Digital Commons Network^™

Needs Assessment For Belchertown Council On Aging, Jan Mutchler, Caitlin Coyle, Ceara Somerville

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

This report describes research undertaken by the Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging within the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston, on behalf of the Belchertown Council on Aging, to investigate the needs, interests, preferences, and opinions of Belchertown’s mature population. The focus of this report is on two broad cohorts of Belchertown residents—those aged 60 and older, referred to here as “seniors” or “older adults,” and those age 50-59, who will be aging into the “senior” age range over the coming decade. The contents of this report are meant to inform the Town of Belchertown, …

Childhood Obesity: Physiological And Psychological Implications And Ethical Responsibilities, Connie S. Lewis

Journal of Health Ethics

Childhood obesity continues to be a health concern in the United States with physiological and psychological consequences. Research conducted in schools may address the physiological effects and exacerbate negative psychological effects, including weight bias and stigmatization. In the home, children are dependent on parents/caregivers to provide a healthy diet and exhibit a healthy lifestyle.The ethical theory, ethics of care, emphasizes dependence and interdependence on others, and ethical and moral responsibilities in the parent/child relationship. The assurance of ethical considerations involving children in research and parental provision for healthy dietary provision is of utmost importance. Any action or inaction that results …

Health And Recreation Perceptions Of Adults With Developmental Disabilities, Brooke N. Burk, Iryna Sharaievska

Publications

Because of the high rates of obesity among people with developmental disabilities (DD) and our limited knowledge about their perceptions of what it means to live a healthy lifestyle, it is imperative that we conduct research to expand our understanding of their attitudes towards and engagement in active recreation and healthy eating practices. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to explore (a) adults’ with DD attitudes toward healthy eating and active recreation; (b) adults’ with DD intentions and interests for active recreation; and (c) barriers to active recreation and healthy eating. Eighteen adults with DD (16 of whom were …

Public Finance Of Long-Term Services And Supports, Young Joo Park

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Nursing home finance is an important issue for policy makers and healthcare financial managers due to an aging population and the dependence of nursing facilities on public finance. In this dissertation, I have three specific aims: (1) to test whether neighborhood characteristics affect the availability of resources in urban nursing homes in the U.S.; (2) to identify the optimal administrative support for maintaining financially sustainable nonprofit nursing facilities in the U.S.; and (3) to examine the effect of Medicare-Medicaid financial alignment on government expenditure structures. This set of analyses provides a constructive framework for a better understanding of nursing home …

Addressing The Retirement Crisis With Shadow 401(K)S, Deepa Das Acevedo

Faculty Articles

The United States has been juggling a handful of socio-economic crises lately. The subprime mortgage crisis, the auto industry crisis, the education crisis, the obesity crisis—the list isn’t short and shows no signs of becoming so. Within this group of economically and socially disruptive developments, the “retirement crisis”—the idea that most Americans will lack the financial resources to be secure and relatively satisfied in their golden years—seems somewhat banal because, for the most part, it has yet to hit. Even though baby boomers first started to age out of the workforce in 2011,the real cost of underfunded retirement is far …

Cairing4carlisle: A Community Health Needs Assessment, Caitlin Coyle

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

Caring4Carlisle (C4C) is a community initiative aimed at addressing the social, emotional, spiritual and physical health of Carlisle residents. Community Health Network Areas (CHNAs) were created by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health in 1992. There are 27 CHNAs in the Commonwealth, and Carlisle belongs to CHNA 15. In July of 2016, Carlisle was awarded a planning grant ($20,000) from CHNA 15 to engage in a community needs assessment process with the intention of identifying priority community health needs to be addressed in Carlisle.

