Arne Stinchcombe

This study investigated differences in cognitive risk and objective cognitive performance between lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB; n = 309) and heterosexual ( n = 16,207) older adults using baseline data (2011–2015) from the Comprehensive cohort of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA). Cognitive risk was assessed using the Australian National University – Alzheimer’s Disease Risk Index (ANU-ADRI). Cognitive performance was measured using a composite score based on performance on six cognitive tests. The analytic strategy included a combination of t-tests, chi-square tests, and linear regression models. Contrary to expectations, LGB participants exhibited lower cognitive risk scores (M = −1.08, SD = 8.85) in comparison to heterosexual participants (M = 0.61, SD = 10.62). On subcomponents of the ANU-ADRI score, LGB participants reported higher rates of depression and smoking, and lower social engagement. In terms of cognitive performance, LGB participants scored significantly higher (M = 104.58, SD = 14.72) in comparison to heterosexual participants (M = 100.12, SD = 15.05). This difference remained even after controlling for ANU-ADRI score, race, and income. Our findings highlight the importance of incorporating sociodemographic characteristics into cognitive risk assessments.

Cross-sectionally measured health disparities are well documented among sexual minority (lesbian, gay, bisexual) Canadian adults, yet the timing of these d

Driving enables older adults to maintain independence and community mobility. Driving plays a pivotal role in the ability to engage in activities, socialize, run errands, and access health care services; yet many people eventually stop driving. This study investigates factors that contribute to transitions from driver to non-driver (i.e., driving status) using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA). Among participants aged 45–85 who reported driving at baseline ( n = 30,901), 1.65 percent ( n = 510) had stopped driving at follow-up (three years later). Logistic regression identified predictors of this transition, including older age, female sex, lower income, urban residence, poorer self-rated health, difficulties with activities of daily living, low memory scores, and vision problems. These findings highlight the interplay of physical, cognitive, and environmental factors in driving cessation. This research advances understanding of mobility transitions in later life and informs targeted strategies to support older adults as they plan for driving retirement.

Background: Attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition marked by cognitive deficits (e.g., challenges sustaining attention, distractibility). Symptoms of ADHD typically manifest in childhood and can interfere with engagement in school activities, chores, and interpersonal relationships. In many cases, symptoms endure into adulthood and older adulthood. ADHD in adulthood and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) share many overlapping cognitive (e.g., impaired executive functions) and non‐cognitive (e.g., depression, poor sleep) symptoms, complicating differential diagnosis. Currently, the association between ADHD and cognitive impairment associated with aging, such as MCI, remains unclear. The purpose of this present study was to examine differences in cognitive function by ADHD status in an aging sample.Method: Data were drawn from the Health and Retirement Study, a longitudinal survey of U.S. residents aged ≥51 years. Waves 4‐14 (1998‐2018) were used in the present analysis. Of the 10,804 participants included for analysis, 99 participants (i.e., 0.9% of the sample) reported having an ADHD diagnosis in childhood. Cognitive function was measured on a 27‐point scale. The primary analysis consisted of a series of multiple linear regression models, treating cognition as the outcome, and adjusting for age, sex/gender, wealth, education, and race.Result: Descriptive analysis showed that participants with ADHD reported lower levels of education and were more likely to have experienced homelessness and depression. Participants with ADHD showed lower cognitive scores at baseline (m = 14.52) compared to non‐ADHD peers (m = 17.01, t = 5.90, p<.001). Multivariable analysis revealed that after adjusting for covariates, ADHD status was associated with lower cognitive scores in the study (B = ‐1.88, p<.001). ADHD participants showed a similar slope of decline to non‐ADHD peers over time; however, cognitive scores were consistently lower at each time point for ADHD participants.Conclusion: Individuals with self‐reported childhood ADHD diagnoses demonstrated lower cognitive scores compared to their non‐ADHD counterparts, suggesting a persistent impact of ADHD on cognitive function in later life and potential risk for cognitive impairment. These findings emphasize the need for further research to elucidate the complex relationship between ADHD and cognitive impairment and underscore the importance of considering ADHD in the broader context of cognitive health throughout the lifespan.

