scholarly journals Changes in Neighborhood-Level Socioeconomic Disadvantage and Older Americans’ Cognitive Functioning

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 483-483
Author(s):  
Jason Settels ◽  
Anja Leist
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Functioning ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Socioeconomic Disadvantage ◽  
Older Americans ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Policies And Programs ◽  
Neighborhood Level

Abstract Most studies of later life cognitive functioning have focused on individual-level variables. While some studies have examined neighborhood-level variables as influences upon older adults’ cognitive functioning, this scholarship has neglected to consider neighborhoods in a dynamic context. The present study helps fill this research gap by considering how changing extents of neighborhood-level socioeconomic disadvantage cause changes in older residents’ cognitive functioning. We employ waves 2 (2010-2011) and 3 (2015-2016) of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) as our source of individual-level variables and the American Community Survey as our source of neighborhood-level variables. Our analytical sample includes 1,989 respondents who participated in both waves and were 50 to 90 years in age at wave 2 of the NSHAP. Through structural equation modelling, we find that rising neighborhood-level socioeconomic disadvantage significantly decreases older residents’ cognitive functioning, both without and after controlling for baseline neighborhood-level socioeconomic disadvantage and cognitive functioning. Furthermore, approximately 7.2% of this effect is mediated through decreases in the sizes of networks of close confidants, and roughly 8.5% of this effect occurs through increased depressive symptoms. Our findings suggest that older adults’ cognitive decline can be slowed down or prevented through improvements in their living environments. In particular, policies and programs that improve living spaces while also facilitating older residents’ development of close and supportive confidant ties are likely to be particularly effective. Our study encourages further research on how neighborhood dynamics affect older persons’ cognitive functioning.

scholarly journals Sleep and Loneliness as Mechanisms Through Which Marital Quality Predicts Depression Among Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 34-35
Author(s):  
Christina Marini ◽  
Lynn Martire ◽  
Orfeu Buxton
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Marital Quality ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Latent Variable ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Structural Equation Models ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being

Abstract Pathways through which spousal support and strain influence older adults’ well-being are poorly understood. We examined sleep quality and loneliness as mechanisms through which support and strain predict depressive symptoms across ten years utilizing National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project data. Our sample included partnered participants at waves 1 and 2 (N = 1,293; 39% female, M age = 66, SD = 6.93). Support (e.g., rely on spouse) and strain (e.g., spouse criticizes you) were measured at W1, loneliness (UCLA) and sleep quality (restless sleep) were measured at W2, and depression (CES-D) was measured at W3. We estimated latent-variable structural equation models, controlling for age, gender, and W1 depression. Indirect effects of support and strain on depressive symptoms through loneliness were significant. There was an additional trend-level indirect effect of spousal strain on depressive symptoms through restless sleep. Findings highlight multiple pathways through which marital quality predicts later-life well-being.

scholarly journals Dynamics of Multimorbidity Resilience and Health Outcomes Over Time in Community-Residing Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 890-891
Author(s):  
Yingzhi Xu ◽  
Zahra Rahmaty ◽  
Eleanor McConnell ◽  
Tingzhong (Michelle) Xue ◽  
Bada Kang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Psychological Resilience ◽  
Pain Level ◽  
Reciprocal Relationships ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Multimorbidity resilience may mitigate the adverse effects of multiple chronic diseases on older adults’ health. Wister et al.’s (2018) multimorbidity resilience index was developed and tested in a cross-sectional sample of older adults in Canada. Building on these findings, we examined the reciprocal relationships of resilience on outcomes to test these potentially mitigating effects in a community-based, U.S. sample of older adults over time. The study sample includes 1,054 older adults from waves 2 and 3 of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) study (Waite et al 2020). Wister et al.’s (2018) index was mapped to NSHAP measures, and reciprocal relationships of multimorbidity resilience and health outcomes over a 5-year period was tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results indicated significant effects of multimorbidity resilience on self-rated physical health and pain. Interestingly, a better functional resilience at baseline conferred better self-rated physical health at follow-up, while better psychological resilience predicted lower pain level. By contrast, the influence of health outcomes on any domain of multimorbidity resilience was not detectable at all, supporting the direction of these associations from resilience to outcomes. The study systematically investigated the dynamic hypotheses between multimorbidity resilience and health outcomes. That is, whether they are determinants or consequences, or both. Our findings suggest multimorbidity resilience predicts subsequent 5-year change in health outcomes, especially self-rated physical health and pain level, but not vice versa, strengthening the evidence of the importance of resilience in the health of older adults.

