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Objectives: Although the rate of cannabis use by older adults is increasing more quickly than all other age groups, little is known about the reasons older adults use cannabis and the outcomes they experience. With this research, we investigated older adults' perceptions and experiences of medical cannabis use to treat and/or manage chronic conditions, specifically as a substitute for prescription drugs. Methods: Researchers relied on qualitative inquiry in the form of semi-structured, one-on-one interviewing to investigate the phenomenon of medical cannabis use for the management of chronic conditions. Results: Our findings suggest that older adults are open to medical cannabis as an alternative to pharmaceutical drugs, hopeful with regard to the management of symptoms and pain, and aware of and astute at managing issues related to stigma both from their physicians and family and friends. Furthermore, older adults describe the frustrations with education, awareness, and lack of support with dosing. Conclusions: Participations found medical cannabis use to be beneficial in managing chronic conditions and alleviating symptoms such as chronic pain. Findings are presented as an interpretation of the participants' perceptions of their medical cannabis use. Implications for putting medical cannabis use into everyday practice as well as policy implications are considered. Clinical Implications: This information will help clinicians better support older adults desiring to use medical cannabis. This research will help clinicians learn more about factors impacting medical cannabis use, and the types of information and assistance that may aid older adults in their health and well-being with the use of medical cannabis to treat chronic conditions.

More than 62% of adults aged 65+ have more than one chronic condition; this number increases to more than 82% for those 85+. Older adults simultaneously experience changes in their relationships due to negative relational life events, including illness, injury, or death of a loved one. Stressors occurring in tandem can overload psychological resources and increase risk for poor mental health. Informed by the stress process model, we assessed the influence of relational life events on depressive symptoms over time and evaluated the moderating effects of chronic condition onset. Self-reports of four stressful life events, five chronic conditions, and depressive symptoms as measured by the CES-D came from 2,948 older adults participating in the ORANJ BOWL panel. Using longitudinal multilevel mixed effect modeling, we examined trajectories of depressive symptoms across three waves. While depressive symptoms increased over time, they were greater for people who experienced more relational life events and the onset of more chronic conditions. Participants who reported experiencing all four relational life events but no chronic conditions had an average CES-D score of 5.28 (p

Managing type 1 diabetes involves coordinating complex daily behaviors that benefit from higher cognitive function. One’s spouse’s cognitive function may also be beneficial as spouses may collaborate in daily adherence behaviors and may be especially beneficial for older adults who may be experiencing poorer cognitive function. We examined: 1) whether one’s own and one’s spouse’s cognitive function predicted lower (better) HbA1c, 2) whether collaborating with a more cognitively capable spouse was especially beneficial, and 3) whether the benefit of partners’ cognitive ability occurred through better adherence. 199 couples were recruited where one member was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes for at least one year (52% females, average age 46.8 years, range 25.9-74.9, average duration of diabetes 27 years). Both patients and spouses completed the information subtest from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Addition as a measure of general intelligence. Patients rated the collaborative involvement of their spouse in their diabetes and their adherence to their medical regimen. Multiple regressions revealed that spouse’ higher intelligence uniquely and solely predicted better HbA1c over patient’s intelligence. Collaborating with a spouse of lower intelligence was associated with higher HbA1c for older adults; collaborating with a spouse of higher intelligence was associated with somewhat lower HbA1c. Mediational analyses indicated that spouse’s intelligence was associated with higher HbA1c through better adherence behaviors. The results suggest that individuals with type 1 diabetes who have a spouse of lower cognitive function may benefit from support from others in their network to manage their diabetes.