: The Roles Of Social Support And Psychological Distress, Mei Chen

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

There are relatively few studies about health services utilization among older Asian Americans. Historically, Asian Americans have been treated as one homogenous race group, and the underlying heterogeneity among specific ethnic groups was underappreciated and neglected. This dissertation investigates the relationship between acculturation and health services utilization among older Asian Americans and several specific Asian ethnic subgroups, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, and Vietnamese Americans. In addition, South Asian Americans and members of other Asian groups were also examined.

This study employed two samples of older Asian Americans based on the specific healthcare resources evaluated. The first sample employed five …

Living Below The Line: Economic Insecurity And Older Americans, Insecurity In Massachusetts, 2022, Jan Mutchler, Nidya Velasco Roldán, Yan-Jhu Su

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

New estimates from the 2022 Elder Index^TM reveal that the cost of living in Massachusetts has increased substantially in recent years for older adults, especially for renters. The Elder Index measures the necessary costs faced by households made up of one or two older adults, calculated county by county for the entire United States. Estimated costs are higher in Massachusetts than in any other state in the nation. Within the Commonwealth, the Elder Index is lowest in Western Massachusetts, and highest in Metro Boston, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, with differences in the Elder Index across locations accounted for largely …

Oral Health Considerations For Aging Patients Living With Hiv/Aids, Madeleine Daily Dds, Susan Liu Dds, Yuna Park Dds, Mph, Ms, Emily Byington Msw, Ivette Estrada Ma, Mphil, Sunil Wadhwa Dds, Carol Kunzel Phd

The New York State Dental Journal

People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH) have an increased life expectancy due to advances in antiretroviral therapy. In 1996, the life expectancy for a 20-year old living with HIV was 39-years old; today, it is >70-years old. As life expectancy increases, PLWH are burdened with age-associated comorbidities. This paper reviews the interaction between aging and HIV and how it affects social, physical, and oral health issues. The shift in demographics presents new challenges for clinicians in how to identify, address, and manage these complex manifestations. This review summarizes how to approach HIV-related changes when providing care as a dental clinician.

Sustainable Small House Project, Mollie Jo George

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

The Sustainable Small House Project was developed in cooperation with UNO/UNL Engineering, UNO Gerontology, and Metro Community College. This project merges both sustainable living with the small house movement to promote aging-in-place for older adults. This presentation describes the journey of Dr. Bing Chen as he envisioned the Sustainable Small House Project to its development and finally to implementation at its current location--west of Baxter Arena or adjacent to the UNO ballfield.

From a gerontological lens, the project focuses on principles of universal design which allows for aging-in-place, fall-detection and prevention using smart technologies such as Nobi, and voice-activated technologies …

Occupational Therapists' Experience Of Using Home Adaptation And Assistive Products As Interventions For Older Individuals And Persons With Disabilities In Thailand, Peeradech Thichanpiang, Veerawat Sansri, Surachart Thongchoomsin, Sutinun Juntorn, Thitiya Wangkawan, Supatida Sorasak, Phichaya Baramee, Kannika Permpoonputtana, Chirathip Thawisuk, Chutikorn Nopparat, Anuchart Kaunnil Corresponding Author

The Qualitative Report

As Thailand becomes an aged society it is important to promote advancements in geriatric medicine to provide the best care for older individuals. The right assistive facilities and household mobility equipment are essential for everyday activities. The use of home adaptations and assistive products can maximize the quality of life for older individuals and make life more convenient for those with disabilities. This study aimed to investigate the experience of occupational therapists, using home adaptations and assistive products. An individual interview was conducted with eight occupational therapists who worked at regional hospitals and centers of excellence throughout Thailand using a …

Senior Nutrition - Meeting An Essential Minnesota Need, Khunza Asma, David Beimers

The Chesley Center on Aging

Food insecurity and malnutrition are significant public health concerns among older adults. Over the past two decades, the number of older adults in the U.S. who are food insecure has more than doubled (Ziliak & Gunderson, 2022). During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, deaths among older adults due to malnutrition increased in Minnesota (Olson, 2023). Food insecurity among older adults is associated with numerous health issues, isolation, and increased health costs (ACL, 2021).

One prominent strategy to reduce food insecurity among older adults is to directly provide meals to those who may be food insecure. The State of …

Concerns Over The Cost Of Living Among Older Adults In Singapore, Rachel Ngu, Micah Tan, Paulin T. Straughan, Seonghoon Kim, William Tov, Grace Cheong, Xiaoyan Zhang

ROSA Research Briefs

A post-National Day Rally survey conducted in August 2022 found that the rising cost of living and health-related issues were ranked among the top concerns of Singaporeans (Baharudin, 2022). This comes as no surprise as global crises such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the Russo-Ukrainian conflict, has resulted in global and domestic inflation (Gov.sg, 2022). In May 2022, Singapore reported a 13-year high core inflation of 3.6% (Channel News Asia, 2022), while in September 2022, Singapore’s core inflation had risen to 5.3% (Ang, 2022). Additionally, the government announced that Singapore residents will see a goods and services tax (GST) …

The Social Well-Being Of Older Adults In Singapore, Micah Tan, Paulin T. Straughan, Grace Cheong, Wensi Lim

ROSA Research Briefs

The concept of social well-being has been of interest especially when studying older adult well-being given that problems of social isolation and loneliness are more prevalent and have greater consequences for older adults (Waite 2018). However, much is still to be understood about the social well-being of older adults with most research being conducted on social predictors of health, rather than on social well-being as a specific “component of health” (Waite 2018:100). As such, the current research brief provides a preliminary examination of social well-being among middle-aged and older adults in Singapore based on Keyes’ social well-being framework (Keyes 1998). …