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AcknowledgmentsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
(Source: Research on Aging)
Source: Research on Aging - September 29, 2009 Category: Geriatrics Tags: Articles Source Type: journals

Racial-Ethnic Differences in Subjective Survival Expectations for the Retirement YearsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Prior research finds a race anomaly in subjective life expectancy such that Blacks expect to live longer than Whites even though their actual life expectancy is lower, but it does not include other racial-ethnic groups. Using data from the 1998 Health and Retirement Study (n = 8,077), the authors find that the race anomaly in subjective survival expectations can be extended to Mexican Americans: Mexican Americans, regardless of their nativity, expect a lower chance of living to ages 75 and 85 than do Whites net of age and gender even though their actual life expectancy is higher. In addition, foreign-born Mexican Americans...
Source: Research on Aging - September 29, 2009 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Roebuck Bulanda, J., Zhenmei Zhang, Tags: Articles Source Type: journals

Stress and Depression Among the Oldest-Old: A Longitudinal AnalysisEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Stress and psychosocial resources play a crucial role in late-life depression. While most studies focus on predominantly those who are young-old, this study used a sample aged 85 and older.The authors’ study aims to examine three research questions: (1) What are the trajectories of depression and its associated factors such as types of stress and psychosocial resources among the oldest-old? (2) What are the longitudinal relationships among the changes in stress, psychosocial resources, and depressive symptoms? (3) Are the effects of the changes in stress on depression trajectory mediated by changes in psychosocial re...
Source: Research on Aging - September 29, 2009 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Jeon, H.-S., Dunkle, R. E. Tags: Articles Source Type: journals

Older Adults Seeking Mental Health Counseling in a NORCEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The authors used the Andersen model to compare older adults’ help seeking from clergy to help seeking from other sources of formal mental health services. Data were from the Naturally Occurring Retirement Community Demonstration Project. Multinomial logistic regression was used to compare sources from which help was sought.The results indicate that older adults sought help from clergy more frequently than from other formal sources. Increased stress levels, higher intrinsic religiosity, and being younger were related to seeking help from clergy. Greater stress and attendance at religious services were related to help ...
Source: Research on Aging - September 29, 2009 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Pickard, J. G., Fengyan Tang, Tags: Articles Source Type: journals

Financial Transfers to Husbands' and Wives' Elderly Mothers in Mexico: Do Couples Exhibit Preferential Treatment by Lineage?Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The aim of this study was to contrast the likelihood that a husband’s elderly mother receives financial assistance from a couple with that of a wife’s mother. Prior U.S.-based research has documented a strong bias toward transfers to wives’ parents.The authors aimed to extend this literature to Mexico, where financial help from adult children is a critical source of support for a rapidly aging population lacking institutional assistance. The authors’ approach to modeling competition between mothers accounted for the nature of their need.The results demonstrate that among mothers of similar financial...
Source: Research on Aging - September 29, 2009 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Noel-Miller, C., Tfaily, R. Tags: Articles Source Type: journals

Marital History, Race, and Social Security Spouse and Widow Benefit Eligibility in the United StatesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In this study, the authors use a restricted-use file of the Marital History Module of the U.S. Census Bureau's Survey of Income and Program Participation to investigate changes in the marital histories of women aged 40 to 69 years between 1990 and 2004, with a focus on outcomes relevant for Social Security spouse and widow benefit eligibility. Multinomial and binary logistic regression analyses show significant changes in women's marital patterns since 1990, with more substantial shifts occurring among recent cohorts. Due to downward trends in marriage, the authors find a modest decline in Social Security spouse and widow ...
Source: Research on Aging - July 23, 2009 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Tamborini, C. R., Iams, H. M., Whitman, K. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Bridge Jobs: A Comparison Across CohortsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Are today's retirees following in the footsteps of their older peers with respect to gradual retirement? Recent evidence from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) suggests that most older Americans with full-time career jobs late in life moved to other jobs prior to complete labor force withdrawal. The authors explored the retirement patterns of two cohorts of individuals from the HRS. One group (the war babies) was born between 1942 and 1947 and therefore aged 59 to 64 years at the time of their fifth biennial HRS interviews in 2006. The others (the original HRS respondents) were aged 59 to 64 in 2000 and therefore 6 yea...
Source: Research on Aging - July 23, 2009 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Giandrea, M. D., Cahill, K. E., Quinn, J. F. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Early Retirement in the Three Types of Welfare StatesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Conclusions imply that policy interventions to reverse patterns of early retirement need to consider country-level economic and demographic characteristics and their interaction, along with policies that would change financial incentives facing individuals. (Source: Research on Aging)
Source: Research on Aging - July 23, 2009 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Kim, J. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

