Effects of COVID-19 on Daily Lives of Older Persons with and without ADRD: National Health and Aging Trends Study Supplement

AbstractThis application funds a supplement to the National Health and Aging Trend Study (NHATS) to study theeffects of COVID-19 on the daily lives of older adults with and without Alzheimer's Disease and RelatedDementia (ADRD). NHATS interviews a national sample of older adults annually in order to (1) promote scientific inquiry into late-life disability trends and dynamics, their antecedents and correlates, and disparitiestherein and (2) to advance study of the social and economic consequences of late-life disability for individuals,families, and society. The overarching purpose of this supplement is to design, collect and disseminate newdata about older adults' adaptation of their daily lives to the COVID-19 pandemic and consequences for careneeds and wellbeing of those with and without ADRD, drawing on the dual perspectives of older adults andtheir helpers. The specific aims of this supplement are to: 1) Design and administer a COVID-19 mail out/mailback supplement to NHATS 2020 (expected sample sizes=3000-3100 NHATS participants including 600 withprobable or possible dementia; and 2900-3000 family and unpaid helpers including 900 assisting an older adultwith probable or possible dementia); 2) Disseminate a set of rapid release NHATS-COVID-19 public use filesand documentation, a set of final NHATS-COVID-19 files and documentation and a set of transcripts to supportqualitative analysis of the open-ended item about COVID-19's effects; and 3) Conduct targeted analysis of the rapid release COVID-19 items to create a portrait of daily lives and wellbeing of older Americans with andwithout ADRD during the outbreak and the family members and unpaid helpers who assist them. The activitiesproposed for this supplement will facilitate both short- and long-term understanding of the implications of theCOVID-19 pandemic for the care needs and wellbeing of older adults, and how these unfolded differently forthose with and without dementia.