Digital Commons Network^™

Envisioning An Age Friendly Stoneham, Caitlin Coyle, Mary Krebs

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

Tucked between two major highways, about nine miles from Boston, the Town of Stoneham is currently home to more than 22, 000 residents, 27% of which are age 60 and older. According to projections created by the Donahue Institute at the University of Massachusetts, a trend toward an older population in Stoneham is expected in future decades. Donahue Institute vintage projections suggest that by 2035, more than one out of each three Stoneham’s residents will be age 60 or older—28% of the town’s population will be between the ages of 60 and 79, with an additional 10% age 80 and …

Aging Strong For All: Examining Aging Equity In The City Of Boston, Jan Mutchler, Caitlin Coyle, Nidya Velasco Roldán, Paul Watanabe, Cedric Woods, Lorna Rivera, Quito Swan, Elena Stone, Laurie Nsiah-Jefferson

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

The experience of being and becoming older differs substantially based on one’s race, ethnicity, and gender. In the City of Boston, it has never been more critical to strategically pursue greater equity in the aging experience of residents. According to data from the US Census Bureau, the number of Boston residents aged 60 or older increased by more than a third just since 2010 and persons of color now make up half of Boston’s older adults. As well, stakeholders share a growing recognition of the powerful ways in which inequity, racism and discrimination shape health outcomes and the aging experience, …

Prediction Of Nocturia In Live Alone Elderly Using Unobtrusive In-Home Sensors, Barry Nuqoba, Hwee-Pink Tan

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Nocturia, or the need to void (or urinate) one or more times in the middle of night time sleeping, represents a significant economic burden for individuals and healthcare systems. Although it can be diagnosed in the hospital, most people tend to regard nocturia as a usual event, resulting in underreported diagnosis and treatment. Data from self-reporting via a voiding diary may be irregular and subjective especially among the elderly due to memory problems. This study aims to detect the presence of nocturia through passive in-home monitoring to inform intervention (e.g., seeking diagnosis and treatment) to improve the physical and mental …

Altruistic Attitudes Among Older Adults: Examining Construct Validity And Measurement Invariance Of A New Scale, Tirth R. Bhatta, Eva Kahana, Nirmala Lekhak, Boaz Kahana, Elizabeth Midlarsky

Sociology Faculty Research

Background and Objectives: Scholarly research has established the role of altruism in facilitating human cooperation and prosocial behaviors and highlighted its contribution to psychological well-being. Given the health significance of altruistic attitudes and orientations, we developed a valid and reliable measure of this construct that is suitable for use with older adults. Research Design and Methods: Based on data from a long-term panel study on adaptation to frailty among older adults (n = 366; mean age = 86 years), we used confirmatory factor analysis to perform construct validation of a five-item Elderly Care Research Center Altruism Scale among older adults …

Harmony Study: Pimavanserin Significantly Reduces Risk Of Relapse Of Dementia-Related Psychosis, Erin P. Foff, Jeffrey L. Cummings, Maria-Eugenia Soto-Martin, Pierre Tariot, Bradley Mcevoy, Srdjan Stankovic

Integrated Health Sciences Faculty Research

No abstract provided.

The Gap Remains: Social Security Benefits Continue To Fall Short Of Covering Basic Cost Of Living For Older Americans, 2015-2020, Jan Mutchler, Yang Li

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

Older Americans rely heavily on Social Security to support an independent lifestyle. Recent estimates suggest that among adults aged 65 years or older, more than half rely on Social Security for at least 50% of their family income, while nearly a quarter depend on Social Security for 90% or more of their family income.

Despite this substantial reliance on Social Security among older adults, Social Security benefits fall short of what is required to cover a 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 …

Envisioning An Age-Friendly Norwood, Caitlin Coyle, Beth Rouleau

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

Nestled just outside the I-95 beltway, the Town of Norwood, Massachusetts is a community southwest of Boston that takes pride in the history of residents staying in, or returning to, the community across the lifespan. Projections indicate that by 2035, about one out of three Norwood residents will be age 60 or older—24% of the Town’s population will be between the ages of 60 and 79, with an additional 8% age 80 and older (see Appendix A). The desire to stay and a growing older adult population lends to many multi-generational families within the community, creating a sense of supportive …

New Cultures Of Care? The Spatio-Temporal Modalities Of Home-Based Smart Eldercare Technologies In Singapore, Orlando Woods, Lily Kong

