Smartphone use among older adults has become increasingly important, shaping social inclusion and daily life. This study examined public discussions on X (formerly Twitter) regarding smartphone use in older adults, comparing Persian-speaking and English-language communities. Tweets in English and Persian were collected from June 1 to June 30, 2024, and analyzed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis approach. Six themes emerged in the English-language dataset, including digital exclusion, learning and adaptation, usability challenges, preference for simplicity, vulnerability to digital risks, and intergenerational support. Persian tweets revealed five main themes, overlapping with those identified in the English-language data, but highlighting stronger emotional and cultural dimensions, such as sentimental value in digital interactions. Overall, discussions reflected experiences ranging from empowerment to exclusion, underscoring the importance of inclusive technology design, culturally sensitive digital literacy programs, and policies addressing accessibility barriers for older users.

This study investigates physical activity within dyadic relationships as a predictor of cognitive function using data from the Survey of Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). A two-wave dyadic analysis was conducted for 33 opposite-sex couples (mean age 67.7 years). Physical activity was measured with a three-axial accelerometer, and cognitive function through verbal fluency at baseline and follow-up. Multilevel lagged dependent variable models were estimated using mixed effects in Stata Version 18/SE. Verbal fluency remained stable over time (β = .62, p < .001). Individuals' own physical activity (steps) predicted better cognitive function at follow-up (β = .30, p < .001). Spouses' physical activity also showed a positive association, though weaker (β = .25, p < .01). Individual activity was more strongly associated with cognitive outcomes than partner activity. However, partner effects remained significant after accounting for individuals' own activity, indicating that dyadic influences contribute uniquely beyond personal behavior. These findings underscore the relevance of dyadic processes for cognitive health in later life. Future research should examine underlying mechanisms and evaluate couple-based interventions.

Abstract Background and Objectives There is a thorough literature on the mental health consequences of discrimination exposure in adulthood, yet little work to date has situated such experiences within a relational, dyadic context. The present brief report analyzes two-wave longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS; 2018-2022) to determine whether individuals’ own or their intimate partner’s experiences of discrimination were associated with changes to anxiety symptoms, perceived stress, and/or self-esteem over a four-year period. Research Methods and Design Dyadic lagged dependent variable (LDV) models were estimated using a structural equation modeling (SEM) framework with full information maximum likelihood (FIML) methods to address missing data. A total of 1,484 individuals from 742 opposite-gender couples participated at both the 2018 and 2022 waves of data collection and comprised the analytic sample for this study. Results Individuals’ own exposure to everyday discrimination was associated with increased symptoms of anxiety and perceived stress, as well as with reduced self-esteem, over the four-year period. A dyadic partner’s exposure to everyday discrimination was associated with increased anxiety symptoms for men only, though post-hoc Wald tests failed to find a significant gender difference in effects. Discussion and Implications Discrimination is a chronic psychosocial stressor with harmful consequences for mental health of affected individuals even in mid and later life. Moreover, limited evidence suggests that discrimination may have dyadic consequences as well, though these patterns are mixed. Future research is needed to determine interpersonal mechanisms for the findings of interest.

OBJECTIVES:Racial/ethnic disparities in cognition and dementia are well established. Social determinants of health researchers have identified neighborhood context as one potential contributor to these disparities, including neighborhood social context. Neighborhood social cohesion, in particular, may help to reduce loneliness and thereby improve cognitive aging among midlife and older adults. However, access to high-quality and cohesive neighborhood settings varies by race/ethnicity in the United States, as too may the association of neighborhood social cohesion with well-being outcomes such as loneliness. This study has 3 primary aims: (a) to determine whether neighborhood social cohesion protects against loneliness differently across racial/ethnic groups; (b) to determine whether loneliness is associated with accelerated cognitive decline; and (c) whether the combination of (a) and (b) means that neighborhood social cohesion protects against cognitive decline differently across racial/ethnic groups. METHODS:This study uses 3-wave longitudinal data from the 2010 to 2020 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (N = 7,879). Structural equation modeling using full information maximum likelihood methods to address missing data was used to simultaneously address our research questions. RESULTS:Neighborhood social cohesion was associated with reduced loneliness only among non-Hispanic White participants. Loneliness was associated with cognitive decline among all racial/ethnic groups. As a result, loneliness mediated a significant indirect effect of neighborhood social cohesion on cognitive functioning among non-Hispanic White participants only. DISCUSSION:Although loneliness was associated with greater declines in cognition over time across all racial/ethnic groups, only non-Hispanic White participants' cognitive trajectories benefited from living in socially cohesive neighborhoods, via reduced loneliness.

