scholarly journals Iridescent Life Course: LGBTQ Aging Research and Blueprint for the Future – A Systematic Review

Gerontology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 253-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen I. Fredriksen Goldsen ◽  
Sarah Jen ◽  
Anna Muraco
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Identity Development ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Social Dimensions ◽  
Negative Stereotypes ◽  
Life Course Framework ◽  
The Life Course ◽  
Over Time

Background: LGBTQ* (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer) older adults are demographically diverse and growing populations. In an earlier 25-year review of the literature on sexual orientation and aging, we identified four waves of research that addressed dispelling negative stereotypes, psychosocial adjustment to aging, identity development, and social and community-based support in the lives of LGBTQ older adults. Objectives: The current review was designed to develop an evidence base for the field of LGBTQ aging as well as to assess the strengths and limitations of the existing research and to articulate a blueprint for future research. Methods: Using a life course framework, we applied a systematic narrative analysis of research on LGBTQ aging. The review included 66 empirical peer-reviewed journal articles (2009–2016) focusing on LGBTQ adults aged 50 years and older, as well as age-based comparisons (50 years and older with those younger). Results: A recent wave of research on the health and well-being of LGBTQ older adults was identified. Since the prior review, the field has grown rapidly. Several findings were salient, including the increas­ed application of theory (with critical theories most often used) and more varied research designs and methods. While ­existing life course theory provided a structure for the investigation of the social dimensions of LGBTQ aging, it was limited in its attention to intersectionality and the psychological, behavioral, and biological work emerging in the field. There were few studies addressing the oldest in these ­communities, bisexuals, gender non-binary older adults, intersex, ­older adults of color, and those living in poverty. ­Conclusions: The Iridescent Life Course framework highlights the interplay of light and environment, creating dynamic and fluid colors as perceived from different angles and perspectives over time. Such an approach incorporates both queering and trans-forming the life course, capturing intersectionality, fluidity over time, and the psychological, behavioral, and biological as well as social dimensions of LGBTQ aging. Work is needed that investigates trauma, differing configurations of risks and resources over the life course, inequities and opportunities in representation and capital as LGBTQ adults age, and greater attention to subgroups that remain largely invisible in existing research. More depth than breadth is imperative for the field, and multilevel, longitudinal, and global initiatives are needed.

scholarly journals Longitudinal Relationships Between Subjective Cognitive Decline and Objective Memory: Depressive Symptoms Mediate Between-Person Associations

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Nikki L. Hill ◽  
Sakshi Bhargava ◽  
Emily Bratlee-Whitaker ◽  
Jennifer R. Turner ◽  
Monique J. Brown ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Subjective Cognitive Decline ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Over Time

Background: Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) may be an early indicator of cognitive impairment, but depressive symptoms can confound this relationship. Associations may be influenced by differences between individuals (i.e., between-persons) or how each individual changes in their experiences over time (i.e., within-persons). Objective: We examined depressive symptoms as a mediator of the between- and within-person associations of SCD and objective memory in older adults. Methods: Coordinated analyses were conducted across four datasets drawn from large longitudinal studies. Samples (range: n = 1,889 to n = 15,841) included participants 65 years of age or older with no dementia at baseline. We used multilevel structural equation modeling to examine the mediation of SCD and objective memory through depressive symptoms, as well as direct relationships among SCD, objective memory, and depressive symptoms. Results: Older adults who were more likely to report SCD had lower objective memory on average (between-person associations), and depressive symptoms partially mediated this relationship in three of four datasets. However, changes in depressive symptoms did not mediate the relationship between reports of SCD and declines in objective memory in three of four datasets (within-person associations). Conclusion: Individual differences in depressive symptoms, and not changes in an individual’s depressive symptoms over time, partially explain the link between SCD and objective memory. Older adults with SCD and depressive symptoms may be at greater risk for poor cognitive outcomes. Future research should explore how perceived changes in memory affect other aspects of psychological well-being, and how these relationships influence cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease risk.

Predictors of Alcohol Use Disorders Among Baby Boomers Across the Life Course

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (8) ◽  
pp. 880-888
Author(s):  
Adam Quinn ◽  
Orion Mowbray
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Baby Boomers ◽  
Alcohol Use Disorders ◽  
Life Course Perspective ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Older Adulthood ◽  
Use Patterns ◽  
The Life Course ◽  
Over Time

Research suggests that baby boomers entering older adulthood may possess unique alcohol use patterns over time. Using the life course perspective as a guiding framework, this empirical study sought to examine correlates of alcohol use disorders among baby boomers by examining representative data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health at two points in time, 1998 ( N = 6,213) and 2010 ( N = 5,880). Results from logistic regression analyses suggest that predictors of alcohol use disorders evolve over time as baby boomers continue to age. Risk factors for alcohol use disorders among baby boomers may include concurrent unprescribed pain reliever use, p < .01, while protective factors such as income, p < .01, and social supports, p = .01, may be of increased importance. Based on the findings of this study, practice implications and future research are discussed.

