Gerontology Commons^™

Childlessness And Advance Care Planning In Midlife And Late Adulthood: A Mixed-Methods Study In Singapore, Bussarawan Teerawichitchainan, Dahye Kim, Pearlyn Hui Min Hui, Christine Ho

Research Collection School Of Economics

Advance care planning (ACP) is critical for ensuring high-quality, cost-effective end-of-life care and is typically facilitated by spouses and adult children. Yet, the growing number of older adults without children has been overlooked in ACP research. This study employs a mixed-methods approach to examine ACP practices and perceptions among childless adults aged 50+ in Singapore, a rapidly aging society with one of the world's highest childlessness rates. Quantitative analyses draw on nationwide survey data (N = 1,500), complemented by interviews with childless respondents (N = 26). We examine multiple dimensions of ACP: formal ACP (e.g., living wills, Lasting Power of …

Patterns In Awareness And Uptake Of The Lpa Among Older Adults In Singapore, Paulin Tay Straughan, Emi Loh, Cassandra Ng, Yi Wen (Chen Yiwen) Tan, Wensi Lim

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Findings from a survey with 7910 Singapore Life Panel members reveal that awareness of the Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) was relatively high, but actual uptake remained low, with only one in three having made an LPA and pronounced gaps among lower socioeconomic groups. Despite this, attitudes towards LPA were generally positive, with perceived benefits centered on peace of mind and reducing burdens on family members. A major barrier to adoption is the misconception that children automatically have the legal authority to make decisions if parents lose mental capacity. Structural and psychological barriers, including cost, complexity, and limited guidance, further …

Twenty-Four-Hour Intermittent Fasting Extends Lifespan At The Expense Of Fecundity In Daphnia, Meridith L. Smith

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Dietary restriction (DR) is a well-established intervention for extending lifespan, yet the specific efficacy of intermittent fasting (IF) and its associated trade-offs remain under-explored in many Daphnia magna. This study investigated the effects of three IF intervals—2h, 24h, and 48h—on the longevity and fecundity of two clones of Daphnia. We hypothesized that longer fasting intervals would significantly extend lifespan at the cost of reproductive output, consistent with the disposable soma theory of resource allocation.
Our results demonstrate that 24h IF significantly increased longevity relative to ad libitum controls, even outperforming caloric restriction (CR) by reducing late-life mortality. In …

Caregiving For Older Adults: How The Child And Dependent Care Credit Could Help, Gabrielle Pepin, Yulya Truskinovsky

Upjohn Institute Policy and Research Briefs

No abstract provided.

Creative Engagement For Community Through The Life-Span, D. Nicole English, Pelgy Vaz

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Creative Engagement for Community Through the Life-Span

Creative Engagement includes crafts, cultural practices, expressive arts, and activities that bring people together. Having access to such activities enables people to develop healthy habits, social interactions, and build community that can sustain one throughout the lifespan. On-going research indicates that Creative Engagement Activities, and the Communities of Practice that build around them, benefit people throughout the life-span, but become particularly important to older adults, by building resilience and social connections, in the face of inevitable life losses.

https://youtu.be/r3JS5YP-MnM

Smu Launches Longevity Societies And Economies Institute To Advance Knowledge And Innovation For Singapore’S Longevity Transition, Singapore Management University

SMU Press Releases and News

Singapore Management University (SMU) launched the SMU Longevity Societies and Economies Institute (LSEI) which will focus on the economic and societal transitions needed for economies and societies to continue thriving despite an ageing population. The new institute will consolidate SMU’s ageing-related research and drive an interdisciplinary agenda to build resilient and opportunity-rich longevity societies and economies.

Economic Security & Older Adults In Massachusetts: Infographic, Center For Social And Demographic Research On Aging, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

The Elder Index measures the income older adults need to meet their daily living costs while staying in their own homes. This fact sheet presents overview data of economic security of Older Adults in Massachusetts based on the 2025 Elder Index data.

Economic Security & Older Adults In The United States: Infographic, Center For Social And Demographic Research On Aging, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

The Elder Index measures the income older adults need to meet their daily living costs while staying in their own homes. This fact sheet presents overview data of economic security of Older Adults in the United States based on the 2025 Elder Index data.

Retail Behaviours And Preferences Of Older Adults In Suburban Malls, Le Ha Linh Phan, Kenneth Choo, Emi Loh, Wensi Lim

ROSA Research Briefs

Singapore’s population is ageing rapidly, with projections indicating that one in four Singaporeans will be aged 65 and above by 2030 (Iparraguirre, 2019). This demographic shift presents significant opportunities for the Silver economy, which refers to economic activities, products, and services designed to meet the needs of older adults. As the market for products that enhance seniors’ quality of life expands (Wong, 2007), the Silver retail sector, comprising businesses that provide age-friendly goods and services, has become an increasingly important component of this landscape (Colurcio et al., 2022).

