ASI

Syracuse University, Upstate Collaborate to Bring Memory Screenings to Area Offices for the Aging

Residents over the age of 60 in seven Central New York counties­—Cayuga, Herkimer, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Oswego and Tompkins—can receive free memory screenings from their local Office for the Aging (OFA) as part of a collaborative project between SUNY Upstate Medical University and Syracuse University to assess the benefits of this type of screening in this setting.

The project is the first step in a plan that could possibly make such screenings available at OFAs across New York.

Early recognition of memory changes that could indicate an early stage dementia is important in order to help older adults gets the medical attention they need to avoid a crisis.

“If we are aware of early signs of memory issues, we are able to connect the individual to health care professionals who can begin appropriate treatment, while taking steps to educate and support families to improve the individual’s quality of life,” says Sharon Brangman, MD, SUNY Distinguished Service Professor and chair of the Geriatrics and director of the Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease. “The ability to easily screen this segment of the population has the potential to significantly benefit both the individual and their families.”

Changes that might be caused by early dementia can include changes in memory, depression, anxiety, aggression or lack of interest, Brangman says.

Here’s how the program works: OFA case managers in the selected counties have been trained by Upstate staff to administer what is called the “Mini-Cog,” a three-minute screening tool to assess potential memory loss. The screening can be administered in an individual’s home during a routine visit by OFA staff or at the county office. OFA case managers will not make any diagnoses based on the screening results; they will only administer the screening.

If the Mini-Cog shows any sign of memory change, the individual will be referred to Upstate University Geriatricians for a comprehensive geriatric assessment.

To evaluate the merits of this screening approach in community settings, Maria Brown, Ph.D., associate research professor in Syracuse University’s David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics and Aging Studies Institute, will analyze screening information over the yearlong project to identify the number of clients screened, number of clients with scores indicating memory changes, number of clients who receive follow-up comprehensive assessments and their diagnostic results.

“We are excited about improving the ability of OFAs to identify older adults across the Central New York region who could benefit from geriatric evaluations and connection to services to address their changing needs,” Brown says. Read more here.

Merril Silverstein and colleagues discuss “Older parents’ perceptions of children’s filial piety in rural China: The roles of coresidence, geographic proximity, and intergenerational support”

Filial piety—the belief that children should provide care, support, respect, and obedience to their older parents—is a fundamental normative expectation in East Asian societies. This study investigates the relationship between the geographic proximity of children and the support received from them, and their parents’ perceptions of filial piety in rural China. We used the 2021 wave of the Longitudinal Study of Older Adults in Anhui Province to predict parental assessments of filial piety for each of their children. Random-effects linear probability models using an internal moderator approach were employed to compare coresident children with non-coresident children based on their proximity and support provided. Findings indicate that parents tend to perceive their coresident children as being more filial compared to non-coresident children, particularly when parents are in worse functional health. However, non-coresident children can compensate for their deficiency in being perceived as filial by providing more financial support and maintaining frequent telephone communication with their parents. The study’s results suggest that filial piety norms in rural China have adapted to the diminished emphasis on intergenerational coresidence resulting from the trends of urbanization and significant rural–urban migration in modern China, requiring that children find alternative ways to fulfill their filial obligations.

Zhang, W., Silverstein, M., & Xu, Y. (2024). Older parents’ perceptions of children’s filial piety in rural China: The roles of coresidence, geographic proximity, and intergenerational support. Chinese Journal of Sociology, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/2057150X241269265

Research Insights on Population Health Inspire Policy Change

A University lab investigates the connection between state policies, local conditions, and health and mortality in the United States.

In the Policy, Place, and Population Health (P3H) Lab at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, sociology doctoral candidate Yue Sun G’19, G’24 presents research for her dissertation that examines the relationship among states’ environmental policies, counties’ economic conditions and air pollution, and cardiovascular disease mortality. In performing this research, Sun analyzed data from 3,101 counties in the 48 contiguous states to estimate the impact these factors have on people’s risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.

