Innovation in AgingPub Date : 2026-09-16eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igag102
Ya-Han Chang, Silvia Sörensen
{"title":"Conditional pathways to loneliness in older adults with vision impairment: a decision-tree analysis.","authors":"Ya-Han Chang, Silvia Sörensen","doi":"10.1093/geroni/igag102","DOIUrl":"10.1093/geroni/igag102","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>The prevalence of vision impairment continues to increase globally due to population growth and aging. Among older adults with vision impairment, loneliness is common. Prior studies assessing loneliness risk have relied on regression-based approaches, which may not capture complex, heterogeneous conditional pathways. We apply a theoretically guided machine learning approach to examine loneliness risk among older adults with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).</p><p><strong>Research design and methods: </strong>Using baseline data from 210 adults with AMD (Age<sub>mean</sub> = 80.1 years) enrolled in a randomized controlled trial, we applied a decision tree method using measures of legal blindness, emotional responses to vision loss, social life satisfaction, anxiety, depression, optimism, future planning, and sociodemographic factors to investigate heterogeneous pathways to loneliness.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Decision tree models demonstrated stable discrimination (AUC<sub>train</sub> = .88, AUC<sub>test</sub> = .78, DeLong 95% confidence interval: 0.68-0.88) and robust classification performance across thresholds. Social life satisfaction emerged as the primary branching condition differentiating loneliness outcomes. Distinct pathways suggested that high social life satisfaction was strongly associated with lower loneliness; optimism served as a compensatory resource when social satisfaction was lower. Additional pathways highlighted the effects of vision loss severity, anxiety, and emotional responses to vision loss on loneliness. Depressive symptoms differentiated loneliness outcomes within a lower-anxiety branch, suggesting depression may overshadow protective factors.</p><p><strong>Discussion and implications: </strong>These findings suggest that loneliness arises through heterogeneous psychological pathways rather than single risk factors. By identifying conditional configurations of psychosocial and health-related factors, interpretable decision-tree models may inform more targeted screening, evaluation, and intervention strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":13596,"journal":{"name":"Innovation in Aging","volume":"10 11","pages":"igag102"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13645431/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149136454","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Innovation in AgingPub Date : 2026-09-01eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igag094
Allie Peckham, Monika Roerig, Sage Sadow, Frances Morton-Chang, Laura Schmid, Clare Schuchardt, Molly Budhiraja, Sara Allin
{"title":"Community-based solutions: a principles-to-practice framework to support individuals living with dementia and their care partners.","authors":"Allie Peckham, Monika Roerig, Sage Sadow, Frances Morton-Chang, Laura Schmid, Clare Schuchardt, Molly Budhiraja, Sara Allin","doi":"10.1093/geroni/igag094","DOIUrl":"10.1093/geroni/igag094","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>Alzheimer's disease and related dementias represent a global public health concern, with persistent gaps in supports for individuals living with dementia and their unpaid care partners. This study synthesized promising community-based innovations that address these gaps and contribute to positive outcomes.</p><p><strong>Research design and methods: </strong>A rapid literature review was conducted to develop a framework for guiding the design and evaluation of community innovations for individuals living with dementia and their care partners. 4 databases were searched using keywords related to dementia, care partners, community-based care, and quality outcomes. 22 articles were included, each evaluating a community-based intervention for individuals with dementia and their care partners and reporting outcomes. Cross-study thematic analysis identified programmatic factors associated with success.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The resulting framework comprises 6 programmatic factors of success, 6 design and implementation considerations, and 4 cross-cutting principles. Success factors included early intervention, triadic involvement in planning, individualized and person-centered approaches, multi-component interventions, community-building activities, and direct care partner resources and tools. Design and implementation considerations included target population, delivery models, co-design strategies, resource allocation and system incentives, geographic context, and impacts and outcomes. Core principles emphasize anti-stigma, accessibility, equity and intersectionality, and sustainability.