Dissertation Research: Social Support and physical and cognitive functioning of older adults in assisted living facilities.

该项目将研究社会网络的动态和辅助生活设施中居民的健康状况。研究结果将增强对居民之间社会关系的理解，以及居民社会网络如何影响他们的身体和认知功能以及抑郁症状。这项研究预计将导致加强服务，鼓励社会融合，支持辅助的身体和认知功能，并减少在辅助生活的居民抑郁症状的水平。此外，研究结果可能为社会活动和老龄化的理论提供证据。对于老年人来说，社会关系与更好的身体健康、防止认知能力下降、减少抑郁和焦虑有关。辅助生活设施的居民已经经历了身体或认知功能的下降，并且抑郁症的患病率很高。虽然辅助生活设施提供了社交和建立新关系的机会，但这些机会和居民的健康如何影响居民之间关系的形成和维持，也不知道他们的关系在多大程度上影响他们的健康。本研究考察了休斯敦一家大型辅助生活设施的居民的社会网络和健康状况，相隔六个月的两个时间点。该项目将(1)描述居民社会网络的结构和变化；(2)估算居民关系对健康相关结局的影响；(3)评估居民身体限制、认知功能和抑郁症状对其社交网络的影响。数据将通过两种方式收集。首先，将从参与者的居住档案中收集人口统计和其他数据。其次，对居民进行访谈，收集参与者的社会网络和健康状况信息。将构建ALF内部相互关联的社会网络的综合模型。将使用面向网络动态的随机因素模型进行数据分析，以确定与居民关系和健康随时间共同演变相关的因素的影响，同时控制人口统计和其他相关因素（例如，参与ALF活动，外部关系）。

This project will examine the dynamics of the social networks and health of residents in an assisted living facility. Findings will enhance the understanding of social relationships among residents and the ways in which residents social networks influence their physical and cognitive functioning and depressive symptoms over time. The research is expected to lead to enhancements in services that encourage social integration, support assisted physical and cognitive functioning, and reduce levels of depressive symptoms among assisted living residents. In addition, findings may provide evidence for theories of social activity and aging.For older adults, social relationships are associated with better physical health, protection from cognitive decline, and reduced depression and anxiety. Residents of assisted living facilities have already experienced declines in their physical or cognitive functioning and have a high prevalence of depression. Although assisted living facilities provide opportunities for socializing and forming new relationships, it is unknown how these opportunities and residents' health affect the formation and maintenance of relationships between residents, nor the extent to which their relationships affect their health. This research examines the social networks and health of residents of a large assisted living facility in Houston, TX at two points in time six months apart. The project will (1) describe the structure and change of the residents' social networks; (2) estimate the effects of residents' relationships on health-related outcomes; and (3) estimate the effects of residents' physical limitations, cognitive functioning, and depressive symptoms on their social networks. Data will be collected in two ways. First, demographic and other data will be collected from participants resident files. Second, interviews with residents will be conducted to collect information about the participants social networks and health status. A comprehensive model of the interconnected social networks within the ALF will be constructed. Data analysis will be conducted using stochastic actor-oriented models for network dynamics to determine the effects of factors associated with the co-evolution of residents relationships and health over time while controlling for demographic and other related factors (e.g., participation in ALF activities, external relationships).