Gerontological Studies Research Articles

At the Nexus of Public Policy and Aging: Doctoral Studies in Gerontology at the University of Massachusetts Boston

At the Nexus of Public Policy and Aging: Doctoral Studies in Gerontology at the University of Massachusetts Boston

Differences in Subjective and Objective Cognitive Decline Outcomes Are Associated with Modifiable Protective Factors: A 4-Year Longitudinal Study.

Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) in older adults has been identified as a risk factor for dementia. However, the literature is inconsistent, and the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. We aimed to determine whether older adults with SCD had more modifiable protective factors against the risk of dementia and a lower risk of developing objective cognitive decline (OCD). We included 4363 older adults (71.7 ± 5.3 [mean ± standard deviation] years of age; 2239 women) from the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology Study of Geriatric Syndromes. SCD, OCD, and protective factors against dementia, such as lifestyle and activity, were assessed using interviews and objective cognitive-assessment tools. Based on initial cognitive status, participants were categorized into normal cognition, SCD-only, OCD-only, and both SCD and OCD groups. After 4 years, participants were classified as having either no impairment or mild or global cognitive impairment (i.e., OCD). Binomial logistic regression analyses were performed with the cognitive statuses of the groups at follow-up and baseline as the dependent and independent variables, respectively. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, we found that the SCD-only group had more modifiable protective factors against the risk of dementia than the OCD-only group. Community-dwelling older adults with normal cognition or those part of the SCD-only group had a lower risk of developing OCD during the 4-year follow-up, which may have been due to having more modifiable protective factors against the risk of dementia. Additionally, these factors may contribute to the inconsistencies in the literature on SCD outcomes.

Gerontology in Socıology Lıterature: A Bıblıometrıc Analysıs of Graduate Thesıs Wrıtten in Turkey

Bu çalışmada, sosyoloji yazınında yaşlanmayla ilgili yapılmış olan lisansüstü araştırmaların bibliyometrik analiz yöntemiyle incelenmesi amaçlanmaktadır. Çalışma, sosyoloji lisansüstü yazınında gerontolojiyle ilgili yapılan ilk bibliyometrik analiz olma özelliğini taşımaktadır. Toplumsal yaşlanmayla beraber, sosyoloji alanında gerontolojik çalışmaların ve yaşlılığın toplumsal yörüngeleriyle ilgili yapılan gözlemlerin arttığı görülmektedir. Yaşlılığın, yaşanılan toplumsal özelliklere göre şekillendiği yargısı, diğer yaşlılık çalışmalarına göre (geriatrik, kronolojik, biyolojik, fiziksel yaşlılık) nispeten yeni bir bakış açısı oluşturmaktadır. Yapılan analizlerde de kısa zamanda sosyoloji yazınında yaşlılığa karşı ilginin arttığı görülmüştür. Bu bağlamda çalışmada sosyoloji lisansüstü yazınındaki gerontolojik araştırmalar; konusu, araştırma türü, yapıldığı yıl ve araştırmalarda yararlanılan teori türü dağılımlarına göre analiz edilmiştir. Ulusal Tez Merkezinde kayıtlı ve izin verilen Mart 2022 yılına kadar sosyoloji lisansüstü yazınında gerontoloji ile ilgili araştırmalar incelenmiştir. Yapılan araştırmalar sonucunda 42 yüksek lisans tezi, 9 doktora tezi tespit edilmiştir. Bu araştırmalarda daha çok toplumsal değişme nedeniyle yaşlının statüsünde meydana gelen farklılaşma, yaşlı bakımı, huzurevi ve yaşlılık sorunları çalışmalarının ele alındığı görülmüştür. Araştırmaların büyük bir çoğunluğu nitel yöntemlerden yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme tekniği ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Çalışmanın sonunda elde edilen bulgular ve yapılan değerlendirmelerle ileride yapılması muhtemel çalışmalar için birtakım önerilerde bulunulmuştur.

