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Objectives: Given what little is known about the experiences of sexual and gender minority (SGM) caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD), the aim of the current study was to describe psychosocial measures among these caregivers. Methods: We used an online survey and social media recruitment strategies. Results: Of 286 caregivers, the majority were gay men. Most respondents were white, with a third identifying as Latino American. The plurality of caregivers identified as a spouse/partner and were providing care for someone who identified as a sexual minority; one-fifth cared for someone transgender. Sexual orientation, perceived stress, caregiver stigma, and microaggressions were psychosocial factors associated with family quality of life and depressive symptoms in the caregivers. Discussion: This study is the first to provide a focused description of the characteristics and psychosocial needs of SGM caregivers of someone with ADRD, supporting development of targeted interventions for this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We explored the links between chronic diseases and cognitive ability using datasets of community-dwelling older adults from Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Uruguay from the SABE (Health, Well-Being, and Aging) survey. Methods: Ordinary least squares (OLS), Tobit and linear probability models, adjusting for extensive health and socio-demographic factors, were implemented separately for men and women and complemented by a series of robustness checks. Results: We find a negative association between the number of chronic conditions and cognitive decline that has the following characteristics: (a) differs across gender, (b) increases with the number of chronic conditions, (c) is larger among those individuals in the bottom of the cognitive distribution, (d) and is different across types of chronic conditions. Discussion: These results suggest that returns from preventive policies to reduce cognitive decline would increase if they were targeted to seniors with chronic conditions and implemented before the impact from multiple comorbidities makes the cognitive decline too steep to be reversed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]