The Carlisle Board of Health served as the lead Town Department with the Gleason Public Library, …

The Socio-Political And Economic Causes Of Natural Disasters, Nicole Southard

CMC Senior Theses

To effectively prevent and mitigate the outbreak of natural disasters is a more pressing issue in the twenty-first century than ever before. The frequency and cost of natural disasters is rising globally, most especially in developing countries where the most severe effects of climate change are felt. However, while climate change is indeed a strong force impacting the severity of contemporary catastrophes, it is not directly responsible for the exorbitant cost of the damage and suffering incurred from natural disasters -- both financially and in terms of human life. Rather, the true root causes of natural disasters lie within the …

No-Place, New Places: Death And Its Rituals In Urban Asia, Lily Kong

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In many Asian cities, particularly those that confront increasing land scarcity, the conversion from burial to cremation has been encouraged by state agencies in the last several decades. From Hong Kong to Seoul to Singapore, planning agencies have sought to reduce the use of space for the dead, in order to release land for the use of the living. More secular guiding principles regarding efficient land use in these cities had originally come up against the symbolic values invested in burial spaces, resulting in conflicts between different value systems. In more recent years, however, the shift to cremation and columbaria …

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 …

Underutilization Of Federal Benefits In Oregon: Programs And Strategies, Raúl Preciado Mendez

National Policy Consensus Center Publications

The report results demonstrate the dependence low-income Oregon families have on the six federal programs and the challenges families face when attempting to access federal resources. The barriers to access are often structural in that they are embedded in the procedures and structure of the program. Based on its analysis, the report presents a series of reforms and support activities that Oregon state agencies and nonprofits could adopt to improve family access for each program.

Social Media For Senior Citizens: An Introductory Course, Cheryl Raistrick

Instructional Design Capstones Collection

The Woburn Council on Aging is a municipal, volunteer board appointed by the Mayor of Woburn. The Woburn COA operates the Woburn COA Senior Center as a resource for the community's senior citizen population. The Senior Center provides information, referrals, information, outreach, advocacy, transportation, health screening, nutrition, education, peer support, recreation, volunteer development and intergenerational programming for members of the community. Educational programs on the use of technology are offered monthly at the Woburn COA Senior Center though members have expressed interest in learning more about social media applications and how they can be used to communicate with family and …

Direct Support Professional Turnove, Teresa D. Edwards

Capstone Projects 2015-Present

I began collecting vacancy trend data in 2008 to determine if there was an overall trend in the timing of vacancies, this would allow us to begin recruiting prior to increased staffing vacancies. There seemed to be an overall increase in staffing vacancies in April and a recovery in July. However, 2015 staffing trends became increasingly more problematic in a sense that we did not recover from the staffing shortage like we usually do and the turnover rate to date has reached a historic high.

Pengembangan Umkm Olahan Pangan Lokal Dalam Gerakan One Day No Rice (Odnr) Di Kota Depok, Endar Purnawan, Fentiny Nogroho

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

This thesis reveals the development of micro, small and medium local food entreprise. Furthermore, this descriptive research uses a qualitative approach. The result of this research show that ODNR action has encouraged the appearance of UMKM in a culinary sector and it also provided local food – non rice and non wheat. The roles of UMKM in a ODNR action is producing, supplying, distributing, marketing local food, conducting inovation, socializing ODNR action, creating new UMKM and job vacancies. Things supporting the development of UMKM are place, equipment, capital, human resources, skills, raw materials, and ODNR action itself. On the other …

Program Men Care Sebagai Upaya Pencegahan Kekerasan Dalam Rumah Tangga : (Studi Deskriptif Pada Yayasan Pulih, Jakarta), Clara Clara, Fentiny Nugroho

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

Domestic violence is a delicate matter in our society. Many efforts have been made by many institutions to decrease the violence that continues to increase every year. One of them is a prevention effort through a Men Care program that presents the male-engagement. Therefore, this study specifically describes the Men Care program implemented by Yayasan PULIH in Jakarta. This research uses descriptive method with qualitative approach. The results is to describe the forms of male-engagement including advantages and disadvantages faced by Yayasan PULIH in disseminating those issue, as well as strategies undertaken to attract the public participation into the program.

