Birth cohort differences in cognitive performance in 75- and 80-year-olds: a comparison of two cohorts over 28 years

Implementation of an age-friendly care initiative in an acute care setting: Overcoming challenges and measuring outcomes

BACKGROUND

The aging U.S. population requires innovative care approaches. Our medical center implemented the Age-Friendly Health Systems "4Ms" framework-what Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility-using a Plan-Do-Study-Act quality improvement approach.

METHODS

Launched in December 2019 on two inpatient units, this nurse-led project aimed to improve care for hospitalized adults aged 70+. Key interventions included enhancing documentation of patient goals, reducing high-risk medications, implementing delirium prevention strategies, and supporting mobility. Metrics tracked included 4Ms adherence, Beers® Criteria medication orders, delirium incidence, and ambulation distances.

RESULTS

Over five years, 4Ms adherence rose from 81% to 100%, Beers Criteria medication orders decreased, and ambulation distances improved while falls and delirium rates remained stable. Patient education initiatives enhanced satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

The successful 4Ms initiative has expanded across all inpatient units and is being implemented system wide.

Age-invariant approaches to cognitive reserve

Cognitive reserve (CR) and its measurement by proxies have gained interest in cognitive aging research. While CR proxies seem valuable for predicting cognitive function, their measures are often conflated with age effects. The current study aims to address this by introducing an age-invariant approach of CR. We included 380 participants (age = 18-79) from the Advanced Brain Imaging on aging and Memory (ABRIM) study who completed the Cognitive Reserve Index questionnaire (CRIq), a measure to estimate verbal IQ, and several neuropsychological tasks in the domains of memory, executive function and attention/speed. With various regression models and structural equation modeling, we assessed age effects on the CRIq subscales and their predictive value on cognitive function. Results showed a significant non-linear age effect on the Education and Occupation subscale of the CRIq and a linear age effect on the Leisure subscale. New age-corrections derived from these effects were more accurate than age-corrections from the original norm scores. Moreover, the three cognitive domains were significantly predicted in the expected direction by the new age-corrected CRIq scores, and not by the raw scores or original age-corrected scores. However, compared to verbal IQ, the predictive value of these CRIq scores was still low. Associations between the CRIq and cognitive function seemed to vary across the lifespan, but were not consistently stronger for older adults. These findings illustrate the importance of age adjustments in CR research. Most importantly, appropriate age-adjustments may be sample specific and non-linear effects to properly correct for age must be considered.

Cohort trends in intrinsic capacity in England and China

To understand how the health of older adults today compares to that of previous generations, we estimated intrinsic capacity and subdomains of cognitive, locomotor, sensory, psychological and vitality capacities in participants of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing and the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Applying multilevel growth curve models, we found that more recent cohorts entered older ages with higher levels of capacity, while subsequent age-related declines were somewhat compressed compared to earlier cohorts. Trends were most evident for the cognitive, locomotor and vitality capacities. Improvements were large, with the greatest gains being in the most recent cohorts. For example, a 68-year-old participant of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing born in 1950 had higher capacity than a 62-year-old born 10 years earlier. Trends were similar for men and women and were generally consistent across English and Chinese cohorts. Possible causes include broad societal influences and improvements in medical care.

Trends in Positive Life Orientation Among 70-Year-Olds: A Comparison of Two Finnish Cohorts Born 20 Years Apart

OBJECTIVES

We assessed if positive life orientation (PLO) has increased among older individuals and explored gender disparities in PLO changes.

METHODS

Two cohorts of 70-year-olds from Turku, Finland were included: the 1920 birth cohort (examined in 1991; n = 1,032) and the 1940 birth cohort (examined in 2011; n = 956). Participants completed an identical questionnaire assessing life satisfaction, feeling needed, future plans, zest for life, depression, and loneliness. A composite PLO score (range 0-1) was computed.

RESULTS

The 2011 cohort had a higher mean PLO score than the 1991 cohort (.87 vs. .83, p < .001). The 2011 cohort reported higher sense of being needed, more future plans, and reduced loneliness (all p < .001). No significant differences were found in life satisfaction, zest for life, or depression. Gender disparities in PLO persisted across both cohorts, with men scoring slightly higher but following similar trends as women.

DISCUSSION

PLO appears to have increased among older individuals.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Recognizing the rising trend of PLO in recent decades may influence the development of societal and healthcare policies to further improve overall well-being among older individuals.

