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Aging behavior occurs in the storage process of paper archives, which accelerates the aging process of the paper. Therefore, it is important for paper archives management to explore the aging behavior of acidified paper (AP) and to delay or prevent its further aging. The aging behavior of the commonly used university archives paper with artificial acidification were studied by measuring pH value, electrical conductivity, mechanical properties and whiteness. The results show that the pH value, conductivity, mechanical properties and whiteness of AP change significantly compared with the non-acidified raw paper (P). After dry-heat aging treatment, the pH value of AP decreased more obviously than P, which shows more obvious aging degradation and further acidification of AP. During the aging process of AP, the molecular and structural degradation are promoted by the presence of acidic substances, which increase the electrical conductivity of the system. The microstructures of the paper are changed by acidification and aging treatment, and more fiber fracture, etching and microscopic holes are found in the surface SEM images. The reductions of the tensile index and whiteness of AP are also more significant because of the degradation acceleration of the acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aging and acidification behavior of paper archives affect their long-term preservation. Therefore, delaying or preventing aging and acidification has become an important topic in the field of paper archives management. the aging and acidification behavior of commercial archival paper were studied by measuring pH value, electrical conductivity, mechanical properties and whiteness in this work. The results show that the aging and acidification phenomena are obvious after dry-heat aging treatment. The molecular degradation of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and other components results in the decrease of pH value of the system, which decrease with the increase of the treatment temperature and time. The electrical conductivity of the system increases because of the molecular degradation and structural degradation, and with the increase of the treatment temperature and time, the electrical conductivity increases more significantly. After aging treatment, the paper appears etching and increasing microcosmic pores. With the occurrence of molecular degradation and structural degradation, the tensile index and whiteness of the paper decrease, and with the increase of the treatment temperature and time, the tensile index and whiteness decrease more significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aging process of paper will be accelerated by acidification behavior during the storage process of paper archives, and the mechanical properties of paper archives will be weakened. By deacidizing and strengthening, the further aging of the acidified archives paper can be delayed or prevented, and the mechanical properties can be improved, so that the service life of paper archives is prolonged. To delay even to prevent the aging process, deacidizing and strengthening technology is employed. Herein, the "hybrid" system was reported by combining nano-calcium carbonate as deacidification agent, modified hydroxypropyl cellulose as reinforcement agent and ethanol as dispersant. The artificially acidified paper was brushed with it, and the pH value, mechanical properties and whiteness were measured to study the effect of deacidification and reinforcement. The results showed that oleic acid was successfully grafted onto hydroxypropyl cellulose by N,N′-carbonyl diimidazole mediated method to obtain oleic acid grafted hydroxypropyl cellulose with good dispersion in ethanol. After treating acidified paper with "hybrid" system, the pH value and the tensile strength index increase, the whiteness is almost unchanged, that is, the use of "hybrid" system plays a good deacidifying strengthening effect. The acidified paper samples before and after treatment with "hybrid" system were subjected to dry-heat aging treatment. Compared with acidified paper, the pH value, tensile strength index and whiteness of acidified paper treated with "hybrid" system are effectively inhibited, that is, the use of "hybrid" system can effectively delay the aging and acidification process of paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Studies in Conservation is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Many government plans to address homelessness emphasize the importance of housing, income, and support, so Grenier is not proposing a radical departure from many other earlier efforts. In her new book, I Late-Life Homelessness: Experiences of Disadvantage and Unequal Aging i , Amanda Grenier takes a careful look at the circumstances of homelessness among older people in Montreal. Grenier relies on the Canadian definition of homelessness, which is consistent with most research and policy on homelessness in Canada. [Extracted from the article]

The effect of aging on the properties of paper sized with chitosan, cationic starch, and PVA was investigated under accelerating conditions (90°C and 50% RH). The observations from this study demonstrate that the brightness and pH of papers decrease with an increase in aging time. At each aging time, paper sized with chitosan shows the highest reduction in brightness, whereas decreases in brightness in papers sized with PVA and cationic starch do not show much difference. The results demonstrate that paper sized with any of the polymers gave higher levels of tear index, tensile index, and folding endurance than the control sheet. Statistical analysis indicated that the polymers used in this experiment have a statistically significant effect on the folding endurance of sized paper that was highest in the cases of PVA and chitosan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research builds upon previous work concerning typographical factors that influence reading speed such as color combinations, line width, leading, type, contrast and so on. Using updated research methods and extending the scope to an aging population, this study attempts to determine if paper color intensity affects the reading speed of people as they age. Since a majority of all learning utilizes vision, the eye is critical to this process. This study should be helpful in designing printed and televised material that is legible to aging adults and therefore, helps them maintain a self-sufficient lifestyle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the preferred viewing distance and character size for an electronic paper display for three age groups. Proofreading speed and accuracy ratio were measured during Chinese proofreading tests using the preferred character size and minimum acceptable character size. Data analysis showed that the mean preferred viewing distance for young, middle-aged and older groups was 503, 455 and 444 mm, respectively. The mean preferred character size determined by young, middle-aged and older groups was 42.0, 50.0 and 55.2 min arc, respectively. The proofreading test results indicated that the older group proofread significantly more slowly (1.25word/sec) than the young (1.76 word/sec) and middle-aged groups (1.74 word/sec). Further, the participants proofread more correctly with their preferred character size (73.3%) than with their minimum acceptable character size (65.4%). This study provides valuable information for the design of Chinese text presentations for various agegroups. Statement of Relevance: This study confirmed the preferred viewing distance and character size for E-paper display were influenced by age. The preferred Chinese character size for young, middle-aged and older people was 42, 50 and 55 min arc, respectively. Therefore, the age factor should be considered for E-paper displays design and video display terminal (VDT) guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on guidelines recommended by editors of the periodical 'Feminist Economics,' for articles about gender and aging submitted for future publications. Explanation of topical standards.