This study examines the association between self-rated health (SRH) and chronic diseases on planned retirement age, and whether these relationships differ by race and ethnicity among adults 50 years and older in the US. Using the 2018 Health and Retirement Study (N = 3,161), linear regression models assessed associations and tested race as a moderator. The results showed that respondents with poorer SRH reported an earlier planned retirement age. Overall, chronic disease was not associated with planned retirement age for the sample. Rather, a higher number of chronic diseases was significantly associated with earlier planned retirement among Hispanic respondents and marginally associated among non-Hispanic Black respondents when compared to White respondents. Older adults who report being healthier plan to work longer than those reporting worse health. To support the aging workforce, chronic disease prevention efforts for Hispanic adults are crucial. Future research should examine how health impacts different industries' workforce.

Background Early life adversities can have lifelong consequences for health, including for cognitive functioning and Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Moreover, early-life disadvantages stemming from parental death and divorce have been linked with later life social, mental, and physical well-being outcomes, including social isolation. Therefore, loneliness stands out as an intervenable aspect of well-being that may mediate long-term consequences of early life exposure to parental death and divorce for midlife and older adults' cognitive decline. Objective The present study aims to determine whether early life exposures to parental death and/or divorce are associated with cognitive functioning in later life, and whether loneliness in midlife mediates such effects. Methods We used the 2014-2020 Health and Retirement Study (HRS), 2015 HRS Life History data and longitudinal structural equation modeling to address our research questions. Results Early-life exposure to parental divorce, but not death, was associated with greater loneliness in late midlife and older age, and loneliness predicted more rapid declines to cognitive functioning over time. Mediation was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Conclusions Although racial/ethnic minorities had higher exposure to both parental death and divorce, the effects of parental death and divorce were similar across race/ethnicity. Our results underscore the long-term impacts of parental divorce on well-being and health in adulthood and highlight loneliness as a critical determinant of cognitive declines and disparities in later life.

Patient–caregiver (i.e. dyadic) partnerships are essential in the management of multiple chronic conditions, as they can significantly influence emotional adjustment and the overall dynamics of the relationship. This study aims to examine how congruence—defined as patients and caregivers reporting the same dyadic care type (patient-oriented, caregiver-oriented, or collaborative)—predicts mental health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and how specific congruent management approaches contribute to HRQoL in patient-caregiver dyads over 12 months. Multicenter, observational, longitudinal study. 871 Italian patient–caregiver dyads were recruited. Each dyad comprised a patient aged 65 years or older living with multiple chronic conditions and their family caregiver. Data were collected at baseline (time 0), 6 (time 1), and 12 months (time 2). Mental HRQoL was assessed with the Short Form-12 Mental Component Summary (MCS; scores range 0–100, with higher scores indicating better outcomes). Descriptive statistics and longitudinal mixed effects models with autoregressive errors were used for data analysis. Patient-oriented congruency was associated with better patient mental HRQoL - (B = 3.17) while caregiver-oriented congruency was associated with worse patient mental HRQoL (B = − 4.36). Becoming a collaborative-congruent dyad was associated with improved mental HRQoL (B = 1.60). There were no significant associations with caregiver mental HRQoL. The improvement in patient mental HRQoL as a result of becoming a collaborative congruent dyad supports the importance of collaborative management approaches. Nurses can guide dyad members to reflect on their respective roles in managing multiple chronic conditions to enhance their teamwork skills for collaborative approaches.