The effect of multidomain lifestyle intervention on health care service use and costs - secondary analyses from the Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability (FINGER): a randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

The Finnish multidomain lifestyle intervention study to prevent cognitive impairment and disability (FINGER, N = 1259), a randomised controlled trial had beneficial effects on morbidity in older people, but to what extent such a lifestyle intervention may affect the use of health care services and their costs especially in long term are unknown.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated the effect of a two-year FINGER multidomain intervention on health care service use during the 8-year follow-up. The costs of service use were also evaluated.

METHODS

Health care service use obtained from national health care registers (days of inpatient hospital stay and long-term care, number of visits to emergency services, hospital as outpatient, home care, primary care physician and primary care nurse) was analysed among participants of the FINGER. Trial targeted community-dwelling people aged 60-77 years at risk for cognitive impairment, who were randomly allocated to the multidomain intervention or control group. Costs were evaluated as the mean costs of services used.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in total health care costs between the intervention and control groups. The participants in the intervention group, however, had a lower use of the hospital inpatient care (RR 0.73, 95% CI 0.54-1.00) and emergency services (RR 0.83, 95% CI 0.70-0.97) than those in the control group. Hospital inpatient care was lower especially among men. The use of other types of health care services did not differ between the groups. The costs of health care service use without including long-term care were lower in the intervention group (RR 0.81, 95% CI 0.68-0.99).

CONCLUSIONS

The FINGER intervention has a potential to reduce the need for the inpatient hospital care and emergency visits and associated costs, especially among men.

Cohort comparison of vision and hearing in 75- and 80-year-old men and women born 28 years apart

PURPOSE

We compared the vision and hearing of older men and women born 28 years apart. In addition, we explored factors explaining the possible cohort differences.

METHODS

Two independent cohorts of 75- and 80-year-old men and women were assessed as a part of the Evergreen study in 1989-1990 (n = 500) and the Evergreen II study in 2017-2018 (n = 726). Studies were conducted with similar protocols, and differences between cohorts were compared for distance visual acuity and hearing acuity. We also studied whether educational level and health factors (i.e. total cholesterol, blood pressure, BMI, and smoking status) underlie the possible cohort differences. Independent samples t-test, Pearson chi-squared test, and linear regression analyses were used as statistical analyses.

RESULTS

Across age and sex groups, the later-born cohort had better visual acuity and a lower prevalence of visual impairment compared to the earlier-born cohort. In hearing, 75-year-old men in the later-born cohort had better hearing acuity, with average hearing level at 32 dB compared to 36 dB in the earlier-born cohort, and 80-year-old men had a lower prevalence of moderate or worse hearing loss (74 % vs. 54 %) than men in the earlier-born cohort. Similar differences were not observed for women. The cohort differences in distance visual acuity and hearing acuity attenuated when adjusting for education level.

CONCLUSIONS

Today older adults retain better vision longer than before, but cohort differences in hearing are less obvious. Differences between cohorts may be partly due to advances in education.

The trends of mental disorders mortality in China over a 33-year period

OBJECTIVES

We investigated the variations in the trends of mental disorders mortality by age, period, and cohort, over a 33-year period from 1987 to 2020, to reveal the relationship between age, period, cohort, and mental disorders mortality, as well as providing guidance for resource allocation to prevent mental disorders-related deaths in vulnerable target populations.

METHODS

The data of mental disorders mortality 1987-2020 were from five administrative organizations, which collected from the National Health Commission in China with national monitoring by sex and age, covering 31 provinces in China. The International Classification of Diseases (ICD), its 9th Revision (ICD-9) and its 10th Revision were used to code the mental diseases. From 1987-2002, ICD-9 was used, and ICD-10 was used from 2003 to 2020. The age standardized mortality rates (ASMRs) were calculated using the World Standard Population as the reference. We used joinpoint models to assess the trends of mental disorders mortality in China for the period 1987-2020. And the age-period-cohort models were employed to estimate the age-period-cohort effect on mental disorders mortality.

RESULTS

The age-standardized overall mental disorders mortality rate (ASMR) showed a downward trend from 1987 to 2020. Further, the ASMR of individuals in urban was higher than that in rural from 1987 to 2001, but, post-2002, this urban-rural disparity in ASMR showed a less clear pattern, with urban areas occasionally surpassing rural areas and vice versa. ASMR is less prevalent among females compared to males overall. The contribution of age effects to mental disorders mortality gradually increases with advancing age, the period effects of mental disorders mortality gradually decrease over time. The cohort effect's contribution to mental disorders mortality decreases in the newly born population, while in the older birth cohorts, the cohort effect's contribution to the mortality rate of mental disorders increases.