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Increasingly, technology-enabled strategies of eldercare are being developed and deployed to minimize the socio-economic costs of ageing. As part of this shift, home-based ‘smart’ technologies have been embraced as a way of enabling ageing-in-place. Smart technologies flatten space and time, and can increase the reach of caregivers. In this sense, they foreground the emergence of new cultures of care. Through an empirical focus on the triallists of smart eldercare technologies living in a public housing estate in Singapore, this paper considers the ways in which new cultures of care are being formed and negotiated in response to the encroachment of …

Physical Health Impacts Of Grandparenting Children With Disabilities, Ynesse Abdul-Malak, Madonna Harrington Meyer

Population Health Research Brief Series

Although caring for grandchildren with disabilities often brings substantial joy to grandparents, it can adversely impact grandparents' physical health. For many grandparents, caring for their grandchildren makes them feel younger, mostly because they are more physically active and maintain healthier diets.

Social Isolation: Do Helpers Help Ward It Off?, Kirsten Young Brown

MA Research Paper

Social isolation is particularly relevant among elderly individuals who are more likely to need care and help with their physical and living needs. Little is known about whether receiving help correlates with social isolation in older adults living at home as often there is no focus from caregivers and helpers on older adults' social needs. Using data from the 2018 US National Health and Aging Trends Study, a sample of adults aged 65 plus on Medicare/Medicaid (N=4,321), I examine the relationship between social isolation and help. I estimate ordinary least squares regression models to test the association between receiving help …

Penerapan Sistem Attachment Pada Anak Melalui Gawai, Dwi Amalia Chandra Sekar, Aqilatul Layyinah

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

Attachment between mother and child is an affective bond that is important to maintain in a family. For working mothers, the device is one solution to maintain attachment to their children. This research aims to describe the attachment system in children aged 2-3 years through the device and the application of the attachment system to fulfill the developmental tasks of the child. The articles are arranged based on qualitative research with descriptive methods. Although the attachment system that was built was adapted to the use of the device, but working mothers always maintain the quality of their relationship by interacting …

Individualize Outcome Evaluation Program Rehabilitasi Sosial Anak Berkonflik Hukum (Abh) Di Brsampk Rumbai., Rieza Satifa, Isbandi Rukminto Adi

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

This study aims to individually evaluate the impact (Outcomes) of a social rehabilitation program for Children in Legal Conflict (ABH) in BRSAMPK Rumbai. One of the programs available is the Rumah Antara that is intended for ABH who have already been or are undergoing legal proceedings. By using a qualitative approach, this research evaluated ABH who have carried out social rehabilitation and have resumed life in their communities, so that they can provide a pattern and input to the Balai and the justice system in handling child with criminal cases. Past conditions cause the family to be more possessive to …

Fungsi Badan Usaha Milik Desa Dalam Meningkatkan Kesejahteraan Masyarakat : Studi Bumdes Serang Makmur Sejahtera, Desa Serang, Kabupaten Purbalingga, Rojaul Huda, Bambang Shergi Laksmono

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

One of the efforts to reduce poverty and improve community welfare is through entrepreneurship. Village owned enterprises (BUMDes) are one of the places for entrepreneurial learning for rural communities. Likewise, what happened at BUMDes Serang Makmur Sejahtera in Serang Village, Karangreja District, Purbalingga Regency. The research objective is to gather information about the function of BUMDes in improving the welfare of the community in rural areas. This article uses a qualitative research method with a descriptive type. Data were collected by observation and in-depth interviews with BUMDes managers, village officials, and village communities. Based on this research, it is found …

How To Track Down Your Lost 401(K), Pension Action Center, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Pension Action Center Publications

This fact sheet was produced by the Pension Action Center at the University of Massachusetts Boston in conjunction with the COVID-19 Rapid Response Systems Summer Institute, a joint partnership of Justice Catalyst, the People’s Parity Project, and the Systemic Justice Project.

Protect Your 401k When You Leave Your Job, Pension Action Center, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Pension Action Center Publications

This fact sheet was produced by the Pension Action Center at the University of Massachusetts Boston in conjunction with the COVID-19 Rapid Response Systems Summer Institute, a joint partnership of Justice Catalyst, the People’s Parity Project, and the Systemic Justice Project.