This study investigated the relationship between chemical and physical or rheological properties of asphalt binders during aging. Two types of base asphalt binders and their SBS modified asphalt binders were chosen. Results show that carbonyl index (IC=O) or sulfoxide index (IS=O) for base asphalt binders has the higher correlation coefficient square (R2) with rheological properties than physical properties, while 0.5(IC=O+butadiene index (IC=C)) for SBS modified asphalt binders with viscosity shows the highest R2 compared with other physical and rheological indicators. Moreover, IC=O and 0.5(IC=O+IC=C) as chemical indicators are recommended to evaluate aging of base and SBS modified asphalt binders, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To develop a tablet-based participation measure and to evaluate its reliability and acceptability to an older Chinese population in rehabilitation settings. Method: A multidimensional, self-reported participation measure, the Participation Measure–3 Domains, 4 Dimensions (PM-3D4D), was programed into mobile application software and presented on tablet computers. To explore the reliability of the tablet-based PM-3D4D, 80 adults in rehabilitation outpatient settings aged ≥65 years completed the tablet and the paper versions of the measure at baseline and at 1-week follow-up. Intraclass correlation coefficients were calculated for concordance and test-retest reliability. Participants' acceptability toward the two versions of the measure was described. Results: The tablet-based PM-3D4D showed good to excellent test-retest reliability (Intraclass correlation coefficients = 0.79 ∼ 0.96) and high concordance with the paper-form (Intraclass correlation coefficients = 0.74–1.00). Approximately, 44% participants reported preference for the tablet-based measure, and 20% reported preference for the paper-form measure. Many participants found the tablet-based measure user-friendly, convenient, and environmentally-friendly. Conclusions: Findings of this study provide supportive evidence for administering the tablet-based PM-3D4D to an older Chinese population in rehabilitation settings and suggest a promising measurement methodology for future clinical practice. The developed tablet-based participation measure, the Participation Measure–3 Domains, 4 Dimensions (PM-3D4D), fills a critical void for an efficient and reliable rehabilitation outcome measure tailored to the needs of older adults in rehabilitation settings. The tablet-based PM-3D4D is a reliable outcome measure. Most of the older adults in rehabilitation settings preferred to use the tablet-based participation measure than the paper-form measure; and very few of them reported difficulty with using the tablet-version measure. A high concordance was found between data collected by the tablet version PM-3D4D and data collected by the paper version PM-3D4D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In spite of the strict migration regimes that prevent permanent settlement and naturalisation, migrants have, for decades, made the UAE their unofficial home, something that has led to the existence of subsequent generations of non-citizens who are born there. However, reaching the age of 65 marks retirement for migrants, who can no longer receive work visas in the UAE. Prolonging residency is possible, yet without social security and pensions, maintaining a decent life requires significant financial investment and reliance on family and social networks. Based on interviews with the adult children of first-generation migrants from the 'Global South', this paper provides insights into a number of strategies their parents develop in order to navigate restrictive immigration regimes upon retirement in the UAE. Most migrants prefer to stay put in the UAE upon retirement, where their children continue to live. Drawing on 'immobility' debates, this paper argues that immobility is an active – and relatively privileged – response to restrictive immigration policies in the UAE that enforce mobility upon retirement. Whilst a preference for 'ageing in the UAE' is often costly and precarious, older migrants' social and emotional attachments often outweigh economic reasons to leave, as this paper shows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses a four-dimensional model of mindful sustainable aging (MSA) in the four biological, psychological, social, spiritual dimensions. The model is made up of eight components, activeness, bodily awareness, change processes, vigorousness, dynamism, mental alertness, social support and spiritual support. Modern western and traditional Buddhist notions of mindfulness/sati, and their utility in terms of improving the physical, mental and social lives of seniors, are explored, the uniqueness of MSA being in the provision of a construct that is more integrated, holistic, and multi-faceted than other current gerontological theories. This paper, by drawing attention to the four-dimensional MSA model, therefore attempts to demonstrate how mindfulness practices support these four dimensions (i.e., biological, psychological, social and spiritual dimensions). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In resource poor environments, identifying those most in need of limited available resources is challenging. Kenya's older persons cash transfer programme (OPCT) targeted at the most poor used a 2-stage targeting process to identify beneficiaries, combining community-based selection with a proxy means-test. This paper investigates whether the process "correctly" identified targeted vulnerable older people in Nairobi's informal settlements and whether receipt of the OPCT resulted in an improvement in perceived financial wellbeing. Regression results show that individuals with greater need were covered under the OPCT. Using propensity score matching, the paper evidences that the OPCT improved subjective financial wellbeing among beneficiaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper will argue that religion has a special meaning for older adults beyond the findings in the research literature on religion's effects on health outcomes. Research on religious involvement and health from the past several decades shows a strongly beneficial relationship for persons of all ages, and one that is heightened in old age. Given the pace of secularization, however, the future is uncertain and coming cohorts of older persons may not have the same life course experiences to draw on in late life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dear Editor, With the great interest in the recent-online article entitled "High serum concentration of estradiol may be a risk factor of prostate enlargement in aging male in China", we found some significant question that need to discuss [[1]]. The authors in the paper found that serum estradiol (E2) levels in the patients with larger prostate volume was also significantly high than these with smaller prostate volume [[1]]. [Extracted from the article]

Industries are currently struggling with ageing workforce in modern production systems associated with Industry 4.0. The industrial socio-demographic problem is more and more present as the increasing of the ageing population results in the prolongation of the working life and the consecutively in the ageing of the workforce in industries. This paper aims to conduct a systematic literature review on the challenges and concerns of ageing operators, including the physical, cognitive, ergonomic, and well-being conditions of the ageing workforce in the Industry 4.0 environment. The ScienceDirect, Scopus, Web of Science and PubMed scientific databases were used to survey the studies and selected using PRISMA guidelines. This paper was structured and analysed by clusters: Ageing, Industry 4.0, Human Factors, and Ergonomics. These clusters were developed as research lines: Ageing as the socio-demographic challenge, Industry 4.0 as the technological development, Human Factors as the individual characteristics of the operator, and Ergonomics as the work environment. Thus, human--centric approaches and ideas are discussed with the insights and issues of Industry 4.0 technologies, Human Factors, and Ergonomics to achieve a sustainable system at the engineering and social level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An editorial is presented on psychological assessment of older adults. Topics include valid assessment methods supporting both clinical care and research focusing on older adults; and summarizing the evidence for prospective memory training in older adults, supporting the use of mental imagery, and external aids.

The article presents the discussion on improving emotional well-being in older adults. Topics include seeking to understand mental health needs of veterans across mental health conditions; and examining innovative interventions using novel approaches such as mindfulness, meditation, nature, performance art, and visual art.

This final paper in the thematic issue, "Human-Animal Interaction and Healthy Human Aging," highlights and distills key points from the series of papers and provides recommendations for improving and expanding Human-Animal Interaction (HAI) research into healthy human aging. This paper also focuses on translating research to practice and discussing important practical issues related to pet ownership or interaction with companion animals among older adults, and makes specific recommendations for researchers, caregivers, and professionals working with older adults. In addition to issues related to the human side of the equation, we make recommendations for protecting and insuring the health and wellbeing of the animals involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ninety-six experts in the fields of elder abuse and aging in New York State met in Albany, NY on May 10-12, 2004 to "Target Elder Abuse" and to create a New York State Action Agenda to combat elder abuse. Lifespan of Greater Rochester convened and sponsored the Summit, modeled after the 2001 National Summit in Washington. DC The New York State (NYS) Office of Children and Family Services--Bureau of Adult Services, NYS Office for the Aging, NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services, as well as Excellus BlueCross BlueShield and MedAmerica Insurance Company of New York were co-sponsors. The Summit was largely funded through the Administration on Aging by a federal grant obtained by US Senator Charles E. Schumer (NY). Other contributors included Excellus BlueCross Blue Shield, NYS Office for the Aging, and Alfred University's Rural Justice Institute. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the response of some critics on the themes related to aging. An integral part of the Ethics and Aging Convening consisted of individual critiques of the four papers by some of the members of the Commission of Aging. Each reactor presented a statement which supported, challenged or sought practical applications for the issues raised in the papers. The central themes which consistently surfaced in the reactors' critiques are, first the "need for structural reorganization". Strong support was given to the assertion that Medicare has floundered in "ethical ambiguity" and has historically lacked a consistent, ethically sensitive response to its problems. Several reactors offered practical suggestions in light of the need to structurally reorganize health, long-term care, and income support programs for the elderly. The second is the "nature of government's role". Each of the four papers attempted to address the role of government in providing services to the poor aged. Several reactors attempted to draw from Catholic social teaching which argues that the state must assume responsibility in guaranteeing basic human rights, one of which is adequate health care. Third was the "legitimacy of the elderly". A major issue picked up by several reactors was whether the elderly are any more legitimate in receiving services and benefits than other groups.