Neighborhood Effects on the Health of Chinese Older Adults: Beyond the Rural and Urban Dichotomy

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuekang Li ◽  
Yi Wang ◽  
Nancy Morrow-Howell
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Neighborhood Effects ◽  
Neighborhood Environment ◽  
Moderating Effects ◽  
Physical Frailty ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Neighborhood Level

Abstract Background and Objectives The associations between physical frailty and depressive symptoms among older individuals were established in the existing literature. Taking the person–environment perspective, we argue that neighborhood environment could either buffer the stress derived from being physically vulnerable or worsen it by adding another layer of stressors in the environmental context when physical health declined. The objectives of this study were to explore to what extent the neighborhood-level characteristics moderate the relationship between physical frailty and depressive symptoms. Research Design and Methods Using the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study 2011 wave, 6,245 individuals aged 60 years and older were included for analyses. Multilevel mixed-effects models were fitted to examine the moderating effects of urbanicity and neighborhood-level socioeconomic status (SES) on the relationship between frailty and depressive symptoms among older adults, controlling for individual-level characteristics. Results Results showed a stronger relationship between deterioration in physical health and depressive symptoms in rural neighborhoods and neighborhoods with lower SES, after controlling for individual-level SES. Also, the moderating effects of the neighborhood-level socioeconomic factors remained after controlling for urbanicity, indicating that neighborhood SES works beyond the rural–urban contexts. Discussion and Implications Findings from this study demonstrate the important roles of neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics in reshaping, and the need to redefine, China’s rural–urban dichotomy. The findings also identified neighborhoods with low SES as potential targets for policy and practice to reduce the stress associated with health decline.

scholarly journals THE EFFECTS OF CHRONIC PAIN AND LONELINESS ON FUNCTIONING AMONG LATINO AND WHITE OLDER ADULTS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S585-S585
Author(s):  
David Camacho ◽  
Maria P Aranda ◽  
Denise Burnette ◽  
Ellen Lukens
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Interactive Effects ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Racially Diverse ◽  
Two Factors ◽  
Diverse Groups ◽  
White Adults

Abstract The detrimental effects of loneliness and chronic pain on functioning in later life are well documented, yet there is little evidence of whether these patterns hold across racially diverse older adults. Guided by the Biopsychosocial Model of Assessment, Prevention, and Treatment of Chronic Pain, we used data from Waves 2 and 3 of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) to examine the additive and interactive effects of loneliness and chronic pain on Elemental and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (ADLs & IADLs) among a sample of 1046 Latino and White adults aged 50 and over. Using linear regression analyses, our final models (Adjusted R-squares: .316 & .304) included demographic characteristics, physical and mental health, medication, health behaviors and social factors. In this sample, approximately 33% experienced chronic pain, 50% reported at least transitory loneliness and 22% experienced both. Neither loneliness nor chronic pain was independently associated with functioning impairment. However, these two factors in combination were associated with lower scores on ADLs and I-ADLs. In addition, Latinos who reported chronic pain were more likely to report lower scores on ADLs only. Results highlight variations in the detrimental effects of loneliness and chronic pain for white and Latino elders. Findings suggest the need for interventions that address chronic pain and loneliness simultaneously. Future studies should examine how culturally-grounded experiences of loneliness and chronic pain may contribute to worsening of functioning among diverse groups of Latino elders.

scholarly journals COGNITIVE DECLINE AMONG OLDER ADULTS IN RURAL CHINA: THE PROTECTIVE ROLE OF FORMAL SCHOOLING

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S205-S206
Author(s):  
Yaolin Pei ◽  
Bei Wu ◽  
Zhen Cong ◽  
Mengyao Hu
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Cognitive Functioning ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Multilevel Models ◽  
Life Experience ◽  
Sampling Strategy ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Formal Schooling

Abstract Evidence shows that education is strongly associated with cognitive functioning; however, few studies have examined the effect of education on cognitive decline among older adults with very limited education. Our study analyzed six waves of panel data (2001, 2003 2006, 2009, 2012 and 2015) from the Longitudinal Study of Older Adults in Anhui Province, China. We estimated two-level multilevel models of cognitive functioning for older adults age 60+, sampled using probability sampling strategy. We found that having formal schooling was positively associated with better cognitive functioning. Older adults with formal schooling had slower decline in cognition and the gap in cognition between the literate and illiterate widened with age. These findings highlight the role of early life experience in affecting cognitive function in later life and suggest that disadvantages in cognitive functioning accumulate throughout the life course for persons with no formal education.

The role of travel in enhancing life satisfaction among Chinese older adults in Hong Kong

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (9) ◽  
pp. 1824-1848 ◽  
Author(s):  
XUE BAI ◽  
KAM HUNG ◽  
DANIEL W. L. LAI
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Important Indicator ◽  
Chinese Older Adults ◽  
Travel Motivation ◽  
Travel Motivations

ABSTRACTLife satisfaction is an important indicator of wellbeing and successful ageing, while boosting life satisfaction in later life has long been a policy and service challenge. Based on a questionnaire survey with 415 Chinese older adults aged 60 years and over in Hong Kong, this study examined how older adults' travel motivations influenced their travel actions and how the travel affected their life satisfaction using structural equation modelling. A proposed ‘travel motivation–action–life satisfaction’ model showed an acceptable fit with the data. It was found that travel motivations stimulated older adults' travel actions, while their travels further contributed to greater life satisfaction. The findings of this study indicated the need for improved knowledge and understanding of older adults' travel preferences and requirements, and highlight the importance of enhancing awareness among professionals and service providers about the benefit of travelling in enhancing life satisfaction of older adults.