CONCLUSIONS

The ASMR exhibits a decreasing trend from 1987 to 2020, and these change trend showed urban-rural and sex differences. The primary factors contributing to this overall decline are period effects and cohort effects. Our results provide valuable information for shaping mental health policies, designing targeted interventions, and preparing for future changes in disease mortality rates. The focus on different demographic factors allows for a nuanced and tailored approach to mental health promotion and intervention strategies.

Cohort Differences in Depressive Symptoms and Life Satisfaction in 75- and 80-Year-Olds: A Comparison of Two Cohorts 28 Years Apart

Objectives: To examine birth cohort differences in depressive symptoms and life satisfaction in older men and women and the mechanisms underpinning the possible cohort differences. Methods: Two independent cohorts of Finnish men and women aged 75 and 80 were assessed in 1989-1990 (n = 617) and 2017-2018 (n = 794). They reported their depressive symptoms (CES-D), current life satisfaction, and evaluation of life until now. Results: The later-born cohort reported fewer depressive symptoms (8.6 ± 7.1 vs. 13.9 ± 8.3) and the differences were similar for the subdomains of depressive symptoms. The later-born cohort was more often mostly satisfied with life until now (90 vs. 70%) but not with the current life than the earlier-born cohort. Better self-rated health and education of the later-born cohort partly explain the cohort differences. Discussion: Older people in Finland report fewer depressive symptoms and they are more satisfied with their past life compared to their counterparts assessed 28 years ago.

New evidence of trends in cognitive function among middle-aged and older adults in China, 2011-2018: an age-period-cohort analysis

BACKGROUND

Increasing evidence from high-income countries suggests the risk of cognitive impairment has been declining recently. However, related studies in China have rarely been done, and the results are inconsistent. We analyze the trends in cognitive function among middle-aged and older adults in China between 2011 and 2018.

METHODS

We used data from four waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), including 48918 individuals aged 45 years and older. Cognitive function was assessed using the CHARLS cognitive measures containing episodic memory, orientation, attention, and visuospatial abilities. The hierarchical age-period-cohort (APC) model was used to quantify the separate age, period, and cohort effects on trends in cognitive function.

RESULTS

The study sample's ages ranged from 45 to 105 years (Mean = 59.2, SD = 9.4). Cognitive function declined with age net of period and cohort effects, an apparent acceleration in the rate of cognitive decline after age 65 was found adjusting for individual characteristics. Although period effects on trends in cognitive function remained stable during the study period, hierarchical APC models demonstrated significant cohort variations. Independent of age and period effects, there was a fluctuating trend across cohorts before 1960 and an overall decline across successive cohorts.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study indicates that the age effect remains the most crucial factor regarding cognitive decline. Moreover, results demonstrate that cohorts living in social upheaval leading to educational deprivation and/or nutritional deficiency in early life may face a higher risk for cognitive deterioration later in life. Such findings indicate that dementia prevention from a life course perspective and cohort-specific strategies are critical to alleviating the future public-health burdens related to cognitive aging. Ongoing attention should be paid to the role of cross-cohort differences in education on cohort trends in cognition in countries like China that are aging rapidly and have a late start in educational expansion compared to other countries. Other factors, such as environmental stimulation, need to be noticed in younger cohorts.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in Southwestern and Eastern Finland

INTRODUCTION

The incidence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) worldwide is approximately 1-2.6/1,000,000 and prevalence is 5-6/100,000. ALS has been suggested to be relatively common in Finland, but epidemiological information on the subject is scarce and outdated.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Patients with ALS diagnostic codes were identified from mandatory administrative registries in the provinces of Southwestern Finland (population circa 430,000) and North Karelia (population circa 170,000), together comprising 11.7% of the total population of Finland. The diagnoses were verified, and data were extracted by reviewing the patient records. Incidence period was 2010-2018, and the prevalence date was December 31, 2018. Age-standardization was performed using the European Standard Population 2013 (ESP2013).

RESULTS

Overall crude incidence of ALS was 4.2/100,000 person-years in Southwestern Finland (ESP2013: 4.0/100,000) and 5.6/100,000 person-years in North Karelia (ESP2013: 4.8/100,000), while crude prevalences were 11.9/100,000 (ESP2013: 10.5/100,000) and 10.9/100,000 (ESP2013: 9.3/100,000), respectively. Mean age at diagnosis was 65.5-71.6 years in women (higher in Southwestern Finland compared to North Karelia, p = 0.003) and 64.7-67.3 years in men (no difference between provinces, p = 0.39). The diagnosis had been made in 50% before the age of 70 years in Southwestern Finland and before the age of 65 years in 51% in North Karelia. Genetic testing had been conducted in 28% of all patients with the most common findings being SOD1 and C9orf72. After the diagnosis, mean survival was 2.0-2.7 and median survival 1.3-1.4 years. Onset phenotype (p < 0.001), age at diagnosis (p < 0.001), and genotype (p = 0.001) predicted survival. Riluzole had been used by 25% of patients and tracheostomy and invasive ventilation (TIV) had been performed in <1%.

