Aging & Mental HealthPub Date : 2025-03-01Epub Date: 2024-09-27DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2024.2407180
Daniel Velez Ortiz, Nicole Ransom, Elizabeth Rivera, Julene K Johnson, Sahru Keiser, Thi Tran, Jacqueline Torres, Elena Portacolone
{"title":"Specific cultural traits of the precarity of older Latinos living alone with cognitive impairment in the San Francisco Bay Area.","authors":"Daniel Velez Ortiz, Nicole Ransom, Elizabeth Rivera, Julene K Johnson, Sahru Keiser, Thi Tran, Jacqueline Torres, Elena Portacolone","doi":"10.1080/13607863.2024.2407180","DOIUrl":"10.1080/13607863.2024.2407180","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Latinos are about twice as likely to develop cognitive impairment. Culturally, filial support and familismo are expected within Latino families. Yet approximately twenty percent of Latinos live alone in the United States. The purpose of this study is to explore the concerns and priorities of older Latinos living alone with cognitive impairment, using a precarity framework.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>We conducted 22 in-home interviews with older Latinos living alone with cognitive impairment, and we supplemented the interviews with interviews with members of the older adults' social circle and providers. Themes influencing the precarity of Latino older adults living alone were organized through the major areas of the precarity lens; 1) Limited awareness of cognitive impairment; 2) Self-management of cognitive impairment; and 3) Lacking tailored services for cognitive impairment.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Latino culture permeated and intersected across the lived experiences of participants living alone with cognitive impairment. Precarity was prevalent in all participants' lives and was exacerbated by familismo combined with cognitive impairment.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Findings showed precarity in the experiences the participants shared. Participant narratives reveal how the Latino culture intersects with the experience of precarity while living alone with cognitive impairment, especially in reference to the role that family plays through the expectation of familismo. However, given the difficult demands of employment and raising their own families, familismo can become more like a goal than a practice. Further research is needed to better understand how to bridge the gap between the needs of these older Latino adults living alone with cognitive impairment, their families, and formal services.</p>","PeriodicalId":55546,"journal":{"name":"Aging & Mental Health","volume":" ","pages":"532-541"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142333050","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aging & Mental HealthPub Date : 2025-03-01Epub Date: 2024-09-08DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2024.2399089
Morgan K Eichorst, Ashley L Fromenthal, Grant M Harris, Candice D Reel, Rebecca S Allen
{"title":"In the presence of death and dying: death attitudes and compassion fatigue among certified nursing assistants in skilled care.","authors":"Morgan K Eichorst, Ashley L Fromenthal, Grant M Harris, Candice D Reel, Rebecca S Allen","doi":"10.1080/13607863.2024.2399089","DOIUrl":"10.1080/13607863.2024.2399089","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) are responsible for 80-90% of direct-to-resident care in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), and may develop close, family-like relationships with their residents. With SNFs becoming a common place of death for older adults, CNAs now find themselves engaging in end-of-life caregiving with limited training and institutional support for emotional outcomes. This study aimed to understand and evaluate the relations between bereavement, death exposure, and compassion fatigue among CNAs, hypothesizing that (a) experiential avoidance moderates the relation between death exposure and negative death attitudes and (b) death attitudes moderate the relation between death exposure and compassion fatigue.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>One hundred and ten CNAs across all shifts from four skilled nursing facilities in the southeastern United States participated in surveys and, potentially, focus groups.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Results failed to find support for death exposure being related either to experiential avoidance or negative death attitudes. However, results supported the relation between negative death attitudes and compassion fatigue.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Implications highlight the need to develop interventions focusing on palliative skills-based training and emotional support of CNAs in their role as end-of-life caregivers. By reducing compassion fatigue, it may be possible to decrease job turnover and increase quality-of-care for residents.</p>","PeriodicalId":55546,"journal":{"name":"Aging & Mental Health","volume":" ","pages":"452-461"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142156725","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aging & Mental HealthPub Date : 2025-03-01Epub Date: 2024-09-06DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2024.2399080
Nikki L Hill, Sakshi Bhargava, Justin Do, Emily Bratlee-Whitaker, Monique J Brown, Renata Komalasari, Rachel Wu, Jacqueline Mogle