Loneliness is a serious public health issue among the aging population, yet it is not merely an individual but also a relational experience. Indeed, research has shown that having a lonely partner is a "stress generator" with implications for individuals' own biopsychosocial health. Further, widowhood is a stressful and harmful experience in mid and later life, yet no research to date has examined whether the removal of chronic stress posed by a lonely partner via widowhood may be associated with improved biological health following loss. Using blood-based biomarker data from 13,205 continuously partnered and 343 recently widowed adults across two waves of data from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE; 2013-2015), we examine whether a dyadic partner's loneliness pre-loss is associated with three biological markers of health as well as self-rated health among recent widow(er)s post-loss; whether this differs in comparison with continuously partnered persons over the same timeframe; and whether associations varied by age. Results indicated that (a) deceased dyadic partner's pre-loss loneliness was associated with lower (i.e., healthier) post-loss levels of Cystatin C, a marker of kidney function, among the recently widowed; (b) deceased dyadic partner's pre-loss loneliness was associated with lower (i.e., healthier) post-loss triglyceride levels, a marker of cardiovascular health, but with poorer self-rated health among recent widow(er)s in midlife, yet these effects were attenuated with age; and (c) deceased dyadic partner's pre-loss loneliness was not associated with post-loss levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation. Interaction terms indicated that these effects were unique to the recently widowed, and did not apply to the continuously partnered. Overall, findings cohere with dyadic biopsychosocial approaches to health, as well as with a role histories approach to studying life transitions. We discuss implications for theory and future research.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:This study examined whether transitions in living arrangements, that is, changes in cohabitation status or household composition are associated with life satisfaction in later life and whether these relationships differ by race/ethnicity. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS:Data from the 2014 to 2020 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS; N = 8,389) were analyzed. The 2014 baseline was chosen to ensure harmonization of the study variables across waves, specifically accounting for changes in psychosocial indicators. Linear regression models assessed associations between living arrangement types, living arrangement transitions and changes in life satisfaction, using a two-wave before/after design. RESULTS:Older adults who lived alone at baseline experienced lower life satisfaction during the observation period. Additionally, older adults who lived alone at both time points, transitioned to living alone, or transitioned to living with others, experienced declines in life satisfaction. Non-Hispanic Black older adults experienced greater declines to life satisfaction than non-Hispanic White older adults experiencing the same transitions, including living with others at both time points, transitioning to living with others, or transitioning to living alone. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS:Findings from this study demonstrated a negative association between living alone and life satisfaction, irrespective of whether we focused on baseline living arrangement status or transition to living alone. The moderating role of race/ethnicity reflects both cultural norms, such as stronger family support among non-Hispanic Black older adults, and structural inequalities affecting living arrangement choices. These findings underscore the importance of generating policies and programs that promote social connection, financial stability, and culturally responsive support for older adults living alone.

OBJECTIVE:This article assesses the intersections among race/ethnicity and sexuality on C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in a national sample of midlife adults. It also explores how race/ethnicity and educational attainment may differentially influence CRP among sexually diverse adults. METHOD:This study uses data from 1,401 adults who participated in the 2016 biomarker module of the Health and Retirement Study. Individuals identifying as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (sexually diverse) were compared to those who identified as heterosexual. The associations between race/ethnicity and sexuality on CRP levels were assessed using ordinary least squares regression, with interactions examined between sexuality and race/ethnicity and between sexuality and educational attainment, adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and depressive symptoms. RESULTS:We found that higher educational attainment had greater protective effects for sexually diverse respondents' CRP levels compared to heterosexual respondents. Additionally, sexuality was marginally significant and differentially protective for non-Hispanic Black respondents, suggesting that sexually diverse Black adults experienced lower risk for elevated CRP relative to their peers. CONCLUSION:Educational attainment may be a particularly important protective factor against elevated CRP levels for sexually diverse adults. However, differences in CRP among racially/ethnically diverse older adults did not vary by educational attainment. It is possible that greater selectivity in resiliency factors and affirming relationships differentially protect lesbian, gay, or bisexual and non-Hispanic Black adults. Additional research is necessary to investigate these proposed pathways. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

