Healthy Cognitive Aging: The Influences of Social Participation and Caregiving

Abstract

Cognitive decline in the aging population is a public health issue that goes beyond memory lapses. It can significant impact one’s abilities of independent living and healthy aging. As effective treatments for cognitive decline remain elusive, research often emphasizes modifiable risk and protective factors, with cognitive enrichment standing out as a crucial protective element. Cognitive enrichment involves activities that stimulate cognitive capacity, such as education, occupational complexity, and engagement in cognitive or social activities.1 In this dissertation, I utilized data from the Taiwan Longitudinal Study of Aging, focusing on participants aged 50 and above, to examine the longitudinal impact of social participation and grandchild caregiving on cognitive function among mid-aged and senior citizens in Taiwan.

Chapter 1 explores the relationship between engaging in grandchild caregiving and later-life cognitive function. Both cumulative and short-term associations with cognition were modeled, considering variations based on educational attainment, urbanicity, gender, and marital status. While no overall cumulative or short-term association was found between grandchild caregiving and cognitive function scores, heterogeneity was evident. Notably, caregiving to a grandchild showed potential links to higher cognitive scores for men, partnered grandparents, and those with middle or high school education.

In Chapter 2, I examined patterns of social participation and work history trajectories among participants, assessing their relationship with late-life cognitive function. Additionally, factors influencing cluster membership were explored. Participation in a working-dominant cluster, multiple active social activities cluster, and helping and socializing cluster correlated with better late-life cognitive function. Moreover, more active social participation patterns were observed among men, at younger ages, non-urban residents, and those without chronic diseases.

Chapter 3 delves into the mediating role of social participation patterns in the association between educational attainment and late-life cognitive function. While education emerged as a strong predictor of cognitive function in later life, social participation patterns did not significantly mediate this relationship. However, actively participating in social activities or maintaining stable employment could potentially partially mitigate educational disparities in late-life cognitive function. The interaction between education and social participation might also significantly contribute to the educational impact on late-life cognition.