Ageism Takes Toll on Physical, Mental Health

Ageism Takes Toll on Physical, Mental Health

Ageing, sexualities and place: Aligning the geographies of gerontology and sexualities

AbstractThe spatial studies of both sexualities and gerontology have been established as subfields within the discipline of geography, but there are few studies that combine both strands of literature and examine old age and sexualities from a spatial perspective. Our aim is to highlight the contribution geographers can make to this research, which is based on the assertion that experiences of both ageing and sexualities are intrinsically linked to place. We first outline the subfields of sexualities and gerontology within geography and then review the work that has drawn on both of those literatures–within and beyond geography–with a focus on LGBTIQ+ older adults. We then propose a number of spatial enquiries into ageing and sexualities that will enable a better understanding of the spatial uses, needs and preferences of the older LGBTIQ+ population. The proposed areas of research include: generational changes and relations with gay communities, spaces and neighbourhoods; retirement migration; aged‐care facilities and services; ageing‐in‐place and in‐home care; lesbians, queer women and ageing; trans* ageing; Indigeneity; intersectionality; and digital spaces. We argue that advancing this research will contribute to the establishment of a queer geographical gerontology that enhances our understanding of older LGBTIQ+ adults and their lifeworlds.

Audiometric Findings in Senior Adults of 80 Years and Older

ObjectiveTo examine hearing thresholds in senior adults of 80 years and older and compare this data to the current ISO 7029 reference values.DesignA descriptive, prospective study testing pure-tone and speech audiometry in senior adults participating in the BUTTERFLY study or the BrUssels sTudy on The Early pRedictors of FraiLtY. A Gerontological study to identify determinants for active aging and for early stages of frailty in the oldest population. Using the formula given by ISO 7028:2017 the median value of hearing was calculated based on the sex and age of the participant and compared to the measured hearing thresholds.Results151 senior adults were included. The prevalence of hearing loss was 90.7% (PTA > 20 dB HL). The results were compared to the mean ISO values, calculated for every participant. Both males and females in our study population had worse hearing thresholds than could be expected based on the ISO reference values. In our study population with moderate hearing loss (PTA > 40 dB HL), 38% is underserved in term of hearing restoration healthcare and yet another 38% is unsatisfied with the result of the hearing aids. Given the vast impact on the individual and society, this is a problem in need of our attention.ConclusionThe ISO 7029 reference values may be an underestimation of hearing loss in senior adults of 80 years and older. Therefore we present a statistical distribution of hearing thresholds on different frequencies related to age and sex that can be used as a baseline for further development of the reference values.

Gerontology Studies in Contemporary Cinema: Representation of the Relationships between Care-Givers and Care-Takers in the Father

Gerontology Studies in Contemporary Cinema: Representation of the Relationships between Care-Givers and Care-Takers in the Father

Inflammatory biomarkers and motoric cognitive risk syndrome: Multicohort survey.

Inflammation may play a role in Motoric Cognitive Risk (MCR) syndrome, a pre-dementia syndrome comprised of slow gait and cognitive complaints. Our objective was to examine associations of inflammatory biomarkers with MCR. We examined association of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) with prevalent MCR using logistic regression in 3,101 older adults (52% female) from five cohorts (National Center for Geriatrics & Gerontology Study of Geriatric Syndromes [NCGG-SGS], Central Control of Mobility in Aging [CCMA], Tasmanian Study of Cognition and Gait [TASCOG], LonGenity, and Einstein Aging Study [EAS]). Associations were reported as odds ratios adjusted for sex, age, education, depressive symptoms, body mass index, and vascular diseases (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Meta-analysis and analyses stratified by vascular disease were also done. Although associations between higher (worse) CRP and IL-6 tertiles and MCR were only seen in three out of the five cohorts (EAS, TASCOG, and LonGenity), when a pooled meta-analysis was performed, a robust association was demonstrated. In meta-analysis, highest tertiles of IL-6 (aOR 1.57, 95%CI 1.01- 2.44) and CRP (aOR 1.65, 95%CI 1.09-2.48) was associated with MCR versus lowest tertiles in the pooled sample. Higher CRP was associated with MCR among those with vascular disease in TASCOG and LonGenity cohorts, and among those without vascular disease in EAS. IL-6 and CRP levels are associated with MCR in older adults, and this association varies by presence of vascular disease.

Factors Influencing Intention to Technological Use in Older Adults. The TAM Model Aplication.