</p><p><strong>Discussion and implications: </strong>Co-design and sustained community engagement were identified as central strategies for reducing stigma and fostering inclusive, dementia-supportive environments. The framework can be used to support the development, investment, and scalability of effective community-based supports for individuals living with dementia and care partners across diverse settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":13596,"journal":{"name":"Innovation in Aging","volume":"10 11","pages":"igag094"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13645434/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149136549","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Innovation in AgingPub Date : 2026-08-31eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igag095
Lucy Xi Lu, Dara Kiu Yi Leung, Stephanie Ming Yin Wong, Wai Chi Chan, Gloria Hoi Yan Wong, Terry Yat Sang Lum
{"title":"The bidirectional relationship between depression and cognitive function in older adults: evidence from a psychosocial intervention on late-life depression.","authors":"Lucy Xi Lu, Dara Kiu Yi Leung, Stephanie Ming Yin Wong, Wai Chi Chan, Gloria Hoi Yan Wong, Terry Yat Sang Lum","doi":"10.1093/geroni/igag095","DOIUrl":"10.1093/geroni/igag095","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>Depression is a modifiable predictor of dementia, but the effects of addressing depression to improve cognition, especially psychosocial interventions, are understudied. The underlying relationships between depressive symptoms (DS) and cognitive function (CF) are also unclear. Most prior research has been observational, lacking insight into their interactions during interventions. This study examined the longitudinal relationships between DS and CF across psychosocial interventions in older adults, modeling changes as latent variables for more accurate estimations.</p><p><strong>Research design and methods: </strong>The study drew on participant data from JC JoyAge, a community stepped-care program for late-life mental health. Participants (≥60 years) with mild to moderate DS (<i>N </i>= 4,412) completed DS and CF assessments (e.g., attention, language, orientation, memory domains) before and after the program. Latent change score models were computed to examine changes in DS and CF as well as their interaction.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>On average, participants' DS and CF improved following intervention. A greater reduction in DS was associated with greater improvement in CF. Higher baseline CF predicted a greater reduction in DS, while a lower baseline DS predicted a greater improvement in global CF, attention, and memory.</p><p><strong>Discussion and implications: </strong>The findings demonstrated the bidirectional relationships between DS and CF and showed their shared improvements during psychosocial intervention. Treating depression is expected to benefit cognition, potentially preventing cognitive decline and dementia. Combining depression and cognition components in integrated intervention approaches may enhance their reciprocal response. Early intervention at a lower depression level may achieve greater cognitive benefits.</p>","PeriodicalId":13596,"journal":{"name":"Innovation in Aging","volume":"10 11","pages":"igag095"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13661262/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149181716","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Innovation in AgingPub Date : 2026-08-21eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igag093
Seoyoun Kim, Kathryn Lavender, Sanda Ionescu, Jennifer Zeiger
{"title":"The National Archive of Computerized Data on Aging (NACDA) portal: variable-level discovery and custom metadata and data extraction for aging research.","authors":"Seoyoun Kim, Kathryn Lavender, Sanda Ionescu, Jennifer Zeiger","doi":"10.1093/geroni/igag093","DOIUrl":"10.1093/geroni/igag093","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>Population aging has intensified demand for data infrastructure that supports life-course, cohort, and within-person research using longitudinal surveys. However, traditional file-centric dissemination and the growing number and diversity of aging data collections have complicated secondary analysis, limiting researchers' ability to locate comparable measures, evaluate cross-wave continuity, and assemble cross-study analytic datasets. To address these challenges, we introduced the National Archive of Computerized Data on Aging (NACDA) portal, a variable-level metadata discovery and extraction platform developed by NACDA in collaboration with the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research and Colectica.</p><p><strong>Research design and methods: </strong>Established in 2019, the portal integrates 17 longitudinal aging studies encompassing over 210,000 variables. Organized by concept and harmonized metadata, users can identify and extract variables across waves and studies within standardized conceptual frameworks and generate tailored documentation to support transparent, reproducible workflows. We present a use case demonstrating metadata-driven, variable-level access for longitudinal data preparation and cross-study comparison.