Cycling with a classic paper map was compared with navigating with a moving map displayed on a smartphone, and with auditory, and visual turn-by-turn route guidance. Spatial skills were found to be related to navigation performance, however only when navigating from a paper or electronic map, not with turn-by-turn (instruction based) navigation. While navigating, 25% of the time cyclists fixated at the devices that present visual information. Navigating from a paper map required most mental effort and both young and older cyclists preferred electronic over paper map navigation. In particular a turn-by-turn dedicated guidance device was favoured. Visual maps are in particular useful for cyclists with higher spatial skills. Turn-by-turn information is used by all cyclists, and it is useful to make these directions available in all devices. Practitioner Summary:Electronic navigation devices are preferred over a paper map. People with lower spatial skills benefit most from turn-by-turn guidance information, presented either auditory or on a dedicated device. People with higher spatial skills perform well with all devices. It is advised to keep in mind that all users benefit from turn-by-turn information when developing a navigation device for cyclists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the datafication of ageing by drawing on a practice approach toward care. We describe the datafication of ageing as a matter of care, achieved through the local tinkering of actors – technology designers, care staff, older adults, and highlighting the practices necessary to develop, maintain and implement data infrastructures. This paper draws on research conducted in a qualitative interview study in a LTC facility that uses AI-supported sensors to detect, predict and alarm care staff about falls of older residents. 18 interviews with developers, staff, residents and interest groups were conducted, as well as 24 h of participant observation in the care facility. The results reveal how AI-development for older target groups is characterized by absent data on these populations. Designers turn to practices that decontextualize data from the realities of older adults, relying on domain experts or synthetic data. This decontextualization of data requires recontextualization, with staff and older residents ensuring that the system functions smoothly, adapting their behavior, protecting the system from making false decisions and making existing care arrangements 'fit' the databases used to monitor activities in these arrangements. The ambivalent position of older adults in this data assemblage is further highlighted, as their caring practices are made invisible by different actors through ageist stereotypes, positioning them as being too frail to understand and engage with the system. While their bodily behavior is core for the databases, their perspective on and engagements with the operating system are marginalized, rendering some aspects of ageing hyper-visible, and others invisible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent political processes have rendered people with dementia an increasingly surveilled population. Surveillance is a contentious issue within dementia research, spanning technological monitoring, biomarker research and epidemiological data gathering. This paper explores surveillance in the relationships of people affected by dementia, how older relatives both with and without diagnoses are surveilled in everyday interactions, and the importance of expectations in guiding surveillance. This paper presents data from 41 in-depth interviews with people affected by dementia living in the community in the United Kingdom. Agedness was a key contributor to expectations that a person may have dementia, based on previous experiences, media accounts and wider awareness. Expectations provoked surveillance in interactions, with participants looking for signs of dementia when interacting with older relatives. Older people also enacted self-surveillance, monitoring their own behaviour. Various actions could be attributed to dementia because interpretation is malleable, partly vindicating expectations while leaving some uncertainties. Expectant surveillance transformed people's experiences because they organised their own actions, and interpreted those of others, in line with pre-existing meanings. The ability to interpret behaviours to fit expectations can bring coherence to uncertainties of ageing, cognition and dementia, but risks ascribing dementia to many older people who straddle those uncertainties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the identification of social inclusion as a key objective of age-friendly policies and programs, there is limited research evidence as to either the extent to which this has been achieved or how it might be realized. Gaps remain in our understanding of how age-friendly programs might involve different groups of older people and the possible barriers that might be encountered. This paper seeks to address this gap by drawing on evidence from the Ambition for Aging program in Greater Manchester, UK, which implemented a range of projects designed to tackle social isolation in later life. The paper argues that due to its co-production approach and spatial lens, Ambition for Aging was able to involve sections of the older population that otherwise might have remained excluded. In providing further insights relevant to age-friendly programs, the paper also considers some of the barriers experienced by the Ambition for Aging program and builds a case that taking a spatial justice perspective to age-friendly work may help identify and overcome obstacles to achieving social inclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through the paper version of the grayscale task, this study examines the impact of aging and gender on horizontal and vertical pseudoneglect in healthy right-handed Japanese people. Participants included 168 (84 women and 84 men) healthy right-handed participants between the ages of 18 and 85, which were divided into three age cohorts (i.e., young, middle, and older). When administering the task, in the horizontal condition, the stimulus set of the grayscale task was positioned at the center of the desk. In the vertical condition, the stimulus set was placed at the participants' eye level on the front screen. A reliable left bias was observed across all age groups in the horizontal task, although individual differences in the young group were significant. Moreover, gender differences and age-gender interactions were not confirmed. Similarly, in the vertical task, an upward bias was identified in both women and men across all age groups. Furthermore, there was a weak correlation between the horizontal and vertical bias index. These results were inconsistent with those of a previous study and other research using manual line bisection and landmark tasks. Further, we comprehensively deliberated on the cognitive/neural basis of horizontal and vertical pseudoneglect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Journal of Social Work is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

