AGING IN PLACE SINCE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ONSET: A STUDY OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND COGNITIVE HEALTH AMONG OLDER…

Assistance award details

Assistance award identifier

ASST_NON_R00AG075152_075

FAIN

R00AG075152

Recipient

THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO

Awarding agency

Department of Health and Human Services

Funding agency

Department of Health and Human Services

Assistance listing (CFDA)

93.866

Total obligated

$797,561

Period

Feb 1, 2022 – Jul 31, 2026

Fiscal year

2023

Place of performance state

CO

Source file

FY2023_All_Assistance_Full_20261006.zip

Description

AGING IN PLACE SINCE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ONSET: A STUDY OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND COGNITIVE HEALTH AMONG OLDER AMERICANS - ABSTRACT ALTHOUGH THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE RELATED DEMENTIAS (AD/ADRD) LIVE INDEPENDENTLY, THE NEIGHBORHOOD CONTEXTS IN WHICH THEY DEVELOP AND NAVIGATE COGNITIVE DECLINE AND IMPAIRMENT ARE LARGELY IGNORED. LIVING IN NEIGHBORHOODS WITH OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOCIAL INTERACTION (E.G., COFFEE SHOPS, SENIOR CENTERS), INTELLECTUAL STIMULATION (E.G., MUSEUMS, LIBRARIES) AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY (E.G., PARKS, WALKABLE STREETS) MAY SLOW RATES OF COGNITIVE DECLINE AND REDUCE RISK FOR AD/ADRD. HOWEVER, WITH THE ONSET OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, MANY NEIGHBORHOOD RESOURCES THAT ARE CRITICAL SOURCES OF SOCIALIZATION, STIMULATION, AND ACTIVITY ARE CLOSED OR TIGHTLY RESTRICTED. AVOIDING CROWDED PLACES, ISOLATING, LIMITING TRAVEL, AND PERMANENT BUSINESS CLOSURES LIKELY HAVE PROFOUND CONSEQUENCES FOR COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT AND AD/ADRD RISK DUE TO DISRUPTIONS IN DAILY LIFE; IMPACTS ON MENTAL HEALTH; AND LOSS OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOCIAL, INTELLECTUAL, AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES. THIS RESEARCH ADDRESSES A CRITICAL KNOWLEDGE GAP ON NEIGHBORHOOD CONTEXTS OF COGNITIVE DECLINE BEFORE AND AFTER THE PANDEMIC ONSET. IT IS ONE OF FEW STUDIES TO UTILIZE BOTH QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE DATA FROM THE NATIONALLY-REPRESENTATIVE HEALTH AND RETIREMENT STUDY (HRS) OF US ADULTS AGED 51+. AIM 1 (K99 PHASE: 2021- 23) IDENTIFIES NEIGHBORHOOD FEATURES ASSOCIATED WITH COGNITIVE TRAJECTORIES IN THE HRS BEFORE THE PANDEMIC ONSET. AIM 2 (R00 PHASE: 2023-25) USES AN ADVANCED MIXED-METHODS APPROACH AND NOVEL HRS EXPERIMENTAL MODULE TO INVESTIGATE HOW THE COLLECTIVE TRAUMA OF COVID-19 HAS FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGED NEIGHBORHOOD LANDSCAPES AND WAYS OF AGING IN PLACE. THIS WILL INFORM WHERE TO FOCUS AIM 3 ANALYSES (R00 PHASE: 2024-26) TO IDENTIFY WHICH NEIGHBORHOOD FEATURES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH RISK AND RESILIENCY FOR COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT AMONG OLDER ADULTS AFTER TH