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The portal provides concept-oriented, variable-level discovery and extraction that streamlines identification of comparable measures, supports cross-wave assessment of measurement continuity, and reduces technical and cognitive burdens associated with assembling longitudinal analytic files. The use case illustrates how variable-level access and autogenerated documentation facilitate efficient dataset construction and reproducible analysis pipelines.</p><p><strong>Discussion and implications: </strong>By shifting from file-centric dissemination to harmonized, concept-based metadata and variable-level extraction, the NACDA portal lowers barriers to longitudinal and cross-study aging research. This approach can strengthen transparency, comparability, and reproducibility, supporting cumulative science as aging data resources continue to grow.</p>","PeriodicalId":13596,"journal":{"name":"Innovation in Aging","volume":"10 11","pages":"igag093"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13671758/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149216190","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Innovation in AgingPub Date : 2026-08-21eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igag091
John Rong Hao Tay, Huihua Li, Karen G Peres, Rahul Malhotra, Anna Quialheiro, Eleonora D'Orsi, Marco A Peres
{"title":"Reducing oral frailty improves functional independence in older Brazilians: a causal inference study of disability-free survival using longitudinal modified treatment policies.","authors":"John Rong Hao Tay, Huihua Li, Karen G Peres, Rahul Malhotra, Anna Quialheiro, Eleonora D'Orsi, Marco A Peres","doi":"10.1093/geroni/igag091","DOIUrl":"10.1093/geroni/igag091","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>Poor oral health is associated with functional decline and mortality in older adults, yet causal evidence linking oral health improvement with functional independence remains limited. We simulated the effects of hypothetical reductions in oral frailty on the cumulative probability of being alive and independent in basic activities of daily living (ADLs) among older adults in Brazil.</p><p><strong>Research design and methods: </strong>Data from the EpiFloripa Aging Cohort Study of community-dwelling adults aged 60 years or older in Florianópolis, Brazil, followed from 2009 to 2023, were analyzed (1702 participants). Oral frailty was measured at waves 1-3 using a seven-item composite score (range 0-7). The primary outcome was the cumulative probability of being alive and ADL-independent through wave 5, estimated using a discrete-time survival model. Longitudinal modified treatment policies with targeted maximum-likelihood estimation simulated nine oral health improvement scenarios, accounting for time-varying confounding and censoring.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>336 deaths occurred during follow-up. A stepwise reduction in oral frailty increased the probability of being alive and ADL independent by 73% (probability ratio 1.73, 95% CI 1.48-2.02), corresponding to 15 829 additional functionally independent older adults per 100 000 individuals. Preventing edentulism with preserved masticatory function also improved the probability of being alive and ADL independent (probability ratio 1.21, 95% CI 1.08-1.36). Effects on survival alone were smaller and less certain.</p><p><strong>Discussion and implications: </strong>Reducing oral frailty and preserving masticatory function increases functional independence among older adults, with smaller and uncertain effects on survival. Oral health is a modifiable determinant of healthy ageing.</p>","PeriodicalId":13596,"journal":{"name":"Innovation in Aging","volume":"10 10","pages":"igag091"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13616044/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149069449","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Innovation in AgingPub Date : 2026-08-13eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igag090
Colby J Vorland, Simon Chung, Aidan S Kramer, John R Hultquist, David B Allison, Andrew W Brown
{"title":"An assessment of data and code sharing in research funded by the Nathan Shock Centers, 2017-2022: a meta-research study.","authors":"Colby J Vorland, Simon Chung, Aidan S Kramer, John R Hultquist, David B Allison, Andrew W Brown","doi":"10.1093/geroni/igag090","DOIUrl":"10.1093/geroni/igag090","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>Data and code sharing facilitate reproducibility, trust, and efficient reuse of research resources. Growing recognition of their importance among researchers, journals, and funders led the Nathan Shock Centers (NSC) Coordinating Center to propose documenting and supporting data and code sharing in aging research. As a baseline, we characterized data and code sharing practices in NSC-funded research.