Dukungan Sosial Guna Pemenuhan Hak Sosial Ekonomi Bagi Klien Pemasyarakatan Di Balai Pemasyarakatan Kelas I Jakarta Pusat., Dina Setyani, Fentiny Nugroho

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

This study aims to describe social support in order to fulfill the socio-economic rights of correctional clients. The socio-economic rights are the second generation of human rights groups which focus on the welfare aspect. Assistance as a form of social approach to achieve welfare based on human rights, where clients can identify their own needs, so as to minimize human rights violations and have the opportunity to function socially and live well. The existence of social support from the nearest environment makes the client able to adapt back to the community and be able to develop his potential. The research …

Partisipasi Masyarakat Pada Daya Tarik Wisata Pantai Maimol Di Kabupaten Alor., Yudha Eka Nugraha, Pasifikus Mala Meko, Yerry B. G. Blegur

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

According to Indonesian tourism policy in UU 10 year 2009, tourism will increase community welfare towards community participation. This research aims to identify community participation in tourism activity of Maimol beach using three main concepts namely: factors, forms and levels of participation. The method used was descriptive qualitative by conducting observations and direct interviews with predetermined informants such as the Government, the beach management, the community and tourists, as well as collecting research evidence in the form of image documentation. The results showed that the community around the Maimol beach had participated by working together for every decision was made, …

Iot-Enabled Community Care For Ageing-In-Place: The Singapore Experience, Hwee-Pink Tan

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

The paradigm of ageing-in-place – where the elderly live and age in their own homes, independently and safely, with care provided by the community – is compelling, especially in societies that face both shortages in institutionalized eldercare resources, and rapidly ageing populations. When the number of elderly who live alone rises rapidly, support and care from their communities become increasing crucial. Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. They can become the fundamental enabler for smart community eldercare. In this presentation, I would like to share our experiences and learnings gathered from large-scale deployments of IoT systems in in-home and community spaces …

Financial Knowledge And Portfolio Complexity In Singapore, Benedict S. K. Koh, Olivia S. Mitchell, Susann Rohwedder

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Financial literacy in Singapore has not been analyzed in much detail, despite the fact that this is one of the world’s most rapidly aging nations. Using the Singapore Life Panel®, we explore older Singaporeans’ levels of financial knowledge and compare them to those observed in the United States. We assess portfolio complexity for these older households, to examine how financial literacy is related to outcomes of interest. We show that older Singaporeans’ levels of financial literacy are comparable overall to those in the United States, even though older Singaporeans score slightly lower on some dimensions (knowledge of interest and inflation), …

Many Older Americans Do Not Receive The Recommended Home Health Care After Hospitalization, Jun Li, Mingyu Qi, Rachel M. Werner

Population Health Research Brief Series

Only 54% of Medicare patients referred to home health care services following a hospitalization received home health care visits. Policymakers must address this discrepancy to ensure all patients receive the home health services they need.

It's The Little Things: A Community Resource For Strengthening Social Connections, Caitlin Coyle, Shayna Gleason, Cindy Bui

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

Now, more than ever, it is imperative that we prioritize connection for ourselves and the people around us. The global COVID-19 pandemic and the national reckoning with systemic racism has made people more aware and appreciative of their relationships and has made some painfully aware of how distant and disconnected they are. While the evidence is clear that social isolation is bad for health and well-being, the evidence base of solutions is far less so. Thus, this report sought to harness the energy, creativity, and progressive thinking of cities and towns in Massachusetts by documenting their efforts to keep people …

Diurnal, Metabolic And Thermogenic Alterations In A Murine Model Of Accelerated Aging, David B. Allison, Guang Ren, Rodrigo A. Peliciari-Garcia, Sobuj Mia, Graham R. Mcginnis, Jennifer Davis, Karen L. Gamble, Jeong A. Kim, Martin E. Young

Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences Faculty Research

Senescence-Accelerated Mouse-Prone 8 (SAMP8) mice exhibit characteristics of premature aging, including hair loss, cognitive dysfunction, reduced physical activity, impaired metabolic homeostasis, cardiac dysfunction and reduced lifespan. Interestingly, circadian disruption can induce or augment many of these same pathologies. Moreover, previous studies have reported that SAMP8 mice exhibit abnormalities in circadian wheel-running behavior, indicating possible alterations in circadian clock function. These observations led to the hypothesis that 24 h rhythms in behavior and/or circadian clock function are altered in SAMP8 mice and that these alterations may contribute to perturbations in whole-body metabolism. Here, we report that 6-month-old SAMP8 mice exhibit a …

“Elderly” Seniors Vs. “Youthful” Seniors: Attributions And Reshaping Of Aging Expectations, Johnny Julvesano Yao Jr.

