Center on Aging and the Life Course at Purdue

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Center on Aging and the Life Course at Purdue

CALC’s mission is to promote aging-related research and education at Purdue University.

The purpose of this group is to support connections between current students, alumni, and faculty of the Center on Aging and the Life Course at Purdue University, West Lafayette. Opinions expressed on this site do not necessarily represent the official views of Purdue University. This site may contain links to websites and services outside the Purdue University domain. Purdue University does not e

ndorse, takes no responsibility for and exercises no control over the views or content contained on these independent sites, nor does it vouch for the accuracy or accessibility of the information contained on them. Purdue University cannot authorize the use of copyrighted materials contained in linked websites. Users must request such authorization from the sponsor of the independent site.

08/27/2026

CALC Faculty Associate Ellen Kossek and colleagues published their latest research in the Journal of Applied Psychology.

Their article, "Offering Paid Sick and Family Leave is Not Enough: Leave Supportive Supervisor Behavior Training Improves Policy Use, Health and Work Outcomes," reports findings from a National Institutes of Health-funded randomized clinical trial examining how training supervisors to actively support employees' use of paid sick and family leave can improve policy utilization, employee health, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment. The research demonstrates that offering leave policies alone is not enough. Supervisor support is essential to helping employees access and benefit from these workplace resources.

This publication represents years of collaborative work, from the initial grant funding and pilot studies through pandemic-related delays and a rigorous peer-review process. During the project, the research team also experienced the heartbreaking loss of a valued co-author and colleague, Jiayun Xu, making the publication especially meaningful.

To access the no-cost Leave Supportive Supervisor Behavior (LSSB) Training referenced in the publication, please see here: https://centers.purdue.edu/cff/research/supervisor-support-trainings/.

08/26/2026

Please join us Friday, September 11, 2026, from 12:30-1:25 pm in STEW G52 or via Zoom for our CALC Colloquium Series featuring Shiro Furuya, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, presenting on “Health Consequences of Working and Not-Working for Older Adults.”

See here to RSVP by September 9: https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5gsLQqFJPfhiDcO.

08/25/2026

CALC dual-title PhD student Freddie Peng (Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences/Gerontology) is the first author of a newly published study in the Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research.

The paper, "Characterizing Submental Neuromuscular Activity of Swallowing Rehabilitation: An Electromyographic Evaluation of Rehabilitative Maneuvers in Healthy Adults," examines how commonly used swallowing rehabilitation exercises differ in their underlying neuromuscular activation. Using wearable surface electromyography (sEMG), the research provides new insights into how specific swallowing maneuvers may target muscle power, strength, coordination, and endurance, advancing a more mechanism-based approach to dysphagia rehabilitation.

This important contribution to swallowing rehabilitation research will positively impact the roughly 1 in 25 people who have this medical condition.

To read more, see https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42467646/

08/19/2026

CALC-affiliated researchers Wei-Lin Xue, Zach Hass, Libby Richards, Kathy Abrahamson, and Marian Liu recently authored the publication, "Interpersonal Relationship Quality and Likelihood of Elder Mistreatment," published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.

Drawing on longitudinal data from 796 community-dwelling older adults, the study found that strained interpersonal relationships were associated with a greater likelihood of experiencing physical, psychological, and financial elder mistreatment over time. The findings emphasize the importance of assessing relationship quality and strengthening supportive social networks to help prevent elder mistreatment and promote the safety and well-being of older adults.

Dr. Xue is a 2025 graduate of the CALC dual-title PhD in Nursing/Gerontology and is currently a Postdoctoral Researcher at Case Western Reserve University. Zach Hass, Libby Richards, Kathy Abrahamson, and Marian Liu are CALC Faculty Associates

To read more see link: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/02654075261446769

08/18/2026

Congratulations to CALC Faculty Associate and Assistant Professor Allison Schaser on receiving a five-year, $2,842,015 NIH R01 grant for her research, "Region-specific effects of pathology and vocal training on vocalization in a preclinical mouse model of Parkinson's disease." This important work will advance our understanding of Parkinson's disease and the effects of vocal training in a preclinical model. Congratulations, Dr. Schaser, on this outstanding achievement!

08/13/2026

CALC Faculty Associates Yan Cong, Jiyeon Lee, and Arianna LaCroix recently published a study entitled “Evaluating the Utility of Large Language Models for Detecting and Simulating Language Dysfunction.” The study examined how large language models can identify and simulate patterns of language impairment, highlighting both their potential and current limitations in supporting clinical assessment and research. The findings contribute to the growing understanding of how AI can be used to advance healthcare while emphasizing the importance of careful evaluation before clinical implementation.

To read more, see link: https://doi.org/10.3389/frai.2026.1857106

08/12/2026

Please join us Friday, October 2, 2026 from 8 am-12:00 pm Eastern in STEW 214 or via Zoom for the 2026 CALC Symposium, Family Caregiving in Later Life, featuring Karen Fingerman of University of Texas at Austin as the keynote speaker. Additional speakers include Marian Liu, Jill Suitor, Melissa Franks, and Nasreen Lalani, all of Purdue University.

See here to RSVP by September 25:
https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5uSKfNZIj4G2C90

08/11/2026

CALC PhD student Taylor Pope, a dual-title doctoral student in Sociology and Gerontology, recently published a review entitled From Swipe to Swindle: A Narrative Review of Research on Older Adult Victims of Romance Fraud. The review synthesizes existing research on romance fraud targeting older adults, identifies key risk factors and the unique consequences of victimization, and offers recommendations for future research, policy, and practice to better protect older adults from online fraud.

To learn more, see link: https://doi.org/10.1080/08946566.2026.2690996

08/06/2026

CALC Faculty Associate Hyesun Choung, PhD, recently published an article entitled “Exploring Older Adults’ Use of AI Voice Assistants Through the Lens of Self-Determination Theory in Health Communication.” The study identifies motivating factors in older adults’ use of AI voice assistants, finding that meeting psychological needs such as autonomy, competence, and relatedness plays an important role in encouraging engagement with these technologies. The findings offer insights for designing AI tools that better support older adults' well-being and independence.

To learn more, see link: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10410236.2026.2694693

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http://www.purdue.edu/aging

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