UMASS BOSTON GERONTOLOGY NEWS

OCTOBER 2026

The Next Generation of Gerontology Research

To take a peek into the future of the field of gerontology, meet the five Caro Fellows. These high-achieving PhD students are halfway through their fellowship, and they share details of the research they’re conducting on topics related to health and health disparities that affect older adults.

“These students are working on wide-ranging, highly relevant issues affecting older adult well-being: digital exclusion, mental health, long-term care, and caregiver support preferences,” says Assistant Professor Sung S. Park, the faculty organizer for the Caro Fellowship. “I expect these projects to yield important insights that can be shared with the broader community.”

UMB Gerontology at the GSA Annual Meeting

If you're attending the Gerontological Society of America Annual Meeting in National Harbor, MD, November 4 - 7, you'll find UMB Gerontology just about everywhere: in the exhibit hall and presenting at posters and podiums. Visit us at Booth 418 or attend one of our presentations by faculty and students. We look forward to seeing you there!

You're Invited: Upcoming Events

Conversations on Aging: Advocacy in the Early Stages of Alzheimer's

Join us for an engaging conversation with an early-stage Alzheimer's advocate who will share their personal experience, insights, and advice on living well, raising awareness, and driving change after a diagnosis.
In partnership with the Alzheimer's Association, Massachusetts/New Hampshire Chapter

Date: Wednesday, November 4; 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. ET
Location: Zoom

Event information

Conversations on Aging Book Club: Remarkably Bright Creatures

We're kicking off the new Conversations on Aging Book Club. Each month on Zoom, we’ll gather to discuss a book that can help us deepen our understanding of aging and see new possibilities across the lifespan.

Date: Thursday, November 19; Noon - 1:00 p.m. ET

Location: Zoom

Event information

UMass Boston Gerontology in the News

Ballot Initiatives Can Fund Long-Term Care
Aging in America News

This story examines the potential—and the challenges—of ballot initiatives that would require states to help older adults pay for long-term care. Marc Cohen of the LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston shares why such initiatives have succeeded and why others have faltered.

Age-Friendly States Leading the Way - Q&A with Claire Wickersham
Aging in America News
What progress are states making toward the development of age-friendly communities? Claire Wickersham of the LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston shares insights from a recent study.

More than 10 Million Older Adults are Now Living in Poverty as Social Security Cuts Loom: ‘I don’t know how anyone is making it’
MarketWatch
Recent statistics reveal the extent of the financial challenges faced by older Americans -- while projected future Social Security benefit cuts raise additional concerns. The Elder Index informs this financial analysis. Subscription required.

Here's How Much Hawai'i Seniors Need to Cover Basic Monthly Costs
Civil Beat
A preliminary analysis by James Mak of the University of Hawai'i Economic Research Organization uses the Elder Index to examine how much money older Hawaiians require each month to cover basic expenses -- a figure significantly higher than the national average. Additional coverage of Mak's analysis:

• What it Takes to Age in Place in Hawaiʻi: The Income Older Adults Need to Meet Basic Needs (Hawai'i Free Press)
• Older Adults in Hawaiʻi Need Higher Incomes to Afford Basic Needs (University of Hawaii News)

Long Island Seniors Fear Their Retirement Money Won't Last 
Newsday
Caitlin Coyle, director of CSDRA, shares what Elder Index data reveals about the economic hardships faced by older adults on Long Island. Subscription required.

Elder Services Sets Annual Meeting 
Berkshire Eagle
Beth Dugan, UMass Boston Gerontology professor, will be the keynote speaker at the annual meeting of Elder Services of Berkshire County. Dugan will discuss how federal and state budget changes may affect older adults, especially those who rely upon both Medicare and Medicaid.

Proposed Ridgefield Center Would Offer Adult Daycare for People with Memory Loss
New Haven Register

Coverage about this new care service cites the Healthy Aging Data Reports to show the community need that this offering will address. The reports are generated by a team at UMass Boston Gerontology under Beth Dugan.

Photo of the Month: The Ageism Graveyard

The Manning College of Nursing & Health Sciences at UMass Boston hosted a Halloween door decorating contest, and the entry from The Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging was truly horrifying.

Hats off to Ceara Somerville, Ariel Nguyen, Gabriela Gonzalez, and Nathan Rubin for the creative entry -- and for the reminder to bury these terms in the ageism graveyard for good. Happy Halloween!