The Human Rights of Older People With Mental Health Conditions and Psychosocial Disability to a Good Death and Dying Well.

The human right to a good death and dying well is as important as the right to life. At stake at the end of life are human rights to dignity, autonomy, self-determination and respect for will and preferences, equitable access to quality health care that is needs-based, and respect for family and relationships. Older people with dementia, those with serious mental illness, and those with intellectual disability are vulnerable to "bad deaths" due to violations of these rights.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown restrictions on psychosocial and behavioural outcomes among Australian adults with type 2 diabetes: Findings from the PREDICT cohort study.

Aim: To examine psychosocial and behavioural impacts of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and lockdown restrictions among adults with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: Participants enrolled in the PRogrEssion of DIabetic ComplicaTions (PREDICT) cohort study in Melbourne, Australia (n = 489 with a baseline assessment pre-2020) were invited to complete a phone/online follow-up assessment in mid-2020 (i.e.

Diagnostic criteria for apathy in neurocognitive disorders.

Introduction: Apathy is common in neurocognitive disorders (NCD) but NCD-specific diagnostic criteria are needed.

Methods: The International Society for CNS Clinical Trials Methodology Apathy Work Group convened an expert group and sought input from academia, health-care, industry, and regulatory bodies. A modified Delphi methodology was followed, and included an extensive literature review, two surveys, and two meetings at international conferences, culminating in a consensus meeting in 2019.

The role of cognition and reinforcement sensitivity in older adult decision-making under explicit risk conditions.

: Previous research has suggested that individual differences in executive functions, memory and reinforcement sensitivity are associated with performance on behavioral decision-making tasks. Decision-making performance may also decline with age, however there is a lack of research on the interplay of cognitive and affective processes, and their impact on older adult decision-making. This study examined associations between executive functions, memory and reinforcement sensitivity on the Game of Dice Task (a measure of decision-making under explicit risk) among older adults.

Cross-sectional association between objective cognitive performance and perceived age-related gains and losses in cognition.

Objectives: Evidence linking subjective concerns about cognition with poorer objective cognitive performance is limited by reliance on unidimensional measures of self-perceptions of aging (SPA). We used the awareness of age-related change (AARC) construct to assess self-perception of both positive and negative age-related changes (AARC gains and losses). We tested whether AARC has greater utility in linking self-perceptions to objective cognition compared to well-established measures of self-perceptions of cognition and aging.

Ngarraanga Giinganay ('thinking peacefully'): Co-design and pilot study of a culturally-grounded mindfulness-based stress reduction program with older First Nations Australians.

First Nations 'survivors' are ageing in increasing numbers. Life-course stress and depression are of concern for older First Nations Australians, yet there are limited psychosocial interventions. This study aimed to co-design a culturally-grounded mindfulness-based program ('Ngarraanga Giinganay') and evaluate acceptability/feasibility with an Aboriginal community on Gumbaynggirr Country.

A visit with Viv: Empathising with a digital human character embodying the lived experiences of dementia.

The Visit, an immersive participatory artwork (viewed on a screen or virtual reality headset), was produced as part of a research programme investigating the subjective experience of dementia and the relational dynamic between people with dementia and others. It invites viewers to engage with a digital human character, 'Viv', as she shares her experiences of living with dementia. The experiences that Viv recounts are based on verbatim accounts from in-depth interviews with four women living with dementia.

Intergenerational Programmes bringing together community dwelling non-familial older adults and children: A Systematic Review.

Background: Social isolation is associated with an increased risk of adverse health outcomes, including functional decline, cognitive decline, and dementia. Intergenerational engagement, i.e.

Dementia risk reduction in practice: the knowledge, opinions and perspectives of Australian healthcare providers.

This study examined Australian primary healthcare providers' knowledge about dementia risk factors and risk reduction and their perspectives on barriers and enablers to risk reduction in practice. Primary healthcare providers were recruited through Primary Health Networks across Australia (n =51). Participants completed an online survey that consisted of fixed-responses and free-text components to assess their knowledge, attitudes and current practices relating to dementia risk factors and risk reduction techniques.

Estimating prevalence of subjective cognitive decline in and across international cohort studies of aging: a COSMIC study.

Background: Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is recognized as a risk stage for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other dementias, but its prevalence is not well known. We aimed to use uniform criteria to better estimate SCD prevalence across international cohorts.

Methods: We combined individual participant data for 16 cohorts from 15 countries (members of the COSMIC consortium) and used qualitative and quantitative (Item Response Theory/IRT) harmonization techniques to estimate SCD prevalence.

Comparison of health care utilization among patients affiliated and not affiliated with healthcare professionals in China.

