Aging-related Topics Research Articles

A FRAMEWORK FOR IDENTIFYING MAJOR RESEARCH PRIORITIES: THE CITRA RESEARCH-TO-PRACTICE CONSENSUS WORKSHOP MODEL

Abstract The CITRA Research-to-Practice Consensus Workshop Model is an evidence-based method for identifying research priorities on aging-related topics. Its major goals are to promote knowledge translation and equal-status dialogue among stakeholders from multidisciplinary backgrounds. In this presentation, Dr. Pillemer, co-creator of the CITRA model, will provide an overview of the 5-step method: (1) Identifying a topic that is both an important challenge in aging-related policy or practice and one on which there is scientific evidence; (2) Selecting a panel of multidisciplinary experts from relevant stakeholder groups; (3) Preparing a non-technical background document that summarizes available research findings; (4) Convening multidisciplinary experts in a consensus conference involving panel presentations, discussion of the background document, and consensus activities; and (5) Preparing a final consensus report and disseminating the findings to relevant policy organizations, practice groups, and funding agencies. Common challenges and practical tips for executing each of the 5 steps will be addressed.

A POLICY- AND PRACTICE-ALIGNED RESEARCH AGENDA FOR ENGAGING AND SUPPORTING DEMENTIA CAREGIVERS IN CARE DELIVERY

Abstract The Cornell Institute for Translational Research on Aging (CITRA) Research-to-Practice Consensus Workshop Model is an evidence-based method for generating practice- and policy-informed research agendas on aging-related topics. The model aims to bridge the gap between research-based knowledge and practice-based insight by involving multidisciplinary stakeholders in all aspects of the agenda-setting process. Using the CITRA model as a guiding framework, we convened an NIA-funded Conference on Engaging Family Caregivers of Persons with Dementia in Healthcare Delivery, with the goal of generating actionable research priorities that will lead to improvements in dementia caregiver identification, assessment, and support in health and long-term care settings. Conference attendees were multidisciplinary thought leaders representing five stakeholder groups: family caregivers of persons with dementia, healthcare providers, researchers, payers, and policy advocates. This symposium will describe the CITRA model, using our caregiver conference as an example, and provide practical guidance on how to use the model to promote cross-disciplinary dialogue and integrate research, policy, and practice perspectives. The first presentation will provide an overview of the CITRA model and its 5-step method (Pillemer). Subsequent presentations will describe the model’s application to the topic of improving caregiver identification and support in care delivery (Griffin) and discuss how novel technology-based adaptations to the model helped to facilitate hybrid participation of virtual and in-person attendees (Falzarano). The final presentation will delineate the major priorities that resulted from the conference, discuss ongoing and future dissemination activities, and offer practical suggestions for leveraging the CITRA model in future consensus efforts (Riffin).

Leveraging Free Public Use Data for Aging and Life Course Research

This symposium will showcase life course and aging research that is possible using freely available integrated census and survey data available via IPUMS. This session is organized by the Network for Data-Intensive Research on Aging (NDIRA) initiative at the University of Minnesota’s Life Course Center. NDIRA seeks to build and support an interdisciplinary community of scientists leveraging powerful data resources in innovative ways to understand health outcomes at older ages, as well as the demography and economics of aging. The session features papers that illustrate how to examine aging-related topics including health at older ages, work and socioeconomic conditions, and living conditions with a common thread of examining heterogeneity within groups. These papers all leverage freely available census and nationally-representative survey data, highlighting the potential value of these data for studying aging and the life course. By combining papers on an array of topics from a variety of data sources, this symposium highlights exemplar papers that demonstrate the types of novel research possible using public use census and survey data that NDIRA seeks to foster.

NEW FINDINGS ON WORK AND FAMILY USING IPUMS DATA

The IPUMS Data in Aging Research symposium will showcase aging research that is possible using freely available population-level data accessible via IPUMS. This session will feature papers that use IPUMS data in novel ways to examine aging-related topics including living arrangements, widowhood and divorce, paths toward retirement, intergenerational effects of interventions on later life outcomes, and time use of caregivers. In addition to the common threads of work and family, these papers all represent innovative contributions to aging research based on census and nationally-representative survey data. The potential value of these types of data for studying aging may not be immediately apparent to all researchers. By combining papers on an array of topics from a variety of data sources, this symposium highlights exemplar papers that demonstrate the types of novel research possible using public use census and survey data.

Novel Insights on Systemic and Brain Aging, Stroke, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, and Alzheimer's Disease.

