Gerontological Society Of America Research Articles

The Humanities and Arts in The Gerontological Society of America.

Perspectives from the humanities and arts (H&A) on old age have deep roots in history; they emerged over the centuries along with concurrent scientific investigations. Provisionally invited into the scientific ranks of The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) during the late 1970s, H&A prospered, but grew amid tensions. During 75th-anniversary celebrations, Society members will assess H&A's role in GSA. How can H&A continue to enrich scientific research? How can H&A further advance its own meaningful contributions? Or, should H&A and GSA reconfigure its partnership?

Introduction to a Special Collection of Articles about the AGESW Pre-dissertation Fellows Program

In the fall of 2009, a group of scholars met over dinner to catch up after a day of sessions at the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) annual scientific meeting. One of the topics of conversat...

THE IMPACT OF DISCRIMINATORY POLICIES AND PRACTICES ACROSS THE AGING CONTINUUM

Aging crosses all domestic and international borders. It’s an issue that affects everyone regardless of religion, race, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The main purpose of The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) is “to advance the scientific and scholarly study of aging and to promote human welfare by the encouragement of gerontology in all its areas.” Yet in 2019, policies remain in effect that impact individuals in a discriminatory manner. The program will highlight research in several areas that demonstrate the effects of these discriminatory practices.

LESSONS LEARNED FROM ACCREDITING GERONTOLOGY PROGRAMS: GETTING READY!

Accreditation for Gerontology Education Council (AGEC) is an organization that collaborates with, but is independent from the Gerontological Society of America and the Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education. It is directed by a Board of Governors consisting of nine members representing higher education gerontology programs and entities associated with the field of aging. The organizational structure also includes review teams, site visitors, and staff support. Higher education degree granting programs in gerontology, specifically associate arts degree, baccalaureate degree, and master’s degree programs, are eligible to apply to AGEC for accreditation. This symposium will have presentations that focus on Overview and Experiences to Date that will describe the accreditation process and what has been learned by the accreditation of the first three degree programs. The second presentation will focus on How and Why to Apply for Accreditation and will provide background information on the steps and processes necessary to submit for the accreditation review with clarification updates. The third presentation will provide lessons learned from our first reviews with suggestions on Preparing the Self- Study and will include guidance on approaches to be taken. The fourth presentation is also lessons learned with a focus on Mapping the Competencies as part of the Self Study. Symposium presenters share important information to encourage gerontology degree programs to apply for AGEC accreditation.

HOW TO PUBLISH: FROM START TO FINISH AND BEYOND

This symposium, organized by the Gerontological Society of America’s (GSA) Publications Committee, will provide information on the publication process from the perspective of several editors of GSA’s scientific journals that publish diverse types of gerontological research, basic to applied across multiple disciplines. This session is comprised of three parts including: 1) Podium presentations from editors-in-chief from GSA’s The Gerontologist, Innovation in Aging (GSA’s new open access journal), and Journal of Gerontology-Series B, Social Sciences. Editors will describe how to prepare your manuscript for submission, choose the right journal, and revise the manuscript for resubmission; 2) A presentation about how to assess and maximize the impact of published work given by a representative from Oxford University Press (OUP); and 3) Round table discussions with editors from the Journals of Gerontology-Series A (Medical Sciences) and B (Psychological and Social Sciences), The Gerontologist, and Innovation in Aging and OUP representatives. Editors will answer questions related to the podium presentations and other questions specific to each journal. Intended audiences include emerging and international scholars, and authors interested in learning more about best practices and tips for getting their scholarly work published. Current and future published authors will also gain information about how to leverage already published work.

DEFINING DIFFERENT FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION IMPACTING SOCIETY

Aging crosses all domestic and international borders. It’s an issue that affects everyone regardless of religion, race, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The main purpose of The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) is “to advance the scientific and scholarly study of aging and to promote human welfare by the encouragement of gerontology in all its areas.” Yet in 2019, policies remain in effect that impact individuals in a discriminatory manner. The program will highlight research in several areas that demonstrate the effects of these discriminatory practices.

POLICY SERIES: RESEARCH, POLICY, AND PRACTICE: IMPACTS OF DISCRIMINATION

Discussant: John Feather Aging crosses all domestic and international borders and affects everyone regardless of religion, race, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The main purpose of The Gerontological Society of America is “to advance the scientific and scholarly study of aging and to promote human welfare by the encouragement of gerontology in all its areas.” Yet in 2019, policies remain in effect that impact individuals in a discriminatory manner. The program will highlight research in several areas that demonstrate the effects of these discriminatory practices.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT JOURNAL FOR YOUR MANUSCRIPT

Article submissions to The Gerontological Society of America’s high impact scientific journals continue to increase each year which has led to editors becoming more selective about which articles are accepted for publication. The purpose of this session is to describe how to efficiently and successfully navigate the process of determining which journal is the best fit for your manuscript. The specific objectives are to: (1) increase understanding the differences in scope and features of each journal; (2) inform how to determine which journal is most appropriate for the topic and methods of your manuscript; and (3) describe how to convey the scientific contribution of your article to the journal.

