Abstract Introduction The oral cavity is a critical barrier site that is continuously exposed to a variety of stimuli, including dietary components, the microbiome, environmental antigens, and mechanical stress and damage. Dysbiosis in this environment can lead to mucosal inflammation and subsequent alveolar bone destruction and tooth loss, a condition known as periodontitis. Our lab has previously highlighted the contribution of hematopoietic cells, especially Th17 cells and neutrophils, to the pathogenesis of periodontitis. However, insights from a human oral mucosal scRNA-seq atlas suggested that mesenchymal cells, including fibroblasts, may actively play a role during inflammation in the oral cavity.Based on this observation, we hypothesized that mesenchymal cells, particularly fibroblasts, contribute to oral mucosal pathogenesis. Methods Utilizing a mouse ligature-induced periodontitis (LIP) model which recaptures key features of human periodontitis, including dysbiosis, bone destruction, and immune cell infiltration, we performed time-course scRNA-seq to examine the transcriptome profile across different cell types in the oral mucosa during periodontitis development. Results Our analysis identified a subset of fibroblasts that became rapidly activated within 12 hours after ligature placement, exhibiting gene expression signatures associated with tissue inflammation and damage-related response, implicating the IL-33—ST2 signaling axis. The activated fibroblasts produced soluble ST2 (sST2), a decoy receptor for IL-33, early after the ligature placement. Functional studies in vivo using sST2 KO mice demonstrated sST2 KO mice significantly increased alveolar bone destruction compared to WT controls in the LIP model, indicating a protective role for sST2 in oral mucosal inflammation. Conclusion Overall, our work highlights the critical function of fibroblasts as immune-modulatory stromal cells that sense tissue stress and orchestrate inflammatory responses in the oral mucosa. Funding Source This project is funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research intramural program. Topic Categories Mucosal and Regional Immunology (MUC)

BACKGROUND:It is predicted that the number of older persons with dementia (PwD) living alone in Japan will increase in the future. Consequently, it is also expected that the number of missing older PwD living alone will rise. However, there is little research on missing PwD who live alone. The aim of this study was to clarify the framework of measures that are deemed necessary by municipalities when older PwD who are living alone go missing. METHODS:A mail survey was conducted among 1741 municipalities, and we asked about the necessity of 22 measures to address the issue of missing PwD who are living alone. A total of 478 municipalities with no missing values in the analyzed variables were included in the analysis, and factor analysis was conducted. RESULTS:The following five factors were extracted: collaboration (Factor 1), prior agreement (Factor 2), the SOS network (Factor 3), information and communication technology-based solutions (Factor 4), and policy guidelines or protocol frameworks (Factor 5). CONCLUSION:Each of the five factors was unique. The strategies for dealing with missing persons include both relatively easy and challenging measures. Municipalities that have not yet made significant progress should begin with the easier measures and gradually implement the more challenging measures.

This study used the nationally representative prospective study of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey cohort to examine the association of pet ownership (dog, cat, bird, fish, and others) with the risk of all-cause mortality using propensity score matching based on a wide range of factors. The study sample included 15,735 participants who completed the questionnaire on pet ownership in 2018. The HILDA survey sample was matched to the National Death Index through 2022 to assess death during the follow-up period. Statistical analysis was weighted by the inverse of the propensity score in the generalized estimating equation. During the 4-year follow-up period, 377 of 15,735 (2.4%) participants died. The odds ratios (ORs) for all-cause mortality were 0.77 (95%CI: 0.59-0.99) for dog owners compared to non-pet owners after controlling for related socio-demographic, physical, psychological, and social factors. The Sobel test showed a partial mediating effect of physical activity level on the relationship between dog ownership and all-cause mortality. Ownership of cats, birds, fish, and others showed no clear association with mortality, despite owners having similar socio-demographics characteristics to dog owners. Companionship and exercise of a pet dog may be recommended as a component of health promotion policy, and may have an important role to play in promoting health aging.