The mechanisms that underlie the pathophysiology of aging, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and stroke are not fully understood and have been the focus of intense and constant investigation worldwide. Studies that provide insights on aging and age-related disease mechanisms are critical for advancing novel therapies that promote successful aging and prevent or cure multiple age-related diseases. The April 2019 issue of the journal, "Aging & Disease" published a series of articles that confer fresh insights on numerous age-related conditions and diseases. The age-related topics include the detrimental effect of overweight on energy metabolism and muscle integrity, senoinflammation as the cause of neuroinflammation, the link between systemic C-reactive protein and brain white matter loss, the role of miR-34a in promoting healthy heart and brain, the potential of sirtuin 3 for reducing cardiac and pulmonary fibrosis, and the promise of statin therapy for ameliorating asymptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis. Additional aging-related articles highlighted the involvement of miR-181b-5p and high mobility group box-1 in hypertension, Yes-associated protein in cataract formation, multiple miRs and long noncoding RNAs in coronary artery disease development, the role of higher meat consumption on sleep problems, and the link between glycated hemoglobin and depression. The topics related to ALS suggested that individuals with higher education and living in a rural environment have a higher risk for developing ALS, and collagen XIX alpha 1 is a prognostic biomarker of ALS. The topics discussed on AD implied that extracellular amyloid β42 is likely the cause of intraneuronal neurofibrillary tangle accumulation in familial AD and traditional oriental concoctions may be useful for slowing down the progression of AD. The article on stroke suggested that inhibition of the complement system is likely helpful in promoting brain repair after ischemic stroke. The significance of the above findings for understanding the pathogenesis in aging, ALS, AD, and stroke, slowing down the progression of aging, ALS and AD, and promoting brain repair after stroke are discussed.

Kdo by měl dělat výzkum mezi seniory a seniorkami? Vliv charakteristik tazatele a respondenta ve výzkumech stárnutí a stáří

Who Should Interview Older People? The Effect of Interviewer and Interviewee Characteristics in Surveys of Older People and Aging Topics. Objectives: Aging of the population has increased the need to gain a better understanding of older people’s experiences, especially by collecting their views on various issues and quantitative surveys are frequently used methods. Methods: Five hypotheses are presented on assumption that the characteristics of the respondent and the characteristics of the interviewer (age and gender) significantly affect the interviewer's perceived difficulty in conducting the interview with respondents in higher age on aging related topics. Pooled data from seven quantitative surveys are used to test these hypotheses with multi-level linear regression. Results: Results show that age of interviewers increases the perceived difficulty only slightly if we control for the influence of the gender of the interviewer and the respondent's age and education. Also, more positively aging respondents make the interviews about aging topic easier for interviewers. These influences vary in each of the survey projects and topic. Discussion: Age- and gender-sensitive training and supervision when age/gender sensitive topics are to be surveyed is, according to our results here, strongly advisable.

Communicative Predictors of Older Adults' Successful Aging, Mental Health, and Alcohol Use.

We examined how older adults' communication about age-related topics is related to aging efficacy, successful aging, and well-being. Guided by the communicative ecology model of successful aging, three profiles of "environmental chatter"-that is, patterns of accommodation and overaccommodation older adults received from relational partners-were identified: positive, mixed-positive, and negative. Four profiles of individuals' own age-related communication were identified, including a new profile: gloomy agers. Chatter profile membership and own age-related communication profile membership indirectly predicted successful aging, depressive symptoms, loneliness, and perceptions of unhealthy alcohol consumption via aging efficacy, but not self-reported alcoholic drinks consumed. Communication by both older adults and their relational partners may be consequential to experiences of successful aging and well-being.

Incorporating age-related special populations into a pharmacy skills laboratory course sequence

Background and purposeThe purpose was this study was to evaluate the incorporation of geriatric and pediatric therapeutic concepts into a pharmacy skills laboratory (PSL) course sequence. Secondary outcomes were to describe the incorporation and evaluate the assessment effectiveness of these topics. Educational activity and settingTeaching materials and assessment data from the PSL course were evaluated for inclusion of content regarding age-related special populations. FindingsMaterials reviewed from 205 PSL sessions held over four years demonstrated 89 (41.5%) sessions incorporated age-related topics using a variety of methods. Quiz and exam item performance was acceptable with an average difficulty index of 77.2% ± 21.3 and 85.8% ± 12.8, respectively. The average objective structured clinical exam (OSCE) score was also satisfactory at 83.2% ± 3. Discussion and conclusionsAge-related topics were included in several PSL sessions. These incorporation strategies were deemed to be effective as students performed well on written assessments and OSCEs. Additional PSL sessions were identified as potential targets for incorporating age-related special populations into future PSL offerings.