Reimagining The American Dream Of Aging: Filmic Portrayals And Implications For Transformative Advertising Research, Katherine C. Sredl, Julie Whiteman, Finola Kerrigan, Cagri Yalkin

School of Business: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Transformative advertising research uses institutional theory to position advertising as a site for transformative well-being, highlighting the role of ideology in shaping industry practice and output. Our study into discourses of successful aging in three films addressing the lives of older women demonstrates how film uses cinematography, dialogue, and mise-en-scène to discursively create film templates of successful aging. Templates provide cultural ideological frameworks for film audiences in their materialized representations of subject positions, thereby creating consent for the conditions and consumption that symbolize those positions. Although film can offer advertising and its audiences potentially transformative ideological templates of aging and …

Financial Valuation Of Retirement Village Via Stochastic Modelling Of Disability Prevalence Rates, Jackie Li, Mingke Wang, Jia Liu, Jessica Wai Yin Leung

Research Collection School Of Economics

Global mortality rates continue to decline, and life expectancy continues its upward trend. Besides mortality levels, policymakers and providers of financial and health services would also be interested in disability prevalence and its potential future trajectories. The length of time in good health versus the duration with major disabilities or long-term illnesses has significant financial implications for both individuals and society. In this paper, we develop Bayesian common factor models to analyse Australian age- and sex-specific disability prevalence rates. In particular, there are one or more common factors shared by both sexes, as well as specific factors for each sex. …

《香港多重照顧者面對的挑戰》研究報告, Chak Kwan, Dickson Chan, Meng Soi, Florence Fong, Hiu Wai, Avery Li, Ka Chung, Tom Kwong

APIAS Research Report 研究報告

本研究以質性訪談方式，探討香港「多重照顧者」在日常生活中面對的主要困難及採用的應對策略，並就未來政策及服務提出建議。在本研究中，多重照顧者是指同時需要照顧兩名或以上家庭成員（例如長者、配偶、子女或其他親屬），而其中一名為殘疾或長期病患者。本研究共訪問了45位多重照顧者，結果顯示他們長期承受多方面的壓力，包括時間貧乏、情緒困擾、財政壓力及使用服務困難，影響他們的身心健康、人際關係及職業發展。

就照顧歷程而言，多數受訪者已持續提供照顧，需在工作、家庭與多位照顧對象之間不斷拉鋸，出現「永遠做不完」的感受。在主觀感受上，多重照顧者普遍視照顧為理所當然的責任，但同時感到沉重壓力。他們主要依靠家人分工、嚴密的時間管理、降低對家務與個人生活質素的期望，以及有限度使用社會服務來勉強維持照顧安排。然而，服務分散、申請程序繁複、輪候時間長及資訊不足，使他們難以獲得及時和合適的支援服務。

研究建議有多個方面，包括(1)推行個案經理制度、(2)建立常規化和科學化的照顧者意見收集機制、(3)調整照顧者津貼申請門檻與金額、(4)建立照顧者友善工作環境、(5)優先發展具策略性的「一站式支援」及喘息資源，以及(6)將「多重照顧者」納入長期規劃與制度設計。

照顧者指南2026, Chak Kwan, Dickson Chan, Ka Chung, Tom Kwong, Chi Kuen Wong, Meng Soi, Florence Fong

Manual & Guide 手冊及指引

香港的社會服務種類繁多，服務之內容及申請資格頗複雜，令到部分長者及照顧者無從入手，得不到及時服務。因此，這本指南希望以簡易的方式，為照顧者及家人介紹幫助他們解決日常照顧以及院舍的服務。特別是協助照顧者了解及申請政府的安老服務 (如「安老服務統一評估機制」)，釐清「社區照顧」與「院舍照顧」的服務內容、輪候時間及收費，幫助他們揀選最合適的照顧安排。此指南亦提供其它照顧資訊，如金錢援助、情緒支援、交通、器材租借、家居改裝及培訓，以支援長者由醫院過渡至社區。

The Elder Economic Security Standard™ Index: Methodology Overview, Center For Social And Demographic Research On Aging, University Of Massachusetts Boston, Jan Mutchler, Nidya Velasco Roldan, Michelle Ward, Ceara Somerville, Caitlin E. Coyle

