Stirring the Pot of Aging: Diversity Is the Secret Ingredient

Chair(s)

• AT

  Alisha Thompson, LMSW, MSW (she/her/hers)

  PhD candidate
  School of Social Work
  Louisiana State University
  Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States

Co-Chair(s)

• 

  Barbara Mendez Campos, MSW, LCSW

  Doctoral Candidate
  School of Social Work
  Boston College
  Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, United States

Discussant(s)

• 

  Laneshia Conner, PhD, CSW (she/her/hers)

  assistant professor
  College of Social Work
  University of Kentucky
  Lexington, Kentucky, United States

Individual Symposium Abstract First Author(s)

• 

  Christina Mu, PhD (she/her/hers)

  T32 Postdoctoral Fellow
  School of Aging Studies
  University of California, San Francisco
  San Francisco, California, United States
• 

  Rujeko Machinga-Asaolu, Msc, MSSW, MSCFT, CSW-KY, ABD (she/her/hers)

  Ph.D. Candidate
  College of Social Work
  University of Kentucky
  Lexington, Kentucky, United States

  Slides
• 

  Karen Bullock, PhD, LICSW, APHSW-C, FGSA

  Endowed Professor
  School of Social Work
  Boston College
  Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, United States
• MB

  Madison Boudreaux, MD (she/her/hers)

  Student Intern
  Primary Care
  UQ-Ochsner Clinical School
  New Orleans, Australia

  Slides

Aging and our experiences of this process are as unique as the ingredients in our favorite recipes that warm our hearts on chilly days. These components of diversity are crucial factors that influence our health outcomes and well-being across our lifespan, especially as we age. Empirical evidence highlights the importance of understanding how these factors flavor our experiences of aging. Through a series of presentations and discussions, we will explore factors often thought of when considering diversity such as race and ethnicity. Discussed will be how these factors influence end-of-life care preferences when contending with a serious illness and our ethical responsibilities to deliver culturally sensitive care. Next will be a discussion of the often-overlooked issue of intimate partner violence (IPV) among older immigrants. Emphasized will be IPV prevalence and its nuanced presentation among older immigrants. We will then expand our understanding of diversity, beyond race and ethnicity, by looking at additional factors of diversity such as differing cognitive, hearing, and visual abilities. The connections between sensory impairments and pain experiences and disparities in telehealth usage among patients with hearing, visual, or cognitive impairments will be elucidated. This symposium offers a comprehensive perspective on navigating the challenges faced by our diverse aging population. By fostering dialogue on these critical topics, we aim to empower healthcare providers, policymakers, and advocates to create a more flavorful and equitable future for older adults. Join us in stirring the pot of aging as we highlight that diversity is the unique secret ingredient.

Presentations:

• 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM PST

  Correlates Between Sensory Impairments and Pain Characteristics in Medicare Beneficiaries
  

  Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Christina Mu, PhD (she/her/hers) – University of California, San Francisco
• 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM PST

  Intimate Partner Violence Among US Older Immigrants: What Are the Odds?
  

  Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Rujeko O. Machinga-Asaolu, Msc, MSSW, MSCFT, CSW-KY, ABD (she/her/hers) – University of Kentucky
• 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM PST

  Health Disparities, Equity, and Ethical Responsibility of Gerontologists to Provide Culturally Concordant Care
  

  Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Karen Bullock, PhD, LICSW, APHSW-C, FGSA – Boston College
• 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM PST

  Improving Access or Increasing Disparities? Implementation of Telehealth Literacy Screening Program
  

  Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Madison T. Boudreaux, MD (she/her/hers) – UQ-Ochsner Clinical School