Cognition in Context: The Role of Objective and Subjective Measures of Neighborhood and Household in Cognitive Functioning in Later Life.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Although the role of place on health is not new, less is known about how place matters for cognition. By investigating both neighborhood and home as the sociospatial realms of older adults, we explore associations between health and place across multiple contexts. We also distinguish objective and subjective measures of place and disentangle their differential associations with cognition.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We analyzed place effects on cognition from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (N = 2,260) linked to neighborhood characteristics and crime data. We measured place in four ways: (a) objective indicators of neighborhood such as police-reported crime rates and interviewer-reported on presence of disordered conditions on the streets; (b) perceptions of neighborhood by respondents (perceived danger and social cohesion); (c) objective conditions of home (interviewer's report on presence of clutters, odor, and messiness); (4) perceived social support, strain, and threat by household members. The MoCA-SA was used to assess cognitive functioning.

RESULTS

Subjective interpretations appeared to have more direct effects on cognition than did objective indicators of neighborhood or home. When examining these living environments together, we found the association between neighborhood and cognition is partially explained by characteristics of home environment, especially perceived social support. We found a buffering effect of social support on cognition for women, not for men.

DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS

Late life living environments are important contexts for aging. Aging-in-Place interventions should address subjective interpretations of place to reduce future risks of cognitive decline.