During a lively discussion among faculty mentors and fellow graduate students, several potential issues are raised: the influence of neighboring states’ policies, other forms of pollution, cigarette taxes, Canadian wildfire smoke and whether personal income plays a role. “I hope the questions were helpful,” says Jennifer Karas Montez, University Professor of sociology, Gerald B. Cramer Faculty Scholar in Aging Studies and director of the Center for Aging and Policy Studies. “This dissertation is going to be super interesting when it’s done.” Read the full article, here.

Maria Brown awarded a NYHealth Foundation Grant

In New York State, more than 410,000 older New Yorkers have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, and 50,000 more older adults are projected to develop the condition by 2025.

While there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, early detection allows for treatment to manage symptoms and disease progression; enables older adults to make their own care decisions before cognitive decline; and promotes planning to maximize independence and quality of life. But there are many gaps in identifying older New Yorkers at risk, and too many do not receive proper support until they are in crisis. These negative effects are particularly acute for people with low income, people of color, and rural New Yorkers. New York State’s Office for the Aging sites are well-positioned to be part of the solution. Syracuse University’s Aging Studies Institute, in partnership with SUNY Upstate’s Department of Geriatrics and with support from the Health Foundation of Western and Central New York, launched a successful pilot in 2019 to train case managers from the Onondaga County Office for Aging to administer an evidence-based tool to screen for early signs of cognitive impairment. In 2024, NYHealth awarded the Research Foundation for the State University of New York (RFSUNY) and SUNY Upstate a grant to expand and embed this comprehensive screening and referral model for early cognitive impairment into New York State’s Office for the Aging sites throughout Central New York. Syracuse University will lead the project’s evaluation.

Under this grant, SUNY Upstate and Syracuse University will build on the success of the pilot and partner with the Office for the Aging to embed the screening and referral protocols into case managers’ workflows at sites in seven additional counties in Central New York. It will train case managers and site staff to screen clients using an evidence-based tool to assess for early signs of cognitive impairment and dementia. Each office will formalize a referral system with SUNY Upstate’s Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease (CEAD) to refer older adults who screen positive for cognitive impairment for a comprehensive evaluation. Using evaluation findings and feedback from participating sites, SUNY Upstate will create a publicly available training manual and video and share results with policymakers, area agencies on aging, and others to support the replication of the program.

Research Foundation for the State University of New York

In Memoriam: Professor Emeritus Alejandro Garcia

Professor Emeritus, Dr. Alejandro Garcia, 83, passed peacefully after an extended illness at Upstate Hospital on Friday, November 17 surrounded by the presence and loving thoughts of family and friends.

A Professor of Social Work at Syracuse University since 1978, he is known locally and nationally as an effective advocate for social justice for older Americans, Hispanics, the poor and many others. He taught gerontology, social policy, and human diversity courses for over 43 years, shaping Falk College’s School of Social Work and generations of students. He held the Jocelyn Falk Endowed Professorship of Social Work at the time of his retirement in 2021.
His strong lifelong connections and pride in his family and Hispanic roots was at the center of much that he did. Raised in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Brownsville Texas, he was one of six children of parents who migrated from Mexico. After learning English in grade school, he was recognized as an outstanding student. His musical talent propelled him into the best high school in Brownsville at a time when discrimination and racism limited such opportunities.

One of very few Hispanics studying at the University of Texas, after graduation he enlisted in the United States Army. He earned his Masters of Social Work (MSW) degree at Cal State Sacramento where, years later, he was honored as being the “Alumni of the Decades”. He was recruited by the National Association of Social Workers to fill a new leadership role as the National Student Coordinator. Encouraged by NASW leadership to pursue doctoral studies, a few years later he was accepted at Brandeis University’s Florence Heller School for Advanced Studies in Social Welfare, leading to one of the very first studies of the economic status of elder Chicanos and Chicanas, a dissertation entitled “The Contribution of Social Security to the Adequacy of Income of Elderly Mexican Americans”. An elected member of the National Academy of Social Insurance and Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America, he was also designated by the NASW as a “Social Work Pioneer”.

