GSA on Aging – Details, episodes & analysis

Understanding Person-Centered Care for Older Adults in Six Developing Countries/Regions: Thailand [Episode 6]

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The impact of population aging is universally recognized and has been extensively studied in wealthier, developed regions. But we know much less about how aging is experienced by low- and middle-income countries and populations and how these regions are responding to the challenges created by the aging of their populations. The rapid rate of population aging in many developing parts of the world—fueled by falling fertility rates and a shift in the predominance of chronic diseases rather than acute and infectious illnesses—has left little time to anticipate and prepare for the consequences of aging populations. 

The GSA Interest Group on Common Data Elements for International Research in Residential Long-term Care has developed a limited podcast series to provide insights into how culture, competing population health priorities, political conflict, and resource limitations influence older adults, their families, and paid/formal caregivers along a trajectory of development, including Brazil, China, East Jerusalem, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Thailand.

Guest: Siriphan Sasat, PhD, RN, CPG Dr. Sasat is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Nursing at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. She is the Director of the Centre for Health and Well-being Promotion for Older People and the Chair of the Thai Long-Term Care Nurses Society. Dr. Sasat previously served as the Secretary-General for the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Asia/Oceania Region (IAGG-AOR), and as the Vice President of the Thai Society of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine. She earned her doctoral and master’s degrees in nursing with a focus on gerontology and the care of older people at the University of Hull in the United Kingdom. Additionally, she received a baccalaureate degree in nursing and midwifery from the McCormick Faculty of Nursing, Payap University in Thailand.

Host: Barbara Bowers, PhD, RN, FAAN, FGSA, Emerita Professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, School of Nursing; Founding Director of the UW–Madison School of Nursing’s Center for Aging Research and Education

Moderator: Jing Wang, PhD, RN, FAAN, Assistant Professor at the University of New Hampshire, College of Health and Human Services

This podcast limited series is supported by the GSA Innovation Fund. 

In the inaugural episode of the GSA Policy Intern Podcast Series, meet the 2023 GSA Summer Policy Interns. Alisha Thompson, Bailee Brekke, and Christina Mu, who have aptly named themselves Team ABC, briefly introduce themselves and the series. The series aims to share the experiences of GSA Policy Interns both past and prese nt, provide insights on how to connect with this year’s interns during and after the Annual Scientific Meeting, and will include interviews with colleagues of Drs. Greg O’Neil and Kathy Hyer, for whom the internship is named. The episode serves as a brief introduction and focuses primarily on where and how listeners can connect with the interns during the Annual Scientific Meeting in Tampa. They mention attending events like the New Member/First-Timer Orientation, an ESPO informal chat about the Summer Policy Internship, and a Policy Series Symposium chaired by Trish D’Antonio. They also discuss the application deadline for the internship, which is January 31, and invite prospective applicants to join a GSA Policy Internship Webinar on January 12. Team ABC expresses their excitement about sharing their internship experiences in the upcoming episodes and looks forward to meeting the audience in Tampa. The episode concludes with Alisha, Bailee, and Christina signing off as Team ABC.

The podcast episode will tell specific stories to illustrate the wide range of work members of the interest group are conducting on the impact of human-animal interaction and aging. The members of this group represent the interdisciplinary nature of both gerontology and anthrozoology (i.e., the field of human-animal interaction). This episode will be comprised of two main topics: 1. The connections between gerontology and human-animal interaction and the establishment of the interest group in 2016; 2. Current work being conducted by members of the group around the world.