The Qualitative Report

People’s expectations of aging are shaped by various sources and experiences. These aging expectations subsequently influence a person’s overall health and well-being. I intended to gain a deeper understanding of the various sources by which Filipino older adults attribute and reshape negative and positive expectations regarding aging. I used a multiple case study (Creswell, 2013) and enlisted eight participants who are 60 years old and older in a large metropolitan area in the Philippines and interviewed them regarding their aging expectations. I analyzed the data using cross-case analysis for comparison of commonalities and differences in the events, activities, and processes …

Microrna Gene Expression States Underlying Individual Variation In Aging And Lifespan In Isogenic C. Elegans, Holly Kinser

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Average lifespan differs greatly between species, but lifespan among same-species individuals is also highly variable. While much effort has been devoted to uncovering longevity-associated traits and lifespan-extending perturbations in humans and model organisms, how differences in lifespan arise between individuals is unknown. Studies of human identical twins demonstrate that surprisingly little of the variation in lifespan between individuals can be explained by genetics and shared environment. Furthermore, even genetically identical C. elegans reared in highly homogeneous environments display a degree of variability in lifespan similar to that of outbred human populations. Thus, longevity must be determined at least in part …

Iot-Enabled Eldercare Technology, Watchanan Chantapakul

International Programs

The world’s population is changing as people are growing older. Leveraging technology for eldercare is important in this century. It can enable many eldercare applications effectively.

Application Of Self-Efficacy Training In Group Aural Rehabilitation: An Interprofessional Collaborative Model, Stephen D. Roberts, Nancy A. Delich

JADARA

Few studies have explored self-efficacy training with persons with hearing loss (PHLs), yet alone with their communication partners (CPs). The purpose of this mixed-method study was to examine the impact of self-efficacy training as a framework for an Interprofessional Psychosocial Group Aural Rehabilitation (IPGAR) workshop with PHLs and their CPs. Four PHLs and their four CPs consented to participate in the IPGAR workshop that employed interventions including short lectures, psychosocial exercises, communication strategies training, speech perception training, adaptive/stress reduction exercises, and group discussions relevant to mutually established shared goals for each couple. The participants reported improved communication abilities in the …

Is Exposure To Epidemic Associated With Older Adults’ Health Behavior? Evidence From China’S 2002-2004 Sars Outbreak, Hong Zou, Sha Wen, Hongwei Xu

Publications and Research

Objectives: To determine whether exposure to an epidemic is associated with better health behaviors.

Methods: Using nationally representative survey data collected in 2011 and 2014, we identified middle-aged and older Chinese adults whose communities experienced an outbreak of the 2002–2004 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). We estimated logistic models of health behaviors in the years after the SARS epidemic.

Results: Compared to those who lived in communities not hit by the epidemic, respondents who lived in communities with a SARS outbreak in 2002–2004 were more likely to get a physical examination in 2010–2011 and have their blood pressure checked and …

Responding To Covid-19: How Massachusetts Senior Centers Are Adapting, Ceara Somerville, Caitlin Coyle, Jan Mutchler

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic has swept the United States with force and speed. Massachusetts is one of the hardest hit states in nation, with over 120,000 cases and over 8,500 deaths to date. Local governments across the Commonwealth have had to work quickly to meet the needs of their constituents in a constantly changing environment. With older adults being at high risk of contracting COVID-19, having more severe symptoms, and at higher risk of dying from the disease, special efforts are warranted to ensure that they are supported in their efforts to maintain physical distance while meeting needs for food and …

Living Below The Line: Racial And Ethnic Disparities In Economic Security Among Older Americans, 2020, Jan Mutchler, Nidya Velasco Roldán, Yang Li

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

New estimates from the 2019 Elder Index^TM highlight the risk of economic insecurity experienced by older adults, a risk that is especially high for persons of color. The Gerontology Institute compares the 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. National averages suggest that among people living alone, 48% of older people who …

Life Expectancy And Active Life Expectancy By Marital Status Among Older U.S. Adults Results From The U.S. Medicare Health Outcome Survey (Hos), Haomiao Jia, Erica I. Lubetkin

Publications and Research

Background: Previous investigations of the relationship between marital status and life expectancy and healthy life expectancy rely on the assumption that participants will remain in a given marital status until death. This study estimated total life expectancy (TLE) and active life expectancy (ALE) for respondents by their baseline marital status using a large longitudinal sample of the U.S. community-dwelling elderly population.

Methods: Data were from the Medicare Health Outcomes Survey Cohort 15 (2012 baseline, 2014 follow-up). We included respondents aged ≥65 years (n = 164,597). Multi-state models estimated TLE and ALE by marital status to allow participants' marital status to …