Proses Disclosure Dan Kondisi Psikososial Anak Dengan Hiv/Aids, Arini Dwi Deswanti, Johanna Debora Imelda

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

HIV-infected children have a longer life expectancy after the invention of antiretroviral treatment. Therefore, a well-prepared HIV status disclosure become a significant issue for children living with HIV/AIDS (CLWHA). Previous studies have shown that disclosing a status of children with chronic illness helps them to cope with the illness. However, delayed disclosure for various reasons which often influenced by parents or caregivers consideration affect children’s psychosocial condition. This paper will illustrate the psychosocial condition of CLWHA in relation to the preparation of their disclosure process.This descriptive study used a qualitative approach with observations, in-depth interviews, and Focus Group Discussion on …

Lansia Anggota Kelompok Bina Keluarga Lansia (Bkl) Adalah Sebuah Aset (Potensi) Bagi Pembangunan Di Masyarakat Rw 04 Pancoran, Jakarta Selatan, Juli Yanto, Wisni Bantarti

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

This research depict a new paradigm of elderly. All this time, the elderly have been thouht as an unproductive age group, dependent to the family, consumptive, used up of the health budget, and useless jugment in the community. However, the existing of the BKL IMPALA group in the community indicates that the elderly in the BKL IMPALA group as an asset or potential human resources to participate in the development of RW 04 Pancoran, and they are not family’s or development’s burden. The result of this research that the elderly have been health, and active in every BKL IMPALA’s or …

Upaya Perusahan Pembiayaan Non Bank Dalam Mengembangkan Usaha Mikro, Kecil Dan Menengah : (Studi Deskriptif Pemberian Dan Pengembalian Kredit Oleh Pt "X"), Iman Syahrizal, Sari Viciawati Machdum

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

Entrepreneurship basically is not an easy matter. Despite of the challenges, organizations of both government and non-governmental organizations have developed entrepreneurial development activities. As a non-governmental organization, profit-oriented PT “X” also plays a role in the process of entrepreneurship development by undertaking financing activities to micro enterprises. This article describes the efforts of PT “X” as a Non-Bank Company that implements the implementation of credit loan and return in UMKM. Based on qualitative research, the research result showed that PT “X” as a company has potential because it can give positive contribution to the development of UMKM in Indonesia. However, …

Living Below The Line: Economic Insecurity And Older Americans Insecurity In Massachusetts 2016, Jan E. Mutchler, Yang Li, Ping Xu

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

New estimates from the 2016 Elder Economic Security Standard Index^TM reveal that in Massachusetts, 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 in a safe community and health care. The Gerontology Institute compares 2016 household incomes for adults age 65 and above living in one- and two-person households to the 2016 Elder Economic Security Standard Index^TM for Massachusetts to calculate Elder Economic Insecurity Rates (EEIRs), the percentage of independent adults age 65 or older living in households with …

Living Below The Line: Economic Insecurity And Older Americans Insecurity In The States 2016, Jan E. Mutchler, Yang Li, Ping Xu

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

New estimates from the 2016 Elder Economic Security Standard Index^TM suggest that half of older adults living alone, and one out of four older adults living in two-elder households, lack the financial resources required to pay for basic needs. 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 Index^TM 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 …

The South African Elderly: Neglect, Social Contribution And The Hiv/Aids Epidemic, Alessia Frisoli

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

With a slowing fertility rate and an increasing longevity, the world population is aging. Both developed and developing countries have seen their elderly become more numerous with an increasing burden on their financial, medical and social system. Many scholars have suggested immediate change of policies to contain the predicted crisis that will affect the health care and the pension schemes in the next decades. However, few have investigated the positive role that the seniors play contributing to society, beyond the complications caused to the economy and welfare system. This thesis will support the argument that the elderly, if appropriately cared …

Envisioning An Age-Friendly Belmont, Jan Mutchler, Ceara Somerville

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

The Belmont Council on Aging is a municipal office charged with “advocating on behalf of the seniors of Belmont and ensuring that their social, financial and healthcare needs are met." 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 on Aging, the Belmont COA also provides leadership in the community, as the community as a whole addresses the growing number and changing needs of senior residents.