{"title":"Just as expected? Older adults' aging expectations are associated with subjective cognition.","authors":"Nikki L Hill, Sakshi Bhargava, Justin Do, Emily Bratlee-Whitaker, Monique J Brown, Renata Komalasari, Rachel Wu, Jacqueline Mogle","doi":"10.1080/13607863.2024.2399080","DOIUrl":"10.1080/13607863.2024.2399080","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study investigated the relationship between older adults' expectations regarding aging and subjective cognition. Specifically, we examined whether the three domains of aging expectations (physical health, mental health, and cognitive function) were associated with two aspects of subjective cognition: current subjective cognition and subjective cognitive decline (SCD).</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>An online survey was conducted among U.S. adults aged 65-90 (<i>N =</i> 581; M<sub>age</sub>=71.4, SD ± 4.81; 51% female). Measures included the 12-item Expectations Regarding Aging scale, the 8-item PROMIS Cognitive Abilities scale (current subjective cognition), and the 12-item Everyday Cognition scale (SCD). We used generalized linear models to examine associations between overall aging expectations and its three domains with current subjective cognition ratings and SCD.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We found that more positive expectations regarding physical health, mental health, and cognitive function in aging were associated with higher ratings of current subjective cognition as well as lower SCD. The magnitude of effects across aging expectations domains were similar for both aspects of subjective cognition.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Aging expectations are malleable and influence an individual's perceptions of their cognitive functioning. Modifying older adults' aging expectations could support healthier cognitive aging through increased awareness and accurate assumptions about the aging process.</p>","PeriodicalId":55546,"journal":{"name":"Aging & Mental Health","volume":" ","pages":"444-451"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142143482","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aging & Mental HealthPub Date : 2025-03-01Epub Date: 2024-09-08DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2024.2400261
James R Muruthi, Christine Nyawaga, Risper Kirui, Lucy Maina, Elijah Mwega
{"title":"Socioeconomic status, perceived family support and psychological distress in older Kenyans: a cross-sectional study.","authors":"James R Muruthi, Christine Nyawaga, Risper Kirui, Lucy Maina, Elijah Mwega","doi":"10.1080/13607863.2024.2400261","DOIUrl":"10.1080/13607863.2024.2400261","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Incidences of psychological distress are on the rise among older Kenyans. While socioeconomic status and family support have been shown to impact the mental health of older individuals, they remain understudied in the older Kenyan population. This study investigated the prevalence of psychological distress among older Kenyans and examined its relationships with economic status and perceived family support.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Data came from a cross-sectional survey of 376 older Kenyans from four rural and urban areas in 2022. The survey collected demographic, global health, social support, socioeconomic, and psychological health variables. Structural equation modeling was used to test the relationship between socioeconomic status, family support, and psychological distress.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Overall, 61% reported high psychological distress, with women experiencing significantly higher levels. Structural equation modeling results indicated that food insecurity, flooring material, material wealth, chronic health, self-rated physical health, sex, and education were significant predictors. The dimensions of family support were not significantly associated with psychological distress.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The findings illuminate that psychological distress is a critical health concern for the sample and needs targeted health interventions. They also underline the essential role of economic status in the psychological distress of older Kenyans. Future studies should explore these relationships using longitudinal, family-level, and representative data.</p>","PeriodicalId":55546,"journal":{"name":"Aging & Mental Health","volume":" ","pages":"471-477"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142156755","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Resiliency amid the COVID-19 pandemic: engagement in meaningful activities as a mediator between coping ability and depressive symptoms among older adults.","authors":"Katja Pynnönen, Katja Kokko, Sini Siltanen, Erja Portegijs, Katja Lindeman, Taina Rantanen","doi":"10.1080/13607863.2024.2403567","DOIUrl":"10.1080/13607863.2024.2403567","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study investigated the longitudinal association between coping ability and depressive symptoms from before to during and after the COVID-19 pandemic and whether engagement in meaningful activities plays a mediating role in this association.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Individuals aged 75, 80, and 85 years (<i>n</i> = 1021) were interviewed in 2017-2018 (T1, pre-pandemic). Of these persons, 608 were interviewed in 2020 (T2, first wave) and 2021-2022 (T3, partly post-pandemic). Coping ability, depressive symptoms, and engagement in meaningful activities were assessed using the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and 17-item activity subscore of the University of Jyväskylä Active Aging Scale, respectively. Structural equation modeling was used for the mediation analyses.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Higher coping ability was associated with decreased depressive symptoms, partly mediated by higher activity scores between T1 and T2. From T2 to T3, higher coping ability reduced the depressive symptoms, but the activity scores did not mediate the changes during this period.