Abstract Objectives Little is known about how older adults experience their return home after wartime displacement, particularly when home and community are altered or remain insecure. This longitudinal qualitative study examined continuity and change across the displacement–return transition. Methods Twelve participants (aged 65–92), previously interviewed during displacement (T1), were re-interviewed after returning home (T2) using a qualitative descriptive approach with thematic analysis. Results Three themes emerged: (1) the unsettled return, involving altered security, unfamiliarity within the home, and disrupted community life; (2) continuity of social relationships and activities after return; and (3) shifts in life perspective and self-perception. These themes describe the shared dimensions of post-return experience, whereas the complementary diachronic analysis examined how these dimensions changed and combined across T1 and T2. A diachronic analysis identified four return trajectories: functioning but incomplete; ambivalent or gradual return requiring active reorganization; return supported by communal and social continuity and use of personal resources; and ongoing erosion and unresolved damage. Discussion These findings demonstrate that return is not restoration but a reconfiguration of person-environment fit, place identity, belonging, and security in later life. For older adults, this transition involved rebuilding environmental familiarity, security, belonging, and agency rather than simply resuming pre-displacement life. The study highlights social infrastructure as critical for post-return adaptation, underscoring the need for policies recognizing the return process as a significant transition requiring continued communal support.
Abstract Objectives The experience of grandparenthood holds the potential for novel and engaging social interactions and activities, which may protect against cognitive decline. The present study outlines how individuals believe grandparenthood has impacted their cognitive abilities in late life. Methods We asked 127 grandparents (87 grandmothers and 40 grandfathers) how they thought grandparenthood had impacted their mental ability (memory, concentration, and cognitive ability). An exploratory thematic analysis utilizing a codebook approach was conducted on the participant responses. Results Analysis revealed four major themes among the responses: “grandparenthood as a continuous experience that promotes healthy cognitive functioning”, “shifting perspectives”, “limited interaction”, and “the negative impacts of grandparenthood.” Discussion A majority of grandparents expressed the belief that interacting with their grandchildren is beneficial to their cognition. However, some participants qualified grandparenthood as a stressful experience that has negatively impacted their cognitive health. These findings support previous literature showing both cognitive benefits associated with grandparental caregiving and negative cognitive outcomes that may result from the stress of caregiving.
Abstract Objectives Older adults who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) may be at increased risk of elder abuse (EA) due to unique risk factors; however, research in healthcare settings has been limited by the lack of data on sexual orientation. Since 2022, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has collected self-reported sexual orientation for all patients. The objective of this chart review study was to use newly available electronic health record (EHR) data to explore the documented experiences of older LGB adults identified with EA concerns. Methods We randomly sampled 100 of 201 Veterans aged ≥60 years with an outpatient visit between 10/2022-9/2023 who identified as LGB and had a social work visit for possible abuse/neglect. We conducted protocolized chart reviews of clinical notes within ±180 days of the social work visit for 23 LGB patients, with EHR documentation confirming EA, to describe key characteristics and documented EA experiences. Results Among 23 EA cases in LGB Veterans, 8 (35%) had cognitive impairment, 8 (35%) reported a history of child maltreatment, and 7 (30%) reported military sexual trauma. Veterans’ sexual orientation was sometimes noted to contribute to past abuse experiences; however, the relationship between sexual orientation and EA or EA care processes was rarely documented by clinicians. Discussion Findings highlight important considerations for sexual orientation minority patients experiencing EA, including opportunities to examine both contributors to EA risk among older LGB patients and to address LGB-specific care needs for this population in future research.
OBJECTIVES:Awareness of age-related change (AARC) reflects how individuals perceive aging through daily gains and losses. Social interactions constitute a central context of everyday life in which such perceptions may be shaped, yet little is known about their short-term interplay in daily life. The present study examined same-day and next-day associations between AARC gains and losses and the perceived positivity and negativity of daily social interactions in middle-aged and older adults. METHODS:Using a 14-day daily diary design, we assessed 109 adults aged 50-85 years (M = 63.16, SD = 9.17), yielding 1,502 daily observations. Dynamic structural equation modeling was used to disentangle within-person dynamics from stable between-person differences. RESULTS:At the within-person level, days characterized by higher-than-usual AARC-gains were associated with more positive social interactions, whereas days marked by higher-than-usual AARC-losses were associated with less positive and more negative social interactions. Regarding temporal associations, higher-than-usual AARC-losses predicted increased negativity of social interactions on the following day, whereas daily social interaction valence did not predict next-day changes in AARC-gains or losses. DISCUSSION:Overall, the findings indicate that daily AARC is closely embedded in everyday social experience and highlight age-related losses as particularly consequential for the short-term perception of negative social interactions.
