Daily Electronic Media Use and Sleep in Late Life.

OBJECTIVES: Daily electronic media use, including television viewing and computer use, is common in older adulthood. Yet, increased electronic media usage may disrupt nightly sleep, leading to sleeping fewer hours and more sleep disruptions. The current study examined these relationships in older adulthood, as well as the potential buffering effect of having a regular sleep schedule. METHODS: Older adults (N = 273) from the Daily Experiences and Well-Being Study (DEWS) completed 5-6 days of data collection where they answered questions at the beginning of the day about the previous night's sleep as well as questions throughout the day about daily electronic media use. They also wore Actical accelerometers to capture sleep regularity. RESULTS: Older adults reported sleeping fewer hours and having more sleep disturbances on days when they reported more instances of computer use. Sleep regularity moderated the daily association between TV viewing and sleep disturbances such that daily TV viewing was associated with more sleep complaints only for older adults who had less regular sleep patterns. However, sleep regularity no longer moderated this association when accounting for napping behavior. DISCUSSION: These findings provide evidence that older adults sleep worse after days when they engage in more electronic media use. The association with TV viewing with sleep disturbances on any given day is somewhat mitigated by engaging in regular sleep patterns. Researchers discuss the importance of assessing electronic media use and sleep in daily life as the role of sleep regularity may be a modifiable protective factor.

Older Adults' and Family Caregivers' Technological Arrangements on Risk of Institutionalization.

Internet-enabled resources could facilitate older adults' ability to live in the community longer, but studies have often overlooked how family caregivers utilize the internet to assist older care recipients. We examined whether different family-level arrangements of internet use may affect the risk of institutionalization among older adults. Using the National Health and Aging Trends Study (2015-2020) and National Study on Caregiving (2015), we estimated multinominal logistic regression and inverse-probability weighted Cox proportional hazard models to investigate the determinants of technological arrangements in 2015 (i.e., no internet use, only caregiver use, only care recipient use, both caregiver and care recipient internet use) and how they may affect the risk of moving to an assisted living or nursing facility between 2015 and 2020. The most prevalent technological arrangement in 2015 was the one where neither the care recipient nor their caregiver reported using the internet. Relatively disadvantaged older care recipients (e.g., people of color, fewer years of education, less income, worse cognitive functioning) and caregivers (e.g., older, fewer years of education) were more likely to be in a non-internet use arrangement. Compared to older adults in other categories, older adults who were internet users and had a family caregiver who also used the internet in their caregiving tasks had a much lower risk of relocation during the study period. Findings suggest that digital interventions aimed at serving the older adult population should assess the gap in access and utilization at a family level and consider the role of older adults' social partners.

Older Adults With Functional Limitations and Their Use of Telehealth During COVID-19.

We investigated the association between functional limitations and telehealth use among older Medicare beneficiaries in 2020. We use logistic regression models to estimate associations between functional limitations and the use of technological tools (i.e., computers, Internet, telehealth). We consider Internet use and informal technological support as moderators for telehealth use. Respondents (N = 3151; Mage = 78.31) with more functional limitations were more likely to use video-based telehealth. Net of functional limitations, those with a consistent Internet use were more likely to use emails/texts/portal messages to communicate with a healthcare provider. Further, more functional limitations were associated with a higher probability of using emails/texts/portal messages, but only among respondents who received informal technological support. Healthcare access may have been more difficult for older adults with functional limitations during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for those with little prior experience with the Internet, or those without friends/family to provide technological support.

Narcissism, Social Experiences, and Mood in Late Life.

OBJECTIVES: Social ties increase in importance in late life and narcissism may be deleterious to these ties. More narcissistic older adults may have more frequent social encounters than less narcissistic people and may prefer weak ties (e.g., acquaintances) over close ones (e.g., family, close friends). They may benefit more from these encounters due to their need for adulation. This study examined how daily social experiences and mood varied by narcissism among older adults. METHODS: Older adults aged 65-92 years (N = 303) completed the Narcissistic Personality Inventory-16 and completed ecological momentary assessments in which they reported number, type, and quality of social contacts and positive and negative mood every 3 h for 5-6 days. RESULTS: In multilevel models, narcissism did not predict the number or pleasantness of social encounters. But more narcissistic older adults reported a greater percentage of stressful discussions with weak ties. With regard to mood, more narcissistic people reported higher negative mood if they had more encounters with weak ties and when discussing something stressful with weak ties. Less narcissistic people reported lowered positive mood after they discussed something stressful with close ties. DISCUSSION: The findings present a nuanced understanding of how the self-centeredness of narcissism may be manifest in late life. More narcissistic people may be less sensitive to close partner's (e.g., family, friends) distress, but their mood may be more susceptible to negative social events, especially with weak ties (e.g., acquaintances).