A Public Health Approach to the Challenges of an Aging Society

Public Health for an Aging Society is the successor to Public Health and Aging, published in 1997. In brief, this 456-page volume offers readers an overview of key aging-related topics and the steps that public health can, does, and should take to address the challenges of our aging population. The volume is divided into five sections: Fundamentals, Social and Behavioral Factors, Societal Applications, Public Health Infrastructure for an Aging Society, and Emerging Issues. In the opening chapter of Fundamentals, Wetle and Sherwin introduce readers to public health and some of the major issues facing the field. In Chapter 2, Fried discusses population aging and the societal implications of the growth of the older population. One of the things that I appreciate about this chapter is that Fried reminds readers that the rising tide of older adults—if encouraged and supported—has the potential to be a valuable resource for addressing the problems that we face as a nation (as opposed to simply being a “problem”). In Chapter 3, Stone and Benson provide a very accessible introduction to Medicare and Medicaid and the role these public programs play in financing health and long-term care for older adults. They also discuss the state of long-term care funding in the United States and relevant elements of the Affordable Care Act. Furner and Anderson (Chapter 4) round out this section with a discussion of health and quality of life. They offer definitions of these concepts, discuss their measurement, and explain how population health is assessed and monitored. In Social and Behavioral Factors, Wallace (Chapter 5) introduces readers to the concepts of social determinants, health inequities, race, and class. He discusses health inequities among older adults—most notably those that exist by socioeconomic status—and ends what I found to be a motivating chapter by encouraging readers to “[make] real” Dan Beauchamp’s assertion that “public health is social justice” (p. 114). In Chapter 6, Branch, Meng, and Guralnik discuss disability. Strengths of this chapter include their discussion of measurement-related issues as well as their discussion of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention of disability. In the final chapter of this section, Hughes, Ory, and Seymour provide an overview of several key health behaviors and the state of older adults’ engagement in those behaviors. They also highlight a number of issues to consider when designing interventions to encourage engagement in health-promoting behaviors. Societal Applications is the focus of the third section of the book. Prohaska, Smith-Ray, and Glasgow open the section with a chapter on translation of health promotion interventions. They inform readers that “there are relatively few feasible, generalizable, effective, and sustainable health promotion interventions for use in applied health and community settings” (p. 162), commentary that should serve as a motivating force. They go on to describe factors that would help remedy the situation as well as offer guidance on how to increase the impact of interventions on the public’s health. In Chapter 9, Gitlin and Schulz deliver a very thoughtful chapter on family caregiving. In addition to providing descriptive information on caregiving (e.g., caregiver characteristics), they

Patient education preferences in ophthalmic care.

BackgroundThe learning preferences of ophthalmology patients were examined.MethodsResults from a voluntary survey of ophthalmology patients were analyzed for education preferences and for correlation with race, age, and ophthalmic topic.ResultsTo learn about eye disease, patients preferred one-on-one sessions with providers as well as printed materials and websites recommended by providers. Patients currently learning from the provider were older (average age 59 years), and patients learning from the Internet (average age 49 years) and family and friends (average age 51 years) were younger. Patients interested in cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and dry eye were older; patients interested in double vision and glasses were younger. There were racial differences regarding topic preferences, with Black patients most interested in glaucoma (46%), diabetic retinopathy (31%), and cataracts (28%) and White patients most interested in cataracts (22%), glaucoma (22%), and macular degeneration (19%).ConclusionMost ophthalmology patients preferred personalized education: one-on-one with their provider or a health educator and materials (printed and electronic) recommended by their provider. Age-related topics were more popular with older patients, and diseases with racial risk factors were more popular with high risk racial groups.

Attracting and Training Tomorrow's Gerontologists: What Drives Student Interest in Aging?

Demographic and labor force trends point to a critical need for professionals trained to work with older adults. The current study investigated factors associated with interest in aging-related topics and careers and knowledge of the opportunities that exist in the field of gerontology. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple regression analyses were used to examine results of a survey of 300 college students representing a wide range of disciplines. Aging-related coursework and formal contact with older adults were related to greater interest in learning about and working with older adults, as were lower levels of anxiety and ageism. Experiential learning was related to greater interest in aging-related careers. Females and those who have studied aging had greater knowledge of the opportunities that exist in the field of gerontology. Lower levels of ageism were related to knowledge of the labor force shortages in aging-related fields. Students across disciplines need to be more widely informed about the opportunities that exist to work professionally with older adults. We recommend a two-pronged approach by gerontological educators. We suggest building opportunities for formal contact and interaction with older adults and reflection on these interactions into aging-related coursework wherever possible. Additionally, gerontological educators should seek opportunities to develop collaborations and infuse gerontological content into a variety of other courses in order to educate those who do not specifically take aging courses.