Abstract An increasing number of older adults in Japan are refusing social support even when offered. This lack of support elevates their risk of health deterioration, delays evacuation in disaster scenarios, and increases the likelihood of premature and lonely deaths with inadequate closures. This study examines the psychological factors contributing to the lack of motivation among socially isolated older adults in Japan to seek help. We conducted semi-structured one-on-one interviews with nine individuals aged 60 years or older who reside in the community identified as socially isolated by community-based healthcare personnel. Using a narrative case study approach, the study revealed a prevalent concern among these socially isolated individuals about causing inconvenience to others by seeking help. The findings suggest that their reluctance to ask for help may be driven not by a desire to maintain independence but rather by a concern about inconveniencing others. In the context of Japanese culture, maintaining harmony with others is considered important. Asking for help might inconvenience others and potentially disrupt this harmony. To effectively assist those who refuse necessary support, social and community health workers should develop ways of minimizing the perceived burden of the recipients. However, further research is necessary to establish whether these findings are unique to the Japanese cultural context. Examples of innovative strategies to address this challenge will be discussed.

This cross-sectional study examined the association of attachment with the frequency of dog walking and physical activity level among dog owners. We analyzed data collected in an internet survey conducted by the Japan Pet Food Association in 2023. Valid data were obtained from 1041 dog owners. The mean (SD) age of participants was 52.5 (14.9) years, with 57.5% being women. Ordinal logistic regression models showed that a higher attachment score was associated with a higher frequency of dog walking after controlling for important confounders (B = 0.04, SE = 0.02, p<0.01, Adjusted R2 = 0.03). Linear regression models showed that a higher attachment score was associated with a higher moderate-vigorous physical activity level (B = 1.43, SE = 0.44, p<0.01, Adjusted R2 = 0.01). These results suggest that dog owners with strong attachment maintain physical activity levels through caring for their dogs. Higher levels of physical activity might have protective effects against adverse health outcomes.

This study examines the association between dog ownership over a period of 5 years (always, sometimes and no ownership) with physical activity on weekdays and weekends over a period of 6 years using the nationally representative German Socio-Economic Panel. Participants were asked if they had any pets and how many hours they spend on sports, fitness, and exercise. We hypothesized that the length of dog ownership may have different effects on the physical activity of the owner. Overall, 15,240 participants completed the questionnaire on dog ownership in both 2011 and 2016, and reported their physical activity levels at least once between 2013 and 2018. Generalized estimating equation models showed that, compared to no ownership, always dog ownership was associated with higher physical activity on weekdays (Coefficient = 0.106, Standard Error: SE = 0.027, P < 0.001) and weekends (Coefficient = 0.121, SE = 0.033, P < 0.001) respectively, after controlling for related socio-demographic, physical, and psychological factors during the 6-year follow-up period. During the same follow-up period, sometimes dog ownership had no clear association with physical activity on both weekdays (Coefficient=-0.012, SE = 0.033, P = 0.706) and weekends (Coefficient = 0.049, SE = 0.039, P = 0.209) compared to no ownership. This study showed for the first time that longer dog ownership is associated with higher physical activity on both weekdays and weekends. Future research will be needed to investigate whether any causal relationships underlie the association.

At mucosal surfaces, epithelial cells provide a structural barrier and an immune defense system. However, dysregulated epithelial responses can contribute to disease states. Here, we demonstrated that epithelial cell-intrinsic production of interleukin-23 (IL-23) triggers an inflammatory loop in the prevalent oral disease periodontitis. Epithelial IL-23 expression localized to areas proximal to the disease-associated microbiome and was evident in experimental models and patients with common and genetic forms of disease. Mechanistically, flagellated microbial species of the periodontitis microbiome triggered epithelial IL-23 induction in a TLR5 receptor-dependent manner. Therefore, unlike other Th17-driven diseases, non-hematopoietic-cell-derived IL-23 served as an initiator of pathogenic inflammation in periodontitis. Beyond periodontitis, analysis of publicly available datasets revealed the expression of epithelial IL-23 in settings of infection, malignancy, and autoimmunity, suggesting a broader role for epithelial-intrinsic IL-23 in human disease. Collectively, this work highlights an important role for the barrier epithelium in the induction of IL-23-mediated inflammation.