Over two-thirds of older adults have two or more chronic conditions. Chronic multimorbidity, widowhood, and divorce/separation are common in late adulthood, but may have different impacts for racially/ethnically diverse populations along with cumulatively disadvantaged social and living conditions over time. We examined the associations between divorce/separation and widowhood, race/ethnicity, and multimorbidity among 8625 Americans aged 50 and above. Leveraging 2018 Health and Retirement Study data, we employed binomial logistic regression (using the logistic command in Stata) to analyze whether married/partnered adults in 2010 experienced marital loss and developed multimorbidity by 2018. Widowhood was not associated with chronic illness or multimorbidity among any racial/ethnic groups, whereas divorce/separation was associated with elevated odds of chronic condition(s) only for non-Hispanic Black older adults. Findings suggest that among racially/ethnically minoritized older adults, divorce/separation could cause worse late-life chronic health condition(s) than widowhood. Marital and racial-ethnic trajectories of multimorbidity need to be further examined.

Insomnia symptoms arising from stress present significant health risks for older adults, yet few studies have examined (1) the association between family health-related stress and insomnia or (2) the moderating role of activity engagement. This study used data from the 2016 and 2018 Health and Retirement Study (N = 5565) to assess these relationships using linear regression models. The study focused on 4 insomnia symptoms and 15 activity items, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and health factors. Higher levels of family health stress were significantly associated with higher numbers of insomnia symptoms. The moderation analysis showed that engagement in social and hobby activities weakened this association, suggesting that certain activities serve a buffering role in reducing family health stress-related insomnia symptoms.

Abstract We review the scope, content, and focus of the peer-reviewed journal, Research on Aging (SAGE), publishing its 422nd volume this year. We will discuss how scholarship produced from researchers around the globe has changed over the years. Data on submissions, acceptance rates, and the important role of an international editorial board will be presented. The review process will be described, along with suggestions on how to increase chances of success when submitting original research. Although Research on Aging is sometimes considered to focus primarily on social gerontology, the scope in recent years has widened considerably, with manuscripts in aging studies published from such fields as economics, psychology, demography, public health, and public policy, as well as from sociology, and social work, among others. One of several special issues forthcoming in the journal will be described to demonstrate the possibilities for international impact.

Background and Objectives This study investigated whether perceived neighborhood social cohesion and physical disorder are associated with activity engagement among older adults, with a focus on racial and ethnic differences. Research Design and Methods We employed data from the 2018 and 2020 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (N = 8,036 adults aged 50 and above). Activity engagement was measured as the total number of activities in which older adults participated on a monthly basis. The independent variables were perceived neighborhood social cohesion and physical disorder. We used Poisson regression to examine the associations between neighborhood characteristics and activity engagement, including the interaction between these characteristics and race/ethnicity. Results Both neighborhood social cohesion and physical disorder were positively associated with overall activity engagement. The effect of social cohesion on overall activity engagement was weaker among Hispanic older adults compared to older non-Hispanic White older adults, but the effect of physical disorder on activity engagement was stronger among Hispanic older adults compared to older non-Hispanic White adults. No significant interaction results were found for non-Hispanic Black older adults. Discussion and Implications Older adults in neighborhoods with high physical disorder were more likely to engage in activities than those living in neighborhoods with less physical disorder. These older adults may belong to tight-knit social networks with strong bonds, working together to reduce the negative impact of physical disorder. The benefits of social cohesion were less pronounced for Hispanic older adults, who may prioritize individual or family activities over neighborhood activities.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:While loneliness is a common experience among midlife and older adults, those without children may be more vulnerable. Childless adults may place more emphasis on friendships to alleviate feelings of loneliness compared to parents. This study explored the association between parental status and loneliness among adults aged 50+ years and whether this association was moderated by perceived friendship quality. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS:Using combined data from the 2016 and 2018 waves of the Health and Retirement Study, the sample included 11,670 adults aged 50 years and older. Loneliness was measured using the 11-item UCLA Loneliness Scale. Parental status was operationalized as having any living children. Friend support (3-item scale) and friend strain (4-item scale) were included as moderating variables. Multiple imputation was used to address missingness and ordinary least squares regression was conducted. RESULTS:Bivariate and multivariate regression analysis indicated that childless adults were lonelier than adults with one or more living children. Findings indicated that friendships characterized by support were associated with lower loneliness, and friend support was more strongly linked with reduced loneliness among adults without any children. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS:Adults aged 50+ years without children may not reap the positive social benefits of having children, including the provision of emotional companionship, leading to increased loneliness. However, having friendships characterized by higher levels of support and lower levels of strain are best for reducing loneliness among adults aged 50+ years without children. Future research should further explore whether friendships reduce loneliness among childless older adults.

