Since its launch in 1989, the Journal of Aging & Social Policy has served as a major outlet for applied research on policies affecting older adults. Yet the thematic trajectory of its archive over nearly four decades has not been mapped systematically. We apply structural topic modeling to 1,023 research articles published from 1989 through October 2025 and assess changes in topic prevalence across five analytic periods. The 31-topic solution was grouped into seven meta-categories, and regression tests were used to evaluate period differences. Politics, Governance & Law declined by 11.9% points, while Social Determinants & Vulnerability increased by 6.5 points and Health & Healthcare Access/Outcomes increased by 6.0 points. LTSS Delivery & Quality was the most prevalent meta-category (23.5% overall) and was similar in the first and last periods (about 20% each), indicating sustained attention alongside a broad portfolio of other themes. At the topic level, loneliness, isolation, and infection risks surged (+10.61% points), particularly during COVID-19, becoming the most prevalent contemporary topic. Overall, the published record shifted away from formal political and legal debates and toward the social and health contexts in which aging policy is implemented, including community environments, social vulnerability, and access to care.
Technological advancements and demographic shifts are reshaping labor markets worldwide, raising questions about their combined effects on employment and wages. Using data from U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics, this study examines how automation exposure (proxied by the probability of computerization) and demographic aging impact employment and wage growth. Employing panel data analysis, the findings reveal that automation exposure and an aging workforce significantly reduce employment growth, while wage impacts vary over time. Age-related cognitive abilities, both improving and declining with age, play an important role in influencing employment and wages differently across periods. Interaction effects show that stronger cognitive skills can offset automation exposure's impacts, boosting wages. These findings highlight the need for detailed analyses of age-related abilities to understand technology and aging's effects on labor markets.
Formal long-term care (LTC) services remain underdeveloped in Indonesia despite population aging. In this study, we estimated LTC needs among older adults in Indonesia using multiple functional and cognitive assessment criteria. Data were drawn from the 2023 Indonesia Longitudinal Aging Survey. The analytic sample consisted of 1558 community-dwelling adults aged >= 60 years with complete data for activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental ADLs (IADLs), and cognitive function; proxy interviews were excluded. The percentage of people with defined LTC needs ranged from 1.9% based on the strictest definition of need (>= 2 ADL limitations and cognitive impairment) to 71.3% based on the broadest definition of need (>= 1 ADL limitation or >= 1 IADL limitation or cognitive impairment). Using the recommended criterion of >= 4 cumulative ADL/IADL limitations or cognitive impairment, 16.6% of older adults were classified as having LTC needs. LTC needs markedly increased with age, with the highest estimates observed among adults aged >= 75 years. These results reveal that the applied definition of need strongly shapes national estimates of LTC service needs. The findings support the use of a multidimensional but selective criterion for planning and targeting LTC resources in Indonesia.
The residential environment is a key determinant of well-being in later life, especially amid rapid urbanization and population aging in Korea. This study investigates the relationship between residential movement and successful aging among older adults in South Korea. Based on data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (2012-2022), an analysis was conducted on 5,307 individuals aged 51 to 101 years, examining residential changes across administrative divisions, urban-rural contexts, and housing types. Successful aging was defined through four dimensions: absence of major disease, no disability, high cognitive function, and social participation. Binary logistic regression revealed that individuals without residential movement had significantly higher odds of successful aging, particularly those who remained within the same administrative division (OR = 2.06) or housing type (OR = 1.59). These findings underscore the importance of residential stability in promoting health, autonomy, and social integration in later life. Policies that support aging in place, including community-based services and accessible housing, may enhance the quality of life and reduce inequalities among the aging population.