Group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3) are the major subset of gut-resident ILC with essential roles in infections and tissue repair, but how they adapt to the gut environment to maintain tissue residency is unclear. We report that Tox2 is critical for gut ILC3 maintenance and function. Gut ILC3 highly expressed Tox2, and depletion of Tox2 markedly decreased ILC3 in gut but not at central sites, resulting in defective control of Citrobacter rodentium infection. Single-cell transcriptional profiling revealed decreased expression of Hexokinase-2 in Tox2-deficient gut ILC3. Consistent with the requirement for hexokinases in glycolysis, Tox2-/- ILC3 displayed decreased ability to utilize glycolysis for protein translation. Ectopic expression of Hexokinase-2 rescued Tox2-/- gut ILC3 defects. Hypoxia and interleukin (IL)-17A each induced Tox2 expression in ILC3, suggesting a mechanism by which ILC3 adjusts to fluctuating environments by programming glycolytic metabolism. Our results reveal the requirement for Tox2 to support the metabolic adaptation of ILC3 within the gastrointestinal tract.

The oral cavity is a unique stricture; it combines mucosal and bone tissue microenvironments with their respective immunological responses. In fact, oral mucosal inflammation leads to bone destruction in the prevalent human disease, periodontitis. In periodontitis, immune cells, in particular Th17 and neutrophil mediated responses have been linked to pathogenesis, however it is not yet understood how the stromal tissue microenvironment may participate in disease pathology. To date, studies in humans reveal inflammatory signatures in oral mucosal stromal cells of periodontitis, linked to neutrophil recruitment. To understand fibroblast responses and function in periodontitis, we performed scRNA-seq in mouse oral mucosa during a time course in the experimental periodontitis model. We characterize an early responding fibroblast subpopulation with a distinct inflammatory signature, characterized by induction of the IL33- ST2 cytokine axis. We confirm induction of soluble ST2 in oral mucosal fibroblasts during periodontitis and uncover an immune-regulatory role for ST2 within the oral microenvironment. Our work highlights the nature of oral mucosal immune-responsiveness and provides insights into a common human disease. Supported by NIH intramural funding

Neutrophil infiltration is a hallmark of periodontitis, a prevalent oral inflammatory condition in which Th17-driven mucosal inflammation leads to destruction of tooth-supporting bone. Herein, we document that neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are early triggers of pathogenic inflammation in periodontitis. In an established animal model, we demonstrate that neutrophils infiltrate the gingival oral mucosa at early time points after disease induction and expel NETs to trigger mucosal inflammation and bone destruction in vivo. Investigating mechanisms by which NETs drive inflammatory bone loss, we find that extracellular histones, a major component of NETs, trigger upregulation of IL-17/Th17 responses, and bone destruction. Importantly, human findings corroborate our experimental work. We document significantly increased levels of NET complexes and extracellular histones bearing classic NET-associated posttranslational modifications, in blood and local lesions of severe periodontitis patients, in the absence of confounding disease. Our findings suggest a feed-forward loop in which NETs trigger IL-17 immunity to promote immunopathology in a prevalent human inflammatory disease.

AIM:To clarify the factors related to the early detection of missing older persons with dementia (PwD) who lived alone in Japan. METHODS:We carried out a multiple regression analysis with data from 88 missing PwD. RESULTS:The location of the discovery was within the municipality where the missing PwD lived. Furthermore, the use of long-term care insurance services was significantly associated with early detection. CONCLUSION:Missing PwD were located within the municipality in which they lived, which meant that the individual was found before they went far. In addition, with the long-term care insurance services, professionals should regularly visit the home of PwD according to a care plan. Planned regular visits might trigger the early recognition of a missing person with dementia and enable early search activities. Therefore, use of long-term care insurance services might lead to the early detection of missing PwD living alone. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2023; 23: 362-365.