International comparisons of long-term care (LTC) are hampered by inconsistencies in how to define the need for care. This is especially relevant for the European Union, whose Aging Working Group, which is tasked to project aging expenditure in the long term, has over time used two competing definitions – one based on inability to perform Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and another based on the more subjective Global Activity Limitation Index (GALI). The inconsistency in measurement, as well as problems in defining the intensity of needs, will acquire growing significance as longevity progresses. This paper investigates how the two measures are linked, by analyzing a large European sample survey where respondents replied to both questions. This allows a calibration of the two measures and an investigation of their areas of overlap and difference. The paper concludes by proposing a simple new 4-scale measure of care needs which, by combining the two metrics, introduces some gradation of the intensity of care. Using a consistent measure incorporating intensity, such as the one proposed, will facilitate international comparisons, improve long-term expenditure projections, and aid policy discussion, including the transfer of best practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Color Trails Test ("CTT") is among the most popular neuropsychological assessment tests of executive function, targeting sustained visual attention (Trails A), and divided attention (Trails B). During the pen-and-paper (P&P) test, the participant traces 25 consecutive numbered targets marked on a page, and the completion time is recorded. In many cases, multiple assessments are performed on the same individual, either under varying experimental conditions or at several timepoints. However, repeated testing often results in learning and fatigue effects, which confound test outcomes. To mitigate these effects, we set the grounds for developing shorter versions of the CTT (<25 targets), using virtual reality (VR) based CTT (VR-CTT). Our aim was to discover the minimal set of targets that is sufficient for maintaining concurrent validity with the CTT including differentiation between age groups, and the difference between Trails A and B. To this aim, healthy participants in three age groups (total N = 165; young, middle-aged, or older adults) performed both the P&P CTT, and one type of VR-CTT (immersive head-mounted-device VR, large-scale 3D VR, or tablet). A subset of 13 targets was highly correlated with overall task completion times in all age groups and platforms (r > 0.8). We tested construct validity and found that the shortened-CTT preserved differences between Trails A and B (p < 0.001), showed concurrent validity relative to the P&P scores (r > 0.5; p < 0.05), and differentiated between age groups (p < 0.05). These findings open the possibility for shortened "CTT-versions", to be used in repeated-measures experiments or longitudinal studies, with potential implications for shortening neurocognitive assessment protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe arts have enriched human experiences across time and culture. Beyond their intrinsic value, a growing body of evidence suggests that engaging with the arts has numerous benefits for health and well-being. Increasingly, research on older adults suggests that arts-based interventions and engagement with arts-based leisure activities enhance states of well-being (e.g. life satisfaction, positive emotions, belonging) and reduce states of ill-being (e.g. depression, anxiety, loneliness) In this paper, we focus on the potential for the arts to contribute to women thriving in their 80s and 90s. In particular, we aim to bring awareness to the ways in which the arts can play a vital role in cultivating positive states of social well-being (e.g. social connections, social networks, social support, and belonging) and mitigating negative states of social ill-being (e.g. loneliness, social isolation). We first lay the groundwork for the relationship between the arts and health and discuss social well-being as an important facet of overall well-being. We then review research findings from four artistic domains (music, visual art, art and craft, and performing arts) and their associations with social well-being in older adulthood. Finally, we discuss potential applications of art-based interventions to support the social well-being of women in later life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In my introduction to these three papers on the experience of aging, I begin with my observations on aging in the 9th Stage of Life (a stage added by Erik Erickson in 1984, when he himself was nearing death) by talking about my own aging, 87-year-old husband whose end of life included changes in himself that no one who knew him, including himself, would have predicted. Following these thoughts I review the excellent essays that follow, which take the perspectives of aging from both personal and professional perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For academic design programmes and research councils, finding mechanisms to measure impact and valuate co-design research projects is very difficult. The metric parameters - number of attendees, volume, shape, length - have shown to be insufficient. The subject matter, the subjects and matters, do not easily fit within these parameters, which fail to translate the value of a 'constellation of affections' that emerge throughout co-design processes. Emphasis on quantifiable impact derives from particular ways of understanding production, reproduction, and dissemination of knowledge. This paper understands academic design programmes as a technology to discuss axiology in co-design practices. This paper re-configures a techno-logic of value; from chain of value to value constellation, intersecting a co-design case study with readings of Simondon's philosophy of technology and Barad's agential realism. Ageing Playfully was a knowledge exchange project from The Creative Exchange programme, that involved people living with dementia and their caregivers co-designing interventions to boost mobility and well-being. At the core, this paper, explores an axiological move that informs a framework of emergence, a way of thinking in methods to account for the value of co-design as site of emergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Executive functioning declines found in healthy aging may impact negatively on everyday activities. Inhibitory control is an executive