Internet Use and Cognitive Functioning in Later Life: Focus on Asymmetric Effects and Contextual Factors.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Despite emerging literature linking Internet usage and cognitive functioning in later life, research seldom takes changes in older adults' Internet use into account. How changes in Internet use influence older adults' cognitive decline over time, particularly in the context of sociodemographic factors that shape Information and Communication Technology (ICT) use, remains an open question. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Using 9 waves of panel data from the Health and Retirement Study (2002-2018), we examined within-person asymmetric effects of transitioning into and out of Internet use on cognitive functioning, and whether the associations vary across birth cohorts and by living arrangement. RESULTS: Transitioning into Internet use (i.e., Internet use onset) was associated with improved cognitive functioning at a given wave and decelerated cognitive decline over time. Transitioning out of the Internet (i.e., Internet use cessation) was associated with worse cognitive functioning at a given wave and accelerated cognitive decline over time. Furthermore, birth cohort and living arrangement moderated these associations. The detrimental effect of transitioning out of Internet use was worse for older adults born in 1941 or before. The cognitive benefits of transitioning into Internet use were greater for those older adults who live alone. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: These findings highlight the interplay between technology, social environment, and cognitive functioning in later life. The salubrious effects of using the Internet, as well as the deleterious effects of ceasing to use such technology, underscore the importance of promoting digital literacy and access to ICT among the older adult population.

Daily social media use, social ties, and emotional well-being in later life.

Older American adults are increasingly utilizing communication technologies, but research has seldom explored older adults' daily social media use and its interface with other "offline" social ties. To explore a complementary and/or compensatory function of social media in later life, this study employed data from the Daily Experiences and Well-Being Study (2016-2017) to examine associations between daily social media use, daily social encounters, social network structure, and daily mood. Community-dwelling older adults (N = 310; Mage = 73.96) reported on their overall social network structure (diversity in types of social ties and size of network), their daily social encounters in-person and by phone, social media use, and emotional well-being for 5 to 6 days. Multilevel models revealed that daily social media use was associated with daily mood in the context of daily social encounters and the size of the social network. Individuals reported less negative mood on days with more social media use and more in-person encounters. More daily social media use was associated with more positive mood for individuals with a relatively small social network but not for their counterparts with larger social networks. Findings suggest that social media is a distinct form of social resource in later life that may complement the emotional benefits of daily social encounters and compensate for the age-related reduction in social network size. Future research should consider how socially isolated older adults might use computer-mediated communication such as social media to foster a sense of social connection.

"I'm Getting Older Too": Challenges and Benefits Experienced by Very Old Parents and Their Children.

Very old parents and their "old" children are a growing group in industrialized countries worldwide. However, virtually nothing is known about the nature and implications of this relationship constellation. To fill this gap, this study explored the challenges and rewards of the very old parent-child relationship. In-depth interviews were conducted with 114 parent-child dyads (parent age ≥90; child age ≥65). While both challenges and rewards were present, the balance of challenges and rewards was notably less favorable for children with more challenges experienced overall. Challenges reported by children were often characterized by references to children's own advanced age and health problems, and the prolonged caregiving involvement due to their parents' longevity. Health care professionals, policymakers, and families should be made aware of this increasingly common phenomenon, and specific services and policies will be needed to adequately support very old adults and their families.

Support Exchanges Among Very Old Parents and Their Children: Findings From the Boston Aging Together Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Very old parents and their "old" children are a growing group in industrialized countries worldwide. Care needs of very old parents can be substantial, while children may also face their own age-related issues. Continued mutual support represents an important pathway to addressing emerging care needs. This study aimed to identify patterns of support exchanges occurring in very old parent-child dyads and to ascertain associated individual and relationship factors. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Participants were 114 very old parents (aged ≥90) and their children (aged ≥65) from the Boston Aging Together Study. Data were collected using comprehensive, semistructured in-person interviews with both dyad members, including standardized assessments of support exchanges, relationship quality, health, and perceptions of family norms. Actor-Partner Interdependence Models were used to predict upward and downward support reported by children and parents. RESULTS: Both dyad members not only reported substantial upward support (child to parent) in all domains but also notable amounts of downward (parent to child) in the domains of emotional support, listening, and socializing. Findings showed significant associations of parent functional impairment, parent and child relationship quality, and child perceptions of family obligation with upward support and of relationship quality with downward support. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Continued support exchanges among very old parents and their children indicated that intergenerational theories still hold up in very late-life relationships. Health care professionals should be aware that attention to relationship quality and family norms might be vital to ensure that support needs are met.