Selected Citations from the episode:

• Ellingsen‐Dalskau, L. H., de Boer, B., & Pedersen, I. (2021). Comparing the care environment at farm‐based and regular day care for people with dementia in Norway—An observational study. Health & Social Care in the Community, 29(2), 506-514. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.13113
• Finnanger‐Garshol, B., Pedersen, I., Patil, G., Eriksen, S., & Ellingsen‐Dalskau, L. H. (2022). Emotional well‐being in people with dementia–A comparative study of farm‐based and regular day care services in Norway. Health & Social Care in the Community, 30(5), e1734-e1745. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.13601
• Friedmann, E., Gee, N. R., Simonsick, E. M., Barr, E., Resnick, B., Werthman, E., & Adesanya, I. (2023). Pet ownership and maintenance of physical function in older adults—Evidence from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA). Innovation in Aging, 7(1), igac080. https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igac080
• Rosteius, K., de Boer, B., Staudacher, S., Schols, J., & Verbeek, H. (2022). How the interrelated physical, social and organizational environment impacts daily life of residents with dementia on a Green Care Farm. Frontiers in Public Health, 10, 946962. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.946962
• Takase, M., Ogino, R., Yoshida, K., Kusu, H., Kenmochi, T., & Goto, J. (2021). Qualitative research on the primary effect of fish pet ownership using the bottleium, a bottle-type aquarium, on community-dwelling older adults in Japan: A potential preventive measure towards social isolation. Geriatrics, 6(1), 17. https://doi.org/10.3390/geriatrics6010017

Guests:

• Nancy R. Gee, PhD, C-AISS, Professor of Psychiatry & Director of the Center for Human-Animal Interaction, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
• Mai Takase, Researcher, Institute of Gerontology, The University of Tokyo
• Ingeborg Pedersen, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Public Health Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)
• Katharina Rosteius, PhD Student, Department of Health Services Research, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University

Co-Hosts: 

• Jessica Bibbo, PhD, Senior Research Scientist, Center Research and Education, Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging (GSA Human-Animal Interaction Interest Group Convener)
• Ashley Taeckens-Seabaugh, MSW, Former Research Fellow, Institute for Human-Animal Connection, Graduate School of Social Work, University of Denver; Current Director of Research, Hope Squad

Eighty-one year old Lincoln Phillips is a former soccer coach at Howard University who led the men's team to win its first NCAA Division I Championship in 1971. He is also the first Black professional soccer coach in US history and the first Black coach to win an NCAA tournament.  His story has been documented on ESPN’s SportsCenter of this historical win.  Produced by the celebrated Spike Lee, this documentary highlights Mr. Phillips’ and the Howard University soccer team’s historic win (Howard University's Soccer Redemption Song: A Spike Lee Lil' Joint - The Shadow League).

Guest:  Coach Lincoln Phillips

Co-Hosts:  Tamara A. Baker, PhD (founder and co-convener of the GSA HBCU Collaborative Interest Group); and Alyssa Gamaldo, PhD (GSA HBCU Collaborative Interest Group and BSS Section member)

Dr. Harry R. Moody joins the GSA Religion, Spirituality, and Aging Interest Group to share religious concerns and spiritual insights on paths to being a nobody. Listen for more as we plumb depths of storytelling, scientific research, public health, wisdom, love and aging. We hope our conversation will help hearts come alive, even for a tiny second. 

Recommended Reading:

• Dass, R. (2001). Still here: Embracing aging, changing, and dying. Penguin. 
• Moody, H. R., & Carroll, D. (1998). The five stages of the soul: Charting the spiritual passages that shape our lives. Anchor. 
• Maxwell, F. S. (1968). The measure of my days: One Woman's Vivid, Enduring Celebration of Life and Aging. Penguin. 
• Rumi, J. A. D., & Barks, C. (1995). The Essential Rumi. Penguin. 
• Tornstam, L. (1997). Gerotranscendence: The contemplative dimension of aging. Journal of Aging Studies, 11(2), 143-154. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0890-4065(97)90018-9 

Guest: Harry (Rick) Moody, PhD, Visiting Faculty, Fielding Graduate University.

Host:  Stephen John Fogle, Doctoral Candidate, University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Dr. Degenholtz interviewed Shabnam Haghzare, PhD about her paper, “Can Automated Vehicles Be Useful to Persons Living With Dementia? The Perspectives of Care Partners of People Living With Dementia”, published in The Gerontologist last year.  Dr. Haghzare completed this work as part of her doctoral dissertation in biomedical engineering at the University of Toronto where she was also a postdoctoral researcher at the KITE Research Institute at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute at Toronto University.  KITE stands for “Knowledge, Innovation, Talent, Everywhere.” She is currently an Artificial Intelligence consultant at Institut national de santé publique du Québec.  