function that involves the preclusion of irrelevant information and prohibition of prepotent responses. Decreased inhibitory control has been suggested as a feature of age-related cognitive decline. In this study, we compared a Virtual Apartment Stroop Task with paper-and-pencil and computerized Stroop modalities in older adults and young adults. The primary results were (a) within groups the classic "Stroop pattern" found in traditional modalities (e.g., paper-and-pencil; computer automated) was observed in the Virtual Apartment Stroop Task; (b) the Virtual Apartment "Stroop scores" between groups were consistent with significant differences found between older adults and young adults on the paper-and-pencil and computerized Stroop tasks; and (c) individuals in the older adult cohort performed significantly more poorly on the Virtual Apartment Stroop Task than did participants in the young adult cohort. These results suggest the potential of the Virtual Apartment Stroop Task to distinguish between prepotent response inhibition and resistance to distractor inhibition in aging adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The project described in this paper was designed for an undergraduate course titled the "Psychology of Adulthood and Aging". This course, capped at 20 students, is typically comprised of psychology, pre-nursing, and family studies students. The student learning objectives (SLO's) for the course are: 1) to understand and apply current theory and research techniques in the interdisciplinary field of gerontology, 2) to demonstrate effective written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills, 3) to learn about ways to provide services to aging adults by interacting with a local community service provider, 4) to identify and give examples of sociocultural forces that shape adult development. The goal of the service-learning project described in this paper is to facilitate these learning objectives through the lens of life stories from older adults (65+) in the local community. Student teams (typically 2–3 students) were paired with non-cognitively impaired older adults aged from a local adult day health facility. The outputs of this class project were a professionally published life story of the adult interviewee, student reflections throughout the semester documenting experiences with the project, and a term paper exploring a comprehensive theory of aging through the lens of the life story they wrote. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract More realistic assessment tools are imperative for a better understanding of the impact of age-related cognitive deficits on functional status. With this in mind, we probed the ability of the EcoKitchen, a non-immersive virtual environment task with increasing executively demanding kitchen chores, to detect the effects of aging on the simulated everyday functioning of healthy adults. Fifty-three adults (age between 23 and 77 years) were assessed with the EcoKitchen and a set of conventional paper-and-pencil neuropsychological tests. The associations between the baseline features of study participants and each of the two different assessment methods were examined. The associations between the EcoKitchen variables and an executive composite score were also explored. Our results showed that older individuals present deficits in the performance of both the EcoKitchen task and standard assessment methods. Notably, we found that, unlike conventional tests, accuracy in the EcoKitchen task was not related to the education level and IQ score of participants. Moreover, the EcoKitchen performance time was significantly correlated with executive tests. We have demonstrated that the EcoKitchen task, an ecologically relevant computerized neuropsychological assessment tool, might be more suitable than classic paper-and-pencil tests to capture the impact of aging on everyday cognitive function, as it proved to be less prone to the influence of confounding factors. Additionally, we have shown that executive function plays an important role in the timely performance of cognitively challenging virtual environment tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we explore the influences of normal ageing and verb transitivity on sentence production. The underlying aim is to provide a foundation for further research on sentence production in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We used a computer-based written sentence production task, designed to elicit intransitive, monotransitive and ditransitive sentences. Data was collected using keystroke logging, a technique to capture the entire typing process. Data of ninety healthy elderly was analysed focusing on the following writing process variables: time on task, production time and pause times. Results show that age influences time on task, pause time before sentences and within words. Verb transitivity influences time on task, production time and pause time between words. For pause time before sentences and between words, an interaction effect between age and verb transitivity was found as well. These results indicate that a follow-up study with AD patients should not attribute a slowdown in one of these variables to the disease in its entirety but should instead be compared with the slowdown in age-matched healthy peers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading causes of irreversible visual acuity reduction among the elderly population. Dry AMD, the most frequent AMD form, is characterized by photoreceptor loss, Retinal Pigmented Epithelium (RPE) dysfunction and retinal degeneration. Although in the last years several clinical trials have been carried out and many therapeutic molecules have been examined to treat dry AMD, currently its treatment remains unsatisfactory. In this review we report and analyze the most important molecules and treatment that have been studied and carried out till nowadays, and the future therapies that may be a hope in this complex and serious disease. We have provided a narrative review after having analyzed the literature and we have selected more than 120 papers to deliver this article. Although in 2023 has been carried out the first FDA approved drugs, there is still a long way to go in developing effective therapies for dry-AMD. In the future, a better understanding of its pathogenesis may lead to the development of targeted or genetic therapies that not only have an anatomical effect on the retina but also have a functional impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Americans commonly want to stay in their current homes as they age, but few houses accommodate the physical impairments that aging often brings. One public policy tool to gradually make the housing stock more age- and disability-friendly is a "visitability" mandate—a requirement that new dwellings meet