@article {11372, title = {Acknowledging Systemic Discrimination in the Context of a Pandemic: Advancing an Anti-Racist and Anti-Ageist Movement.}, journal = {Journal of Gerontological Social Work}, volume = {64}, year = {2021}, pages = {223-237}, abstract = {

This commentary draws together the confluence of current events - COVID-19 pandemic and racial injustice. Vulnerability to COVID-19 cannot be understood by age alone but within the context of inequity. We first review how COVID-19 has disproportionately affected Black and Latinx populations across the life span with the latest data from New~York City Department of Health. We then discuss critical race theory and analyze longstanding inequities in health, economic, and social conditions that heighten the risk for vulnerability. We conclude with a discussion for the social work profession on the issues of defunding the police to undoing stereotypes.

}, keywords = {COVID-19, Health Disparities, systemic racism}, issn = {1540-4048}, doi = {10.1080/01634372.2020.1870604}, author = {Gonzales, Ernest and Gordon, Stacey and Whetung, Cliff and Connaught, Gerri and Collazo, Jasmin and Hinton, Jill} } @article {10926, title = {Interactive Effects of Chronic Health Conditions And Financial Hardship On Episodic Memory Among Older Blacks: Findings From The Health And Retirement Study}, journal = {Research in Human Development}, volume = {17}, year = {2020}, month = {2020/01/02}, pages = {41 - 56}, abstract = {Previous research links chronic health conditions and financial hardship to cognitive outcomes among older Blacks. However, few studies have explored the moderating effect of financial hardship on chronic disease burden and specific cognitive domains. This study examined whether financial hardship (as measured by difficulty paying monthly bills) modifies the impact of self-reported chronic health conditions (e.g., diabetes, stroke) on episodic memory among 871 older Blacks (50+ years) in the 2006 Health and Retirement Study . Financial hardship modified the association between chronic disease burden and episodic memory performance such that individuals who reported very little difficulty paying their monthly bills had significantly lower memory scores at high levels of disease burden compared to those reporting high financial difficulty after controlling for age, gender and education (F 2, 49 = 5.03, p = .010). This cross-sectional study suggests that both financial and physical wellbeing may have joint effects on cognitive health in older Blacks.}, keywords = {Chronic disease, Cognition, Financial hardship}, isbn = {1542-7609}, doi = {10.1080/15427609.2020.1746159}, author = {Byrd, DeAnnah R. and Gonzales, Ernest and Beatty Moody, Danielle L. and Gillian L Marshall and Laura B Zahodne and Roland J. Thorpe Jr. and Keith E Whitfield} } @article {11175, title = {Back to Work? Not Everyone. Examining the Longitudinal Relationships Between Informal Caregiving and Paid Work After Formal Retirement.}, journal = {Journal of Gerontology, Series B }, volume = {72}, year = {2017}, pages = {532-539}, abstract = {

Objectives: Research on unretirement (retirees who re-enter the workforce) is burgeoning. However, no longitudinal study has examined how informal care relates to unretirement. Utilizing role theory, this study aims to explore the heterogeneity of informal care responsibilities in retirement and to examine how informal care informs re-entering the workforce in later life.

Method: Data were drawn from the Health and Retirement Study of fully retired individuals aged 62 years and older in 1998 (n = 8,334) and followed to 2008. Informal care responsibilities included helping a spouse/partner with activities of daily living (ADLs) or instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs); helping parent(s) or parent-in-law(s) with ADLs or IADLs; and single or co-occurrence of care roles. Covariates included economic and social factors. Cox proportional hazard models were utilized.

Results: When compared with noncaregivers, helping a spouse with ADLs or IADLs reduced the odds of returning-to-work in the subsequent wave by 78\% and 55\%, respectively (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.22, confidence interval [CI]: 0.06-0.87; HR: 0.45, CI: 0.21-0.97). There was no statistical difference to returning-to-work between noncaregivers and helping parents with ADLs/IADLs or multiple caregiving responsibilities.

Discussion: Role theory provided a useful framework to understand the relationships of informal care and unretirement. Aspects of role strain emerged, where, spousal caregivers were less likely to come out of retirement. Spousal caregivers may face challenges to working longer, and subsequently, opportunities to bolster their retirement security are diminished. Research and policy implications are discussed.

}, keywords = {Activities of Daily Living, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Caregivers, Employment, Family, Female, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Middle Aged, Retirement, return to work}, issn = {1758-5368}, doi = {10.1093/geronb/gbv095}, author = {Gonzales, Ernest and Lee, Yeonjung and Brown, Celeste} }