The Impact of Late-Life Parental Death on Adult Sibling Relationships: Do Parents' Advance Directives Help or Hurt?Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The authors examined whether the effect of parental death on adults siblings' relationship quality varies on the basis of the presence and perceived effectiveness of a deceased parent's formal preparations for end-of-life care. The authors used data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study and focused on the relationship quality of a bereaved adult child and his or her randomly selected sibling. Parental death was associated with a decrease in sibling closeness. The parent's use of advance directives (living will and durable power of attorney for health care) did not have uniformly positive effects on adult siblings' relation...
Source: Research on Aging - July 23, 2009 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Khodyakov, D., Carr, D. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Do Older Adults Know Their Spouses' End-of-Life Treatment Preferences?Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
When terminally ill patients become mentally incapacitated, their surrogates often make treatment decisions in collaboration with health care providers. The authors examined how surrogates' errors in reporting their spouses' preferences are affected by their gender, status as durable power of attorney for health care (DPAHC), whether they and their spouses discussed end-of-life preferences, and their spouses' health status. Structural equation models were applied to data from married couples in their mid-60s from the 2004 wave of the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study. Surrogates reported their spouses' preferences incorrectly 1...
Source: Research on Aging - June 2, 2009 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Moorman, S. M., Hauser, R. M., Carr, D. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Organizational Religious Behavior Among Older African Americans: Findings From the National Survey of American LifeEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The authors used data from the older African American subsample of the National Survey of American Life (n = 837) to examine the sociodemographic and denominational correlates of organizational religious involvement among older African Americans. Six measures of organizational religious participation were used, including two measures of time allocation for organized religious pursuits. Significant gender, regional, marital status, and denominational differences in organizational religiosity were found. Of particular note, although older Black women generally displayed higher levels of religious participation, older Black m...
Source: Research on Aging - June 2, 2009 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Taylor, R. J., Chatters, L. M., McKeever Bullard, K., Wallace, J. M., Jackson, J. S. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Old-Age Wealth in Mexico: The Role of Reproductive, Human Capital, and Employment DecisionsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The authors examined relationships between the wealth of older adults and their early-life decisions regarding investment in human capital, family formation, and work activities in Mexico, using the 2001 Mexican Health and Aging Study. The authors examined correlates of accumulated financial wealth by gender and across three age cohorts: 50 to 59, 60 to 69, and 70 years or older. The authors outline the changing context these cohorts experienced during their lifetimes; describe patterns of net financial worth by main covariates across groups defined by age, sex, and marital status; and present the results of multivariate m...
Source: Research on Aging - June 2, 2009 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Wong, R., DeGraff, D. S. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

