Program Area: Health Sciences
Stacy Andersen, PhD
Assistant Professor
Medicine
Boston University School of Medicine
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Lenora Smith, PhD, FNP-BC, CDP
Associate Professor
College of Nursing
University of Alabama in Huntsville
Huntsville, Alabama, United States
Allison Gibson, PhD, MSW
Associate Professor
Social Work
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky, United States
Hiroko Dodge, PhD (she/her/hers)
Faculty of Neurology
Neurology
Harvard Medical School
, Massachusetts, United States
Elizabeth Rhodus, PhD
Assistant Professor
Sanders-Brown Center on Aging
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky, United States
Sohyun Kim, PhD
Assistant professor
Nursing
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, Massachusetts, United States
Annalisa Na, PT, DPT, PhD (she/her/hers)
Assistant Research Professor
Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences
Drexel University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Diefei Chen, MHS
Biostatistician
Epidemiology
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Medicine
Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Organized by the Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) Interest Group, this symposium aims to highlight unique approaches to address 1) ADRD risk reductions through social and biological factors, and 2) quality of life of those with dementia. The first two presentations introduce remote communication technologies used for behavioral interventions, one for preventing social isolation and the resultant cognitive decline using video-chats by recruiting socially isolated older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The results of the recently completed randomized controlled trial provide evidence of a positive effect on cognition suggesting enhanced cognitive reserve. Another is for delivering a behavioral symptom intervention for community-dwelling persons with ADRD using telehealth. Researchers will highlight the feasibility, opportunities, and challenges of remote behavioral interventions. The third presentation focuses on micro-level communication between persons living with dementia and their family caregivers. By examining video-recorded home care observations, findings suggest caregiver education on positive interactions could facilitate more meaningful interaction with persons with ADRD. The fourth presentation explores pain among those with ADRD, a multifaceted phenomenon with health and functional consequences. Using the NHATS dataset, researchers show a continued need to detect and address pain in clinical settings particularly among persons with ADRD. The symposium concludes with a presentation using the CHARLS study to investigate correlations between inflammation or kidney-related metabolic biomarkers and cognition. Results provide longitudinal evidence of an association of kidney function and inflammation with cognitive test scores supporting the need to broaden dementia etiology research beyond the amyloid-cascade theory.
Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Hiroko H. Dodge, PhD (she/her/hers) – Harvard Medical School
Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Elizabeth Rhodus, PhD – University of Kentucky
Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Sohyun Kim, PhD – University of Massachusetts
Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Annalisa Na, PT, DPT, PhD (she/her/hers) – Drexel University
Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Diefei Chen, MHS – Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Medicine