The use of digital technology by older adults has improved in recent years in response to the need for their functional adaptation to an increasingly technological social context. Understanding this type of technological adaptation has recently become an important field of inquiry in both social and gerontological studies. Working within this framework, the aim of this study is to identify the main determinants that influence the intention of older people to use digital technology in their daily lives, using the Technological Acceptance Model. A study was carried out with the participation of 1155 people over 65years of age in Spain. Confirmatory Factor Analysis and structural equation models (SEM) were performed. The results show that the TAM is a useful model to explain the intention of older adults to use Digital Technology, showing a high predictive power, highlighting Perceived Usefulness and Perceived Ease of Use as the main predictor variables.

Qualitative Research and Aging in Context: Implications to Social Study in China

This article begins with a review of methods that gerontologists use in social and behavioral research. The value and focus of qualitative research are highlighted with their epistemological roots. Qualitative approaches and their uses are summarized in terms of “interpretive” and “critical” social sciences that draw the insights of sociological paradigms. With a further review of qualitative research on aging and gerontological studies in China, the article focuses on an integrated micro-macro model by illuminating the ideas of clinical sociology and the general public policy framework of an “economic state in transition.” Implications to social policy study (particularly on aging in China) are discussed.

Recruiting Older Adults With Cognitive Impairments for a Smartphone Intervention During COVID-19

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has introduced numerous challenges to the global scientific community and has been particularly disruptive to the conduct of ongoing clinical trials. Gerontological studies that focus on older adults with cognitive impairments have endured additional challenges ranging from increased vulnerability of this group to COVID-19, thereby prohibiting study participation, to difficulties in participant engagement as a product of a worsening Digital Divide. The purpose of this talk is to describe the pandemic-related factors that have influenced recruitment and enrollment of older adults with mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia in an ongoing feasibility study of a physical activity smartphone app. We discuss the changes we made to recruitment procedures and the impact those changes have had on the success of enrolling individuals in the study. We conclude with a discussion of feasible strategies and procedural alterations moving forward that may facilitate achievement of enrollment goals.

(Re)Introducing the Gerontology and Geriatrics Curricular Standards and Guidelines in Higher Education

The lecture will be given by the 2020 recipient, Sara Czaja, PhD, FGSA of Weill Cornell Medicine. The 2021 M. Powell Lawton Award recipient is David Roth, Phd, FGSA, of Johns Hopkins University. The M. Powell Lawton Award is presented annually to an individual who has made outstanding contributions from applied research that has benefited older people and their care. The Lawton Award is generously funded by the Polisher Research Institute of Abramson Senior Care.

(Re)Introducing the Gerontology and Geriatrics Curricular Standards and Guidelines in Higher Education

The Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE), the education member group of GSA, is the only national institutional membership organization devoted primarily to gerontology and geriatrics education. Its mission provides for development and sponsorship of initiatives to advance the field of aging through its focus on education in gerontology/geriatrics. AGHE first published the Gerontology and Geriatrics Curricular Standards over three decades ago – a document that has been an integral resource for implementing/revising programs in liberal arts, the sciences, and more recently, health professions. To meet the needs in the field for increased breadth and depth of content, the new 7th edition of the educational guidelines fully embraces competency-based education for gerontology, as the health professions programs have for years. Our first presenter will provide an overview of the new edition. The second presenter will focus on associate degree programs in gerontology and their unique contribution to higher education. The third will present on undergraduate programs in gerontology explaining how these programs give students an edge in today’s job market. The fourth presenter will address graduate programs in gerontology, describing master’s degree programs and doctoral degree programs in gerontology and aging studies. The fifth presenter will discuss health professions programs including geriatrics curricula for osteopathic medical education, gerontology/geriatrics curricula for health-related programs and the doctor of pharmacy degree programs. Presentations will provide expert recommendations for program development through mapping AGHE’s Gerontology Competencies for Undergraduate and Graduate Education to programs in higher education. Nina Silverstein will serve as discussant.

Standards and Guidelines for Graduate Programs in Gerontology and Geriatrics

Graduate programs in gerontology prepare students for advanced academic and/or applied careers in aging. Programs at this level offer greater depth, breadth, and increased emphasis on theory and research. Persons completing a master’s and/or doctoral degree in gerontology or aging studies have reached the level of “gerontologist” whereby they have completed the necessary coursework in the physical, psychological, social and built environment in order to understand the unique opportunities and challenges of aging in a scholarly manner. While the depth of treatment of each topic will vary across programs, each of the AGHE Core Competencies should be mastered at a level of “analyzation and evaluation” or higher on Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. The current presentation addresses how the AGHE Standards and Guidelines for graduate programs in gerontology were updated as a competency-based curriculum that includes coursework, practicum, and a culminating project (e.g., thesis, comprehensive exam, and/or dissertation).

