Gerontology Institute - UMass Boston

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Gerontology Institute

Improving the Aging Experience for All

For more than 40 years, the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston has been a trusted voice in gerontology. The Gerontology Institute’s research and programs create real-world impact that supports positive outcomes for older adults, as well as their families and communities. Our researchers focus particularly on aging equity, income security, long-term services and supports, the social determinants of health, and age-friendly communities.

The Gerontology Institute serves as an academic partner with the Department of Gerontology in the Manning College of Nursing & Health Sciences, ready to help solve existing challenges, as well as build and create strong futures for our aging society. We extend this work to the national and international levels, with the understanding that our communities and societies are interconnected.

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The Centers of the Gerontology Institute

From applied research to policy education to lifelong learning, these centers create real impact for older adults in their communities and beyond.

Center for Social Demographic Research on Aging

Thanks to CSDRA’s applied research, more than 80 municipalities across Massachusetts are more age friendly. The center’s work includes gerontology students, from undergraduate to doctoral, preparing a new generation of researchers skilled in equitable, community-centered research and planning. And, throughout the research process, the center’s work incorporates the input of older adults.

CSDRA also produces and maintains The Elder Index, a widely used tool that has informed advocates, journalists, and policymakers about the real costs faced by aging Americans on a county-by-county level for nearly 20 years.

Center for Social Demographic Research on Aging

LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMassBoston

Here, research translates into policy and practice. LeadingAge LTSS Center merges the academic researchers of UMass Boston with applied researchers at LeadingAge, a community of more than 5,400 nonprofit organizations serving older adults. This partnership creates a valuable collaboration between frontline caregivers, LTSS administrators, government agencies, policymakers, and researchers.

By explaining the real-world effects of complex policies, the LTSS Center builds awareness to help Americans address the challenges and seize the opportunities that come with a growing older population. It’s a vital service during a time of fast-moving legislation: The center’s research on the effects of proposed Medicaid cuts on older Americans was cited by Newsweek, NPR, and Scientific American.

LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UMass Boston

OLLI at UMass Boston gives its members the best parts of college—the learning, the friendships, the personal growth—without any of the tests or homework. For a modest fee, members gain access to more than 200 programs each year, ranging from webinars to in-person classes to international travel.

Anyone over 50 is welcome; the only requirement to join is an open mind and an interest in learning. OLLI members enjoy a wide variety of experiences, from trips to the theater, yoga classes, a film series, mental health workshops, and even wine and cheese tastings.

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UMass Boston

Pension Action Center

Under the leadership of Tyler Compton, Esq., Pension Action Center has the critical mission of supporting financial security of older Americans. The center helps people understand their rights under pension law and helps them claim the benefits they’ve earned. PAC opens several hundred cases each year, recovering more than $1 million to retirees – all without cost.

Over the past three decades, PAC has returned more than $72 million to more than 12,000 people.

Pension Action Center