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The Community Connection at the Sealy Center on AgingStay Connected. Stay Engaged. Stay Inspired.

Welcome

At the Sealy Center on Aging, we believe that growing older should mean growing stronger, through knowledge, community, and meaningful opportunities. That’s why we created the Community Connection, a program designed to keep older adults in Galveston County informed, engaged, and empowered.

Launched in 2022, the Community Connection has more than 1,300 subscribers who receive our quarterly newsletter by email or traditional mail. Each issue is filled with valuable updates, including:

  • Spotlights on groundbreaking aging research at UTMB Health
  • Invitations to participate in clinical studies that can improve health and wellbeing for older adults everywhere
  • Local events and programs tailored to seniors in our community
  • Volunteer opportunities, such as AmeriCorps Seniors, where you can give back and stay active

Why Join?

The Community Connection is more than a newsletter! It’s a way to stay plugged into the latest discoveries, connect with people who share your interests, and find new ways to stay involved in your local community.

We're Growing, Together!

Thanks to strong community partnerships and outreach, the Community Connection is expanding every day. Whether you hear about us through a senior center, social media, or a postcard at an event, the invitation is the same: be part of a growing network of older adults shaping the future of aging in Galveston County.

  • Sign up for the Community Connection newsletter and become part of a vibrant community of older adults making a difference.
  • Follow and engage with us on Facebook, where we share news and resources as well as event announcements that are relevant to local older adults.
  • Learn more about getting involved with AmeriCorps Seniors.
  • Visit the Learning Center, now located at the Osher Long Life Institute at UTMB Health

Newsletter Archive

Current Studies

News from the Sealy Center on Aging

photo of older adult man on swing

Social and Leisure Activities May Play a Protective Role in Cognitive Aging of Older Mexican Adults

Nov 20, 2023, 08:00 AM by SCOA

A new study by researchers including Michael Robertson, Brian Downer, Paul Schulz, Rafael Samper-Ternent, Elizabeth Lyons , and Sadaf Arefi Milani looks at social and leisure activities in older Mexican adults. 

This study, conducted in Mexico, aimed to explore the relationship between social and leisure activities and cognitive functioning in older adults over a 6-year period. The research involved 9,091 participants aged 60 and older, using latent transition analyses to identify distinct cognitive statuses and model transitions between them.

At the outset, four cognitive statuses were identified: normal cognition (43%), temporal disorientation (30%), perceptual-motor function impairment (7%), and learning and memory impairment (20%). The study revealed that engaging in various social and leisure activities was linked to a range of cognitive outcomes. Participation in these activities was associated with reduced odds of death and unfavorable cognitive transitions, as well as increased odds of positive transitions.

The findings suggest that popular social and leisure activities may play a protective role in cognitive aging, potentially influencing the development of enjoyable and effective health interventions. Understanding the impact of these activities on common patterns of cognitive functioning could contribute to the design of interventions that promote both cognitive health and overall well-being in older adults.

Read the study at PubMed: Social and Leisure Activities Predict Transitions in Cognitive Functioning in Older Mexican Adults: A Latent Transition Analysis of the Mexican Health and Aging Study

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