Geriatrics & Gerontology InternationalEarly View LETTER TO THE EDITOR: RESEARCH STUDIES Subjective age and mortality in community-living Japanese older adults Tomoko Ikeuchi, Corresponding Author Tomoko Ikeuchi [email protected] orcid.org/0000-0002-4603-8982 Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan Correspondence Tomoko Ikeuchi, PhD., Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, 35-2 Sakae-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, Japan. Email: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorTakumi Abe, Takumi Abe orcid.org/0000-0002-7925-3136 Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, JapanSearch for more papers by this authorYu Taniguchi, Yu Taniguchi orcid.org/0000-0002-2442-2406 National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, JapanSearch for more papers by this authorSatoshi Seino, Satoshi Seino Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, JapanSearch for more papers by this authorYuri Yokoyama, Yuri Yokoyama Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, JapanSearch for more papers by this authorYu Nofuji, Yu Nofuji Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, JapanSearch for more papers by this authorHidenori Amano, Hidenori Amano Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, JapanSearch for more papers by this authorAkihiko Kitamura, Akihiko Kitamura Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, JapanSearch for more papers by this authorShoji Shinkai, Shoji Shinkai Kagawa Nutrition University, Saitama, JapanSearch for more papers by this authorYoshinori Fujiwara, Yoshinori Fujiwara orcid.org/0000-0002-3384-1696 Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, JapanSearch for more papers by this author Tomoko Ikeuchi, Corresponding Author Tomoko Ikeuchi [email protected] orcid.org/0000-0002-4603-8982 Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan Correspondence Tomoko Ikeuchi, PhD., Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, 35-2 Sakae-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, Japan. Email: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorTakumi Abe, Takumi Abe orcid.org/0000-0002-7925-3136 Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, JapanSearch for more papers by this authorYu Taniguchi, Yu Taniguchi orcid.org/0000-0002-2442-2406 National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, JapanSearch for more papers by this authorSatoshi Seino, Satoshi Seino Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, JapanSearch for more papers by this authorYuri Yokoyama, Yuri Yokoyama Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, JapanSearch for more papers by this authorYu Nofuji, Yu Nofuji Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, JapanSearch for more papers by this authorHidenori Amano, Hidenori Amano Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, JapanSearch for more papers by this authorAkihiko Kitamura, Akihiko Kitamura Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, JapanSearch for more papers by this authorShoji Shinkai, Shoji Shinkai Kagawa Nutrition University, Saitama, JapanSearch for more papers by this authorYoshinori Fujiwara, Yoshinori Fujiwara orcid.org/0000-0002-3384-1696 Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, JapanSearch for more papers by this author First published: 15 November 2023 https://doi.org/10.1111/ggi.14735Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onEmailFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Open Research Data availability statement The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. The data are not publicly available due to privacy or ethical restrictions. References 1Ikeuchi T, Itoh S, Miwa H, Watanabe K, Wakui T. Does smartphone use make older adults feel younger? A cross-sectional online survey during the COVID-19 pandemic. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2023; 20: 1710. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20031710. 10.3390/ijerph20031710 PubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar 2Kotter-Grühn D, Kleinspehn-Ammerlahn A, Gerstorf D, Smith J. Self-perceptions of aging predict mortality and change with approaching death: 16-year longitudinal results from the Berlin aging study. Psychol Aging 2009; 24: 654–667. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0016510 PMID: 19739922. 10.1037/a0016510 PubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar 3Westerhof GJ, Miche M, Brothers AF et al. The influence of subjective aging on health and longevity: a meta-analysis of longitudinal data. Psychol Aging 2014; 29: 793–802. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0038016. 10.1037/a0038016 PubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar 4Rippon I, Steptoe A. Feeling old vs being old: associations between self-perceived age and mortality. JAMA Intern Med 2015; 175: 307–309. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.6580. 10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.6580 PubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar 5 Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology. Longitudinal study on frailty and its prevention strategy, [Cited May 2020]. Available from https://www.tmig.or.jp/eresearch/l02.html. Google Scholar 6Rubin DC, Berntsen D. People over forty feel 20% younger than their age: subjective age across the lifespan. Psychon Bull Rev 2006; 13: 776–780. https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03193996. 10.3758/BF03193996 PubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar 7Fried LP, Kronmal RA, Newman AB et al. Risk factors for 5-year mortality in older adults: the cardiovascular health study. JAMA 1998; 279: 585–592. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.279.8.585. 10.1001/jama.279.8.585 CASPubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar 8Taniguchi Y, Kitamura A, Nofuji Y et al. Association of Trajectories of higher-level functional capacity with mortality and medical and long-term care costs among community-dwelling older Japanese. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2019; 74: 211–218. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/gly024 PMID: 29596617. 10.1093/gerona/gly024 PubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar Early ViewOnline Version of Record before inclusion in an issue ReferencesRelatedInformation

