DASH study

Research has shown that positive social interactions such as spending time with loved ones can promote health in older adults. In contrast, negative social events such as conflicts can have adverse health effects. However, the everyday mechanisms through which social relationships get under our skin and relate to health are still not well understood. Through this project, Pauly’s research team aims to address this gap by using innovative methods such as ambulatory daily life assessments, to measure how social factors relate to physiological stress responses in a daily context. Concurrently, this research will also identify resources can contribute to older adults’ resiliency such as savoring and being physically active.

The findings from this project will provide insights for future interventions and help inform public health efforts to improve older adults’ health and mitigate the risks associated with dysregulation of stress response systems. By better understanding paths to older adults’ resiliency, this research led by Pauly will help alleviate some of the pressure that the healthcare system might be facing.