Life satisfaction is associated with the relationship between mild cognitive impairment and the incidence of disability

AbstractBackgroundLife satisfaction has been shown to be lower in older adults with a higher risk for dementia. For many years, dementia has been the highest factor in the incidence of disability among older Japanese adults. The relationship between the incidence of disability and cognitive status has already been clarified, but whether life satisfaction is related to this relationship has not yet been clarified. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to clarify whether life satisfaction is related to the relationship between incidence of disability and cognitive status.MethodParticipants comprised 2798 older adults (1579 women; mean age: 73.0 years, SD = 5.9, range 65–96 years) from the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology–Study of Geriatric Syndromes. Baseline measurements, including cognitive status (NC, normal cognition; MCI, mild cognitive impairment; GCI, global cognitive impairment), life satisfaction, and demographic characteristics. Life satisfaction was measured using the life satisfaction scale (LSS), ranging from 13 to 52. LSS was stratified into three levels based on the score: lowest, moderate, and highest. Associations between disability incidence and cognitive status were examined for each group according to life satisfaction; monthly assessment for disability was monitored through long‐term care insurance certification for at least 2 years.ResultDuring a mean follow‐up of 35.3 months (SD = 6.0), 193 participants developed a disability. The potential confounding factors adjusted hazard ratios (refer to NC) for incidence of disability in the group with the lowest life satisfaction were 1.83 (CI, 1.03 to 3.26; P = 0.040) and 1.73 (CI, 0.70 to 4.33; P = 0.238) for MCI and GCI, respectively. Similarly, in the group with moderate life satisfaction, MCI and GCI were 2.00 (CI, 1.01 to 3.94; P = 0.046) and 1.90 (CI, 0.57 to 6.28; P = 0.291), respectively. On the other hand, in the group with the highest life satisfaction, MCI and GCI were 1.41 (CI, 0.79 to 2.51; P = 0.245) and 0.96 (CI, 0.36 to 2.55; P = 0.937), respectively.ConclusionMCI was associated with disability incidence, and the effect was more pronounced among older adults who had lower life satisfaction.

Are non-face-to-face interactions an effective strategy for maintaining mental and physical health?

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to social isolation measures, forcing many people to stay indoors, stop daily outdoor activities, and limit face-to-face social interactions with friends, colleagues, and family. This study aimed to identify if non-face-to-face interaction affects depressive symptoms and frailty in older adults.MethodsWe included 3834 older adults (age: 71.1 ± 6.9 [mean ± standard deviation] years; range: 60–96 years; 2153 women) from the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology–Study of Geriatric Syndromes. Interaction status was assessed using a self-reported questionnaire. Participants were categorized into: “both interactions” (both face-to-face and non-face-to-face interactions), “face-to-face only” (only face-to-face interactions), “non-face-to-face only” (only non-face-to-face interactions), “no interactions” (neither face-to-face nor non-face-to-face interactions) groups. Depressive symptoms and frailty were measured using the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale and Kihon Checklist, respectively.ResultsPotential confounding factors-adjusted odds ratios for both, face-to-face only and non-face-to-face only groups for developing depressive symptoms were 0.39 (95%CI, 0.26–0.57; p<0.001), 0.56 (95%CI, 0.38–0.84; p=0.004), and 0.51 (95%CI, 0.27–0.96; p=0.038), respectively, and those for development of frailty were 0.44 (95%CI, 0.30–0.65; p<0.001), 0.59 (95%CI, 0.39–0.87; p=0.008), and 0.63 (95%CI, 0.34–1.15; p=0.128), respectively.ConclusionsOur findings indicate that non-face-to-face interactions are also important in preventing the deterioration of mental health, which is a concern during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, non-face-to-face interactions alone may not be sufficient to maintain physical health, and it is important to maintain opportunities for face-to-face interaction among older adults, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Understanding getting and growing older from songs of yesteryears: a latent content analysis