Background: Doing "more" in healthcare can be a major threat to the delivery of high-quality health care. It is important to identify the supplier-induced demand (SID) of health care. This study aims to test SID hypothesis by comparing health care utilization among patients affiliated with healthcare professionals and their counterpart patients not affiliated with healthcare professionals.

Longitudinal trajectories of hippocampal volume in middle to older age community dwelling individuals.

Understanding heterogeneity in brain aging trajectories is important to estimate the extent to which aging outcomes can be optimized. Although brain changes in late life are well-characterized, brain changes in middle age are not well understood. In this study, we investigated hippocampal change in a generally healthy community-living population of middle (n = 421, mean age 47.

Patterns and preferences for accessing health and aged care services in older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.

Objectives: To determine preferences for health and aged care services in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians and explore related factors.

Methods: Mixed-method, cross-sectional study including 336 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 60 years and older from regional and urban areas.

Results: Exclusive preference for Aboriginal Community Controlled services was most common.

Older Aboriginal Australians' Health Concerns and Preferences for Healthy Ageing Programs.

While there is strong evidence of the need for healthy ageing programs for older Aboriginal Australians, few are available. It is important to understand older Aboriginal Australians' perspectives on healthy ageing in order to co-design culturally-appropriate programs, including views on technology use in this context. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 34 Aboriginal Australians aged 50 years and older from regional and urban communities to explore participants' health concerns, preferences for healthy ageing programs, and receptiveness to technology.

Self-management and HeAlth Promotion in Early-stage dementia with e-learning for carers (SHAPE): study protocol for a multi-centre randomised controlled trial.

Background: With an increasing number of people with dementia worldwide and limited advancement in medical treatments, the call for new and cost-effective approaches is crucial. The utility of self-management has been proven in certain chronic conditions. However, very little work has been undertaken regarding self-management in people with dementia.

Age and gender differences in the reciprocal relationship between social connectedness and mental health.

Purpose: To examine (i) reciprocal longitudinal associations between social connectedness and mental health, and (ii) how these associations vary by age and gender.

Methods: Three waves of nationally representative data were drawn from the HILDA survey (n = 11,523; 46% men). The five-item Mental Health Inventory (MHI-5) assessed symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Elder Mediation Services Among Diverse Older Adult Communities in Australia: Practitioner Perspectives on Accessibility.

Background And Objectives: Elder abuse is a complex problem, and barriers to reporting and help-seeking include shame and fear of loss of relationships with key family members. Elder mediation has been identified as one promising method of alternative dispute resolution. This study aimed to investigate the accessibility of elder mediation services among diverse groups of older adults, from the perspective of practitioners in a large Australian jurisdiction.

The Perspectives of Professional Caregivers on Implementing Audio-Based Technology in Residential Dementia Care.

Music and familiar everyday sounds can be meaningful for people with dementia by providing benefits such as evoking memories and emotions or prompting social interactions with caregivers or relatives. Motivated by this potential, researchers and designers are investigating how to leverage these beneficial effects of sound in care environments through audio-based technology. However, there is a gap in the knowledge of how audio-based technology can be successfully implemented within everyday care practice.

Mild cognitive impairment in Aboriginal Australians.

Introduction: Aboriginal Australians have among the highest rates of dementia worldwide, yet no study has investigated the subtypes, risk factors, or longer term outcomes of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in this population.

Methods: A total of 336 community-dwelling Aboriginal Australians aged ≥60 years participated in a longitudinal study, completing a structured interview at baseline. MCI (amnestic subtype, aMCI; non-amnestic subtype, naMCI) and dementia were diagnosed via cognitive screening, medical assessment, and clinical consensus.

Cognitive health expectancies of cardiovascular risk factors for cognitive decline and dementia.

Background: Cognitive health expectancy estimates the proportion of the lifespan that is lived in good cognitive health at the population level. A number of cardiovascular diseases have been identified to be risk factors for cognitive decline and dementia including diabetes, stroke, heart diseases and hypertension. The aim of this study was to examine how these cardiovascular conditions relate to cognitive health expectancy.

Validation of Brief Screening Tools to Identify Impaired Driving Among Older Adults in Australia.

Importance: There is an urgent need to develop evidence-based assessments to identify older individuals who may be unsafe drivers.

Objective: To validate 8 off-road brief screening tests to predict on-road driving ability and to identify which combination of these provides the best prediction of older adults who will not pass an on-road driving test.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This prognostic study was conducted between October 31, 2013, and May 10, 2017, using the criterion standard for screening tests, an on-road driving test, with analysis conducted from August 1, 2019, to April 2, 2020.