Gerontology Commons^™

Living Between The Lines: Economic Insecurity And Older Americans, Caitlin E. Coyle, Michelle Ward, Nidya Velasco Roldán, Ceara Somerville, Jan Mutchler

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

New estimates from the 2025 Elder Index(TM) suggest that over half of older adults living alone, and about one out of four 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 2025 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. National averages suggest that 53% of older adults living alone and 25% of older couples have annual incomes …

Living In Essex: A Community Needs Assessment, Sue Berger, Ceara Somerville, Caitlin E. Coyle

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

This report describes research undertaken by the Center for Social & Demographic Research on Aging (CSDRA) within the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston, on behalf of the Town of Essex. The goals of this project were to investigate the needs, interests, preferences, and opinions of Essex residents age 18 or older by engaging the community regarding their experiences and needs relevant to the Council on Aging’s (COA’s) objective to identify and serve the needs of all Essex citizens 60 and older.

Enhancing Transportation Options For Older Adults: Served By Councils On Aging With Support From The Montachusett Area Regional Transit Authority (Mart): A Program Validation Study, Caitlin E. Coyle, Nina M. Silverstein, Taylor Jansen, Shayna Gleason

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

This study follows a 2022 evaluation report UMass Boston researchers conducted for MART of a pilot program whose measurable aims were to demonstrate (pre/post) an increase in ridership, destinations, trips provided, and shared rides coordinated across the participating COAs. The pilot with four participating COAs was ambitious and while the results indicated some early successes (rider satisfaction), more areas for improvement were noted (software and transition to the use of digital technology). (Silverstein et. al., 2022) Since then, MART has adopted a new software program and collaboration with My Senior Center, a senior 4 center management and reporting system. MART …

Livable Marshfield: Age And Dementia Friendly Action Plan: Improving Livability For All Ages And Abilities, Caitlin E. Coyle, Beth Rouleau, Ceara Somerville

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

The Town of Marshfield’s Age and Dementia Friendly action plan signifies a milestone and reflects many years of dedication to creating environments within Marshfield that are supportive of residents of all ages and abilities. Guided by the Council on Aging (COA), the Town of Marshfield is dedicated to understanding and responding to the needs and interests of older adults in the community. Over the years, the share of residents over age 60 has steadily grown. According to 2019-2023 estimates from the American Community Survey, an estimated 28% of Marshfield residents are age 60 or older (approximately 7,200 residents). Projections suggest …

Planning For The Future Of The Easthampton Council On Aging, Caitlin E. Coyle, Sue Berger

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

This report describes an assessment undertaken by the Center for Social & Demographic Research on Aging (CSDRA) within the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston, on behalf of the ad hoc Senior Center Building Committee. The goals of this project were to document the features of other communities building processes, engage residents in preliminary conversation about their needs and preferences as they consider aging in Easthampton. Results of that work are described in this report and recommendations to the ad hoc building committee are provided. These recommendations are meant to provide an objective description of this preliminary community …

Aging In Hanover: A Community Needs Assessment, Caitlin E. Coyle, Beth Rouleau, Ceara Somerville

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

This report describes research undertaken by the Center for Social & Demographic Research on Aging (CSDRA), within the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston, on behalf of the Town of Hanover. The report supports the Council on Aging’s objective to identify and serve the needs of residents age 55 and older. The contents of this report are meant to inform the Town of Hanover, the Hanover Council on Aging (COA), the Senior Center, and organizations that work with and on behalf of older residents of Hanover for the purposes of COA mission fulfillment alongside planning and coordination of …

Aging In Hopkinton: A Community Needs Assessment, Sue Berger, Caitlin E. Coyle

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

This report describes research undertaken by the Center for Social & Demographic Research on Aging (CSDRA) within the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston, on behalf of the Town of Hopkinton. The goals of this project were to investigate the needs, interests, preferences, and opinions of Hopkinton residents age 55 or older by engaging the community regarding their experiences and needs relevant to Senior Services objective to identify and serve the needs of Hopkinton’s older residents. The contents of this report are meant to inform the Town of Hopkinton, Hopkinton Senior Services, and organizations that work with and …