CONCLUSIONS

Both incidence and prevalence of ALS in Finland are among the highest in the world but with some notable differences between the eastern and southwestern parts of the country. Low median life expectancy may be related to the advanced age of patients and the high prevalence of C9orf72 repeat expansion in Finland as well infrequent use of TIV and riluzole.

Adult-Onset Neuroepidemiology in Finland: Lessons to Learn and Work to Do

Finland is a relatively small genetic isolate with a genetically non-homogenous population. Available Finnish data on neuroepidemiology of adult-onset disorders are limited, and this paper describes the conclusions that can be drawn and their implications. Apparently, Finnish people have a (relatively) high risk of developing Unverricht-Lundborg disease (EPM1), Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Spinal muscular atrophy, Jokela type (SMAJ) and adult-onset dystonia. On the other hand, some disorders, such as Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) and Wilson's disease (WD), are almost absent or completely absent in the population. Valid and timely data concerning even many common disorders, such as stroke, migraine, neuropathy, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, are unavailable, and there are virtually no data on many less-common neurological disorders, such as neurosarcoidosis or autoimmune encephalitides. There also appear to be marked regional differences in the incidence and prevalence of many diseases, suggesting that non-granular nationwide data may be misleading in many cases. Concentrated efforts to advance neuroepidemiological research in the country would be of clinical, administrative and scientific benefit, but currently, all progress is blocked by administrative and financial obstacles.

Today's Older Adults Are Cognitively Fitter Than Older Adults Were 20 Years Ago, but When and How They Decline Is No Different Than in the Past

History-graded increases in older adults' levels of cognitive performance are well documented, but little is known about historical shifts in within-person change: cognitive decline and onset of decline. We combined harmonized perceptual-motor speed data from independent samples recruited in 1990 and 2010 to obtain 2,008 age-matched longitudinal observations (M = 78 years, 50% women) from 228 participants in the Berlin Aging Study (BASE) and 583 participants in the Berlin Aging Study II (BASE-II). We used nonlinear growth models that orthogonalized within- and between-person age effects and controlled for retest effects. At age 78, the later-born BASE-II cohort substantially outperformed the earlier-born BASE cohort (d = 1.20; 25 years of age difference). Age trajectories, however, were parallel, and there was no evidence of cohort differences in the amount or rate of decline and the onset of decline. Cognitive functioning has shifted to higher levels, but cognitive decline in old age appears to proceed similarly as it did two decades ago.

Development in life expectancy with good and poor cognitive function in the elderly European Population from 2004-05 to 2015

BACKGROUND

Living not just longer, but also cognitively healthier, and more independent lives is essential if European countries are to cope with the financial challenges that the shifting age composition of Europe's population presents. Here we investigate the change in life expectancy (LE) spent with good and poor cognitive function among older adults across Europe.

METHODS

LE with good/poor cognitive function was estimated by the Sullivan Method. Cross-sectional data on cognitive functioning was obtained from 23,213 (wave 1, 2004-05) and 40,874 (wave 6, 2015) 50+-year-olds of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Information on mortality was obtained from the Eurostat Database. Results for 70+-year-olds were emphasized.

RESULTS

LE with good cognitive function increased with 1.6 years from 10.7 years (95% CI: 10.6-10.9) in 2004-05 to 12.4 years (95% CI: 12.3-12.5) in 2015 for 70+-year-olds. Disparity was observed across sex and region. In 2004-05, a 70+-year-old woman could expect to spend 30.9% (95% CI: 29.4-32.4) of her remaining LE with poor cognitive function compared to 27.7% (95% CI: 26.0 -29.4) for men. In 2015, women (24.4% (95% CI: 23.4-25.3)) had considerably caught up with men (24.8% (95% CI:23.7.25.8)), shifting the pattern in favor of women. In 2004-05 and 2015, Northern Europeans had the lowest LE with poor cognitive function while Southern Europeans had the highest, but made the most improvement during the period.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall we find that LE with poor cognitive function has been compressed in the European population of 70+-year-olds.

Improved Cognitive Function in the Tromsø Study in Norway From 2001 to 2016

Background and Objectives

Physical capacity and cardiovascular risk profiles seem to be improving in the population. Cognition has been improving due to a birth cohort effect, but evidence is conflicting on whether this improvement remains in the latest decades and what is causing the changes in our population older than 60 years. We aimed to investigate birth cohort differences in cognition.