ABSTRACT Growing older is a natural occurrence experienced by all human beings, but a plurality of perspectives influences how understanding aging deviates in multiple context. Senescence now enthuses a profound substantiation to appreciate harmonious aging. Among the diverse corpora of data, songs are found to be useful in communicating, motivating and healing the aging population and accepting the aging process. This latent content analysis study purports to understand the portrayal of getting and growing older in a select group (n = 27) of songs yesteryears. Guided by Bengtsson’s (2016) processes of decontextualization, recontextualization, categorization and compilation, findings of this study revealed three interlocking concepts that typify getting and growing older, namely The Power of Suffering (Aging of the Heart), Power of Hoping (Aging with the Heart) and Power of Loving (Aging from the Heart). These latent messages found in the songs of yesteryears emphasize the immense significance of songs to facilitate communication, transitions and psycho-social connections essential to the aging process. As the aging population face the remaining years of their lives, findings of this study will add significance to the existing gerontological studies and serve as a harmonizing guide in aging education toward a balanced, optimistic and transcending growing older perspective.

Sleep duration and progression to sarcopenia in Japanese community-dwelling older adults: a 4 year longitudinal study.

BackgroundIdentifying factors that contribute to the development of sarcopenia in older adults is a public health priority. Although several studies have examined the association between sleep duration and sarcopenia, additional evidence is needed to reveal the causality of this association, especially from a longitudinal study. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether sleep duration was associated with the progression to sarcopenia and its subcomponents among community‐dwelling older adults in Japan.MethodsA total of 3918 older community‐dwelling people (mean age: 73.2 ± 6.0 years, 51.8% female) included in the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology Study of Geriatric Syndromes were analysed. Sleep duration was assessed using a self‐reported questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of progression of sarcopenia at Wave 2 (4 years later), according to the three categories of sleep duration [short: ≤6.0 h, medium: 6.1–8.9 h (control), & long: ≥9.0 h)] at Wave 1.ResultsThe numbers in each group in the second wave among the total sample were as follows: short 403 (10.3%), medium 2877 (73.4%), and long 638 (16.3%). Significant associations with the progression of sarcopenia were found in the long sleep duration group compared with the medium one, even after adjustment for other covariates (OR 1.66, 95% CI: 1.02–2.69, P = 0.040). Long sleep duration was significantly associated with slow gait (OR: 1.55, 95% CI: 1.17–2.06, P = 0.002) and low grip strength (OR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.00–1.78, P = 0.047) but was not associated with low muscle mass (OR: 1.33, 95% CI: 0.74–2.38, P = 0.343).ConclusionsThis study revealed that long sleep duration was associated with an increased risk of progression to sarcopenia among older adults.

Life Satisfaction and the Relationship between Mild Cognitive Impairment and Disability Incidence: An Observational Prospective Cohort Study.

The relationship between the incidence of disability and cognitive function has been clarified, but whether life satisfaction is related to this relationship is unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to clarify whether life satisfaction is related to the relationship between the incidence of disability and mild cognitive impairment. We included 2563 older adults from the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology–Study of Geriatric Syndromes. Baseline measurements included cognitive, life satisfaction, and demographic characteristics. Life satisfaction was measured using the Life Satisfaction Scale, which was stratified into three levels based on the score: lower, moderate, and higher. Associations between disability incidence and mild cognitive impairment were examined for each group according to life satisfaction, and monthly assessment for disability was monitored through long-term care insurance certification for at least 2 years from the baseline. At a 35.5-month mean follow-up, 150 participants had developed a disability. The potential confounding factors adjusted hazard for incidence of disability in the group with lower life satisfaction was 1.88 (CI: 1.05–3.35; p = 0.034) for mild cognitive impairment. Mild cognitive impairment was associated with disability incidence, and the effect was more pronounced among older adults with lower life satisfaction.

Cultural Gerontology: Towards an Understanding of Ethnicity and Aging

While it is often taken for granted that the process of aging has its psychological, biological and sociological dimensions, gerontologists have not sufficiently explored the importance of cultural factors as these affect the aging process. The paper makes a plea for more studies in cultural gerontology by presenting a critical review of the non-anthropological literature on the "minority" and the ethnic elderly. Citing examples from her own fieldwork among elderly Jews in the Toronto Baycrest Centre, the author demonstrates the significance of ethnicity (a cultural variable) in easing the social and psychological problems that often accompany old age in urban North America.