He co-edited three books, including Elderly Latinos: Issues and Solutions for the 21st Century (with Marta Sotomayor) (1993), HIV Affected and Vulnerable Youth Prevention Issues and Approaches (1999) (with Susan Taylor-Brown), and La Familia: Traditions and Realities (1999) (with Marta Sotomayor). He also authored numerous articles and book chapters. He also served on the editorial boards of several Social Work Journals and the Encyclopedia of Social Work.

Most notably, a remarkably kind, generous and gregarious man, he loved spending time with family and friends, sharing his humor, laughter and broad knowledge of art, literature, Hispanic culture, Social Work, Syracuse and so much more. He was a dear friend and mentor to many, taking interest in a remarkable number of people’s lives and supporting and challenging those he cared about to be their best version of self. Deeply loved by many, he became more than a friend, but a family member.

Over the years, Dr. Garcia also served in many other leadership roles, including most recently as an Emeritus Board Member of the Syracuse Rescue Mission, Chair of AARP’s National Policy Council, Chair of the National Hispanic Council on Aging, member of the boards at the Syracuse’s Spanish Action League and the Council of Social Work Education and NASW. He received the Scholar/Teacher of the Year award at Syracuse University and was recognized as a “Hometown Hero” by its National Veterans Resource Center. He served as the Director of the School of Social Work for five years and in many other leadership roles.

Alejandro’s deep love of family and friends; his passion for social, racial and economic justice, and commitment to working to better the communities he touched permeated everything he did in life. His humor and warmth enlivened the lives of family and friends. He is survived by his brothers, Joel, Ruben, Leon, and Arturo Garcia; nieces Linda, Ann, Janey, Alice, and Alma; nephews Rudolfo and Carlos; three children named for him, many other close relatives; too many dear friends to mention and generations of Social Work students and colleagues. He is deeply missed.

Donations in his memory will be welcomed at the Syracuse Rescue Mission and the Syracuse University Alejandro Garcia Book Fund.

ASI at GSA 2023

Gerontological Society of America (GSA) Annual Scientific Meeting – November 8-12, 2023 in Tampa, FL

GSA is the oldest and largest  interdisciplinary organization devoted to research, education, and practice in the field of aging. GSA’s principal mission – and that of our 5,500 members – is to promote the study of aging and disseminate information to scientists, decision makers, and the general public.

ASI faculty and students will present their work at the 2023 Gerontological Society of America Conference.