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

The Elder Index illustrates how living costs vary geographically (specifically, by county, metropolitan area, and state), and based on the characteristics of households. Costs are calculated based on household size (one person age 65 or older, two persons age 65 or older), housing tenure (owner with no mortgage, renter, owner with a mortgage), and health status (excellent, good, poor). The expenses included in the Elder Index cover basic needs of older households, including shelter, medical care, food, and transportation; the costs reflect average market costs and do not take into account any needs-based subsidies. The Elder Index helps answer important …

2025 Elder Indextm For Boston: Fact Sheet, Center For Social And Demographic Research On Aging, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

The Elder Index^_TM measures of the cost of living independently for older adults aged 65 or older. The Elder Index allows us to identify older people with incomes “in the gap” between the Federal Poverty Guideline (FPL) and what it takes to live with security. Older adults living “in the gap” have incomes too high to qualify for many means-tested public benefits programs, yet too low to achieve intermediate- or long-term economic stability. This fact sheet presents 2025 Elder Index for older adults living in Boston, Massachusetts.

Living Between The Lines: Economic Insecurity And Older Americans: Insecurity In The Massachusetts, 2025, Caitlin E. Coyle, Michelle Ward, Nidya Velasco Roldan, Ceara Somerville, Jan Mutchler

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

New estimates from the 2025 Elder Index^TM demonstrate 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 …

Development And Evaluation Of The Interdisciplinary Graduate-Level Experiential Global Aging Education Program In The United States: A Case Of The Gerontology In Japan Course, Takashi Yamashita, Flavius R W Lilly, Diane B. Martin, Mio Kamijo

Journal of Global Education and Research

The cultural competence of the workforce is increasingly important due to global population aging and the growing diversity of the older population. Experiential learning, particularly through study abroad programs, is a known strategy to enhance these competencies; yet such training remains uncommon in higher education, especially at the graduate level. While the United States is currently a relatively young country with 17% of its population aged 65 years and older, the percentage is projected to increase to more than 21% by the end of this decade. Recognizing the value of learning from a super-aged society, a two-week study abroad course …

High-Frequency Functional Trajectories Predict Depressive Worsening In Singapore's Community-Dwelling Older Adults, Kaung Htet Tun Salai, Yi Wen Tan, Grace Cheong, Paulin T. Straughan

ROSA Journal Articles and Publications

Background/Objectives: Functional difficulty and depression often coexist in older adults, yet local Singapore-based research often lacks detailed temporal resolution due to heterogeneity in ageing. This study employs non-parametric, data-driven longitudinal clustering to analyse functional trajectories and their association with depression, using high-frequency data to pinpoint key intervention periods. Methods: Data were drawn from 4273 community-dwelling older adults from Singapore Life Panel^® (2020–2024). Participants completed quarterly self-reported assessments of ADL, IADL and depressive symptoms (8-item CES-D). We employed k-means longitudinal clustering (kml) to identify functional trajectory groups and Cox regression to evaluate the hazard of increased depression (≥5-point increase in …

Knowledge Of Lifespan And Healthspan And Interest In Healthy Longevity Medicine Among The General Population In Singapore: The Singapore Healthy Longevity (Helo) Survey, Jonas John Posko Amalaraj, Belinda Wang, Anna Szucs, Louis Island, Laureen Yi-Ting Wang, Liz J. Horberg, Paul A. O'Keefe, Sonny Rosenthal, Yap-Seng Chong, Johannes J. Meij, Andrea B. Maier

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

Given the growing global interest in Healthy Longevity Medicine (HLM), the field lacks understanding about public knowledge and interest, which are crucial for any public health intervention relying on HLM. This study presents findings from the Healthy Longevity (HELO) survey conducted in Singapore, assessing public knowledge regarding lifespan (number of years a person is alive), healthspan (number of years a person spends in good health), and interest in HLM. This nationwide cross-sectional survey, conducted between June and August 2024, involved 3034 participants. Main domains including questions on demographics, living arrangements, medical information, health behaviours, income and financial status were tested …

Staff Education To Improving Patient Safety Outcomes Through Structured Staff Education, Imuetinyan Phillipa Ehondor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This staff education doctoral project was implemented to address inconsistent staff knowledge of patient safety principles, disproportionate adherence to safety practices, and underutilization of standardized educational resources in an acute care clinic setting. It was important to address this issue in the context of nursing practice because patient safety is foundational to high-quality health care, directly influencing patient outcomes, regulatory compliance, organizational performance, and workforce morale. The practice-focused question was the following: In an acute care clinic, how does the implementation of a standardized safety protocol education program, compared to existing practices, impact staff knowledge regarding a culture of safety? …