specific design standards that make them minimally usable by people with mobility limitations. Using original, nationally representative survey data from 2020, this paper analyzes public opinion about visitability mandates. Specifically, it analyzes who has relatively warmer versus cooler feelings toward people who benefit from visitability mandates. The data indicate that Americans on average feel warmly toward visitability mandate beneficiaries, but these sentiments differ by ideology, party identification, gender, age, self-assessed health status, and health experiences. Because public opinion influences the political viability of policy ideas, these findings have applied relevance for city planners, architects, home builders, public administrators, and elected officials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The trajectory of effective biomedical management means HIV is now considered a manageable chronic, not terminal, illness. However, despite the biomedical advances, many people living with HIV (PLHIV) continue to experience psychosocial challenges which are associated with poorer quality of life (QoL). This review explores the literature concerning psychosocial factors contributing to poorer QoL among PLHIV. The findings suggest that stigma/discrimination, social disconnectedness, and mental health difficulties remain prevalent psychosocial issues for this population, and typically occur comorbidly. Psychosocial comorbidities have compounding deleterious effects on QoL and can impede the individual's capacity to engage in medical care, creating major barriers to sustained biomedical management. Consequently, HIV management has evolved towards a multidisciplinary model of long-term condition management, whereby psychosocial services play an integral role. This narrative review outlines the important role of mental health practitioners (and other psychosocial services) in HIV management, providing a point of intervention for clinical services. What is already known about this topic: Successful biomedical management of HIV has allowed PLHIV to live longer. However, the literature suggests several significant psychosocial issues remain. HIV is associated with a range of unique psychosocial factors that are related to a diminished QoL in this population. These include the deleterious effects of stigma/discrimination, social disconnectedness, and mental health issues on QoL among PLHIV. What this paper adds: This narrative review highlights the impact of multiple psychosocial comorbidities on QoL amongst PLHIV. The review highlights the important role of mental health practitioners (and other psychosocial services) in HIV management. The paper provides points of intervention for clinical services to improve QoL among PLHIV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a concept that is steeped in controversy not limited to prognostic uncertainty; it is unclear how patients interpret or attribute meaning to the label, and whether they perceive that being made aware is beneficial. A systematic review was conducted, searching ISI Web of Science, PubMed and PsycINFO in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Search terms were developed to include articles concerning perceptions regarding MCI and experiences and impact of being informed. Thematic synthesis was applied to the findings. Fourteen papers met criteria. Three themes emerged regarding the MCI label: 1) Individual differences relating to living circumstances, personal perceptions and experiences, and coping style affect how patients adjust to the MCI label; 2) Patients' reactions to the MCI label and their perceptions about how useful it was to receive are affected by the nebulous nature of the construct and information available regarding MCI; 3) Care partners are uncertain about what MCI means and how to address and cope with the patient's cognitive difficulties. Patient and care partner perspectives were affected by the quality of information and support provided, possibly influenced by clinicians' understanding of the concept. Personal perceptions and experiences, living circumstance and coping styles also shaped experiences of being informed. Clinicians should develop their understanding of MCI to deliver clear information to patients and consider the necessity of applying the label. Offering support tailored to patients' specific needs may improve perceptions about the label's utility, whilst aiding coping and adjustment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses transnational care and border regimes in the context of the East Timorese exile in rural Indonesia. Drawing from multi-sited ethnographic research, it explores the ways older people cope with family separation and life in exile, their aspirations, when and how transnational care becomes "on hold", and how they deal with the impossibility of meeting intergenerational and cultural obligations. Analyzing care using the lens of "circulation", the paper attends to the asymmetries entailed in intergenerational relationships as well as to how uneven power relations of border regimes shape transnational care exchanges. In the context of "aging in exile", the paper underlines the importance of understanding older persons' narratives as they are linked with the ambivalences of other family members across generations. The paper argues that the forms of immobility withholding or limiting caregiving can transcend physical boundaries. They can include the social and emotional borders conflict-divided communities build against one another over time. These "imaginary" borders require us to think about the additional asymmetries entailed in precarious familial relations and how this affects the multiple meanings of care in the context of contemporary border regimes and amid enduring legacies of violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aging populations are a dramatically increased worldwide trend, both in developed and developing countries. This study examines the prevalence of fatal and non-fatal work-related injuries between young (<45 years old) and older (≥45 years old) workers. A systematic literature review aimed at examining studies comparing safety outcomes, namely fatal and non-fatal injuries, between older and younger workers. Results show that 50% of the reviewed papers suggest that fatal injuries are suffered mainly by older workers, while the remaining 50% show no differences between older and younger workers. Regarding non-fatal injuries, 49% of the reviewed papers found no relationship between workers' age; 31% found increased age as a protective factor against non-fatal injuries; and 19% showed that older workers had a higher risk of non-fatal injuries than younger ones. This review suggests that older workers experience higher rates of fatal injuries, and younger workers experience higher