As a means of learning …

The Future Of Accessibility In Disaster Conditions: How Wireless Technologies Will Transform The Life Cycle Of Emergency Management, Deedee M. Bennett, Brenda D. Phillips, Elizabeth Davis

Public Administration Faculty Publications

By describing a transformed life cycle of emergency management, this paper re-envisions how emergency managers may prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate against disaster impacts in the future. Additionally, this paper also reveals how the broader social, political, economic, and cultural levels must change to foment a culture of safety with and for people with disabilities. The authors use the framework to identify how future wireless technologies can empower people with disabilities with regards to individual (or household) emergency preparedness and in coping with the drastic life changes following a disaster.

A Study That Critically Engages Secondary Language Acquisition And How It Relates To Immigrants Developing Cultural Competence, Susan Alecia Nelson

Sustainability and Social Justice

This study seeks to critically engage in the topic of secondary language acquisition to explore the role it plays in immigration, particularly as this relates to developing cultural competence. Further, the research examines the barriers to second language acquisition, and also makes recommendations for reducing those barriers. This will be done by examining literature that analyzes the role that secondary language learning plays in immigrants becoming culturally competent within the United States, and will look at this more in depth by focusing on Mexican immigrants who have come to the United States.

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 …

Ua41 University College Connection, Dennis K. George, Dean, Wendi Kelley, University College

UC Publications

No abstract provided.

Planning For Aging In Place: Stimulating A Market And Government Response, Mildred Warner, George C. Homsy, Lydia J. Morken

Public Administration Faculty Scholarship

Using a national survey of local governments, we explore the drivers of planning and service delivery for older adults. Our regression models find that planning for aging and elder engagement are the most influential factors explaining the level of community services for elders. Services are lower in less dense suburban and rural communities, and market-based services are lower in communities with more senior poverty. This creates two challenges for planners: to help generate a market response for aging services, and to articulate the link between the built environment and services so communities that lack supportive physical environments can become better …

The Future Of Aging In The Town Of Brewster: Brewster Council On Aging Needs Assessment Study, Jan E. Mutchler, Ceara Somerville, Maryam Khaniyan, Mai See Yang, Molly Evans

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

This report describes efforts undertaken by the Town of Brewster Council on Aging, in partnership with the Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging within the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston, to investigate the needs, interests, preferences, and opinions of Brewster’s older population. The focus of this report is on two cohorts of Brewster’s residents — those aged 45 to 59, and the cohort of individuals who are currently aged 60 and over (“seniors”). The content of this report is intended to inform the Town of Brewster, the Brewster Council on Aging, and organizations that provide …

Age-Friendly Yarmouth Needs Assessment Report, Jan Mutchler, Ceara Somerville, Maryam Khaniyan, Molly Evans, Mai See Yang, Lindsey A. Baker, Hayley Gleason

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

Communities throughout the nation are pursuing new strategies to promote health and quality of life among their residents. In 2014, the Town of Yarmouth joined the Age-Friendly Network through the World Health Organization and embarked on a five-year process to evaluate the community’s age-friendly features, plan for improvements, and implement change. The primary purpose of this report is to describe findings developed as part of the initial needs assessment phase of Yarmouth’s age-friendly initiative.

Research Brief: "Aging Well Among Women Veterans Compared With Non-Veterans In The Women’S Health Initiative", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This study analyzes a veteran status' effects on aging among women 80 years and older. For policy and practice, this research clearly states that mental health and healthy behaviors are important for aging women, and that the VA should continue research on health needs of aging female veterans. Suggestions for future research include studies to better understand special health risks among older female veterans, how self-resiliency among female veterans affects their health as they age, and how educational attainment relates to older female veterans' health.

Socioeconomic Segregation And The Location Of Assisted Living Facilities In Wa State, Miranda M. Anderson

Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)

This research project looks at the relationships between segregation by socio-economic status, race & ethnicity, and the location of assisted living facilities in the state of Washington. We know that segregation affects a variety of living conditions and life chances and outcomes, such as employment, housing, and school success rates. We lack research, however, on the effects of segregation on the location of assisted living facilities. Are assisted living homes being located in heavily segregated neighborhoods? Assisted living homes are not subject to the standard regulations that a nursing home is, and often the residents of these homes are not …