by Steven Syre, Gerontology Institute

Millions of elder Americans struggle to keep up with the cost of food, clothing and other basics while remaining independent in their own homes. The challenge among older adults to pay for essentials is especially serious for women, racial and ethnic minorities and the oldest seniors.

New national estimates by the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston detail specific economic risks among elders based on gender, race, ethnicity and age. Using the 2016 Elder Economic Security Standard Index, they track the income and calculated expenses of one- and two-person senior households across the country. Read more.

McCormack Graduate School’s Gerontology Institute conducts basic and applied social and economic research and offers services aimed at improving the experience of aging. Its areas of concentration include productive aging, income security, demography, transportation, long-term services and supports, and life-long learning. The institute also provides editorial leadership for the Journal of Aging & Social Policy and Research on Aging.