Author Archives: Coah Staff Admin

Recently, COAH Director Dr. David L. Roth was interviewed by the American Heart Association for an article about caregiving titled, “The risks and rewards of caregiving for loved ones with dementia.” The story is about the struggles of a husband and wife, Pat and John Sullivan, who have been together for forty years. John has Lewy body dementia. Pat is taking care of him.

The act of caring is clearly a gift of love, especially when dementia is involved; that scenario may last for years, and it may be very emotional and physically exhausting, to the point that it might affect the caregiver’s health. Adding to that risk, and what may not be readily apparent at first glance is that Pat needs to take care of her health, too, since she has type 2 Diabetes and is 79 years old.

In the AHA story, Dr. Roth explains, “The main people who are at risk of physical health problems are those who feel overwhelmed by their responsibilities and have been doing it many months or even years, so it has a wear and tear effect on their systems… They feel like they have little control or choice and can’t get additional resources to help them carry the load.”  Yet, Dr. Roth’s research on stress biomarkers among caregivers has shown that the act of caregiving may actually have health benefits, akin to the effects of volunteerism.

Aside from the inevitable heavy responsibilities associated with caring for someone with dementia, the article implies that stress management may actually be the key difference between caregivers’ ability to cope. Pat Sullivan makes time to meditate, practice gratitude, and call upon her family and support system when needed.

As you call, Zoom, or visit with family and friends this holiday season, consider asking caregivers how they are doing, if they need anything, and how you can help.  Be ready to point the caregiver in the right direction. To that purpose, here are a few caregiver resources:

National:

• Alzheimer’s Association Caregiver Health
• AARP Family Caregiving
• Caregiving in the LGBT Community
• Family Caregiver Alliance
• National Institute on Aging Caregiving

State of Maryland:

• Department of Aging Caregiver Support Program

Johns Hopkins Affiliated:

• Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia
• Called to Care
• Medicine for the Greater Good Caregiver Cafes

In the article, Dr. Roth indicated that one caregiver shouldn’t try to do it alone. There are community resources that can help, and perhaps other family members or loved ones can contribute to respite care. In summation, the gift of caring needs to extend to caregivers, too. And the resources above may offer direct services or help identify providers.

Additionally, here is a short list of Dr. Roth’s research on caregiving:

• Reduced Mortality Rates among Caregivers: Does Family Caregiving Provide a Stress-Buffering Effect?
• Informal caregiving and its impact on health: A reappraisal from population-based studies
• Improving caregiver well-being delays nursing home placement of patients with Alzheimer disease
• Appraisal, coping, and social support as mediators of well-being in black and white family caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s disease

Dr. Roth also recently wrote this blog for National Family Caregiver’s Month in which you might be interested:

• Family Caregiving: An Essential Resource for Older Adults

We wish you and yours a safe, healthy, and happy holiday season!

By Anthony L. Teano, Communications Specialist

We have a lot to be grateful for at the Center on Aging and Health, despite the difficult coronavirus pandemic times.

The Center’s programs and researchers continue to marshal new scientific insights in the field of aging and clinical excellence, supporting fellows and trainees in superb educational programs, and gaining international recognition as we strive to deliver the promise of medicine.  Here are a few accomplishments this year for which we are grateful:

• Most recently, our researchers identified a link between severe social isolation in older adults and biological indicators associated with accelerated aging, yielding a connection with higher mortality and morbidity rates. This finding implies that, especially now, keeping older adults engaged and connected with their friends, families, and loved ones is critical to health, wellbeing, and longevity. Thomas Cudjoe, a nationally recognized expert in social cohesion and social isolation, lead the research team. You can read the paper about it here.
• The Center’s principal investigators in the Epidemiology and Biostatistics of Aging, Translational Aging Research, Health Services Outcomes for Aging Populations, and Age-Related Cognitive Disorders have remained active in their T32 training programs, providing access to cutting-edge studies and mentoring fellows in rigorous academic programs. Read about our training programs here.
• COAH’s director, Dr. David L. Roth, received the Gerontological Society of America’s M. Powell Lawton award, recognizing his outstanding achievements in applied methodological research. His research has benefited countless older adults and caregivers around the world. You can read more about his amazing accomplishments and top research papers here.
• The Accelerometry Resource Core launched this year, paving the way for new wearable medical technology to advance and inform science research and clinical trials. Check out their website here.

Moreover, COAH is very fortunate that federal funding covers most of our programs. Yet there have been gaps, and we are thankful to private donors who have filled them. In particular, private donations support junior researchers who may need financial assistance to defray conference registration fees, among other things.  If you are in a position to make a tax-deductible gift, please visit Support COAH.

Please accept our heartfelt gratitude for your interest in our work.

Thank you!

Did you know scientific studies show that people who help others are generally healthier themselves?

It’s true! While caregiving can be stressful, there are many health benefits to caregiving that parallel those of volunteerism, perhaps even outweighing the negative impacts of its concomitant stress.

That’s one of the points Dr. David L. Roth, director of the Center on Aging and Health (COAH), makes in a National Family Caregiver’s Month blog he wrote for Johns Hopkins’ Frailty Science team.  Check it out here to get a great overview of research on the stress and benefits of caregiving.

As you may know, Dr. Roth is a leader in the field of research on family caregivers’ health and wellbeing.  Here’s a few influential articles about research on this topic with which he has been involved, and in which you might be interested:

• Informal caregiving and its impact on health: A reappraisal from population-based studies
• Improving caregiver well-being delays nursing home placement of patients with Alzheimer disease
• Appraisal, coping, and social support as mediators of well-being in black and white family caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s disease

Many COAH researchers are involved in studies to advance understanding about this matter. Keep checking our News section for fresh insights! Meanwhile, please know that we see you, appreciate you, and celebrate you.  Without a doubt, family caregivers are a strong thread running through the great social fabric in America’s beautiful tapestry.

Happy National Family Caregiver’s Month!

The Center on Aging and Health (COAH)’s team enthusiastically congratulates longtime COAH colleague Sarah Szanton, PhD RN FAAN, Dean, and Patricia M. Davidson Health Equity and Social Justice Endowed Professor at the School of Nursing, upon her election to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM).

NAM is a private, nonprofit institution dedicated to improving “health for all by advancing science, accelerating health equity, and providing independent, authoritative, and trusted advice nationally and globally.”  New NAM members are elected by current members, and with the new inductees in October, 2021, the academy now has 2,100 national and international members. Membership to NAM is not only elite and honorific, it is also significant and impactful.  Leaders from across the United States and around the world consult NAM for expert opinions to shape and implement health policy. Consequently, NAM membership is considered to be the highest national honor possible in medicine.

In their statement listing newly elected members, NAM noted choosing Dean Szanton “for pioneering new approaches to reducing health disparities among low-income older adults.” This statement gives a nod to Dean Szanton’s sterling reputation in co-developing the CAPABLE program, which is currently expanding through Medicare Advantage and Value Based Care and is already available in 45 places across 23 states. CAPABLE has been described as “visionary” and “innovative” for its multidisciplinary and practical approach to helping older adults remain in their own homes, in their beloved communities; the same adjectives can easily be applied to Dean Szanton’s engaging leadership style.

We at COAH know that the nation and the international community are better served with sound advice and expert guidance from Dean Szanton in this very important role as a member of NAM.  The Center celebrates and congratulates Dean Szanton on this remarkable honor and tremendous new role!

To learn more about NAM, click here. You may be interested to know that an astounding 10% of the newly elected NAM members are affiliated with Johns Hopkins; read more about it here.