scholarly journals THE ASSOCIATION OF LONELINESS AND CHRONIC CLINICALLY SIGNIFICANT PAIN AMONG AFRICAN AMERICAN AND WHITE OLDER ADULTS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S613-S613
Author(s):  
David Camacho ◽  
Denise Burnette ◽  
Maria P Aranda ◽  
Ellen Lukens
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Chronic Pain ◽  
African American ◽  
African Americans ◽  
African American Women ◽  
Social Life ◽  
White Women ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Biopsychosocial Model Of Pain

Abstract Loneliness and pain are significant public health problems in later life, yet limited research has examined how these factors interact among racially diverse older adults. Guided by the Biopsychosocial Model of Pain, we used data from Waves 2 and 3 of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project to investigate the relationship between loneliness and chronic pain among 1,102 African-American and White adults aged 50 and over. Using logistic regression analyses, our final models considered demographics, physical and mental health, functioning, medication, health behaviors and social factors. Approximately 32% of African Americans and 28% of Whites reported chronic loneliness. Compared to Whites African-Americans were 2.5 times more likely to experience chronic pain. Among White participants, loneliness was not associated with chronic pain; however, the interaction of being African-American and lonely was associated with decreased odds of chronic pain in main and gendered analyses. African American women were 4 times more likely than White women to report chronic pain. Our results address the objectives of the National Pain Strategy (2016) to elucidate the experiences of chronic pain among diverse elders in the US. Future work should seek a deeper understanding of loneliness and chronic pain among African Americans elders and how cultural dynamics may help explain our counter intuitive findings (e.g., “Superwoman Schema”).

scholarly journals As Goes the City? Older Americans’ Home Upkeep in the Aftermath of the Great Recession

2019 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 379-397
Author(s):  
Markus H Schafer ◽  
Jason Settels ◽  
Laura Upenieks
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Great Recession ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Physical Space ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Older Americans ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
The Great Recession ◽  
Fixed Effects Regression ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract The private home is a crucial site in the aging process, yet the upkeep of this physical space often poses a challenge for community-dwelling older adults. Previous efforts to explain variation in disorderly household conditions have relied on individual-level characteristics, but ecological perspectives propose that home environments are inescapably nested within the dynamic socioeconomic circumstances of surrounding spatial contexts, such as the metro area. We address this ecological embeddedness in the context of the Great Recession, an event in which some U.S. cities saw pronounced and persistent declines across multiple economic indicators while other areas rebounded more rapidly. Panel data (2005–6 and 2010–11) from a national survey of older adults were linked to interviewer home evaluations and city-level economic data. Results from fixed-effects regression support the hypothesis that older adults dwelling in struggling cities experienced an uptick in disorderly household conditions. Findings emphasize the importance of city-specificity when probing effects of a downturn. Observing changes in home upkeep also underscores the myriad ways in which a city’s most vulnerable residents— older adults, in particular—are affected by its economic fortunes.

scholarly journals THE ROLE OF POLYGENIC SCORE AND COGNITIVE ACTIVITIES ON COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING OF OLDER ADULTS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S255-S255
Author(s):  
Su Hyun Shin ◽  
Soohyun Park ◽  
Giyeon Kim
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Functioning ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Genetic Traits ◽  
Polygenic Score ◽  
Crystallized Intelligence ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Cognitive Activities ◽  
Positive Effect

Abstract Purpose of study: This study investigated whether and to what extent genetics for cognition and engagement in cognitive activities are related to trajectories of cognitive functioning in older adulthood. Furthermore, we explored whether engaging in cognitive activities could moderate the effect of genetic traits on cognitive functioning in general and across different dimensions: fluid and crystallized intelligence. Design and Methods: Growth curve models were estimated using the sample of 3,129 individuals aged 50 or older (10,000 observations) in the U.S. from 2000-2012 waves of the Health and Retirement Study. Polygenic score for general cognition (PGS) was used to measure genetic traits for cognition, and the number of hours spent per week on each of nine cognitive activities was used to measure individuals’ level of the engagement in cognitive activities. Results: PGS for cognition, reading books, using a computer, and playing cards/games/solving puzzles had positive effects on cognitive functioning. The positive effect of PGS on cognitive functioning was reduced from excessive TV watching. The positive effect of PGS on cognitive functioning was strengthened by spending more hours reading papers/magazines. The measure of fluid, rather than crystallized intelligence, appeared to drive these results. Conclusion: Findings suggests that while genetic factors predict cognitive functioning, engaging in different types of cognitive activities could yield different cognitive functioning trajectories in later life. Practical implications are that older adults should be more selective when choosing their leisure activities to promote cognitive health.

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