New estimates from the 2020 Elder Index, developed by UMass-Boston’s Gerontology Institute, illustrate the elevated risk of economic insecurity experienced by older women, especially those living alone. Continue reading
Tag Archives: elder economic security
Greater Boston Food Bank Reports on Food Insecurity During Pandemic
Massachusetts saw an overall increase in food insecurity of 55 percent from 2019 to 2020, according to a new survey conducted by The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) in collaboration with the National Food Access and COVID Research Team (NFACT) and funded by the Hunger to Health Collaboratory (H2HC) and Stop & Shop, founding member of H2HC. Continue reading
MAPC Seeks Feedback on MetroCommon2050, the Greater Boston Region’s Long Term Plan
MetroCommon2050 is Greater Boston’s next long-range regional plan. It’s a plan for all of the 101 cities and towns and countless neighborhoods of the region of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC).
Through research and community engagement, MAPC gathered opinions from thousands throughout the region, including people of different ages, backgrounds, racial and ethnic backgrounds, walks of life, and perspectives. This allowed us to confirm that the goals in MetroCommon reflect Greater Boston’s hopes and dreams and that our view of the problems that need to be solved is correct. Continue reading
AP-NORC Survey: Long-Term Care in America and Americans Preference to ‘Age at Home’
Given the choice, a sizable majority of the public would prefer to receive long-term care in a home setting as they age rather than move into a nursing home, according to a new study from The AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and funded by The SCAN Foundation.
Overall, 88% percent of adults favor getting ongoing living assistance in their own home or in a loved one’s home. Just 2% would want to age in a nursing home and 10% prefer a senior community. Continue reading
Report: The Changing Picture of Who Claims Social Security Early
As individuals approach their 60s, they face the important decision about when to start claiming Social Security retirement benefits. A report by Philip Armour and David Knapp of the RAND Corporation – shared via AARP’s Public Policy Institute – examines the characteristics of those who decide to start collecting at the early eligibility age (EEA) of 62 compared with those who wait until later.
A companion report, “The Consequences of Claiming Social Security Benefits at Age 62,” asks what financial consequences the decision to collect early might have for the individual over time. Continue reading
New UMass-Boston Research Examines Economic Security for Older Adults in Large Metro Regions
New estimates from the 2020 Elder Index from the Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging at UMass-Boston shows that living expenses are high in
metropolitan areas across the U.S., and many older singles and couples lack the resources
needed to get by in their communities. Continue reading
RRF Issue Brief on Economic Security of Older Adults Features UMass-Boston Projects
The RRF Foundation for Aging, which supports the Elder Economic Security Index from UMass-Boston, among other related projects, released an issue brief with data highlighting the importance of addressing economic security for older adults. Continue reading
LGBT Aging 2025: Strategies for Achieving a Healthy and Thriving LGBT Older Adult Community in Massachusetts
A new report from The Fenway Institute finds that older LGBTQ adults in the Commonwealth report being diagnosed with depression at twice the rate of their straight, cisgender peers, and are twice as likely to fall and be injured in a fall over the past year.
It also finds that while older LGBTQ adults are more likely to hold a college degree, they are more likely to report having had difficulty paying for housing or food over the past year. LGBTQ older adults living in rural areas of the state expressed concern about the lack of options for LGBTQ-affirming health care, as well as their on-going experiences with strong anti-LGBTQ prejudice and harassment in public settings and senior housing. Continue reading
NCOA, AARP Foundation Releases Resources on Housing and Utility Assistance During COVID-19
The National Council on Aging (NCOA) publicized a set of resources on their blog aimed at alleviating housing and utility costs while the AARP Foundation’s “Connect 2 Affect” campaign created a resource focused on lowering utility bills. Continue reading
Disparities in Economic Security Among Older Adults Highlighted by UMass-Boston
Dramatically higher percentages of Black, Latino and Asian older adults live on incomes that don’t meet their cost of living, even with Social Security, according to research by Jan Mutchler, PhD of UMass-Boston’s Gerontology Institute.
The article highlighting the disparities in economic insecurity among older adults is posted on the UMass Gerontology Institute blog and “The Conversation,” a non-profit independent online news organization. Continue reading