</p><p><strong>Research design and methods: </strong>We surveyed articles citing NSC grants published 2017-2022 indexed in PubMed. In full-text screening (<i>n </i>= 507), we excluded articles that did not generate or analyze data. For included articles, we classified data/code availability statements as available via repository, supplemental file, inclusion in paper, available on request, explicitly not available, no statement included, or other. We checked articles indicating open data/code to determine whether materials could be located per the provided statement.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 400 articles included, 50% and 92% had no data or code availability statements, respectively. Data statements indicated availability via repository (30%), supplemental files (26%), inclusion in paper (10%), and on request (14%). For code, 6% indicated availability in repositories, and ≤1% each for other categories. Of those indicating open data or code, materials were located for 63% and 81%, respectively.</p><p><strong>Discussion and implications: </strong>Availability statements were absent for about half of articles for data and most for code; when open data or code was claimed, materials were located in most, but not all. Future work will evaluate how these practices improve over time as the NSC Coordinating Center's support and journal and funder guidelines evolve.</p>","PeriodicalId":13596,"journal":{"name":"Innovation in Aging","volume":"10 10","pages":"igag090"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13592470/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149016643","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Innovation in AgingPub Date : 2026-08-03eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igag085
Seyeon Jang, Jie Chen
{"title":"Variation in Medicare Part D and Part B drug spending among older adults with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.","authors":"Seyeon Jang, Jie Chen","doi":"10.1093/geroni/igag085","DOIUrl":"10.1093/geroni/igag085","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>This study examined Medicare Part D and Part B drug spending and beneficiary out-of-pocket (OOP) costs among community-dwelling Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) beneficiaries with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD), assessing variation by dual eligibility, state, and Accountable Care Organization (ACO) enrollment.</p><p><strong>Research design and methods: </strong>We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using the 2022 Medicare Beneficiary Summary File linked to the Cost and Use file. The sample included 1 372 696 community-dwelling Medicare FFS beneficiaries with ADRD, including 575 308 beneficiaries with five or more chronic conditions. Outcomes included annual Medicare payments and beneficiary OOP costs for Parts D and B drugs. Analyses were stratified by dual eligibility duration, state, and ACO enrollment, with adjusted estimates from generalized linear models.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Medicare Part D drug spending was substantial, increasing with dual-eligibility duration: $8732-$9107 among beneficiaries with full-year dual eligibility and exceeding $11 500 among those with 5+ chronic conditions. Beneficiary OOP costs were highest among Medicare-only beneficiaries and markedly lower among dually eligible individuals. Medicare Part B drug spending was highest among Medicare-only beneficiaries and varied widely by state, ranging from $433 to $1827 among Medicare-only beneficiaries and from $179 to $1446 among dually eligible beneficiaries. After adjustment, differences in Parts D and B drug spending by ACO enrollment were modest.</p><p><strong>Discussion and implications: </strong>Parts D and B drug costs among Medicare beneficiaries with ADRD vary by dual eligibility and geography. Limited associations with ACO enrollment underscore the need for better medication management integration in value-based care for high-need older adults with ADRD.</p>","PeriodicalId":13596,"journal":{"name":"Innovation in Aging","volume":"10 10","pages":"igag085"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13602412/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149038202","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Innovation in AgingPub Date : 2026-07-23eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igag054
Yiwen Liu, Jacques Wels, Sarah-Naomi James, Sarah E Keuss, Jane Maddock, Thomas D Parker, Jean Stafford, Jonathan M Schott, Marcus Richards, Praveetha Patalay
