Journal of Gerontological Social Work最新文献

Life course theory links early-life experiences to late-life depression, yet research on childhood neighborhood effects among rural older adults-especially gendered differences-remains limited. Analyzing 2014-2018 CHARLS data of 8,034 rural older adults via structural equation modeling, we confirm a significant long-term association between childhood neighborhood environment and depressive symptoms. Multi-group analysis reveals stark gender heterogeneity: the association holds exclusively for rural older women, with no significant effect among men. These findings underscore women's lifelong vulnerability to early environmental exposures, calling for life course-informed childhood neighborhood assessments in gerontological social work.

This article examines the psychosocial challenges of later life through the lens of poetry, highlighting maladaptive regret, the pursuit of unattainable closure, and diminished self-empathy. Drawing on gerontological research, it explores how older adults face cumulative adversities-bereavement, functional decline, estrangement, unrealized aspirations, and moral injury-often without sufficient structural or clinical support. The poem's refrain "Nevertheless" underscores persistent human striving despite epistemic limits, emotional incompleteness, and empathic constraints, emphasizing the importance of ongoing meaning-making rather than expecting ideals such as clear closure. The poem also serves as a call to action: practitioners should normalize ambiguity and unfinished narratives, expand interventions targeting maladaptive outcomes, and foster age-enabling, if not age-elevating, environments that cultivate resilience, empathy, and intergenerational support. After all, while we struggle in prose, we can, nevertheless, strive in poetry.

This study examines the demand for culturally specific nursing homes among 408 older Syrian refugees in Istanbul. A cross-sectional survey revealed that 54% desire such facilities. Multivariate analyses show interest concentrates among younger-old, tertiary- educated, naturalized, and earlier-arrival cohorts, alongside those perceiving discrimination. Conversely, the oldest-old, healthier individuals, and those intending to return to their origin country are less inclined. These findings identify priority target groups for piloting culturally specific care facilities in Türkiye, raising awareness of older displaced adults' distinct needs.

Nearly 7.1 million Americans aged 60+ have a substance use disorder (SUD), yet older adults are screened and treated far less often than younger people. Those who receive care face barriers such as limited resources, stigma, and ageism. In response, a Midwestern community- based organization created a care management program for older adults with SUDs. This study used thematic analysis of 11 in-depth interviews with 13 program staff to examine implementation challenges. Staff described enrollment difficulties, resistance from older adult members, and workforce constraints. They recommended improving enrollment processes, building trust by honoring older adults' unique needs, and strengthening workforce support.

 This quasi-experimental study evaluated the effects of a structured picture book reading (PBR) program on cognitive function and depressive symptoms among community-dwelling older adults in Taiwan. 75 participants from two community care stations were assigned to an intervention or comparison group. Pre- and post-intervention assessments were conducted using the Saint Louis University Mental Status Examination and Geriatric Depression Scale. Results showed significant improvement in cognitive function in the intervention group with a moderate effect size, while depression differences were not significant. These findings support PBR as a feasible and culturally meaningful strategy for promoting creative aging among older adults.

Using a nationally representative dataset, we estimated the effect of social relationship disruption on the depression of Chinese older adults. We found that social relationship disruption increased elderly depression within one year and two or three years later, while it did not influence the depressive outcome five years later. Social relationship disruption exhibited stronger short- and long-term influences for netizens, whereas a sex disparity emerged only in the long run. Social adaptation significantly mediated this association, while social support network did not. These findings underscore the negative impact of sudden social disconnection events on the mental health of elderly population.

Recent shifts toward extending retirement age have generated diverse sentiments among workers regarding financial security, health, and perceptions of aging. This study compared health outcomes and sentiments toward retirement age longevity between extended and non-extended retirement groups. A descriptive comparative cross-sectional survey was conducted in Alexandria and Damanhur Governorates among 691 participants: 331 in the extended retirement group and 360 in the non-extended group. Significant differences were observed in sentiment toward retirement age longevity, health status, financial condition, ageism-related factors, and psychological well-being. Participants in the extended retirement group showed better health outcomes, social engagement, perceived societal support, financial security and higher psychological well-being.

Using five waves (2005-2018) of the China Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, this study examines how community home-based elderly care services and social-security coverage jointly shape trajectories of multidimensional frailty. Latent growth and Croon-corrected structural equation models show that community services alone have no significant effect, whereas their integration with social security reduces both baseline frailty and its progression. Chain mediation reveals cross-domain pathways, particularly the social-psychological-physiological sequence. These findings highlight the role of community services as mechanisms translating institutional support into sustained health gains in later life.

This study explored the role of gender and migration status (native-born vs. foreign-born) in the extent of family caregiving and in its self-reported consequences in well-being, work performance, labor force participation, and household finances among working carers in Sweden. The analysis uses data from a nationally representative survey conducted in 2013 (n = 3,630). The results show that foreign-born working carers provided more intensive care and reported being more negatively affected by caregiving, which applied to both genders. Among the four groups under study, foreign-born women faced the most severe consequences, as their economic independence was undermined.