Enamel is formed by the repetitive secretion of a tooth-specific extracellular matrix and its decomposition. Calcification of the enamel matrix via hydroxyapatite (HAP) maturation requires pH cycling to be tightly regulated through the neutralization of protons released during HAP synthesis. We found that Gpr115, which responds to changes in extracellular pH, plays an important role in enamel formation. Gpr115-deficient mice show partial enamel hypomineralization, suggesting that other pH-responsive molecules may be involved. In this study, we focused on the role of Gpr111/Adgrf2, a duplicate gene of Gpr115, in tooth development. Gpr111 was highly expressed in mature ameloblasts. Gpr111-KO mice showed enamel hypomineralization. Dysplasia of enamel rods and high carbon content seen in Gpr111-deficient mice suggested the presence of residual enamel matrices in enamel. Depletion of Gpr111 in dental epithelial cells induced the expression of ameloblast-specific protease, kallikrein-related peptidase 4 (Klk4), suggesting that Gpr111 may act as a suppressor of Klk4 expression. Moreover, reduction of extracellular pH to 6.8 suppressed the expression of Gpr111, while the converse increased Klk4 expression. Such induction of Klk4 was synergistically enhanced by Gpr111 knockdown, suggesting that proper enamel mineralization may be linked to the modulation of Klk4 expression by Gpr111. Furthermore, our in vitro suppression of Gpr111 and Gpr115 expression indicated that their suppressive effect on calcification was additive. These results suggest that both Gpr111 and Gpr115 respond to extracellular pH, contribute to the expression of proteolytic enzymes, and regulate the pH cycle, thereby playing important roles in enamel formation.

Subjective age (i.e., how old one feels) has been found to be a biopsychosocial marker of aging. This study examined the associations between subjective age and the frequency of information and communication technology (ICT) usage by older adults. Data were collected via an online survey conducted in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study analyzed responses from participants aged 65 to 89 (M = 71.9, SD = 3.9) who resided in Japan (N = 1631, 52.8% female). Subjective age was indexed by asking participants to specify in years how old they felt. Proportional discrepancy scores (PDS) were calculated to indicate younger or older subjective age and were used as an independent variable. Participants were asked about the frequency of computer, smartphone, flip phone, tablet, and social networking service (SNS) use. Two-thirds of the participants (63.6%) reported feeling younger than their actual age. Nearly 90% reported using computers for more than 2–3 days a week, while 64.3% reported smartphone use, 22.9% reported flip phone use, and 36.6% reported SNS use. Logistic regression analyses revealed that a lower PDS (i.e., feeling younger) was associated with a significantly higher frequency of smartphone use (OR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.60, 0.98) after adjusting for potential confounders. No such association was found for computer, flip phone, tablet, or SNS use. Our study found that feeling younger was associated with a higher frequency of smartphone use. The daily use of smartphones may have helped older adults stay in touch with family and friends and obtain the information that they needed, which may have contributed to better psychological well-being outcomes, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult for health and social service agencies to provide the necessary support to community-based older adults. It is believed that the number of socially isolated older adults without the necessary support has increased, but the actual situation is unclear. In this study, we conducted a self-administered mail survey targeting all local municipal governments and social welfare councils throughout Japan from September to October 2022 to examine the actual situation. The response rate was 18.7% (682/3654). Nearly 52% of respondents reported an increase in the number of socially isolated older adults during the pandemic, and 43.6% reported that providing support services to them was difficult. We specifically asked about the difficulties encountered in providing support and coded the open-ended responses (n=275). Four primary themes were identified: (1) generalized refusal by isolated older adults (n=79); (2) difficulty in locating (n=72); (3) difficulty in face-to-face communication (n=40); and (4) difficulty in supporting (n=73). Among the reasons for the difficulty in supporting isolated older adults were their diverse needs and tendency to not recognize their need for support, which may be due to mental illness or dementia. Our findings suggest that a better attempt at classifying refusals among social isolates is a first step to improving the impact of social and health services intervention. Further research is needed to clarify the reasons for refusal of the support provided and to identify the specific types of support that isolated older adults require.

