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The majority of current smart health applications are deployed on a smartphone paired with a smartwatch. The phone is used as the computation platform or the gateway for connecting to the cloud while the watch is used mainly as the data sensing device. In the case of fall detection applications for older adults, this kind of setup is not very practical since it requires users to always keep their phones in proximity while doing the daily chores. When a person falls, in a moment of panic, it might be difficult to locate the phone in order to interact with the Fall Detection App for the purpose of indicating whether they are fine or need help. This paper demonstrates the feasibility of running a real-time personalized deep-learning-based fall detection system on a smartwatch device using a collaborative edge-cloud framework. In particular, we present the software architecture we used for the collaborative framework, demonstrate how we automate the fall detection pipeline, design an appropriate UI on the small screen of the watch, and implement strategies for the continuous data collection and automation of the personalization process with the limited computational and storage resources of a smartwatch. We also present the usability of such a system with nine real-world older adult participants.

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Iran will encounter rapid population aging, resulting from increased life expectancy and fluctuating fertility rates during its eight-year war with Iraq (1980-1988). The need for long-term care in Iran is expected to increase dramatically. The purpose of this paper is to examine Iran's health care system and informal care upon discussing its demographic profile. Scant attention of policymakers on the country's demographic transformation has resulted in limited resources for quality elder care as well as budget constraints for relevant research. In this demographic and political context, the costs of formal care, the shortage of health workforce and infrastructures (i.e., long-term care facilities), and the continuation of traditional cultural values are the most significant reasons for heavy reliance on informal elder care. In addition to inadequate systemic support, the prevalence of domestic violence, abuse, and infantalization are largely attributable to insufficient knowledge among informal elder carers.

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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Creative group storytelling as utilized in TimeSlips is a social activity that focuses on communication, improvisation, and creativity among its participants with dementia. A collective narrative is a channel through which participants express themselves, and it thus signifies clues about their identities, values, and experiences. No study to date, however, has examined the contents of the stories. Using the generativity model as a theoretical underpinning for analysis, this paper examines the emergent themes of such collective stories. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This study used the data collected in a memory care community where a research team recruited and engaged 21 out of approximately 80 residents with dementia in 6 weekly creative storytelling sessions; 4 small groups of 4 to 6 participants created a total of 24 collective stories. Three researchers analyzed these stories by open-coding emergent themes. Once coded manually, the narratives were managed and analyzed in NVivo. RESULTS: Consistent with the concept of generativity, a thematic analysis of collective narratives revealed various aspects of participants' generative concerns. Three themes related to generativity: (1) caring and promoting the well-being of others, (2) family values, and (3) positivity. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: The narratives show that participants living with dementia continue to express their generative values and concerns. The findings reveal generative identities held by persons living with dementia, which help destigmatize dementia. The findings also shed light on why creative group storytelling may affect multiple positive outcomes for its participants.

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Objectives: Characterized by infrequent contact, low emotional intensity, and limited intimacy, weak ties are found to be associated with better subjective well-being and other health outcomes. Drawing on the theory of weak ties and the convoy model of social relations, this paper aims to examine the association between weak ties and cognitive function among older adults in China.Methods: We used multilevel growth modeling to analyze panel data for adults aged 60 years and over (N = 2,650) selected from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS, 2011-2015). Weak ties were measured based on the frequency of social activity participation and the number of social activities.Results: Weekly or irregular social activity participation in at least one social activity was significantly associated with better mental status and memory. The number of participated social activities was also significantly and positively associated with mental status and memory. After controlling for age, gender, marital status, educational attainment, geographic residence, household expenditures, and health conditions (i.e., depressive symptoms and self-reported health), we found that participation in a greater number of social activities protected memory from declining by 4% for every 2 years (p < 0.001).Conclusion: These findings suggest that social interactions with peripheral members of a diverse social network may help prevent cognitive decline for older Chinese adults. Greater attention on weak ties might yield practical implications for non-pharmacological dementia prevention and health promotion for the general older population.

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AIM: Social engagement is known to serve an important role in cognitive health, but there has been limited information on the role of online engagement. The present study aimed to identify the benefits of different online activities for the cognitive function of older adults. METHODS: Data came from the National Health and Aging Trend Study, Round I-V (2011-2015), with >8000 respondents from Medicare beneficiaries. Cognitive function was measured by the Clock Drawing Test and immediate 10-word recall. The respondents were also asked if they carried out any of the online activities listed. RESULTS: Some online activities, such as email, texting and seeking medical information, can reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Whereas contacting a medical provider using online can increase the risk of cognitive decline. CONCLUSIONS: Given the findings, the development of new technologies for online social engagement needs to be one of the priorities for researchers and policymakers in the field of aging and dementia. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 918-923.

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Objective: This study aims to examine the relationship between different levels of cognitive impairment (CI) and the frequency of hospital admission (HA). Method: Data from the National Health and Aging Trend Study, Round 1 (2011), with 8,245 respondents from Medicare beneficiaries were used. The data account for the number of hospital admissions for one year before the data collection. Clock Drawing Test and delayed word recall were employed to measure CI. Results: The severity of CI is one of the factors significantly associated with HA. Controlling for the level of function, the likelihood of HA increased among respondents with moderate, mild-to-moderate, and mild CI. Counterintuitively, HA was reduced when CI is severe. Discussion: People with CI are at more risk of frequent HA and the severity of impairment can increase this risk subsequently. Screening for CI at admission can open up the possibility of interventions, hence reducing complications during and after hospitalization.

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This study revisited the old research question of whether or not maternal employment would adversely affect children's development. We reframed the question by asking how a mother's temporal employment demands might be linked to child development. We used longitudinal data from a sample of 340 white, lower- to middle-class, dual-earner families living in the rural Midwest of the United States. The data were obtained from questionnaires and videotaped observations, and were informed by the mother, the father, the adolescent child, and a trained observer. As predicted, we found a strong relationship between a mother's temporal employment demands and work-family conflict, which was significantly associated with her emotional distress. A husband's egalitarian gender ideology was found to reduce the mother's emotional distress. Maternal distress was then negatively associated with nurturant and involved parenting, which in turn predicted a reduction in the adolescent child's emotional and behavioral problems over time.

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The purpose of this study was to examine the subjective opinions of Korean college students about good death. Q methodology was used to analyze 34 Q-statements from 37 respondents who majored in social work, nursing, or education at a university in South Korea. With the use of a PC-QUANL software package, 4 types of perceptions about good death were identified. They are: (1) a resolute acceptance type; (2) a reasonable, natural lifespan type; (3) a relational, sentimental type; (4) and an altruistic, satisfied type. Results of this study indicate that approaches to death education need to be differentiated to take into account this typology and the characteristics of the students that fall into each category.

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