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Good coping ability may help older people sustain good mental well-being. With good coping ability, active engagement in meaningful activities contributed to the low level of depressiveness during the early phases of the pandemic, when many social activities were restricted.</p>","PeriodicalId":55546,"journal":{"name":"Aging & Mental Health","volume":" ","pages":"514-522"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142301792","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Life review intervention in the promotion of quality of relationships and quality of life of rural older widows in Northeastern Iran: a clinical trial study.","authors":"Nasim Pirzadeh, Abdolrahim Asadollahi, Leila Ghahramani, Mahnaz Didehvar, Mahin Nazari","doi":"10.1080/13607863.2025.2467972","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2025.2467972","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Widowhood affects the quality of life and interpersonal relationships of older women. The aim of the study was to determine the effects of a life review program on quality of life and quality of relationships among older rural widows in Iran.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A clinical trial was conducted with 128 older adults widowed women who were served by rural health centers in the city of Iran. The intervention was carried out in six sessions over a period of 6 weeks in the form of remote conversations and virtual lessons. Quality of life and relationship quality before and 2 months after the intervention were assessed using the LEIPAD quality of life questionnaire with a score range of 31-124 and the relationship quality questionnaire with a score range of 25-100. The data was analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistical tests with SPSS software version 26.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The results show that after the intervention, the scores for relationship quality and quality of life increased in the intervention group (<i>p</i> < 0.05) compared to the control group.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Therefore, the use of this simple, inexpensive, and uncomplicated intervention is recommended for health counseling of the older adults.</p><p><strong>Trial registration number and date of registration: </strong>IRCT20111017007816N18.</p>","PeriodicalId":55546,"journal":{"name":"Aging & Mental Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-10"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143506193","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sheila M Thompson, Devon Delaney, Jovian C Lam, Shirit C Kamil-Rosenberg, J Kaci Fairchild
{"title":"Cognitive correlates of caregiver fear of falling.","authors":"Sheila M Thompson, Devon Delaney, Jovian C Lam, Shirit C Kamil-Rosenberg, J Kaci Fairchild","doi":"10.1080/13607863.2025.2468894","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2025.2468894","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Fear of falling is prevalent among older adults and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Caregivers have a heightened risk of fear of falling due to the strenuous activities inherent in the caregiving relationship and potential exposure to falls by the care recipient. Cognition is associated with fear of falling; however, cognition's relationship with fear of falling is unclear in the caregiver population. The present study investigated the potential influence of cognitive function on fear of falling in a sample of informal caregivers (<i>n</i> = 50) of persons with a diagnosis of traumatic brain injury or dementia.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Cognitive domains of interest included attention, executive function, processing speed, and learning and memory. Worry was assessed with the Penn State Worry Questionnaire and fear of falling was assessed with the Short Falls Efficacy Scale. Hypotheses were tested using hierarchical linear regressions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Executive function had a significant negative association with fear of falling, while processing speed and learning and memory did not. Attention trended toward significance.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Findings support fear of falling as a potential situational anxiety construct and executive functioning as a potential cognitive correlate of fear of falling among caregivers.</p>","PeriodicalId":55546,"journal":{"name":"Aging & Mental Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-9"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143506190","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nicola Cogan, Trish Hafford-Letchfield, Susan Rasmussen, Sophie Martin, Adele Owen, Jolie Goodman, Jeffrey R Hanna
