Gerontology Commons^™

Late-Life Gender Disparities In Economic Security: Evidence From The 2022 Elder Index, Jan E. Mutchler, Nidya Velasco Roldán, Yan-Jhu Su

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

Estimates from the 2022 Elder Index illustrate the elevated risk of economic insecurity experienced by older women, especially those living alone. We use the Elder Index to calculate the percentage of older adults living in one- and two-person households with annual incomes that do not support economic security. National averages suggest that half of older women living alone, along with 42% of older men living alone, have annual incomes below the Elder Index. In addition, 21% of older couples have annual incomes below the Elder Index. Women in same-sex couples experience greater levels of disadvantage than men in same-sex couples …

Living Below The Line: Economic Insecurity And Older Americans, Insecurity In Massachusetts, 2022, Jan Mutchler, Nidya Velasco Roldán, Yan-Jhu Su

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

New estimates from the 2022 Elder Index^TM reveal that the cost of living in Massachusetts has increased substantially in recent years for older adults, especially for renters. The Elder Index measures the necessary costs faced by households made up of one or two older adults, calculated county by county for the entire United States. Estimated costs are higher in Massachusetts than in any other state in the nation. Within the Commonwealth, the Elder Index is lowest in Western Massachusetts, and highest in Metro Boston, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, with differences in the Elder Index across locations accounted for largely …

Living Below The Line: Economic Insecurity And Older Americans, Insecurity In The States, 2022, Jan Mutchler, Yan-Jhu Su, Nidya Velasco Roldan

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

New estimates from the 2022 Elder Index^TM suggest that nearly half of older adults living alone, and one out of five older couples, lack the financial resources required to pay for basic needs. We compared household incomes for adults age 65 and above living in one- and two-person households to the 2022 Elder Index for each state to calculate Economic Insecurity Rates (EIRs), the percentage of independent adults age 65 or older with annual incomes that do not support economic security. The EIRs allow a better understanding of how many and which older adults are experiencing economic insecurity. National …

Social Security Benefits Continue To Fall Short Of Covering Cost Of Basic Needs For Older Americans, 2021, Jan Mutchler, Nidya Velasco Roldán

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

Social Security benefits fall short of what is required to cover the basic cost of living across the United States, according to new estimates based on the Elder Index, a county-by-county measure of the income older adults need to secure an independent lifestyle. Nationally, the average Social Security benefit covers just 68% of basic living expenses of housing, food, transportation, and health care for a single renter in 2021, and 81% for an older couple. The gap between Social Security benefits and what it takes to get by is especially problematic for older adults who rely largely or entirely on …

Living Below The Line: Economic Insecurity And Older Americans, Insecurity In Massachusetts 2019, Jan Mutchler, Yang Li, Nidya Velasco Roldán

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

New estimates from the 2019 Elder Index^TM reveal that in Massachusetts, more than six out of ten older adults living alone, and three out of ten living in two-person households, cannot afford the basic necessities of life such as food, housing, and health care. The Gerontology Institute compares household incomes for adults age 65 and above living in one- and two-person households to the 2019 Elder Index for Massachusetts to calculate Elder Economic Insecurity Rates (EEIRs), the percentage of independent older adults age 65 or older living in households with annual incomes that do not support economic security. The …

Living Below The Line: Economic Insecurity And Older Americans, Insecurity In The States 2019, Jan Mutchler, Yang Li, Nidya Velasco Roldán

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

New estimates from the 2019 Elder Index^TM suggest that half of older adults living alone, and 23% of older adults living in two-elder households, lack the financial resources required to pay for basic needs. The Gerontology Institute compares the 2019 household incomes for adults age 65 and above living in one- and two-person households to the 2019 Elder Index for each state and Washington, DC to calculate Elder Economic Insecurity Rates (EEIRs), the percentage of independent older adults age 65 or older living in households with annual incomes that do not support economic security. The EEIRs allow state and …

Envisioning A Watertown For All Ages, Caitlin Coyle

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

Watertown for All Ages is a group of residents working to improve the livability of Watertown for residents of all ages and abilities. They work closely with the Watertown Council on Aging/Senior Center. The Watertown Council on Aging/Senior Center provides a variety of social, health, educational, recreational, advocacy, and support programs designed to help Watertown’s older adults age well in the community. Services provided to seniors living in the community range from transportation support to nutrition services and social services, along with a range of programs and activities meant to enhance well-being and quality of life. Similar to many Councils …

2016 Elder Economic Security Standard Index™ For Boston, Yang Li, Ping Xu, Jan Mutchler, Center For Social And Demographic Research On Aging, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

The Elder Economic Security Standard^TM Index (Elder Index) is a measure of the cost of living for older adults age 65 or older living independently in today's economy. The Elder Index defines economic security as the income level at which elders are able to cover basic and necessary living expenses and age in their homes, without relying on benefit programs, loans or gifts. The Elder Index defines an “economic security gap” as having incomes between the Federal Poverty Line and the Elder Index. Older adults living “in the gap” have incomes too high to qualify for many means-tested public …

Living Below The Line: Economic Insecurity And Older Americans, Age Disparities In Insecurity, 2016, Jan Mutchler, Yang Li, Ping Xu