Aging In Newton: A Community Needs Assessment, Claire Wickersham, Katherine Burnes, Shu Xu, Caitlin E. Coyle

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

This report presents the results of a comprehensive examination of issues relating to aging in Newton. A needs assessment was undertaken to support planning on the part of the City of Newton and the Department of Older Adult Services. Results presented here focus on the characteristics and needs of Newton residents who are aged 60 and older. Data was collected via key informant interviews, focus groups with residents and stakeholders and a mailed survey of residents aged 60 and older. Respondents to the community survey included 2,869 Newton residents, which resulted in a response rate of more than 50%. As …

Aging In The City Of Melrose: A Community Needs Assessment, Caitlin E. Coyle, Katherine Burnes, Mark Krebs, Ceara Somerville

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

This report describes research undertaken by the Center for Social & Demographic Research on Aging (CSDRA) within the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston, on behalf of the City of Melrose. The goals of this project were to investigate the interests, preferences, and opinions of Melrose’s residents aged 55 or older by engaging the community regarding their experiences and needs relevant to the Council on Aging’s (COA’s) objective to identify and serve the needs of all Melrose citizens 55 and older. The contents of this report are meant to inform the City of Melrose, the Melrose COA, Milano …

Aging In North Andover: A Community Needs Assessment, Claire Wickersham, Caitlin E. Coyle, Ceara Somerville, Holly Stockdale

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

This report describes research undertaken by the Center for Social & Demographic Research on Aging (CSDRA) within the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston, on behalf of the Town of North Andover. The goal of this project was to identify, describe, and prioritize the needs and preferences of North Andover residents age 60 and older as they relate to aging well in the community. In 2023, North Andover opened a new Senior Community Center. The contents of this report are intended to be used for planning for the new Senior Community Center space and to inform strategic planning …

Age & Dementia Friendly Plymouth: A Community Needs Assessment, Caitlin E. Coyle, Beth Rouleau, Ceara Somerville

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

This report describes research undertaken by the Center for Social & Demographic Research on Aging (CSDRA) within the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston, on behalf of the Town of Plymouth. The goals of this project were to investigate the needs, interests, preferences, and opinions of Plymouth’s residents age 55 or older in support of the Council on Aging’s (COA’s) objective to identify and serve the needs of all Plymouth citizens 55 and older. The contents of this report are meant to inform the Town of Plymouth, the Plymouth COA, the Center for Active Living, and organizations that …

Aging In Brockton: A Community Needs Assessment, Caitlin E. Coyle, Setarreh Massihzadegan, Josef Kijewski, Ceara Somerville

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

This report describes research undertaken by the Center for Social & Demographic Research on Aging (CSDRA) within the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston, on behalf of the City of Brockton. The goals of this project were to investigate the needs, interests, preferences, and opinions of Brockton’s residents age 60 or older by engaging the community regarding their experiences and needs relevant to the COA’s objective to identify and serve the needs of all Brockton citizens 60 and older. The contents of this report are meant to inform the City of Brockton, the Brockton COA, Senior Center, and …

The Commuting Patterns Of Older Adults, Yen Cong Wong, Yan Er Tan, Grace Cheong

ROSA Research Briefs

This research brief uses data from the Singapore Life Panel (SLP) and provides a general description of the commuting patterns of older adults in November 2021. By outlining the latter, we aim to provide some indication of whether Singapore’s transport infrastructure adequately supports the commute needs of older adults and how older adults’ commute fares against the Land Transport Authority (LTA) of Singapore’s Land Transport Master Plan (LTMP). Key findings: 1. Self-owned car (32.8%) was the most preferred mode of transport, followed by the public bus (25.3%), MRT (24.4%) and walking (8.3%). 2. In terms of utilization, public bus (50.3%), …

