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

本项目将研究社交网络的动态和辅助生活设施中居民的健康。 研究结果将加强对居民之间社会关系的理解，以及居民社交网络随着时间的推移影响其身体和认知功能以及抑郁症状的方式。 该研究预计将导致服务的增强，鼓励社会融合，支持辅助身体和认知功能，并降低辅助生活居民的抑郁症状水平。 此外，研究结果可能为社会活动和衰老的理论提供证据。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形成新关系的机会，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。 本研究考察了德克萨斯州休斯顿一家大型辅助生活设施的居民的社交网络和健康状况，时间间隔为六个月。 该项目将（1）描述居民社交网络的结构和变化;（2）估计居民关系对健康相关结果的影响;（3）估计居民的身体限制、认知功能和抑郁症状对他们的社交网络的影响。 数据将以两种方式收集。 首先，将从参与者的居民档案中收集人口统计数据和其他数据。 其次，将对居民进行访谈，以收集有关参与者社交网络和健康状况的信息。 将构建ALF内互连社交网络的综合模型。 数据分析将使用面向行为者的随机网络动态模型进行，以确定与居民关系和健康随时间的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).