KENT AND KLEEMEIER AWARD LECTURES

The Donald P. Kent Award is given annually to a member of the The Gerontological Society of America who best exemplifies the highest standards of professional leadership in gerontology through teaching, service, and interpretation of gerontology to the larger society. The Kent lecture will feature an address by the 2018 recipient, Lewis Lipsitz, MD, Hebrew Senior Life. The Robert W. Kleemeier Award is given annually to a member of The Gerontological Society of America in recognition for outstanding research in the field of gerontology. The Kleemeier lecture will feature an address by the 2018 recipient, Keith Whitfield, PhD, Wayne State University.

Hearing Wellness Toolkit for Primary Care

Hearing Wellness Toolkit for Primary Care

Measurement of older adults' social networks using technologies in the context of health and social care: a scoping review protocol.

This scoping review aims to identify and map the use of technology in measuring and analyzing older adults' social networks in the context of health and social care. Research has shown that social networks impact the health and well-being of older adults. Advancements in the internet, electronic and digital devices, social media, and healthcare technology enhance our ability to collect social network and health data. These rapidly evolving technologies present opportunities to overcome limitations in social network measurement and promote improved understanding of the impact of social networks on the health and well-being of older adults. This scoping review will include studies of older adults that measured social networks using technology and were related to health or health and social care. Studies published in English from 2004 to the present will be included. Books, editorials, letters, and commentaries will be excluded. PubMed (MEDLINE), Sociological Abstracts, SocINDEX, CINAHL, and Web of Science will be searched for related articles. Gray literature will be included by searching conference abstracts via Conference Papers Index and hand-searching conference proceedings from the American Sociological Society and the Gerontological Society of America. Data will be extracted by two independent reviewers using an a priori data extraction tool. Tables and summary narratives will be used to map and synthesize existing approaches to measuring social networks using technology, the settings for measurement development or testing, and the use of approaches in discovery science, implementation science, or clinical care.

Introduction to the Themed Issue on Human–Animal Interaction and Healthy Human Aging

ABSTRACTIn 2016, the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) developed a research focus on the benefits and potential risks associated with pets among older adults. With the goal of developing a roadmap for human–animal interaction (HAI) research in older people residing in both the community and institutions, GSA convened a workshop of international experts and policy-makers in the fields of aging and HAI. The status of current knowledge was shared on the success factors for healthy aging and the potential challenges (GSA, 2016). Participants considered what roles pets might play in the lives of older adults and their potential to mitigate loneliness, social isolation, and depression, and to enhance mobility and cognitive function. Existing research was shared to provide insights into the ways in which pets can impact older adults and their caregivers and to identify where further research is needed. This paper introduces a series of papers from that meeting, with some additional papers from meeting attendees to expand on the topics covered and provide key perspectives and gaps in information needed, as a foundation for those considering research into this topic. Although HAI/Animal-Assistant Intervention (AAI) research is in its infancy, there is some evidence that pet ownership or animal interaction can have major benefits for many older adults. At the same time, there are some risks to both the pet and the older adult that need to be addressed. Innovative approaches to both AAIs and the ways to overcome challenges are presented in this themed issue of Anthrozoös. Our hope is that the findings from these reviews and reports will stimulate additional work in this area.

Professional associations can nurture interdisciplinary partnerships to better serve rural-dwelling older adults

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a case study that illustrates how professional associations can provide the context for development of formal and informal interdisciplinary collaboration and promote advancement and dissemination of useful knowledge among disciplines and across geographic boundaries. This paper reports the work of the Rural Aging Special Interest Group of the Gerontological Society of America to develop and disseminate approaches that leverage existing resources to address the challenges of providing services to rural – dwelling older adults. It describes the challenges and the roles of networks in developing and supporting these partnerships to better meet the challenges. Design/methodology/approach This paper describes how interdisciplinary partnerships can enhance existing resources to better meet the unique needs of rural older adults and describes an example of how a professional association facilitated the process of creation and dissemination of knowledge about this approach. An overview of the process is provided with additional information relating partnerships to improving programs and services for rural older adults. Findings While addressing the unique needs of rural older adults can sometimes prove challenging, a number of entities have developed successful interdisciplinary partnerships that have expanded resources and improved effectiveness in addressing these challenges. Originality/value This paper illustrates how a professional association can play a key role in supporting creative interdisciplinary and international problem solving.