The Lifelong Mortality Risks of World War II ExperiencesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In conclusion, a gradient was observed such that active duty on the home front, followed by overseas duty, service in the Pacific, and combat exposure, markedly increased the risk for relatively early mortality. Potential linking mechanisms include heavy drinking. (Source: Research on Aging)
Source: Research on Aging - June 2, 2009 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Elder, G. H., Clipp, E. C., Brown, J. S., Martin, L. R., Friedman, H. S. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Gender Differences in Functional Health and Mortality Among the Chinese Elderly: Testing an Exposure Versus Vulnerability HypothesisEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In this study, the authors focused on older adults in Beijing with three objectives: to examine gender differences in functional health and mortality at the end of a five-year study period, controlling for initial functional health; to determine the extent to which these differences were a function of exposure versus vulnerability to risk factors; and to analyze the relative importance of social, economic, and psychological risk factors in explaining gender differences. The results show that women were more likely to survive and to be functionally dependent at follow-up compared with men among those functionally independen...
Source: Research on Aging - March 24, 2009 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Kaneda, T., Zimmer, Z., Xianghua Fang, , Zhe Tang, Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Differential Impact of Involuntary Job Loss on Physical Disability Among Older Workers: Does Predisposition Matter?Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In this study, the authors applied the multifactorial model of geriatric health to investigate whether late-career involuntary job loss was associated with subsequent physical disability and whether the effect of involuntary job loss on physical disability varied by predisposition. Using data from the first four waves (1992 to 1998) of the Health and Retirement Survey, the authors measured predisposition with individual risk factors for functional disability and indices of aggregate risk. The results of gender-specific models fit with generalized estimating equations revealed that unmarried women and those with low predisp...
Source: Research on Aging - March 24, 2009 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Gallo, W. T., Brand, J. E., Teng, H.-M., Leo-Summers, L., Byers, A. L. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Gender and Friendship Norms Among Older AdultsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The authors examined same- and cross-gender friendship norms in a sample of 135 adults (average age 73 years). Participants evaluated a friend's behavior, quantitatively and qualitatively, in vignettes in which the friend's gender was experimentally manipulated. Gender often significantly, though modestly, influenced normative evaluations. Women frequently had higher expectations of friends than men and placed a greater emphasis on intimacy. Women were more disapproving of violations of friendship rules, such as betraying a confidence, paying a surprise visit, and failing to stand up for a friend in public. However, both m...
Source: Research on Aging - March 24, 2009 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Felmlee, D., Muraco, A. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Preretirement Planning and Well-Being in Later Life: A Prospective StudyEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Cross-sectional and retrospective research has identified a reliable relationship between preretirement planning and later-life well-being. Although it seems intuitive that retirement planning leads to more positive retirement outcomes, limited longitudinal analysis has confirmed the directionality of this relationship or clarified its complexities. The Health and Retirement Study, a prospective survey of American workers and retirees from 1992 to the present, can help illuminate this relationship. Data signifying the preretirement activities of employed individuals from the 1992 wave were compared with their postretiremen...
Source: Research on Aging - March 24, 2009 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Noone, J. H., Stephens, C., Alpass, F. M. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