List of Presentations

  • Catherine Garcia and Lauren Brown
    Intersectional and Biosocial Pathways to Cognitive Function Among Older Hispanic and Latinos
    Wednesday, November 8, 2023
    10:30 AM – 12:00 PM ET
  • Maria Brown and Miriam Mutambudzi
    Functional Limitation: Differences by Epigenetic Aging, Ethnicity, and Experience of Discrimination
    Wednesday, November 8, 2023
    12:30 PM – 2:00 PM ET
  • Andrew London, Scott Landes, and Janet Wilmoth
    Noncombat and Combat Military Service Experiences, Hearing Difficulty, and Difficulty Remembering/Concentrating
    Wednesday, November 8, 2023
    12:30 PM – 2:00 PM ET
  • Janet Wilmoth (session co-chair)
    Later-Life Experiences of Veterans and Their Caregivers
    Wednesday, November 8, 2023
    12:30 PM – 2:00 PM ET
  • Miriam Mutambudzi, Maria Brown, and Nai-Wei Chen
    Association of Second Generation Epigenetic Clocks and Discrimination With Trajectories of Chronic Health Conditions
    Wednesday, November 8, 2023
    12:30 PM – 2:00 PM ET
  • Haowei Wang (session co-chair)
    Integrating Animal Model, Human Subjects, and Social Systems in Nutrition and Aging Research
    Wednesday, November 8, 2023
    2:30 PM – 4:00 PM ET
  • Emily Wiemers, Yulya Truskinovsky, Amanda Leggett, Geoffrey Hoffman, and Vicki Freedman
    Changes in Long-Term Care Arrangements Among Older Adults With ADRD During the First Year of COVID-19 Pandemic
    Wednesday, November 8, 2023
    2:30 PM – 4:00PM ET
  • Mary Pagan and Minjung Seo
    Addressing Curriculum Design Challenges: Three Delivery Design Options for Undergraduate Aging and Health Course
    Wednesday, November 8, 2023
    6:00 PM -7:15 PM ET
  • Catherine Garcia (Session Chair)
    Multidimensional and Intersectional Approaches to Accessible and Healthy Aging in Diverse Populations
    Friday, November 10, 2023
    8:00 AM – 9:30 AM ET
  • Nekehia Tamara Quashie, Catherine Garcia, Cabriella Meltzer, Flavia Andrade, and Amilcar Matos-Moreno
    Neighborhood Socioeconomic Position, Living Arrangements, and Cardiometabolic Disease Among Older Puerto Ricans
    Friday, November 10, 2023
    8:00 AM – 9:30 AM ET
  • Jeewon Oh and Han Na Lee
    Obligations in Japan: A Three-year Longitudinal Study of Mid-life Adults
    Friday, November 10, 2023
    2:00 PM – 3:15 PM ET
  • Xiaoyu Fu, Woosang Hwang, and Merril Silverstein
    Building Bridges Across the Generations: Research on Diverse Approaches for Intergenerational Connections
    Saturday, November 11, 2023
    8:00 AM – 9:30AM ET
  • Xiaoyu Fu, Woosang Hwang, and Merril Silverstein
    Digital Communications as Compensation for Infrequent In-Person Contact With Grandchildren During the Pandemic
    Saturday, November 11, 2023
    8:00 AM – 9:30 AM ET
  • Marco Albertini, Noah Lewin Epstein, Merril Silverstein, and Aviad Tur Sinai
    Social Sandwiching and Paid Work in Later Life: Consequences on Mental Health
    Saturday, November 11, 2023
    2:00 PM -3:15 PM ET
  • Kevin Heffernan, Janet Wilmoth, and Andrew London
    Estimated Arterial Stiffness, Cognitive Decline, and Dementia Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults
    Saturday, November 11, 2023
    2:00 PM – 3:15 PM ET
  • Wencheng Zhang, Merril Silverstein, and Ying Xu
    Intergenerational Solidarity and Filial Piety Perceived by Older Adults in Rural China
    Saturday, November 11, 2023
    2:00 PM – 3:15 PM ET
  • Merril Silverstein, Seonhwa Lee, RianSimone Harris, and Wencheng Zhang
    Transmission of Religiosity Between Grandparents and Grandchildren as a Basis for Eldercare Responsibility
    Saturday, November 11, 2023
    3:30 PM – 5:00 PM ET

ASI at American Sociological Association Annual Meeting (ASA)

ASI affiliates and graduate students at the American Sociological Association Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, PA.

  • Julia Finan presented Education and Perceived Need for Future ADL Assistance, at the Disability in Society: How and Why Race, Class, and Gender Matter..
  • Amy Lutz and Andrew London presented Who Joined the Military in the Post-9/11 Era?: Military Enlistment, Timing, and Combat Duty, during the Peace, War, and Social Conflict Section Roundtable Sessions.
  • Shannon Monnat and contributors presented Shifting Cohort Patterns in the Use of High-Risk Drugs in the United States.
  • Merrill Silverstein, Jeung Hyun Kim, and contributors presented Did Growth in Gender Egalitarianism Weaken Religiosity in Baby-Boom Women? A Developmental-Historical Approach, at the Table 6 Cognition session during the Section on Aging and the Life Course Roundtables and Research Working Groups.
  • Scott Landes was a panelist at the session How Can Aging and Life Course Research Become More Inclusive?

Session Organizers and Presiders

  • Jennifer Karas Montez was session organizer and presider for the Political Determinants of Health session.
  • Andrew London was session organizer and presider for the Substance Use Initiation, Maintenance, and Desistance across the Life Course session.
  • Marc Garcia was session organizer for Aging and the Life Course Roundtables and Research Working Groups.
  • Andrew London was session organizer for the Section on Drugs and Society Refereed Roundtables.
  • Janet Wilmoth was session organizer for the Section on Aging and the Life Course Mentoring Reception.