Check out “Automated Vehicles for People With Dementia: A ‘Tremendous Potential’ That ‘Has Ways to go’--Reports of a Qualitative Study,” related work by Dr. Haghzare and colleagues also published in The Gerontologist.

You can learn more about Dr. Haghzare’s research at https://www.shabnamhaghzare.com/ and follow her @ShabnamHZare.

The use of cannabis among older adults is increasing in the United States. While cannabis use has been suggested to help alleviate chronic symptoms experienced by older adults, its potential adverse effects may lead to unintended consequences, including increased acute healthcare utilization related to its use. This GSA Policy Profile delves into what has happened in the environment since 2021 when GSA published Medical Use of Cannabidiol in Older Adults, which was based on a convening of experts in pharmacy, clinical medicine, research, law, and policy. Additional resources: Common Terminology & Glossary (April 2023 Version) Cannabis Infographic FDA Regulation of Cannabis and Cannabis-Derived Products, Including Cannabidiol (CBD) Download the Transcript Guests: Libby Baney, J.D., Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP Carmen Witsken, PharmD, Executive Fellow in Association Leadership and Management at American Society of Consultant Pharmacists Host: Patricia M. "Trish" D'Antonio, BSPharm, MS, MBA, BCGP, Vice President, Policy and Professional Affairs, The Gerontological Society of America. This podcast episode is supported by Jazz Pharmaceuticals

A staffing crisis in long-term care has created challenges for residents, caregivers, and direct care workers. Despite the decreasing number of cases of COVID-19, interest in long-term care employment continues to dwindle. This staffing crisis, which resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic, has become a chronic problem. This podcast episode will feature the work and insights of GSA members Katherine McGilton, PhD, RN, FAAN, FGSA, and Barbara Bowers, PhD, RN, FAAN, FGSA. Dr. McGilton’s research focus is on the care of persons with cognitive impairment, particularly in identifying interventions and models of care delivery that lead to effective patient outcomes. She also has experience in outcome measure development and has published on various aspects of intervention and outcomes in dementia care, rehabilitation care, and long-term care. Dr. Bowers has conducted research with frail, older adults to examine how nursing staff and long-term care systems impact quality of life and quality of care. She has worked with state and federal government bodies to develop, implement, and evaluate public policies affecting older adults. 

Guests: Barbara Bowers PhD, RN, FAAN, FGSA, Professor Emerita, School of Nursing, University of Wisconsin–Madison; and Katherine McGilton, PhD, RN, FAAN, FGSA, Senior Scientist, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute–University Health Network, Scientist, KITE Research Institute at University Health Network, and Professor, Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto.

Host: Kirsten N. Corazzini, PhD, FGSA, Dean and Professor, University of New Hampshire College of Health and Human Services. 

This podcast episode is supported by the GSA Innovation Fund.

Dr. Degenholtz interviewed Dr. Reuben Ng at the Le Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore about two papers on ageism on TikTok published in The Gerontologist.  In "Not Too Old for TikTok: How Older Adults Are Reframing Aging", he and his co-author examine how older adults use TikTok, and in "Hostility Toward Baby Boomers on TikTok", they examine the reaction of younger adults to the ways that older adults use TikTok.  Taken together, these two papers shed light on fascinating sub-cultures of the virtual world. 

Both articles are published in the October 2022 issue of The Gerontologist.

Dr. Degenholtz interviewed Dr. Kathy Black at the University of South Florida about her article, "Assessing Age-Friendly Community Progress: What Have We Learned?", which appeared in the special issue of The Gerontologist, Age-Friendly Environments.  Dr. Black's article led off the special issue and summarized the overall performance of age-friendly communities.

For an overview of the special issue, check out the editorial by Dr. Meeks: Age-Friendly Communities: Introduction to the Special Issue