How Changes in Social Security Affect Recent Retirement TrendsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Descriptive data from the Current Population Survey (CPS) suggest that men aged 65 to 69 years were about 6 percentage points less likely to be retired in 2004 than in 1992, and data from the CPS and the Health and Retirement Study suggest a corresponding difference of 3 percentage points between 1998 and 2004. Changes in Social Security rules that were phased in between 1992 and 2004 increase full-time work by those aged 65 to 67 by a bit less than 2 percentage points, raising full-time work by those aged 65 to 67 by about 9%. Altogether, the changes in Social Security benefits increase labor force participation by those ...
Source: Research on Aging - February 3, 2009 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Gustman, A. L., Steinmeier, T. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Revisiting the 1983 Social Security Reforms, 25 Years LaterEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The authors examined changes in the ages at which people claim Social Security retirement benefits in response to the 1983 Social Security reforms, which gradually increase the full retirement age (FRA). Data came from the 1% sample of Social Security administrative data that contains longitudinal earnings and benefit claim information. The results show that the response to the gradual increase in the FRA has occurred not only among those who are close to the FRA but also among those who are close to the early retirement age. An increase in the full retirement age of 12 months is estimated to decrease the probability of cl...
Source: Research on Aging - February 3, 2009 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Song, J., Manchester, J. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Taxes, Wages, and the Labor Supply of Older AmericansEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Given the aging of the U.S. population and the greater contributions of older workers to the labor force, understanding how policy levers can affect elderly labor supply has become increasingly important. The authors use data from the Health and Retirement Study linked to state identifiers to estimate the responsiveness of the labor supply of older workers to the wage and features of the tax code, both on the probability of participating in the labor market and on hours of work for those who choose to work. The authors find that a 10% increase in the wage is associated with a 5% increase in participation, and they estimate...
Source: Research on Aging - February 3, 2009 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Schmidt, L., Sevak, P. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Work, Health, and Family at Older Ages in JapanEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The authors investigated ways in which the relationship between health and labor force exit at older ages is moderated by family characteristics. Using two waves of data from a national sample of older Japanese men collected in 1999 and 2002, the authors estimated logistic regression models for labor force exit beyond age 63 as a function of health change, family characteristics, and their interactions. Poor health was strongly associated with labor force exit and evidence showed that moderating influences of family context depend on the level of health. However, the results were only partially consistent with hypotheses t...
Source: Research on Aging - February 3, 2009 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Raymo, J. M., Liang, J., Kobayashi, E., Sugihara, Y., Fukaya, T. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Expectations and Realization of Joint Retirement Among Dual-Worker CouplesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Using data from the first seven waves of the Health and Retirement Study (1992 to 2004), the authors examined the extent to which joint retirement expectations were realized, the role of couple-level agreement in facilitating joint retirement, whether husbands' or wives' expectations were more likely to be realized in cases of disagreement, and factors associated with the realization of expectations. The results indicate that couples expecting joint retirement were over three times more likely to retire jointly than couples in which neither spouse expected to do so. However, the probability of joint retirement did not diff...
Source: Research on Aging - February 3, 2009 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Ho, J.-H., Raymo, J. M. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Family, Public Policy, and Retirement Decisions: Introduction to the Special IssueEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
(Source: Research on Aging)
Source: Research on Aging - February 3, 2009 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Johnson, R. W. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Gradual Retirement, Sense of Control, and Retirees' HappinessEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The aim of this study was to explore the factors that affect an individual's happiness while transitioning into retirement. Recent studies have found that workers often view the idea of gradual retirement as a more attractive alternative than a "cold turkey" or abrupt retirement. However, there is very little evidence as to whether phasing or cold turkey makes for a happier retirement. Using longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study, the authors explored what shapes the change in happiness between the last wave of full employment and the first wave of full retirement. The results suggest that what matters is n...
Source: Research on Aging - December 3, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Calvo, E., Haverstick, K., Sass, S. A. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Labor-Force Dynamics at Older Ages: Movements Into Self-Employment for Workers and NonworkersEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Labor-market transitions toward the latter parts of workers' careers can be complex, with movement between jobs and classes of work and in and out of retirement. The authors analyzed factors associated with the labor-market transitions of older workers to self-employment from unemployment or disability, retirement, or wage and salary work using rich panel data from seven waves of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). They found evidence that (prior) job characteristics and liquidity constraints are important predictors of movements to self-employment for workers and nonworkers, while risk aversion is a significant predict...
Source: Research on Aging - December 3, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Zissimopoulos, J. M., Karoly, L. A. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Industry Hiring Patterns of Older WorkersEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The decision to remain in the workforce or fully retire is typically made between the ages of 55 and 64 and is predicated on many factors, including the availability of suitable jobs. The authors explored the extent to which members of this age group are being hired by different industries and developed a model isolating what types of factors best determine relative hiring rates: those specific to an industry, a labor market, the older worker age group, or some combination thereof. The authors estimate a low rate of new hiring for older workers aged 55 to 64 years, with low turnover and net outflows but substantial variabi...
Source: Research on Aging - December 3, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Adler, G., Hilber, D. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act and the Challenge of Population AgingEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The author reviews evidence on age discrimination in U.S. labor markets and on the effects of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) in combating this discrimination, focusing on the challenge of population aging facing the U.S. economy in coming decades. Combating age discrimination is likely to help in meeting this challenge by encouraging the employment of older individuals. But the author also explores how the rapid aging of the population protected by the ADEA might inhibit the ADEA's effectiveness and raises questions about possible changes in age discrimination policies and enforcement that could enhance th...
Source: Research on Aging - December 3, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Neumark, D. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Earnings Losses of Older Displaced Workers: A Detailed Analysis with Administrative DataEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This article provides detailed estimates of earnings losses of older workers (aged 40 years and older) who experience mass layoffs relative to a continuously employed comparison group. The analysis made use of information from the unemployment insurance system for the state of Connecticut. These administrative records contain payroll information for virtually all workers in the state and, relative to previous research on the basis of survey data, contain many more instances of workers displaced because of mass layoffs. These data provided the basis for detailed, disaggregated estimates by age, gender, and industry of emplo...
Source: Research on Aging - December 3, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Couch, K. A., Jolly, N. A., Placzek, D. W. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Employment Opportunities at Older Ages: Introduction to the Special IssueEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
(Source: Research on Aging)
Source: Research on Aging - December 3, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Johnson, R. W. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

AcknowledgementsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
(Source: Research on Aging)
Source: Research on Aging - October 7, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Tags: Article Source Type: journals

The Relationship Between Reported Problems Falling Asleep and Cognition Among African American ElderlyEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This study examined the relationship between elders' cognitive performance and self-reported trouble falling asleep. Analyses were conducted on 174 older independently living, community dwelling African Americans (M age = 72.74; range = 65 to 90). Cognitive performance was measured using the Mini-Mental State Examination, Forward Digit Span task, Backward Digit Span task, Alpha Span task, and California Verbal Learning Test. Results suggested that individuals who reported trouble falling asleep tended to perform significantly worse than individuals who did not report trouble falling asleep on measures tapping short-term me...
Source: Research on Aging - October 7, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Gamaldo, A. A., Allaire, J. C., Whitfield, K. E. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

The Long-Term Consequences of Childbearing: Physical and Psychological Well-Being of Mothers in Later LifeEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Growing evidence points to relationships between patterns of childbearing and health outcomes for mothers; yet a need remains to clarify these relationships over the long term and to understand the underlying mechanisms. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Mature Women (N = 1,608), the author found that the long-term consequences of childbearing vary by health outcome. Early childbearing is associated with higher risk of activities of daily living limitations at ages 65 to 83, though effects appear stronger among White than Black mothers until socioeconomic status (SES) is controlled. Early childbearing is ...
Source: Research on Aging - October 7, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Spence, N. J. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Effects of Layoffs and Plant Closings on Subsequent Depression Among Older WorkersEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Job displacement is widely considered a negative life event associated with subsequent economic decline and depression, as established by numerous prior studies. However, little is known about whether the form of job displacement (i.e., layoffs vs. plant closings) differentially affects depression. The authors assessed the effects of different ways in which workers are displaced on subsequent depression among U.S. men and women nearing retirement. They hypothesized that layoffs would be associated with larger effects on depression than plant closings, particularly among men. The findings generally support these hypotheses....
Source: Research on Aging - October 7, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Brand, J. E., Levy, B. R., Gallo, W. T. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Changes in Health Between Ages 54 and 65: The Role of Job Characteristics and Socioeconomic StatusEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The authors model the relationships between socioeconomic status (SES), working conditions, and changes between ages 54 and 65 in three very different health outcomes. To what extent is SES associated with changes in health net of the working conditions? At the same time, to what extent are working conditions associated with health net of SES? To address these questions the authors use unique data from a single cohort of women and men to model changes in health between ages 54 and 65. Although results vary across outcomes, there are some circumstances in which associations between SES and changes in health are attributable...
Source: Research on Aging - October 7, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Warren, J. R., Carayon, P., Hoonakker, P. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Dissecting the Influence of Race, Ethnicity, and Socioeconomic Status on Mental Health in Young AdulthoodEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Studies have provided contradictory findings about the influence of race and ethnicity on mental health. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (1979 to 1992), this study examines the extent to which multiple dimensions of past and present socioeconomic status explain the influence of race and ethnicity on depression in young adulthood. Results indicate that Blacks and Hispanics have significantly higher levels of depressive symptoms than Whites, which supports social stress theory. These racial and ethnic differences are partially explained by family background and wealth, and substantially explained by...
Source: Research on Aging - October 7, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Mossakowski, K. N. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Health, Disability, and Marital Quality: Is the Association Different for Younger Versus Older Cohorts?Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
An analysis of declines in health and the onset of disability and their links to marital quality using longitudinal data revealed that decreases in health were associated with declines in marital quality but that the onset of disability was linked to enhanced marital quality. Self-reports of declines in health had modest effects on marital quality, whereas reports that individuals' spouses experienced declines in health were related to more extensive damage to marital quality. This was especially true when wives were reporting health declines in their husbands. Husbands' reports of wives' disability were linked to increase...
Source: Research on Aging - October 7, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Yorgason, J. B., Booth, A., Johnson, D. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Effects of Neighborhood and Individual Change on the Personal Outcomes of Recent Movers to Low-Income Senior HousingEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The objective of this study was to determine the effects of neighborhood and individual change on the personal outcomes of recent movers to Canadian government-subsidized senior citizen apartment buildings (SCAs). The authors' sample included 137 recent movers to 25 SCA projects in Winnipeg, Manitoba, who participated in a longitudinal survey. The analysis involved testing four logistic and ordinary least squares regression models, with personal state outcomes of the moves (self-rated health, morale, depression, self-esteem) treated as dependent variables. Although the overall performance of the models was moderate, the en...