Historical and generational forces in the Iridescent Life Course of bisexual women, men, and gender diverse older adults

Sexualities ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 136346072094731
Author(s):  
Karen Fredriksen Goldsen ◽  
Sarah Jen ◽  
Theresa Clark ◽  
Hyun-Jun Kim ◽  
Hyunzee Jung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Identity Development ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Social Relationships ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Bisexual Women ◽  
Gender Diverse ◽  
And Gender

Purpose Little is known about the life course of bisexual older adults. This study examines life events and experiences of bisexuals by generation: Pride Generation, born 1950–1964; Silenced Generation, born 1935–1949; and Invisible Generation, born 1934 or earlier, as well as by gender among women, men, and gender diverse older adults. Methods Aging with Pride: National Health, Aging, and Sexuality/Gender Study is the first national longitudinal study of LGBTQ older adults in the US. We utilize the Iridescent Life Course to examine the life events and life course experiences of bisexual older adults ( N = 216) using 2014 survey data. The Iridescent Life Course frames this study for comparing generational and gender differences in five key areas: identity development; work; kin and social relationships; bias-related experiences; and physical and mental health. Findings The Invisible Generation, the oldest generation, compared to the two younger generations, reports significant risks related to social relationships, the lowest levels of openly disclosing, and fewer bias-related experiences. They also demonstrate important signs of resilience and better mental health. Bisexual men and gender diverse older adults report higher rates of bias-related experiences and fewer social resources than bisexual women. Conclusion Based on the Iridescent Life Course, we document important differences in the heterogeneity and intersectionality in bisexual lives, particularly for those in late life and those gender diverse. It is essential to document the distinct nature of bisexuals’ life course, as it provides both historical and contemporary insights into aging and the reframing of future research.

scholarly journals Family Member Death and Subjective Life Expectancy Among Black and White Older Adults

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 143-153
Author(s):  
Rachel Donnelly ◽  
Debra Umberson ◽  
Tetyana Pudrovska
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Expectancy ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Family Member ◽  
Well Being ◽  
White Americans ◽  
Black And White ◽  
Survival Expectations ◽  
The Life Course

Objective: To examine whether exposure to family member deaths throughout the life course is associated with subjective life expectancy—a person’s assessment of their own mortality risk—at age 65, with attention to differences by race. Method: We analyzed 11 waves of data from a study of men and women above age 50 (Health and Retirement Study; n = 13,973). Results: Experiencing the deaths of multiple family members before the respondent is 50 years old is negatively associated with subjective life expectancy at age 65. Discussion: Understanding the life-course predictors of older adults’ subjective life expectancy is particularly important because survival expectations influence long-term planning, health, and longevity. Moreover, Black Americans are exposed to more family member deaths earlier in their life compared with White Americans, with implications for long-term health and well-being.

scholarly journals BEREAVEMENT IN A FAMILY CONTEXT

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S604-S604
Author(s):  
Jeffrey E Stokes ◽  
Kyungmin Kim ◽  
Deborah Carr
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Family Context ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Family Networks ◽  
Depressive Symptomology ◽  
Death Of A Parent ◽  
Relationship Importance ◽  
Family Loss ◽  
The Life Course

Abstract Bereavement is an impactful, often difficult experience for individuals throughout the life course. Moreover, bereavement experiences inherently involve wider family networks: The death of a spouse is often also the death of a parent, grandparent, or sibling, as well. The present symposium investigates a variety of different family loss experiences that individuals are exposed to in adulthood and older age, and situates such bereavement in a larger family context. Stahl explores how daily routines and sleep patterns can be altered by spousal bereavement, and assesses an intervention designed to improve widowed older adults’ behaviors and, in turn, reduce their depressive symptomology. Kim and colleagues analyze the death of a parent in adulthood, examining the extent to which pre-loss relationship quality and relationship importance may predict post-loss symptoms of grief. Stokes and colleagues extend this intergenerational perspective, examining the death of a grandparent in adulthood, and whether adult grandchildren’s relationships with their middle-generation parents – bereaved adult children themselves – impact their experiences of grief after loss. Focus is also paid to the influence of gender across all three generations. Lastly, Donnelly explores the cumulative consequences of experiencing multiple family deaths throughout the life course for adults’ health trajectories. Together, these papers expand the scope of bereavement research to incorporate spousal, multigenerational, and cumulative loss experiences and their repercussions for midlife and older adults. As discussant, Carr will assess the contributions of these papers to theory and the literature, and highlight potential directions for future research concerning aging, families, and bereavement.