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

New estimates from the 2016 Elder Economic Security Standard^TM Index highlight the high risk of economic insecurity experienced by older adults, a risk that is especially high for the oldest seniors. The Gerontology Institute compares the 2016 household incomes for adults age 65 and above living in one- and two-person households to the 2016 Elder Economic Security Standard^TM Index for each state and Washington, DC to calculate Elder Economic Insecurity Rates (EEIRs), the percentage of independent older adults age 65 or older living in households with annual incomes that do not support economic security. The EEIRs allow state …

Living Below The Line: Economic Insecurity And Older Americans, Racial And Ethnic Disparities In Insecurity, 2016, Jan Mutchler, Yang Li, Ping Xu

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

New estimates from the 2016 Elder Economic Security Standard^TM Index highlight the high risk of economic insecurity experienced by older adults, a risk that is especially high for racial and ethnic minorities. The Gerontology Institute compares the 2016 household incomes for adults age 65 and above living in one- and two-person households to the 2016 Elder Economic Security Standard^TM Index for each state and Washington, DC to calculate Elder Economic Insecurity Rates (EEIRs), the percentage of independent older adults age 65 or older living in households with annual incomes that do not support economic security. The EEIRs allow …

Living Below The Line: Economic Insecurity And Older Americans, Gender Disparities In Insecurity, 2016, Jan Mutchler, Yang Li, Ping Xu

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

New estimates from the 2016 Elder Economic Security Standard^TM Index highlight the high risk of economic insecurity experienced by older adults, a risk that is especially high for older women living alone. The Gerontology Institute compares the 2016 household incomes for adults age 65 and above living in one- and two-person households to the 2016 Elder Economic Security Standard^TM Index for each state and Washington, DC to calculate Elder Economic Insecurity Rates (EEIRs), the percentage of independent older adults age 65 or older living in households with annual incomes that do not support economic security. The EEIRs allow …

The National Elder Economic Security Standard™ Index: Methodology Overview, Center For Social And Demographic Research On Aging, University Of Massachusetts Boston, Gerontology Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

The Elder Economic Security Standard^TM Index (Elder Index) is a measure of the cost of living for older adults in today's economy. The Elder Index helps answer important questions about what it really takes to financially support independent living in later life. For example, what is an adequate income for older adult households to age in place? How does it vary according to life circumstances: whether they are living alone or with a spouse, renting or owning a home? How do older adults’ living costs change as their health status changes?

The Elder Index illustrates how living costs vary …

When ‘Places’ Include Pets: Broadening The Scope Of Relational Approaches To Promoting Aging-In-Place, Ann M. Toohey, Jennifer A. Hewson, Cindy L. Adams, Melanie J. Rock

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Aging-in-place is a well-established concept, but discussions rarely consider that many older adults live with pets. In a ‘pet-friendly’ city, we conducted semi-structured interviews to explore perspectives of community-based social support agencies that promote aging-in-place, and those of animal welfare agencies. Applying a relational ecology theoretical framework, we found that pets may contribute to feeling socially- situated, yet may also exacerbate constraints on autonomy experienced by some older adults. Pet-related considerations at times led to discretionary acts of more-than-human solidarity, but also created paradoxical situations for service-providers, impacting their efforts to assist older adults. A shortage of pet-friendly affordable housing …

Predicting Depression In Older Adults: Community Vs. Nursing Home, Hannah Vitello, Skye Leedahl

Senior Honors Projects

With the population of the United States slowly growing older, the issues surrounding long-term services and supports (LTSS) will become more prevalent. Little research has been done comparing older adults living in nursing homes to older adults living in the community, especially regarding mental health and depression. Depression is a mental illness that affects people emotionally and physically, as well as mentally, which can lead easily into other health complications in the older adult population. This study seeks to determine if factors such as demographics, health, social interaction, and family relationships affect mental health in nursing home residents differently than …

Aging In West County Communities: Coming Together To Age In Place, Bernard A. Steinman, Hayley Gleason, Ceara Somerville, Maryam Khaniyan, Jan Mutchler

Gerontology Institute Publications

This report describes collaborative efforts undertaken by the Towns of Ashfield, Buckland, and Shelburne Consortium of Councils on Aging (hereafter, The Consortium) and the Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging, within the McCormack Graduate School at the University of Massachusetts Boston (hereafter, UMass Boston). Beginning in Fall 2014, these organizations partnered to conduct a study to investigate the needs, interests, preferences, and opinions of older residents in communities in West Franklin County (hereafter, West County), and priorities of stakeholders who interact with older adults in various capacities.

Early in the project, researchers from UMass Boston communicated with stakeholders …

The National Elder Economic Security Standard Index, Gerontology Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Gerontology Institute Publications

The Elder Economic Security Standard Index (Elder Index) is a new tool for use by policy makers, older adults, family caregivers, service providers, aging advocates, and the public at large. Developed by the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston and Wider Opportunities for Women (WOW), the Elder Index is a measure of income that older adults require to maintain their independence in the community and meet their daily costs of living, including affordable and appropriate housing and health care. The development and use of the Elder Index promotes a measure of income that respects the autonomy goals of …