Source: Research on Aging - August 27, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Smith, G. C., Sylvestre, G. M. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Health Behaviors and Transitions of Physical Disability Among Community-Dwelling Older AdultsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This study examined the transitions of disability over 5 years among older adults and the influences of health behaviors on these transitions. Data was obtained from the community cohort of the National Long-Term Care Survey in 1994 (n = 5,089) and their follow-up data in 1999. Generalized logit regressions revealed that obesity increased the risk of disability. Light drinking decreased the risk of disability. Among disabled individuals, the risk of status decline was higher for those underweight or physically inactive, and those taking vitamin and/or mineral supplements regularly or working on a hobby were less likely to ...
Source: Research on Aging - August 27, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Ying Wu, , McCrone, S. H., Lai, H. J. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Placing Elderly Parents in Institutions in Urban China: A Reinterpretation of Filial PietyEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The authors examined changing attitudes about filial piety, or xiao, using data from intensive interviews with 20 elderly residents, 14 family members, and 9 staff members in Nanjing, China. The findings reveal that respondents interpreted the notion of xiao in terms of their own social worlds and on the basis of their own social locations and contexts. The increasing unavailability of adult children, various benefits of institutional care, and children's financial assistance for older parents are major explanations for xiao behaviors, even when elders are placed in institutions. The high cost of professional care in insti...
Source: Research on Aging - August 27, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Zhan, H. J., Xiaotian Feng, , Baozhen Luo, Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Shifts in Public-Private Provision of Retirement Income: A Four-Country ComparisonEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In the midst of governmental budget battles in the late 20th century, many countries' public pension programs faced challenges. In some countries, private provision grew in importance, but shifts from public to private retirement income did not automatically occur. The author examined retirement income programs in Belgium, Canada, Denmark, and New Zealand from 1980 to 1995 to evaluate the components of pension programs, both public and private, that were or were not protected from cutbacks. The author explores ways in which the public sector cooperates with the nonpublic sectors to form retirement income policy in these fo...
Source: Research on Aging - August 27, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Gran, B. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Depressive Symptoms in Four Racial and Ethnic Groups: The Survey of Older Floridians (SOF)Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Responding to the need for research on the mental health of minority elders, the present study explored determinants of depressive symptoms using a statewide sample of African Americans, Cubans, non-Cuban Hispanics, and Whites from the Survey of Older Floridians. The investigators focused on direct and interactive effects of demographic variables and stressful life conditions (chronic health conditions, functional disability, and negative life events) on depressive symptoms. A hierarchical regression model showed that lower income, more chronic health conditions, greater disability, and more life events were common risk fa...
Source: Research on Aging - June 5, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Yuri Jang, , Chiriboga, D. A., Kim, G., Phillips, K. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Using Union Status or Marital Status to Study the Living Arrangements of Elderly PeopleEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The authors reflect on the use of marital status to study the living arrangements of elderly people (aged 60 years and older) in a comparative perspective. Traditionally, relevant studies have differentiated by marital status and assumed that married people lived together and that unmarried people did not live with partners. However, marital status is a social construct, whereas union status is the residential one, and although marriage is universal, it is different in different places and at different times. Using fairly recent census data from nine countries around the world, the authors examined how well marital status ...
Source: Research on Aging - June 5, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Authors: De Vos, S., Schwartzman, L. F. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Assessing Experts' Views of the Future of Long-Term CareEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Consensus is growing that long-term care delivery, regulation, and financing are no longer viable, a concern that will grow more salient as the population ages. To better understand these prevailing challenges, the authors interviewed experts regarding the current state of long-term care in the United States, the attributes of an ideal long-term care system, and potential areas for reform. The findings highlight the problem of maintaining an adequate workforce despite changing demographics. They also identify commonly agreed upon attributes of an ideal system—person centered, professionally rewarding, integrated, aff...
Source: Research on Aging - June 5, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Miller, E. A., Booth, M., Mor, V. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Planning for End-of-Life Care: Black-White Differences in the Completion of Advance DirectivesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The authors examined Black-White differences in the likelihood of completing written advance directives for end-of-life health care and engaging in informal verbal communication about advanced wishes. Data from the 1998 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) were combined with data from the 2000 HRS exit interview to analyze Black and White participants' completion rates. Whites were more likely than Blacks to grant durable power of attorney for health care, to complete a written will, and to informally communicate their wishes; group differences remained after controlling for personal characteristics. Also, Blacks were less li...
Source: Research on Aging - June 5, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Gerst, K., Burr, J. A. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