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 …

Addressing The Supportive Transportation Challenges Of Community-Residing Older Adults, Nina M. Silverstein, Kristina M. Turk, Laura Adams, Holly Belanger, Linnea Burke, Stephen Jones, Lauren Lee, David Lopez, Keith Sherman, Lee Paradis, Erin O’Neill, Alycia Rao, Rachael Solano

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

The ability to get to where you want to go, when you want to go there is a key factor for aging-in-place in our communities. It is often taken for granted until that ability is compromised. The informal network of family and friends, if it exists, is not likely to be a sustainable transportation alternative for persons with cognitive impairment or for older adults with limitations that may not fit eligibility criteria for senior transportation services, where they exist. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential of communities to address the specialized supportive mobility needs of community-residing …

Senior Transportation Abstracts: A Focus On Options, Helen Kerschner, Nina M. Silverstein

Gerontology Institute Publications

This collection of abstracts represents a publication of importance for understanding the needs, challenges, solutions, and/or every day issues related to senior transportation services. While several of the abstracts include information about senior driver safety, the collection’s primary purpose is to present a holistic approach to transportation options for older adults. Such a collection is timely because, although the practice of providing transportation to older adults is not new, research and preparation of practical informational and technical materials related to older adult transportation service needs and service delivery are quite recent.

Assessing Stakeholder Opinions Of Medical Review Of Impaired Drivers And Fitness To Drive: Recommendations For Massachusetts, Nina M. Silverstein, Kelli Barton

Gerontology Institute Publications

Driving is the main mode of travel for Americans age 65 and older, and although older adults are generally found to be safe drivers, aging often brings about functional limitations and an increase in medications that can impede safe driving and fitness to drive (Rosenbloom, 2003; Kissinger, 2008; Adler & Silverstein, 2008). Effective licensing policies and Medical Advisory Board practices are critical components in identifying medically at-risk drivers and may even have a role in the transition to alternative transportation options; yet, states vary greatly in their approach to licensing and renewal practices and in the utilization, composition, and function …

Elder Activities: Patterns, Motives, And Interpretation. Massachusetts Lifestyles Study Iii, Francis G. Caro, Jeffrey A. Burr, Eilon Caspi, Jan E. Mutchler

Gerontology Institute Publications

We are engaged in a continuing effort to understand the scope of elder activity and the implications of activity for well-being. We are particularly interested in the forces that encourage or inhibit multiple forms of activity, the ways in which participation in some activities influences participation in other activities, and the cumulative implications of activities for well being. Our interest in multiple forms of activities sets us somewhat apart from Gerontologists who focus on single forms of activity such as volunteering, taking classes, caring for grandchildren, working, or exercising.

Community Mobility And Dementia: A Review Of The Literature, Nina M. Silverstein, Megan Vanderbur

Gerontology Institute Publications

By the year 2030, 70 million Americans will be 65 or older. Approximately 80 percent of this population will likely be driving themselves. And without appropriate and timely interventions, many are likely to be driving with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Current estimates suggest that 2 percent of the population 65 to 74, 19 percent of the population 75 to 84, and 47 percent of the population 85 and older are likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s disease or a related disorder. By the year 2050, the number of Americans with Alzheimer’s disease could range from 11.3 million to 16 million. This significant …

Transportation: A Crucial Issue For Adult Day Care In Vermont, Francis G. Caro, Regula H. Robnett, Jennifer Higgins

Gerontology Institute Publications

Transportation arrangements are an integral but fragile element in the effectiveness of adult day care services in Vermont and nationwide. Almost by definition, adult day center participants generally cannot drive due to cognitive and/or physical limitations. Since adult day care services are congregate in nature and serve community-residing elders, this long-term care option is feasible only when there are arrangements to transport elders to and from service centers. Transportation is therefore a major issue for adult day care services.

The aim of this report is to call attention to transportation issues in adult day care services in Vermont. The report …