rates of non-fatal injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rejecting the association between aging and asexuality that persists in the UK's cultural representation of the female aging body, this paper reveals the importance of sensuality and maintaining physical agency to older women. It pays attention to the phenomena of participating in recreational burlesque classes to counter and negotiate potentially negative representations. Through in-depth interviews and researcher-as-participant observation, the paper explores the transformative possibilities mediated through participating in theatrically glamorized performance classes and the processes thereby initiated. The author examines the potential of burlesque to offer improvements to wellbeing and healthier self-perceptions for aging women experiencing marginalization through social invisibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Falls are not a normal part of aging and pose a significant health risk to older adults. Physical therapists have a role in fall risk management. Preparation to manage falls varies across Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) curricula. This paper describes how six DPT programs integrated community-based fall prevention through the STOP (Screen one-Thousand Older adults to Prevent) Falls initiative. STOP Falls was collaboration among DPT faculty to integrate community-based fall risk screening into curricula using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths, and Injury (STEADI) initiative. Activities included screenings in nine different geriatric and clinical education courses, one interprofessional activity, and five service activities. Students reported benefits from participation and valued older adult interactions. Seven faculty, 228 students, and 27 community/clinical partners screened 605 older adults. Collaborative community-based fall prevention initiatives can be incorporated into DPT curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A better understanding of the changes in binder chemistry and microstructure triggered by aging is fundamental as it increases the cracking susceptibility of asphalt materials and reduces pavement durability. In this context, this paper presents the findings of a collaborative study that delves further into the alterations in binder chemistry, microstructure, and rheology of laboratory – and field-aged binders using innovative experimental and fundamental theory techniques. An increase in polarity leading to a shift in the apparent molecular weight distribution (AMWD) towards higher molecular weights, which implies molecular agglomerations, could be observed as a result of aging via Saturates, Aromatics, Resins, and Asphaltene Determinator (SAR-AD) and Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC), respectively. As for the theoretical methods, the δ-method and Molecular Agglomeration Index (MAI) that estimate the AMWD and incidence of molecular agglomeration, respectively, show satisfactory relationship with the SAR-AD and SEC results. This reinforces the soundness of the δ-method and MAI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has suggested that older trans and gender non-conforming (TGNC) people may face particular challenges related to stigma, social exclusion and discrimination in later life. However, direct data on social support and needs in older TGNC population both internationally and within the UK is limited due to the small, dispersed nature of this population, and the absence of specific data collection on aging TGNC populations. During the UK COVID-19 lockdown in summer 2020, older people and those with long-term health conditions were advised to adopt particular precautions. This study aimed to explore older TGNC people's social support networks, key concerns and unmet needs during the COVID-19 'lockdown'. A UK cross-sectional survey of LGBT + people aged 60+ (n = 375) was undertaken during the lockdown. This paper analyses responses from the subset (n = 38) of TGNC participants. The majority of TGNC respondents described diverse social networks, often centered around friends and non-kin social networks, although partners and adult children were also significant for some. In most cases, those with existing strong networks continued to maintain social connections during lockdown, albeit with some regrets about loss of activities and face-to-face connection. However, a minority of respondents had experienced greater challenges prior to lockdown, and may have been at increased vulnerability during the pandemic, for example indicating that they had no-one to call on for practical support in an emergency. When asked about unmet needs and challenges, social isolation was repeatedly raised as the most frequent concern. Several respondents also mentioned issues specifically affecting TGNC communities, including access to gender affirming care and a perceived rise in social intolerance. Health and social care providers should be aware of the diversity of support networks within TGNC communities. There may also be benefits in community sector interventions to help older TGNC build and maintain strong social networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In previous research on aging and place, it comes forward that many people mainly prefer to age in place because they feel connected to their homes and secure in a familiar environment. This paper aims to understand how older adults living independently at home construct their residential happiness. We used photo-elicitation to explore how objects and places are considered important for their residential happiness by older adults (n = 37) in various residential settings in The Netherlands. The findings demonstrate that places and objects either directly evoke unique feelings of residential happiness or via attached personal stories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Holding large conferences and events usually encourages the corresponding government to upgrade the host city. For this process, incorporating additional costs to increase accessibility for the elderly is a feasible means for a city to develop in an age-friendly manner. Providing evidence-based reports to policy makers is conducive to implementing the policies of age-friendly cities. This study used the scenario method to simulate the effect of promoting the "age-friendly cities" strategy on residents' psychological capital and social engagement (SE). We found that promoting the construction of age-friendly cities can significantly improve residents' psychological capital and SE and that residents from all age groups can benefit. This paper provides an economical means to influence policymakers through evidence-based reports in promoting the development of age-friendly cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]