Background and Objectives Experiences of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and its implications for psychological well-being may vary widely across the adult life span. The present study examined age differences in pandemic-related stress and social ties, and links with psychological well-being. Research Design and Methods Participants included 645 adults (43% women) aged 18–97 (M = 50.8; SD = 17.7) from the May 2020 nationally representative Survey of Consumers. Participants reported the extent to which they felt stress related to the pandemic in the last month, the extent to which their lives had changed due to the pandemic, as well as social isolation, negative relationship quality, positive relationship quality, and frequency of depression, anxiety, and rumination in the past week. Results Results showed that older people reported less pandemic-related stress, less life change, less social isolation, and lower negative relationship quality than younger people. Greater pandemic-related stress, life change, social isolation, and negative relationship quality were associated with poorer psychological well-being. Poorer social ties (i.e., greater social isolation and negative quality) exacerbated the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic (stress, life change) on psychological well-being. Discussion and Implications Researchers have indicated that older adults may be more vulnerable to COVID-19 pandemic-related stress and social isolation, but this study indicates that young adults may be relatively more vulnerable. Because isolation and negative relationship quality appear to exacerbate the deleterious effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on psychological well-being, reducing social isolation and negative relations are potential targets for intervention.

An increasing number of adults, both men and women, are simultaneously managing work and family caregiving roles. Guided by the stress process model, we investigate whether 823 employees occupying diverse family caregiving roles (child caregiving only, elder caregiving only, and both child caregiving and elder caregiving, or “sandwiched” caregiving) and their noncaregiving counterparts in the information technology division of a white-collar organization differ on several indicators of psychosocial stress along with gender differences in stress exposure. Compared with noncaregivers, child caregivers reported more perceived stress and partner strain whereas elder caregivers reported greater perceived stress and psychological distress. With the exception of work-to-family conflict, sandwiched caregivers reported poorer overall psychosocial functioning. Additionally, sandwiched women reported more family-to-work conflict and less partner support than their male counterparts. Further research on the implications of combining a white-collar employment role with different family caregiving roles is warranted.

The COVID-19 pandemic may intensify loneliness among older adults with chronic conditions who are at high risk of severe illness, but little is known about factors associated with loneliness during the pandemic. We considered factors linked to loneliness among 701 adults aged 50 years and older with chronic conditions from Michigan (82.5%) and 33 other U.S. states. Participants completed an anonymous online survey between May 14 and July 9, 2020. About two thirds (66.4%) reported moderate to severe loneliness. The fully adjusted regression model revealed that being a person of color, having a spouse or cohabiting partner, and more emotional support were associated with lower levels of loneliness. Higher anxiety symptoms, more worry about COVID-19 infection, and more financial strain because of the pandemic were linked to greater loneliness. These findings inform strategies to support a vulnerable subgroup of older adults during this pandemic and in future public health crises.

Findings suggest that father-child relationship quality has significant implications for the well-being of both aging fathers and middle-aged daughters or sons.

Background and Objectives Managing medications can be stressful for spousal caregivers, but little is known about particular aspects of medication management that are most consequential for caregiving outcomes. We examined care stressors and resources related to medication management, their associations with role overload among spousal caregivers, and whether these links vary by care recipients’ number of chronic health conditions and dementia status. Research Design and Methods This cross-sectional study included 377 spousal caregivers of adults aged 65 and older from the 2011 National Health and Aging Trends Study and National Study of Caregiving. Linear regressions were estimated to evaluate how medication-related stressors (ordering medication, keeping track of medications, giving injections) and resources (medication reminder systems, shared medication management within the spousal dyad) are associated with caregivers’ role overload. Care recipients’ number of chronic health conditions and dementia status were considered as moderators. Models controlled for caregivers’ sociodemographic characteristics, chronic health conditions, and other care tasks. Results Caregivers who administered injections reported more role overload, whereas those who worked with care recipients to jointly manage medications reported less role overload. Keeping track of medications was linked to caregivers’ greater role overload when care recipients had 5 or more chronic health conditions. Finally, care recipients’ use of medication reminder systems was linked to less role overload for caregivers of a partner with dementia. Discussion and Implications Devising strategies to assist spousal caregivers in the more onerous components of medication management and promote resources that mitigate medication-related stress may improve caregiver well-being.

The effects of increasing parents' disability on relationship quality and involvement of other informal and paid help may have implications for the longer-term impact of care on both offspring and their parents.

Objectives Spouses of older adults with functional disability often provide help with their partner’s medical care. Yet little is known about the implications of these activities for spouses’ caregiving experiences. We examined how spouses’ medical care activities are linked to both positive and negative aspects of caregiving (difficulties and gains), and whether these associations vary by their age, gender, and education. Design Retrospective analysis of data from the 2011 National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) and National Study of Caregiving (NSOC) cross-sectional studies. Setting Caregivers and care recipients/proxies were interviewed by telephone at home. Participants Nationally representative US sample of 345 spousal caregivers and their community-dwelling care recipients aged 65 and older. Measurements Caregivers’ self-reported sociodemographics, care activities, health conditions, well-being, and support resources. Care recipients (or proxies) reported on their health conditions and dementia status. Results A higher number of health system interaction tasks (e.g., making appointments) were significantly associated with greater emotional caregiving difficulties, whereas a higher number of medical/nursing tasks (e.g., giving shots/injections) were significantly linked to greater caregiving gains. A higher number of medical/nursing tasks were also significantly associated with greater physical difficulties for caregiving wives and spouses with less education. Conclusions Medical care activities may have both positive and negative consequences for spousal caregivers, which depend partly on sociodemographics. This study underscores the importance of ensuring that spouses have the resources and support needed to provide complex care to their partners.

Late-life depression (LLD) is a major public health concern that can have devastating effects on older individuals and their families. Behavioral theories predict that decreases in responsecontingent positive reinforcement and increases in negatively reinforced avoidance behaviors, often accompanied by aversive life events, result in the selection and maintenance of depression. Based on these theories, behavioral activation treatments for depression are designed to facilitate structured increases in enjoyable activities that increase opportunities for contact with positive reinforcement. We discuss the applicability of behavioral models for LLD, and we briefly review current behavioral activation interventions for LLD with an emphasis on implications for future behavior-analytic research. Behavioral activation has been demonstrated to be effective in reducing depression and increasing healthy behavior in older adults. Potential challenges and considerations for future research are discussed. We suggest that applied behavior analysts and clinical behavior analysts are particularly well suited to improve and expand on the knowledge base and practical application of behavioral activation interventions with this population.