Methods

The study comprised 9,514 participants from the Tromsø Study, an ongoing longitudinal cohort study. Participants were aged 60-87 years, born between 1914 and 1956. They did 4 cognitive tests in 3 waves during 2001-2016. Linear regression was applied and adjusted for age, education, blood pressure, smoking, hypercholesterolemia, stroke, heart attack, depression, diabetes, physical activity, alcohol use, BMI, and height.

Results

Cognitive test scores were better in later-born birth cohorts for all age groups, and in both sexes, compared with earlier-born cohorts. Increased education, physical activity, alcohol intake, decreasing smoking prevalence, and increasing height were associated with one-third of this improvement across birth cohorts in women and one-half of the improvement in men.

Discussion

Cognitive results were better in more recent-born birth cohorts compared with earlier born, assessed at the same age. The improvement was present in all cognitive domains, suggesting an overall improvement in cognitive performance. The 80-year-olds assessed in 2015-2016 performed like 60-year-olds assessed in 2001. The improved scores were associated with increased education level, increase in modest drinking frequency, increased physical activity, and, for men, smoking cessation and increased height.

Leisure Adjustments of Older Finnish Adults during the Early Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The current approach to “aging well” emphasizes the importance of active leisure participation in late adulthood. This relates to the view that leisure activities enable older adults to stay physically, mentally, and socially active, and they thereby contribute to wellbeing. In spring 2020, leisure activity engagement was significantly hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explores leisure-related experiences and adaptation strategies among Finnish older adults during the period of strict physical distancing. The data comprises letters (N = 77) written by Finnish people (aged 70–93) that were analyzed using content analysis. The study suggests that the reorganization of leisure was particularly influenced by the social significance of leisure activities, the age identities of the participants, and the prevailing ideals of active aging. The paper introduces three strategies of leisure adjustment: building new routines, maintaining activeness, and enjoying slow leisure. The article highlights the importance of investing in older adults’ leisure participation in the aftercare of the pandemic.

Birth Cohorts and Cognitive Reserve Influence Cognitive Performances in Older Adults

BACKGROUND

Evidence suggests birth cohort differences in cognitive performance of older adults. Proxies of cognitive reserve (CR), such as educational attainment and occupational complexity, could also partly account for these differences as they are influenced by the sociocultural environment of the birth cohorts.

OBJECTIVE

To predict cognitive performance using birth cohorts and CR and examine the moderating influence of CR on cognitive performance and structural brain health association.

METHODS

Using ADNI data (n = 1628), four birth cohorts were defined (1915-1928; 1929-1938; 1939-1945; 1946-1964). CR proxies were education, occupational complexity, and verbal IQ. We predicted baseline cognitive performances (verbal episodic memory; language and semantic memory; attention capacities; executive functions) using multiple linear regressions with CR, birth cohorts, age, structural brain health (total brain volume; total white matter hyperintensities volume) and vascular risk factors burden as predictors. Sex and CR interactions were also explored.

RESULTS

Recent birth cohorts, higher CR, and healthier brain structures predicted better performance in verbal episodic memory, language and semantic memory, and attention capacities, with large effect sizes. Better performance in executive functions was predicted by a higher CR and a larger total brain volume, with a small effect size. With equal score of CR, women outperformed men in verbal episodic memory and language and semantic memory in all cohorts. Higher level of CR predicted better performance in verbal episodic memory, only when total brain volume was lower.

CONCLUSION

Cohort differences in cognitive performance favor more recent birth cohorts and suggests that this association may be partly explained by proxies of CR.

Stratification in health and survival after age 100: evidence from Danish centenarians

BACKGROUND

The existence of a super-select group of centenarians that demonstrates increased survivorship has been hypothesized. However, it is unknown if this super-select group possesses similar characteristics apart from extreme longevity.

METHODS

In this study, we analyse high-quality health and survival data of Danish centenarians born in 1895, 1905 and 1910. We use Latent Class Analysis to identify unobserved health classes and to test whether these super-select lives share similar health characteristics.

RESULTS

We find that, even after age 100, a clear and distinct gradient in health exists and that this gradient is remarkably similar across different birth cohorts of centenarians. Based on the level of health, we identify three clusters of centenarians - robust, frail and intermediate - and show that these groups have different survival prospects. The most distinctive characteristic of the robust centenarians is the outperformance in different health dimensions (physical, functional and cognitive). Finally, we show that our health class categorizations are good predictors of the survival prospects of centenarians.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a clear stratification in health and functioning among those over 100 years of age and these differences are associated with survival beyond age 100.