Two Thumbs Up: Using Popular Films in Introductory Aging Courses

Good teaching requires thoughtful planning and creative thinking, especially when trying to engage students in material that is unfamiliar to them or encumbered by stereotypes, like aging. Classic and contemporary media can provide unique teaching opportunities in gerontology classrooms. Popular films can have a powerful influence over viewers’ attitudes and perceptions, and spur in-depth discussions of aging-related topics common to introductory aging courses (e.g., ageism, abuse, inequality, caregiving, healthy aging, and intimate relationships). Additionally, films appeal to multiple learning styles, engaging a variety of learners. This article examines the value of using films in introductory aging courses, offers strategies for incorporating films in the gerontology classroom, suggests sample activities and assignments that pair popular films with aging course topics, identifies challenges of using film in various classrooms settings, and provides a detailed typology of films on each of the following aging topics: ageism and stereotypes, cognitive impairment, death and dying, diversity, family relationships, health and wellness, sexuality and intimacy, and work and retirement.

Economic Measurement in the Health and Retirement Study

Abstract The Health and Retirement Study (HRS) is widely use for research on the well-being of the elderly. This paper assesses the quality of economic and financial variables in the HRS. I find the coverage is comprehensive and the quality of the data is uniformly high. Thus the HRS has earned its position as the most widely used data source for research on retirement, saving adequacy, pension policy and a host of other aging-related topics. I identify two general areas that continue to merit special attention. The first is measurement error, particularly errors arising from item non-response and from inaccurate respondent reports of the ownership and level of assets. The second is the quality of the pension data. Where appropriate, I make suggestions for improving economic measures in the HRS.

Geropsychology and psychogeriatrics in Portugal: research, education and clinical training

In response to the global challenges of population aging in Portugal, it is crucial to improve research, education and clinical training in old age in order to meet the growing demands placed on psychogeriatric care services. An overview is provided on the status of old age psychology and psychiatry as part of the multidisciplinary care delivery system for the elderly in Portugal. Available educational offerings and clinical training in geriatric mental health at both undergraduate and postgraduate level are described, as well as primary research associations and initiatives within Portugal. Important issues raised include the need for more educational and clinical training programs for specialists, a broader commitment to aging research and the need to increase interest in working with older adults among students across disciplines. The recent movement towards multidisciplinary work conducted by researchers, psychiatrists, psychologist and other health professionals in Portugal points to the urgent need for specialist education for all health professionals working in geriatrics. This educational initiative must focus not only on the transmission of knowledge on aging-related topics, but also on the training of specific skills and competencies. Improving geriatric mental health service delivery and connecting research with clinical practice constitute other significant steps forward. An effective intervention in psychogeriatrics should involve a strategy with the participation of a multidimensional network that includes the commitment of researchers, educators, clinicians, health policy-makers and older adults. Several recommendations to improve late life mental health care are presented.

From Loving Grandma to Working with Older Adults: Promoting Positive Attitudes Towards Aging

The steady increase of population aging requires not only more people working within the field of aging but also the creation of new services. However, current students from areas such as medicine, nursing, psychology, and social work frequently have low interest in working with older adults. The low interest relates to this task's lack of challenge, absence of social status, and lower incomes. Different variables explain pervasive negative attitudes and lack of interest to work with older cohorts. Change of direction in this trend involves the inclusion of age related topics in university curriculum as well as promoting direct contact with older adults.

University of Nebraska College of Medicine.

University of Nebraska College of Medicine.

Employing Interactive Learning Methods in a Course on the Psychology of Aging

We describe an interactive method for teaching a course in the psychology of aging based on an interdisciplinary approach. The approach allows instructors to incorporate a wide range of age-related topics from various disciplines, and the course provides students with practical applications through interaction with older adults or by exploring images of aging in media, television, film, art, or literature. This approach allows students to identify and challenge perceptions of age and understand aging from many perspectives.

Sins of Commission and Omission:

This study systematically assessed high school educational materials for aging-related content. Ninety-one textbooks in nine subjects were analyzed. Content analysis indicated that the textbooks contain both sins of commission and sins of omission in regard to aging-related information. Instances of false or misleading information and negative portrayals of aging and the elderly in written text and illustrations were identified. More significant, however, was the widespread inattention to the aged and aging-related topics. Just as textbook authors and publishers have been responsive to concerns about race, ethnicity, and gender, they need to become sensitive to aging-related issues. This study should encourage authors and publishers to build a more substantive framework for aging education in a variety of high school subjects.