This study examined the differences in medical and long-term care costs over 18 months between pet owners and non-owners among community-dwelling older Japanese. Pet ownership data were collected from 460 community-dwelling adults age 65 years and older. These data were matched with data from the National Health Insurance, health insurance for older people, and Long-Term Care Insurance beneficiaries for 17 months back from the survey on pet ownership. Pet-ownership group-specific trajectories in monthly medical and long-term care costs were modeled by a generalized estimating equation. Among pet owners (n = 96, 20.9%) and non-pet owners (n = 364, 79.1%) there were no significant differences in baseline demographic or health characteristics including chronic disease and self-reported long-term care level. At baseline, pet owners had estimated monthly medical costs of ¥48,054 (SE = 0.11; $418), compared to ¥42,260 (SE = 0.06; $367) for non-pet owners. The monthly medical costs did not differ significantly between the two groups during the 18-month follow-up period. At baseline, estimated monthly long-term care costs of pet owners and non-pet owners were ¥676 (SE = 0.75; $6) and ¥1,420 (SE = 0.52; $12), respectively. During the follow-up period, the non-pet owner to owner ratio of monthly long-term care costs was 1.2 at minimum and 2.3 at maximum. This study showed that monthly long-term care costs for pet owners were approximately half those of non-pet owners. Pet owners might use long-term care services less frequently, or use lighter care services.

The data are not available because we did not obtain the consent from the survey participants for data provision.

Time perspectives may change as people age and become more aware of their limited time remaining in life. A research question is whether awareness of one's limited time remaining associates with pet ownership among older adults. Although owning pets in old age involves both benefits and risks, the association between pet ownership and subjective remaining time in life remains understudied. The present study examines the associations between pet ownership and the subjective perception of time remaining in life among older adults. We assessed the experience of pet ownership (dog or cat) and age-related future time perspectives of 329 community-dwelling older adults in Japan. By adopting three constructs of the Future Time Perspective scale, we found that current dog ownership was associated with more limited future opportunities but not with limited time left or future constraints. Older dog owners may focus on the present rather than new future opportunities, yet they may see the future of their dogs that require care. Yet no such association was observed among current cat owners. The present findings extend the previous research of age-related future time perspectives by suggesting that pet ownership in late adulthood may be another contributing factor that needs to be better understood.

Abstract In 2000, Japan introduced a mandatory long-term care insurance program to facilitate aging-in-place of older care recipients; there has been a great demand for assistive technologies such as AI (artificial intelligence) and robots in care settings to reduce the burden of caregivers and long-term care costs in society. This study examined the relationship between the trust in social security and acceptance of assistive technology for ADL help and discussed the challenges in introducing technology in a well-developed social security system. An online survey was conducted in August 2020 among community-dwelling individuals aged between 40 and 89 across Japan to find out their acceptance of help provided via AI or robotics technology in five dimensions of ADL. In addition, a 5-point Likert scale was used to assess the trust in social security.A total of 4,047 respondents were analyzed in this study. The respondents’ mean age was 60.6 (SD=11.3), and 53.2% of them were female. Of those, 13.2% preferred help from humans in ADL, while for 86.8%, the use of some assistive technology was acceptable. Logistic regression revealed that the female and younger respondents and those who had better health and had completed higher education were more likely to accept AI or robotics technology in all/some ADL if they needed assistance; those with higher trust in social security, however, were less likely to accept technology (OR=.894; p=.011).The challenges in introducing assistive technology under a well-developed social security system will be discussed.