{"title":"Persistent financial adversity and cognitive aging: a life course investigation.","authors":"Yiwen Liu, Jacques Wels, Sarah-Naomi James, Sarah E Keuss, Jane Maddock, Thomas D Parker, Jean Stafford, Jonathan M Schott, Marcus Richards, Praveetha Patalay","doi":"10.1093/geroni/igag054","DOIUrl":"10.1093/geroni/igag054","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>The long-term effect of persistent financial adversity on cognitive aging remains unclear. We examined how sustained financial hardship across adulthood associates with midlife cognition, cognitive decline, and later-life brain health and whether impacts vary by sex, childhood socioeconomic circumstances (SECs), and genetic risk.</p><p><strong>Research design and methods: </strong>Using data from the 1946 British birth cohort (<i>N</i> = 2,759) and its neuroimaging sub-study, Insight 46 (<i>N</i> = 356-468), we linked financial adversity (low household income, financial hardships between ages 26 and 53) with cognitive performance at age 53, cognitive decline from ages 53 to 69, and neuroimaging measures at ages 69-71. We tested moderating roles of sex, childhood SEC, and APOE-ɛ4.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Increased exposure to low household income and financial hardships was associated with lower processing speed (-0.07 [-0.13, -0.02] and -0.05 [-0.11, -0.00]) and verbal memory at age 53 (-0.16 [-0.21, -0.11] and -0.10 [-0.15, -0.05]). This was followed by slower verbal memory decline, attributable to lower baseline scores. Persistent low income was associated with greater ventricular volume (<i>b</i> = 4.67 ml [1.01, 8.32]). Stronger associations between financial adversity and brain atrophy were found for male participants, those with lower childhood SEC, and APOE-ɛ4 carriers who were consistently more vulnerable.</p><p><strong>Discussion and implications: </strong>Persistent financial adversity impacts cognitive performance by midlife and later-life brain atrophy, with larger effects for men, those from disadvantaged childhoods, and individuals with greater genetic risk. Supporting financially vulnerable working-age adults could help prevent dementia in an aging population.</p>","PeriodicalId":13596,"journal":{"name":"Innovation in Aging","volume":"10 8","pages":"igag054"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13395473/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148578474","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Innovation in AgingPub Date : 2026-07-22eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igag087
Edward Alan Miller, Elizabeth Simpson, Marc A Cohen, John R Bowblis
{"title":"Medicaid payment rates and nursing home staffing levels across ownership types.","authors":"Edward Alan Miller, Elizabeth Simpson, Marc A Cohen, John R Bowblis","doi":"10.1093/geroni/igag087","DOIUrl":"10.1093/geroni/igag087","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>Medicaid is the largest payer for long-stay nursing home care, yet the relationship between payment and quality is understudied. Given the relationship of staffing to quality of care, this study aimed to investigate the association between Medicaid payment rates and nursing staff levels in nursing homes, both overall and by ownership type (for-profit, not-for-profit, government).</p><p><strong>Research design and methods: </strong>The study employed a retrospective, cross-sectional analysis using a nationwide, facility-level database, comprising facility-level Medicaid payment rates collected directly from the states, staffing levels derived from the Payroll-Based Journal (PBJ), and facility and resident characteristics from the Medicare Cost Reports and Certification and Survey Provider Enhanced Reporting (CASPER). Multivariate regression with state fixed effects was used to assess the relationship between Medicaid payment and staffing levels. The final sample accounted for 9,510 freestanding nursing homes across the United States.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Results demonstrate significant associations between Medicaid payment rates and total, nurse aide, and registered nurse staffing levels. Medicaid payment rates were not consistently associated with licensed practical nurse staffing levels. Findings did not vary across not-for-profit, for-profit, and government nursing homes.</p><p><strong>Discussion and implications: </strong>Medicaid reimbursement levels affect nursing staff levels in nursing homes, regardless of ownership type. Policymakers should consider Medicaid payment rates when setting nursing home policy to support staffing and sustain quality of care.</p>","PeriodicalId":13596,"journal":{"name":"Innovation in Aging","volume":"10 10","pages":"igag087"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13585398/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148989885","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Innovation in AgingPub Date : 2026-07-22eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igag086
James V English, Jess Malouf, Callie Ward
{"title":"The patient is still there: geriatric psychiatry and the legacy of deinstitutionalization.","authors":"James V English, Jess Malouf, Callie Ward","doi":"10.1093/geroni/igag086","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igag086","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":13596,"journal":{"name":"Innovation in Aging","volume":"10 10","pages":"igag086"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13600681/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149038176","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}