Television Viewing, Physical Activity, and Loneliness in Late Life.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Television viewing is the most common leisure activity in late life and may ease loneliness but encourage sedentary behavior. These associations may be particularly evident among older adults who live alone and who may lack other forms of companionship throughout the day. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Adults aged 65+ (N = 257) participated, of whom 34% lived alone. Participants completed an initial interview followed by a 5- to 6-day data collection involving multimethods: (a) Electronically Activated Recorders (30 s every 7 min) provided audio recordings of television viewing, (b) Actical accelerometers objectively measured physical activity, and (c) ecological momentary assessments every 3 hr assessed social interactions. RESULTS: On average, older adults spent approximately 37% of their waking time (6.4 hr a day) watching television. Multilevel models revealed that television viewing occurred when participants were alone or with a spouse and was associated with a greater proportion of time sedentary, lower activity, and higher ratings of loneliness compared to when not watching television. Older adults who lived alone reported greater loneliness during 3-hr intervals when viewing television, but older adults who lived with others spent a greater proportion of time sedentary when viewing television. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Findings are discussed with regard to different rationales and ways of watching television-as compensation for social isolation or as a passive leisure activity with a social partner. We discuss ideas for research on additional aspects of television viewing and screen time in late life.

Late Life in the Living Room: Room Décor, Functional Limitations, and Personality.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Environmental gerontology and environmental psychology theories address adaptations of living space for disability and individual preferences. This study combines these perspectives to examine how room décor (i.e., furnishings, design, decoration) corresponds with functional limitations and personality in late life. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Older adults aged 65 and older (N = 286) completed interviews regarding living arrangements, functional limitations, personality, and depressive symptoms. Participants provided 3-4 photographs of the room where they spend the most time. Raters coded photographs for physical adaptations for functional limitations and 19 features of décor (e.g., crowding, color), fitting 3 categories: (a) newness, (b) comfort, and (c) cheerfulness. We estimated linear regression models to examine how functional limitations or personality are associated with room décor, and whether living arrangement moderates these links. We also assessed whether room décor moderates functional limitations or personality predicting depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Functional limitations were associated with greater clutter and less brightness. Extraversion was associated with newness and cheerfulness (but not comfort), and conscientiousness with newness and comfort (but not cheerfulness). Openness was associated with more newness and cheerfulness for those who live alone. Moderation models revealed functional limitations were associated with fewer depressive symptoms if the room was more cluttered. Conscientiousness was negatively associated with depressive symptoms when the room was higher on newness or comfort. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Findings generally supported environmental psychology and environmental gerontology perspectives and suggest "goodness of fit" between functional abilities, personal desires, and room characteristics may contribute to benefits of aging in place.

Black and White Young Adults' Support to Midlife Parents.

OBJECTIVES: Prior research suggests that midlife adults in Black and non-Hispanic White families differ in support patterns to aging parents. It is unclear whether such racial differences exist in young adulthood. We examined Black and White young adults' support to their midlife parents and underlying mechanisms to explain within-racial group, family-level differences. METHOD: Young adults (aged 18-30; Black n = 107 and White n = 351) from the Family Exchanges Study 2 reported how often they provided tangible (practical) and intangible (emotional support and advice) support to each parent. Participants also reported beliefs about obligation to support parents, rewards from helping, and parental needs. RESULTS: On average, Black young adults provided more tangible and intangible support than White young adults. Feelings of reward predicted why young adults in some Black and White families gave more support than those in other families. Parental needs explained tangible support in Black families and intangible support in White families. Within families, rewards and parental needs drove Black offspring to give more intangible support than their siblings, while obligation motivated White offspring. DISCUSSION: Consistent with support patterns evident in older adulthood, Black young adults gave more tangible and intangible support to their midlife parents compared to White young adults. Within-race support patterns were explained by different factors informed by the Multidimensional Intergenerational Support Model. Findings suggest psychological factors contribute to between- and within-racial patterns of exchanges.

Racial Differences in Early Parental Death, Midlife Life Problems, and Relationship Strain With Adult Children.