{"title":"Navigating bereavement by suicide in later life: a qualitative analysis of health and social care professional perspectives.","authors":"Nicola Cogan, Trish Hafford-Letchfield, Susan Rasmussen, Sophie Martin, Adele Owen, Jolie Goodman, Jeffrey R Hanna","doi":"10.1080/13607863.2025.2468410","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2025.2468410","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Older adults bereaved by suicide face unique challenges, including heightened stigma, trauma, and isolation, often compounded by limited social support. This study explores professionals' perspectives on supporting older adults bereaved by suicide, addressing a critical gap in public health.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with professionals, including bereavement support workers, healthcare providers, and suicide prevention specialists. Data were analysed using a reflexive, inductive thematic approach.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Four key themes emerged: (1) navigating the complexities of traumatic loss by suicide in later life, (2) the role of community and family support in grief management, (3) professional roles and challenges in providing support, and (4) opportunities for community engagement and meaning-making. Findings emphasise the need for community-centred, culturally sensitive bereavement care that empowers older adults to navigate grief openly.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Reducing stigma around suicide, recognising the impact of traumatic loss, and addressing factors that exacerbate grief are crucial to supporting mental health in older adults bereaved by suicide. Integrating bereavement support into community spaces and offering peer-support options can help alleviate isolation and trauma. Health and social care policies should prioritise improving access to services and promoting an inclusive and trauma-informed approach that meets the unique needs of this population.</p>","PeriodicalId":55546,"journal":{"name":"Aging & Mental Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-9"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143484733","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Allison R Heid, Michael J Rovine, Karen Eshraghi, Nahida Akter, Katherine M Abbott, Kimberly Van Haitsma
{"title":"The association of preference-based recreational activity attendance with nursing home residents' depressive symptoms over time.","authors":"Allison R Heid, Michael J Rovine, Karen Eshraghi, Nahida Akter, Katherine M Abbott, Kimberly Van Haitsma","doi":"10.1080/13607863.2025.2468895","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2025.2468895","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Little is known about how preference-based care impacts nursing home (NH) residents' well-being over time. The Preference Match Tracker (PMT) objectively tracks the number of recreation activities NH residents attend that match their important preferences. We explored how PMT data were linked to residents' depressive symptoms over time.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>The number of preferred and non-preferred activities attended and refused to attend per week were tracked with the PMT for 586 residents over 1 year. We utilized generalized linear modeling to examine the association of preferred/non-preferred attendance/refusals for three depressive symptom groups (<i>none</i>, <i>minimal</i>, <i>depressive symptoms</i>).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>After accounting for covariates, more attendance was associated with minimal depressive symptoms over time. More total activity refusals and refusals of preferred activities were associated with minimal and mild-to-severe depressive symptoms over time and, more refusals of non-preferred activities was associated with minimal symptoms. Associations were moderated by pain, count of important preferences, cognition, and length of stay.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Refusing to attend preferred activities may serve as a marker of distress. Individuals who are cognitively capable and/or living in the NH for <90 days or experiencing pain, who are refusing preferred activities should be monitored for depressive symptoms and their recreational activity participation.</p>","PeriodicalId":55546,"journal":{"name":"Aging & Mental Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-9"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143484740","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Association between chronic illnesses in older adults and caregiver burden: a cross sectional study in the United States.","authors":"Yeajin Ham, Yeonju Jin, Ickpyo Hong, Ji-Hyuk Park","doi":"10.1080/13607863.2025.2468891","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2025.2468891","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Caregiver burden is a growing social issue with an increase in the number of older adults with chronic illnesses. We analyzed the association between chronic illnesses among older adults and caregiver burden in financial, emotional, and physical domains, adjusting for caregiver and older adult characteristics.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>We used secondary data from the 2022 National Health and Aging Trends Study and the 2022 National Study of Caregiving. Logistic regression analyses was used to assess associations between nine illnesses and each caregiver burden in 1,419 participants.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Dementia was significantly associated with caregiver burden related to emotional difficulty (odds ratio [OR] = 2.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.34-3.09) and physical difficulty (OR = 1.67, 95% CI, 1.01-2.78), but not financial difficulty. Furthermore, relationship with older adults, positive and negative self-esteem, the number of assistive activities of caregivers, and gender and physical capacity of older adults were significantly associated with caregiver burden.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings clarify the definition of caregiver burden and provide integrated results on caregiver burden in chronic illnesses and the characteristics of caregivers and older adults.</p>","PeriodicalId":55546,"journal":{"name":"Aging & Mental Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-7"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143484719","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}