GERONTOLOGY NEWS FROM UMASS BOSTON
June 2023
Three of our newest gerontology PhDs at commencement ceremony on May 25: (from left) Corina Ronneberg, Celeste Beaulieu, and Taylor Jansen.
Sending off our Class of ’23 gerontologists
Bright skies greeted our latest graduates on May 25 for the graduate school's commencement ceremonies on the UMass Boston campus. We honored five new PhDs and six new master's graduates. Four doctoral students were awarded departmental honors for their scholarship and services.
Gerontology Institute, department joining UMB's Manning College July 1
UMass Boston’s gerontology program—including the academic department, research institute, and four centers—will join the Robert and Donna Manning College of Nursing and Health Sciences on July 1, 2023. The transition comes as part of a campus-wide reorganization effort led over the last three years by the provost's office.Text Link
Nina Silverstein retires after three decades as teacher, mentor, researcher, and friend
Nina M. Silverstein, PhD, professor of gerontology at the University of Massachusetts Boston, retired on May 31, 2023. Highlights of Silverstein’s three decades at UMass Boston include mentoring hundreds of students, co-authoring three books, and spearheading research on aging and transportation as well as age-friendly universities.

“I admire and respect Nina’s professionalism, generosity, caring, and integrity,” says Beth Dugan, PhD, professor of gerontology, who will continue to partner with Silverstein on their Healthy Aging Data Reports series. “I’ll never forget the lessons she taught me in perseverance, conscientiousness, and hope.”
Elder Index report: High rates of economic insecurity for older Massachusetts residents
Massachusetts is home to the nation’s highest percentage of older adults living alone who are unable to afford basic necessities without extra assistance, according to new Elder Index report from the Gerontology Institute. Nearly three-fifths, or 57 percent, of adults age 65 and older who live alone in Massachusetts are unable to afford the cost of a no-frills lifestyle that covers basics such as food, housing, health care and transportation.
ADVOCATING FOR INSURANCE FOR CATASTROPHIC EXPENSES
Marc Cohen, co-director of the LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston, testifies on May 15, 2023 along with Elissa Sherman, president of LeadingAge Massachusetts, before the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Elder Affairs to support H.652, establishing a commission to explore statewide social insurance for long-term care.
Quach, PhD ’17, wins VA grant to study home care for older veterans with dementia
The Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Services Research and Development program has awarded Emma D. Quach, PhD ’17, with a five-year career development award to conduct mentored research on home care for older veterans with dementia.

Quach is a research health scientist at the VA’s Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research and New England Geriatric Research Education Clinical Center. “This award requires that I assemble a team of committed mentors, experienced scientists who are willing to be generous with their time to teach me how to write a grant and how to package the work,” Quach says.
Honoring our favorite older adults
Each May, the Administration for Community Living leads the nation’s observance of Older Americans Month. For May 2023, UMass Boston Gerontology joined in the celebration by sharing stories of some of our favorite older adults.
UMASS BOSTON GERONTOLOGY IN THE NEWS

"The cost of long-term care in the U.S. is outpacing the income and savings of older adults," Marc Cohen talks with WUSF public radio on his financial insecurity research, May 30, 2023.

"60% of older adults can't afford 2 years of long-term care: 5 notes," Becker's Hospital Review looks at LTSS Center's financial insecurity study, May 30, 2023.

"Why Dad's side of the family tends to miss out," Kathrin Boerner talks with The Atlantic about aging and 'kinkeeping,' May 15, 2023.

"This Morning on Broadcast Retirement Network," Marc Cohen talks about recent research on financial insecurity among older adults, May 12, 2023.

"How will your Social Security COLA change in 2024? Think smaller," the National Council on Aging tells USA Today why it advocates for using the Elder Index, May 11, 2023.