Marital quality over the life course and child well-being from childhood to early adolescence

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Spencer L. James ◽  
David A. Nelson ◽  
McKell A. Jorgensen-Wells ◽  
Danielle Calder
Keyword(s):  
Life Course ◽  
Marital Quality ◽  
Externalizing Problems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Important Variation ◽  
Math Scores ◽  
The Life Course ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Research on marital quality and child well-being is currently limited by its common use of geographically constrained, homogenous, and often cross-sectional (or at least temporally limited) samples. We build upon previous work showing multiple trajectories of marital quality and data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth-1979 (NLSY79) regarding mothers and their children (inclusive of ages 5–14). We examine how indicators of child well-being are linked to parental trajectories of marital quality (happiness, communication, and conflict). Results showed children whose parents had consistently poor marital quality over the life course exhibited more internalizing and externalizing problems, poorer health, lower quality home environments, and lower math and vocabulary scores than children of parents in consistently higher-quality marriages. Group differences remained stable over time for child health, home environment, and vocabulary scores. Group differences for internalizing problems declined over time, whereas group differences increased for externalizing problems and math scores. Initial advantages for females across nearly all indicators of child well-being tended to shrink over time, with boys often moving slightly ahead by mid adolescence. We discuss the implications of these findings in regard to children's development and well-being and suggest treating marriage as a monolithic construct betrays important variation within marriage itself.

The health and well-being of LGBT older adults: Disparities, risks, and resilience across the life course.

2015 ◽  
pp. 25-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen I. Fredriksen-Goldsen ◽  
Charles P. Hoy-Ellis ◽  
Anna Muraco ◽  
Jayn Goldsen ◽  
Hyun-Jun Kim
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Life Course ◽  
Health And Well Being

scholarly journals Family Relationships and Well-Being

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia A Thomas ◽  
Hui Liu ◽  
Debra Umberson
Keyword(s):  
Life Course ◽  
Family Relationships ◽  
Adult Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Important Influence ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Family Structures ◽  
The Life Course ◽  
Relationship Strain

Abstract Family relationships are enduring and consequential for well-being across the life course. We discuss several types of family relationships—marital, intergenerational, and sibling ties—that have an important influence on well-being. We highlight the quality of family relationships as well as diversity of family relationships in explaining their impact on well-being across the adult life course. We discuss directions for future research, such as better understanding the complexities of these relationships with greater attention to diverse family structures, unexpected benefits of relationship strain, and unique intersections of social statuses.

scholarly journals Shifts in Older Adults’ Social Support during Early Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 957-957
Author(s):  
Heather Fuller ◽  
Andrea Huseth-Zosel ◽  
Emily Sturn ◽  
Shawn Carlson ◽  
Brittany Hofmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Initial Shock ◽  
Great Health ◽  
Qualitative Responses ◽  
Social Support Systems ◽  
Over Time

Abstract In recent months, older adults have faced great health risks due to COVID-19, yet social distancing measures may also heighten risks to their social well-being. This mixed methods study explores changes in older adults’ social support satisfaction and interpersonal connections across the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic. A Midwestern sample of 70 older adults aged 70-97 completed two phone interviews (April and June 2020) about their experiences with social distancing due to COVID-19. At both timepoints participants rated their satisfaction with social support and responded to open-ended questions about their interpersonal interactions, communication, and support in current daily life. Mean social support satisfaction significantly increased between the two interviews. Ensuing analysis of qualitative responses suggested this shift could reflect psychological adjustment to the circumstances or adaptation in methods of interpersonal connection over time. Emergent themes included: 1) increased family support and strain, 2) adaptable and flexible friendships, 3) isolation fatigue, and 4) communication through technology. Evaluation of change over time indicated divergent and shifting perceptions of social support as the pandemic endures. Findings suggest nuanced and diverse social support experiences amongst older adults, yet general patterns of initial shock to social support systems that subsided or adapted over time. Future research should build upon these findings to better understand older adults’ social support needs and seek to explore ways to best foster social connections during instances of forced social isolation or societal crises such as the current and ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Re-experiencing Violence Across the Life Course: Histories of Childhood Maltreatment and Elder Abuse Victimization

2018 ◽  
Vol 74 (5) ◽  
pp. 853-857 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jooyoung Kong ◽  
Scott D Easton
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Childhood Maltreatment ◽  
Emotional Abuse ◽  
Elder Abuse ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The Life Course ◽  
Physical And Sexual Abuse

Abstract Objectives This study primarily examines the associations between histories of childhood maltreatment (i.e., neglect, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse) and elder abuse victimization and explores whether gender moderates the associations. Methods We conducted a secondary data analysis of 5,968 older adults (mean age = 71 years) based on data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (2010–2011). Using retrospective self-reports of childhood and current (past 12 months) victimization experiences, logistic regression analyses were conducted to estimate the effects of early-life adversities on the likelihood of elder abuse victimization. Results Results indicate that childhood emotional abuse and childhood sexual abuse (CSA) were associated with greater risk of being abused as older adults, after controlling for childhood and adult background factors. We also found that the effect of CSA on elder abuse victimization was weaker for women than men. Discussion Findings suggest that the phenomenon of revictimization may occur not only in early and middle adulthood, but also in late life. To advance our understanding of victimization across the life course, future research on root causes of elder abuse should include histories of child abuse.

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