Flu, Pneumococcal Vaccination Rates on the Rise

Flu, Pneumococcal Vaccination Rates on the Rise

International perspectives on arts and dementia research

Review on the symposium for Arts and Dementia Research that took place between the 16 th and 20 th November 2016, at the Gerontological Society of America’s Annual Scientific Meeting.

An International Perspective on Chronic Multimorbidity: Approaching the Elephant in the Room.

Multimorbidity is a common and burdensome condition that may affect quality of life, increase medical needs, and make people live more years of life with disability. Negative outcomes related to multimorbidity occur beyond what we would expect from the summed effect of single conditions, as chronic diseases interact with each other, mutually enhancing their negative effects, and eventually leading to new clinical phenotypes. Moreover, multimorbidity mirrors an accelerated global susceptibility and a loss of resilience, which are both hallmarks of aging. Due to the complexity of its assessment and definition, and the lack of clear evidence steering its management, multimorbidity represents one of the main current challenges for clinicians, researchers, and policymakers. The authors of this article recently reflected on these issues during two twin international symposia at the 2016 European Union Geriatric Medicine Society (EUGMS) meeting in Lisbon, Portugal, and the 2016 Gerontological Society of America (GSA) meeting in New Orleans, USA. The present work summarizes the most relevant aspects related to multimorbidity, with the ultimate goal to identify knowledge gaps and suggest future directions to approach this condition.

Aging in Context: Individual and Environmental Pathways to Aging-Friendly Communities-The 2015 Matthew A. Pollack Award Lecture.

Reflecting the theme of the 2015 Gerontological Society of America (GSA) Annual Scientific Meeting, "Aging as a Lifelong Process," this paper examines intersections between aging processes and their environmental context, develops theory regarding constructive developmental processes and their environmental context, and considers potential implications for conceptualizing and creating aging-friendly communities. The first section examines the primary goals of aging-friendly communities, that is, promoting elder well-being. The second section explores the role of environmental pathways in fostering well-being throughout the lifecourse. The third section presents a new Process Model of Constructive Aging that identifies key developmental processes at the intersection of individual and environmental pathways. The final section considers potential implications for creating aging-friendly communities, including ways in which cities and towns can promote the ability of community members to live fully throughout their lives, and identifies some key conceptual and empirical challenges affecting the future of the field.

SELF-EFFICACY, COMMUNICATION DIFFICULTIES AND READINESS PREDICT OUTCOMES IN NEW HEARING AID USERS

This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in The Gerontologist following peer review. The version of record FERGUSON, M. and MAIDMENT, D., 2016. Self-efficacy, communication difficulties and readiness predict outcomes in new hearing aid users. The Gerontologist, 56 (Suppl_3), pp.303-303 is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnw162.1235. This conference abstract was presented at the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) Annual Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, 16-20 November 2016.

Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Tricky but Relevant Diagnosis

Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Tricky but Relevant Diagnosis

Aging, the Central Nervous System, and Mobility in Older Adults: Interventions.

Research suggests that the central nervous system (CNS) and mobility are closely linked. CNS-mediated mobility impairment may represent a potentially new and prevalent syndrome within the older adult populations. Interventions targeting this group may have the potential to improve mobility and cognition and prevent disability. In 2012, the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) and the National Institute on Aging (NIA) sponsored a 3-year conference workshop series, "Aging, the CNS, and Mobility." The goal of this third and final conference was to (i) report on the state of the science of interventions targeting CNS-mediated mobility impairment among community-dwelling older adults and (ii) partnering with the NIA, explore the future of research and intervention design focused on a potentially novel aging syndrome. Evidence was presented in five main intervention areas: (i) pharmacology and diet; (ii) exercise; (iii) electrical stimulation; (iv) sensory stimulation/deprivation; and (v) a combined category of multimodal interventions. Workshop participants identified important gaps in knowledge and key recommendations for future interventions related to recruitment and sample selection, intervention design, and methods to measure effectiveness. In order to develop effective preventive interventions for this prevalent syndrome, multidisciplinary teams are essential particularly because of the complex nature of the syndrome. Additionally, integrating innovative methods into the design of interventions may help researchers better measure complex mechanisms, and finally, the value of understanding the link between the CNS and mobility should be conveyed to researchers across disciplines in order to incorporate cognitive and mobility measurements into study protocols.