The number of caregivers and people living with dementia and other related forms of cognitive impairment is increasing worldwide. Compared to heterosexual and cisgender individuals, studies suggest that lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, or other sexual and/or gender minority people (LGBTQ+) are at a higher risk for known risk factors for cognitive impairment and dementia, stemming from minority stress experiences. Limited research has explored the distinct obstacles that LGBTQ+ people with cognitive impairment and caregivers encounter, especially within dementia care. The purpose of this study was to deepen our understanding regarding LGBTQ+ people with cognitive impairment and caregivers’ experiences with dementia care spaces, and to identify the strategies that they perceive as effective in creating safer and more inclusive spaces. Fourteen LGBTQ+ participants aged 27–78 ( M = 58.07), consisting of two individuals with cognitive impairment and 12 caregivers, were interviewed about the care needs of LGBTQ+ people with cognitive impairment and caregivers, and their experiences with dementia care spaces. Using reflexive thematic analysis, we identified three overarching themes from the data, indicating that LGBTQ+ people with cognitive impairment and caregivers feel left “on the margins” of dementia care and express a desire for their identities to be celebrated and recognized. Additionally, they proposed recommendations for policy change to foster safer and more inclusive spaces for dementia care. The findings call attention to the negative experiences of LGBTQ+ people with cognitive impairment and caregivers with dementia care, but also highlight the ways in which care practices can be transformed to effectively address their care needs.

Background: Existing evidence suggests that depression may be a risk factor for subsequent cognitive impairment and dementia. Concurrently, other evidence suggests that cognitive impairment may precede depression symptoms. We investigated the relationship between depression symptoms and memory performance over a three‐year time period in a sample of mid‐life (45 ‐ 64 years) and older adults (65 ‐ 85 years).Method: Data were drawn from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), a large longitudinal study of health and aging. Depression symptoms were assessed with the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD‐10) and memory was captured using the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT). Two time points were analyzed: baseline (completed in 2015) and first follow‐up (completed in 2018). We used multigroup cross‐lagged structural equation modelling (SEM) to estimate the bidirectional relationships between depression and cognition over time, based on age group: participants aged 45‐64 years (n = 26,605) and 65 years and above (n = 17,986). Sex, education, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and general health were controlled for at baseline.Result: The results confirmed a bidirectional association between depression symptoms and memory over time, a relationship that was moderated by age group (difference test: p = .02). Results showed that the association between depression at baseline and memory at follow‐up was stronger for the younger cohort (r = ‐.039, p<.001) compared to the older cohort (r = ‐.015, p = .026).Conclusion: The results confirm the bidirectional relationship between depression symptoms and memory. This work also highlights the role of age group as a moderator of this relationship, insofar as depression is a stronger correlate of memory for mid‐aged adults in comparison to older adults.

Purpose: Limited research has examined the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on sexual minority (i.e., lesbian, gay, bisexual; LGB) older adults using a longitudinal approach. This study aimed to compare the mental health trajectories (i.e., reported symptoms of depression and loneliness) of LGB and heterosexual participants across four time points. Methods: Data were drawn from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), an ongoing study on the experiences of adults between 45 to 85 at Baseline. Data included for analysis were collected at Baseline (2011-2015), Follow-up 1 (2015-2018), and two time points during the COVID-19 pandemic (April-December 2020). We used General Estimating Equations (GEE) to model changes in depression symptoms (CESD-10; n = 47,728) and loneliness (UCLA 3-item loneliness scale; n = 41,698), adjusting for covariates (i.e., age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, and income). Results: Results indicated that LGB participants reported more symptoms of depression (B = .595, p < .001) and loneliness (B = .313, p < .001) in comparison to heterosexual peers across the four time points. Mean depression and loneliness scores increased regardless of sexual orientation. Conclusion: This study highlighted the detrimental effects of the pandemic on the mental health of older adults regardless of sexual orientation. It also showed that LGB older adults experienced more loneliness and depression symptoms than heterosexual older adults both before and during the pandemic. Understanding diverse identities, needs, and disparities in mental health is critical to promoting equitable aging experiences for everyone.