Editorial board membership, Leadership Positions, and Awards

  • Catherine Garcia, Marc Garcia, Scott D. Landes, and Jennifer Karas Montez are members of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior Editorial Board.
  • Jennifer Karas Montez is Chair-Elect of the ASA Section on Population.
  • Andrew London was organizer for the Section on Drugs and Society Business Meeting.
  • Catherine Garcia was elected for a 3-year term as a Council Member of the ASA Section on Aging and the Life Course.
  • Merril Silverstein is past chair of the Section on Aging and the Life Course.
  • Marc Garcia is Council Member of the Section on Aging and the Life Course.
  • Janet Wilmoth received the Section on Aging and the Life Course Mentoring Award.

Madonna Harrington Meyer Reappointed University Professor

In recognition of exceptional scholarship and innovative academic and professional activities, Madonna Harrington Meyer and J. Michael Haynie have been reappointed to four-year terms as University Professors, one of the highest honors the University bestows on faculty members. In making the announcement, Gretchen Ritter, vice chancellor, provost and chief academic officer, says the reappointments are a testament to the fact that both Harrington Meyer and Haynie continue to make unique, valuable and profound contributions to the intellectual life of the University through interdisciplinary endeavors and research in critical areas of societal concern. Read more here.

ASI Faculty and Students will Present their Work at the 2022 Gerontological Society of America Conference

ASI Faculty and Students presented their work at the 2022 Gerontological Society of America Conference, November 2 – 6.

GSA sessions involving Syracuse University faculty and students:

Wednesday November 2, 2022

2:30 – 4:00 PM ET
Location: 232 (CC)
Session Title: Diverse Contexts, Unique Experiences: Impact of Social Isolation on Psychosocial Factors and Cognition
Navigating Life Uncoupled: Changes in Singlehood Satisfaction in Response to Major Life Events
Authors: Jeewon Oh, Syracuse University and William Chopik, Michigan State University

4:30 – 6:00 PM ET
Location: 239 (CC)
Session Title: Giving and Getting Across the Generations: New Insights into Intergenerational Ties
Tracing the Religious Life Course: Inter-and Intragenerational Sources of Later-Life Religiosity in Baby Boomers
Authors: Merril Silverstein, Syracuse University, Joonsik Yoon, Syracuse University, RianSimone Harris, Syracuse University, and Woosang Hwang, Texas Tech University

4:30 – 6:00 PM ET
Location: 239 (CC)
Session Title: Giving and Getting Across the Generations: New Insights into Intergenerational Ties
Financial and Time Help from Adult Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Emily E. Wiemers, Syracuse University, I-Fen Lin, Bowling Green State University, Janecca Chin, Bowling Green State University, and Anna Strauss, Syracuse University

4:30 – 6:00 PM ET
Location: 201 (CC)
Session Title: Leveraging Community-Based Knowledge to Address the Needs of Older Adults from Racial/Ethnic Minority Populations
Chair: Catherine Garcia, Syracuse University

6:00 – 7:00 PM ET
Location: Exhibit Hall DE (CC)
Session Title: Social Determinants of Health
Poster: The Neighborhood Context and All-Cause Mortality Among Older Adults in Puerto Rico
Authors: Catherine Garcia, Syracuse University

Thursday, November 3, 2022

8:00 – 9:30 AM ET
Location: 244 (CC)
Session Title: Engaging Method and Analysis to Discover and Reimagine Possibilities for Individuals Aging with and into Disability
Education and Perceived Future Need for ADL Help
Authors: Julia Finan, Syracuse University

12:00 1:30 PM ET
Location: 243 (CC)
Session Title: Dyadic and Longitudinal Studies of Close Relationships: New Insights into Health and Well-Being Across Adulthood
A Multipronged Approach to Modeling Dyadic Similarity Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults
Authors: Mariah Purol, Michigan State University, Rebekka Weidmann, Michigan State University, Louis Hickman, University of Pennsylvania, Jeewon Oh, Syracuse University, and William Chopik, Michigan State University

