UMass Boston

Professor Boerner’s research focuses on chronic illness, end-of-life, and bereavement. In recent years, she primarily investigated family caregiving and support needs in the context of serious illness, the social relationships and care situation of old and very old adults, and long-term care workforce issues in dealing with patient end-of-life and death.

Professor Boerner has a strong publication (over 100 peer-reviewed articles) and funding record (e.g., National Institute on Aging, National Institute of Mental Health). She is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (Division 20; Adult Development and Aging) and the Gerontological Society of America (Behavioral and Social Sciences). She is also an Editorial Board Member for the journals Clinical Rehabilitation, Research on Aging, and Journal of Aging & Social Policy.

Professor Boerner completed most of her undergraduate and graduate training in Germany (Christian Albrechts University to Kiel, University of Trier, and Free University of Berlin). During her graduate years concentrated on bereavement research, she was also a Research Fellow at SUNY Stony Brook as well as at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. She subsequently held Senior Research Scientist positions in several elder care settings, including Jewish Home Lifecare, the largest nonprofit geriatric long-term care system in New York City.