Objective Drawing on the stress generation model, emotional contagion theory, and gender-as-relational approach, this study adopts a dyadic approach to mental health following later-life separation, or "silver splits" (i.e., partnership dissolution at or after age 50), and examines whether depressive symptoms in a partner before separation can be a stress factor, potentially leading to reduced depressive symptoms afterward, with a focus on gender differences therein.Background Later-life separation has been associated with loneliness and psychological distress among older adults, but recent evidence suggests it can also result in positive mental health outcomes for some individuals, depending on the relationship dynamics prior to the dissolution.Method We applied multilevel dyadic lagged dependent variable models on longitudinal data from the 2002 to 2020 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (www.hrs.isr.umich.edu), focusing on 942 later life separation experiences during the observation period. Importantly, we only included cases where the individual had a cohabiting partner prior to separation and where the partner independently reported their own depressive symptoms before the separation occurred.Results Results show that partners' higher depressive symptoms before separation were significantly associated with reductions in individuals' own depressive symptoms following separation; however, this effect was only observed among men.Conclusions Our findings underscore the importance of moving beyond average effects when studying later-life separation and highlight the need to account for partnership dynamics prior to separation.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:Loneliness is a serious public health concern among the aging population. Not only is loneliness an unpleasant emotional experience but it is also associated with worse health, well-being, and even mortality. This is a particularly important issue among the population aging with intellectual and developmental disabilities, who are more likely to experience loneliness across the life course, and who-particularly if living in an intermediate care facility (ICF) or nursing facility-may lack social connections. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS:We analyzed data from the 2012-2013 to 2021-2022 waves of the National Core Indicators-Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities In-Person Survey (NCI-IPS; 8 waves total), a national survey of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities receiving state services (N = 101,374 observations drawn from 49 states). Multilevel logistic regression models examined whether loneliness varied according to living situation. RESULTS:Indicated that (a) adults aging with intellectual and developmental disabilities in ICF and nursing facilities reported significantly greater loneliness than those living in the community, (b) having friends was associated with reduced loneliness overall, yet (c) having friends was associated with reduced loneliness among those living in the community, but not for those living in ICF or nursing facilities. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS:These results indicate not only that adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities living in institutionalized settings are at higher risk of experiencing loneliness and its detrimental effects but also that specialized interventions are required to meet their unique needs and reduce their loneliness in mid and later life.

This study examines whether caregiving presents an equal risk for diabetes among gender. This study uses data from the second wave of the Midlife in the United States Survey, which included biological markers. We tested the relationship between caregiving and risk of diabetes across various models, controlling for demographics, confounders, and mechanisms that can explain the relationship. Cross-sectional analysis of the Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMO-IR) determined that (1)men had a higher risk of diabetes than women overall; (2)male caregivers demonstrated a lower risk of diabetes compared to non-caregiving men; (3)female caregivers exhibited a non-significant elevation in diabetes risk compared with non-caregiving females. Findings establish the basis for future studies which identify cardiometabolic disease risks between genders. Our study also provides foundation for future studies to expand and identify differences in psychosocial resources among male and female caregivers which may mitigate cardiometabolic disease risk.