The Social Foundation of Religious Meaning in LifeEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The purpose of this study was to see whether informal social support from fellow church members sustains an older person's sense of religious meaning in life over time. Two types of church-based social support were evaluated: spiritual support and emotional support. Data from a nationwide longitudinal survey of older adults suggested that both emotional and spiritual support tend to sustain a sense of religious meaning in life, but of the two, spiritual support appeared to exert the greatest effect. The findings further revealed that older African Americans are more likely than older European Americans to derive a sense of...
Source: Research on Aging - June 5, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Krause, N. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

ErratumEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
(Source: Research on Aging)
Source: Research on Aging - April 2, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Psychosocial Moderators of the Effects of Transitioning Into Filial Caregiving on Mental and Physical HealthEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
A life-course theoretical perspective guided this study to examine how effects on mental and physical health (depressive symptoms, hostility, global happiness, self-esteem, personal mastery, psychological wellness, self-rated physical health) of transitioning into filial caregiving for a sole surviving parent are moderated by prior relationship quality, filial obligation, race or ethnicity, education, income, employment status, marital status, and parental status. Results from models estimated using longitudinal data from 1,060 adults aged 25 to 65 years at baseline (National Survey of Families and Households, 1987 to 1994...
Source: Research on Aging - April 2, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Marks, N. F., Lambert, J. D., Jun, H., Jieun Song, Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Social Representations of Barriers to Care Early in the Careers of Caregivers of Persons With Alzheimer's DiseaseEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The first signs of cognitive impairment in the elderly generally elicit much concern among family members. Reactions run from denial to the active search for information. Some families manage to set up relatively well-organized networks of informal support to help both caregivers and elderly relatives. However, little is known about the processes underlying the different pathways that families follow at the onset of Alzheimer-type dementia in elderly relatives. To gain a better understanding of barriers to care early in the caregiving career, from the first signs of illness to diagnosis, the authors conducted interviews wi...
Source: Research on Aging - April 2, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carpentier, N., Ducharme, F., Kergoat, M.-J., Bergman, H. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Factors That Contribute to Levels of Independent Activity Functioning Among a Group of Navajo EldersEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The purpose of this study was to examine factors that contribute to levels of independent activity functioning among a group of elder Navajos. Data were collected from a sample of Navajo elders from Tuba City, Arizona, and a health assessment survey was administered. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the effects of social support and demographic factors on levels of independent activity functioning, such as bathing, toileting, dressing, eating, walking, and getting in and out of bed. The results indicated that assistive devices, marital status, the frequency of visits to Tuba City, and visits to the elders s...
Source: Research on Aging - April 2, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Fitzpatrick, T. R., Aleman, S., Van Tran, T. Tags: Article Source Type: journals

Dynamics of Frailty and ADL Dependence in a Five-Year Longitudinal Study of OctogenariansEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Using a sample of octogenarians from the Swiss Interdisciplinary Longitudinal Study on the Oldest Old, the authors investigated the predictive validity of an expanded working definition of frailty based on deficiencies in mobility, memory, energy, and physical or sensory capacities and analyzed the resulting health transitions. The five domains were considered as predictors of the onset of dependence in activities of daily living (ADLs) and death using logistic multilevel and Cox survival regression models. Health transitions were studied with Markov chains. Deficiencies in memory, energy, and sensory capacities contribute...
Source: Research on Aging - April 2, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Guilley, E., Ghisletta, P., Armi, F., Berchtold, A., d'Epinay, C. L., Michel, J.-P., de Ribaupierre, A. Tags: Article Source Type: journals