OBJECTIVES: Black Americans typically experience the death of a parent earlier in the life course than do non-Hispanic Whites, and early parental death is known to hinder subsequent relationship outcomes. Whether early parental death may contribute to racial differences in midlife family relationships and the role midlife adults' current life problems play remain unexplored. METHOD: Using multilevel modeling, we examined how timing of parental death is associated with relationship strain with adult children and whether the association differs by midlife adults' life problems in Black (n = 166) and non-Hispanic White (n = 467) families from the Family Exchanges Study. RESULTS: Losing a parent in childhood was associated with more relationship strain with adult children for Black midlife adults, but not for their non-Hispanic White counterparts. Among the bereaved, earlier timing of parental death was associated with more relationship strain with adult children only for Black midlife adults. In both bereaved and nonbereaved sample, participants' recent physical-emotional problems exacerbated the link between timing of parental death and relationship strain with adult children for Black midlife adults. DISCUSSION: Experiencing the death of a parent in the early life course can be an added structural disadvantage that imposes unique challenges for Black Americans in midlife. Policies and programs aimed at supporting bereaved children may benefit relationships with their own children later in life, and addressing physical-emotional problems in midlife may be a viable intervention point for those midlife adults who experienced the death of a parent in the early life course.

Changes in married older adults' self-perceptions of aging: The role of gender.

To what extent self-perceptions of aging and their correlates in later life may be gendered remains relatively unexplored. In particular, little is known about how changes in the health and spousal relationship quality over time contribute to self-perceptions of aging among married men and women. To clarify these links, we analyzed panel data from the Health and Retirement Study (2008-2016) on married individuals aged 65 years and older (N = 2,623) using within-between random effects models. Findings showed no gender difference in self-perceptions of aging at baseline and in the rate of change, and poorer health and spousal relationship quality were generally associated with less positive self-perceptions of aging. However, men and women differed in how within-person changes in health and spousal relationship quality were associated with their self-perceptions of aging. Increases in spousal strain and chronic conditions were associated with less positive self-perceptions of aging on that wave for men, whereas increases in functional limitations were associated with less positive self-perceptions of aging on that wave for women. Finally, a person-mean of spousal strain had a moderating effect for men, such that men with more overall spousal strain reported less positive self-perceptions of aging across a range of chronic conditions, compared to the men with less overall spousal strain. Findings highlight the intersection of social resources, health, and self-perceptions of aging, suggesting that gender differences in older adults' self-perceptions of aging are contextualized by different behaviors and social experiences among married men and women. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Like Parent, Like Child? Aging Anxiety Among Married Korean Baby Boomers.

OBJECTIVES: How intergenerational relationships influence individuals' views on aging remains understudied. This study investigated how multiple older family members' health and financial challenges may shape middle-aged adults' aging anxiety. METHOD: Married Korean baby boomers (N = 1,389) from the Korean Baby Boomer Panel Study reported on their own aging anxiety and rated each of their living parents' and in-laws' health and financial conditions. Using structural equation modeling, we examined how parents' and in-laws' health and financial challenges are associated with one's aging anxiety, and whether gender and frequency of intergenerational contact moderate the link. We expected worse health or financial conditions to be associated with higher levels of aging anxiety, and the effect to be more pronounced for women and those with more contact. RESULTS: A worse financial condition of the poorest parent/in-law was associated with higher levels of aging anxiety, while worse health condition of the unhealthiest parent/in-law was associated with lower levels of aging anxiety. The same results were found when we considered the sum of all living parents' and in-laws' financial and health conditions. Frequency of contact moderated the effect of the financial condition of the poorest parent/in-law, such that individuals reporting more contact with the poorest parent/in-law showed higher levels of aging anxiety than those with less contact. There was no moderating effect of gender. DISCUSSION: The findings highlight the role family ties play in shaping one's aging anxiety. Interventions aimed at improving views on aging through intergenerational interactions should target the quality of the intergenerational experience.

Grieving a Grandparent: The Importance of Gender and Multigenerational Relationships.

Objective: This study examined adult grandchildren's experience of losing a grandparent in the context of a multigenerational family. Background: Although the death of a grandparent in adulthood is often an expected life event, this loss may still result in grief for adult grandchildren. Furthermore, bereavement is not merely an individual experience, but a family one. Characteristics of the relationship between bereaved adult grandchildren and their bereaved middle-generation parents may influence adult grandchildren's grief responses. This includes both structural (e.g., gender of parent; coresidence with parent) and emotional (e.g., relationship quality; worry about parent) aspects of this tie. Method: Young adult grandchildren from Wave 2 of the Family Exchanges Study (2013, N = 204) reported on their recent grandparent loss experiences (N = 216) and relationships with their middle-generation parents (N= 142). Results: Three-level multilevel models revealed that (a) grandsons who lost a grandmother reported significantly fewer grief symptoms than all other gender combinations; (b) worry about a middle-generation parent was associated with higher grief symptoms, but; (c) this effect was significantly stronger when the middle-generation parent was a mother, and when adult grandchildren were coresident with that bereaved parent. Finally, relationship quality with the middle-generation parent was not associated with grief symptoms, irrespective of context. Conclusion: Results highlight the intersection of emotional and structural aspects of multigenerational relationships following the death of a family member.