2:00 – 3:00 PM ET
Location: Exhibit Hall DE (CC)
Session Title: Cognitive Impairment: Social Determinants with Age Groups and Cultural Contexts
Poster: Psychiatric History and Later-Life Cognitive Change: Effect Modification by Sex, Race and Ethnicity
Authors: Maria Brown, Syracuse University and Miriam Mutambudzi, Syracuse University

4:30 – 6:00 PM ET
Location: 125 (CC)
Session Title: Physical and Mental Health Outcomes Among Older Military Veterans
Mortality Risk Among Older Veterans and Nonveterans: The Importance of Combat Status
Chairs: Scott Landes, Syracuse University and Janet Wilmoth, Syracuse University
Authors: Scott Landes, Syracuse University and Jennifer Piazza, California State University

4:30 – 6:00 PM ET
Location: 202 (CC)
Session Title: ADRD Risk
Dementia Trajectories, Medicaid Coverage, and Healthcare Services Use
Authors: Wassim Tarraf, Wayne State University and Marc A. Garcia, Syracuse University

Friday, November 4, 2022

8:00 – 9:30 AM ET
Location: 239 (CC)
Session Title: Assessment and Measurement
Consumers and Providers on the Needs of Long-Term Survivors and People Aging with HIV in New York State
Authors: Maria Brown, Syracuse University, Eugenia Siegler, Weill Cornell Medical College, Marz Albarran, HIVStopsWithMe.org, John Wikier, NY Statewide Peer Network, Angie Partap, Stony Brook Medicine, Courtney Ahmed, NYSDOH AIDS Institute, and Thomas Heslop, Weill Cornell Medical College

12:00 – 1:30 PM ET
Location: 241 (CC)
Session Title: Caregiving and Family Issues
Typologies of Parent-Child Relationships and Associated Health Outcomes: A Cross Cultural Comparison
Authors: Dexia Kong, The Chines University of Hong Kong, Peiyi Lu, Columbia University, and Merril Silverstein, Syracuse University

2:00 – 3:00 PM ET
Location: Exhibit Hall DE (CC)
Session Title: Families and Intergenerational Relations
Poster: Intergenerational Digital Solidarity in Aging Families and Its Associations with Relational Outcomes
Authors: Xiaoyu Fu, Syracuse University, Woosang Hwang, Texas Tech, and Merril Silverstein, Syracuse University

2:00 – 3:00 PM ET
Location: Exhibit Hall DE (CC)
Session Title: Families and Intergenerational Relations
Poster: Passing on the Silver Spoon: The Role of Early Life Circumstances on Downward Intergenerational Financial Transfers
Authors: Kent Jason Cheng, Syracuse University

Saturday, November 5, 2022

8:00 – 9:30 AM ET
Location: 120-121 (CC)
Session Title: BSS Flash Poster Session 1: Social Determinants of Late Life Health: A Life Course Perspective
The Neighborhood Context and All-Cause Mortality Among Older Adults in Puerto Rico
Authors: Catherine Garcia, Syracuse University, Mary McEniry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Michael Crowe, University of Alabama-Birmingham

12:00 – 1:30 PM ET
Location: 204 (CC)
Session Title: US Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Dementia Life Expectancy, Risk/Protective Factors, and Caregiving Stressors
Dementia Life Expectancies: New Knowledge and Considerations from the Health and Retirement Study
Authors: Marc A. Garcia, Syracuse University, Wassim Tarraf, Wayne State University, Chi-Tsun Chiu, Institute of European and American Studies, Joseph Saenz, University of Southern California, and Adriana Reyes, Cornell University

2:00 – 3:00 PM ET
Location: Exhibit Hall DE (CC)
Session Title: Social Isolation and Loneliness (BSS)
Loneliness and Depression: Examining the Moderating Effects of Resilience Resources
Authors: Xiaoyan Zhang, Syracuse University and Merril Silverstein, Syracuse University

5:30 – 7:00 PM ET
Location: 125 (CC)
Session Title: Health and Social Services: From Community and Post-Acute Care Interventions to Trauma-Informed Care Survey Research
Home-Delivered Meal Deliveries and Feelings of Safety for Older Americans Act Participants
Authors: Claire Pendergrast, Syracuse University and Heather Menne, RTI International