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Introduction: Older adults often rely on care partners, such as family and friends, to assist with their health-related needs associated with aging. Care partner burden is associated with higher rehospitalization rates and poorer health outcomes for older adults. This study examines the relationship between 3 types of health care interactions and care partner burden. Method: Secondary data analyses using cross-sectional data from the 2017 National Study of Caregiving were conducted. A total of 2,313 care partners (representing approximately 21.2 million) of living Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and older were included in the analyses. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to determine the relationship between health care interactions and care partner burden. Results: Care partners with burden were significantly more likely to be female (p = .049); white (p = .011); and a spouse, adult child, or grandchild of the older adult (p < .001). Logistic regression analyses showed that making medical appointments (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 1.53, 95% CI: 1.13-2.07) and coordinating care between providers (AOR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.27-2.32) were significantly associated with care partner burden. Discussion: Care partners of older adults who helped make medical appointments or coordinated care between providers were significantly more likely to report burden compared to those who did not assist with these health care interactions. It is essential that health care systems and providers determine ways to make health care interactions less burdensome for care partners. Care delivery approaches that align with family systems thinking may help reduce care partner burden by strengthening health care interactions. Keywords: care partner, older adult, person- and family-centered care, survey, NSOC, Older adults often rely on care partners, such as family and friends, to assist with their increasingly acute and complex health-related needs associated with aging (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, [...]

Purpose: Assess psychometric properties of scales developed to assess experience and perception of physical, psychological, and existential suffering in older individuals. Design and Methods: Scales were administered to 3 populations of older persons and/or their family caregivers: individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and their family caregivers (N = 105 dyads), married couples in whom 1 partner had osteoarthritis (N = 53 dyads), and African American and Hispanic caregivers of care recipients with AD (N = 121). Care recipients rated their own suffering, whereas caregivers provided ratings of perceived suffering of their respective care recipients. In addition, quality of life, health, and functional status data were collected from all respondents via structured in-person interviews. Results: Three scales showed high levels of internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent and discriminant validity. The scales were able to discriminate differences in suffering as a function of type of disease, demonstrated high intra-person correlations and moderately high inter-person correlations and exhibited predicted patterns of association between each type of suffering and indicators of quality of life, health status, and caregiver outcomes of depression and burden. Implications: Suffering is an important but understudied domain. This article provides valuable tools for assessing the experience and perception of suffering in humans. Key Words: Alzheimer's disease, Caregiving, Quality of life doi: 10.1093/geront/gnq033

Purpose: To examine racial differences in (a) the prevalence of financial exploitation and psychological mistreatment since turning 60 and in the past 6 months and (b) the experience--perpetrator, frequency, and degree of upset--of psychological mistreatment in the past 6 months. Design and methods: Random digit dial telephone recruitment and population-based survey (telephone and in-person) of 903 adults aged 60 years and older in Allegheny County (Pittsburgh), Pennsylvania (693 non-African American and 210 African American). Covariates included sex, age, education, marital status, household composition, cognitive function, instrumental activities of daily living/ activities of daily living difficulties, and depression symptoms. Results: Prevalence rates were significantly higher for African Americans than for non-African Americans for financial exploitation since turning 60 (23.0% vs. 8.4%) and in the past 6 months (12.9% vs. 2.4%) and for psychological mistreatment since turning 60 (24.4% vs. 13.2%) and in the past 6 months (16.1% vs. 7.2%). These differences remained once all covariates were controlled in logistic regression models. There were also racial differences in the experience of psychological mistreatment in the past 6 months. Risk for clinical depression was also a consistent predictor of financial exploitation and psychological mistreatment. Implications: Although the results will need to be replicated in national surveys, the study suggests that racial differences in elder mistreatment are a potentially serious issue deserving of continued attention from researchers, health providers, and social service professionals. Key Words: Elder mistreatment, Racial disparities, Risk factor models doi: 10.1093/geront/gnq053

The purpose of this article is to stimulate discussion and research about patient suffering and caregiver compassion. It is our view that these constructs are central to understanding phenomena such as family caregiving, and that recognizing their unique role in the caregiving experience provides new directions for intervention research, clinical practices, and social policy. We first define and characterize these constructs, review empirical evidence supporting the distinct role of suffering and compassion in the context of caregiving, and then present a conceptual model linking patient suffering with caregiver compassion. We conclude with a discussion of implications and future directions for clinical intervention, research, and policy. Key Words: Caregiving, Suffering, Compassion, Health, Well-being

A study of older patients with osteoarthritis and their spouses was conducted to examine concordance between patients and spouses' reports of patients' pain severity and the association of concordance with support and caregiving outcomes. Spouses who were accurate in their perceptions of their partner's level of pain during log-carrying activity responded less negatively providing emotional support that was more satisfying to patients.

The impact of a spouse's death may vary depending on whether the surviving partner took care of the spouse before death. If so, the impact of the death is no greater than the stress of caring for the spouse prior to his or her death.

Caregivers who experience mental and emotional strain have a higher risk of death than those who do not. Researchers compared death rates among 392 caregivers between the ages of 66 to 96 and 427 similar people who were not caregivers. Caregivers who reported mental and emotional strain from caregiving were 63% more likely to die than non-caregivers. Caregivers who did not experience strain from their caregiving actiivities had death rates similar to non-caregivers.

Issues concerning an analysis of the results from the Caregiver Health Effects Study are discussed. A study of the advantages and disadvantages to a carer's health of looking after a disabled partner are presented.