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Advancing a more equitable society for growing older

UMass Boston Gerontology 2022-2023 Impact Report

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Portraits of UMass Boston gerontology students and faculty members by University Photographer Javier Rivas 

From our leaders:
A year of growth and change

More than ever, we partner with older adults, communities, and organizations as we work toward enriching the lives of older people.

Jan Mutchler, PhD

Director, Gerontology Institute

“The Department of Gerontology had a strong year informed by our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

Edward A. Miller, PhD

Chair, Department of Gerontology

Meet UMass Boston Gerontology

A handful of our team members—a doctoral student, faculty members,
and staff directors—talk about their work within our areas of focus,
what they've learned, why it matters, and more.  
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"I want to make my parents’ sacrifices worthwhile. I want to help underserved older adults. I think I can make an impact through research on how to improve their lives."

Frank Caro Scholar

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"The communities we partner with have the universal goal of adapting to  changes in the population. They want to reflect their community in its present form."

Caitlin Coyle, PhD '14

CSDRA Director

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"The way we work with students is fairly unique. Students develop a sense of which faculty members they’d like to work with and what topic to focus on, and we encourage them to develop their own path."

Kathrin Boerner, PhD

Doctoral Program Director

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"In the U.S. we talk a lot about inequality in financial and other arenas, but I don’t think people are sufficiently aware of the high level of inequality in later life."

Jan Mutchler, PhD

Gerontology Institute Director

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"If I've learned anything from our work, it's that smaller and more tangible policy changes can still make a sizable impact that moves the needle in the right direction." 

Marc Cohen, PhD

& Jane Tavares, PhD '18

LTSS Center researchers

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"I have focused much of my work on loneliness among married older adults. The idea that loneliness pertains only to isolated older persons is a myth: Loneliness is fairly widespread in our society across age groups."

Jeffrey Stokes, PhD

Professor & Researcher

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Applied research, community engagement:
the Gerontology Institute’s four centers 

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Our Partners

Our Partners

Thanks to these organizations for their support of UMass Boston Gerontology:

AARP   

AARP Foundation   

Arnold Ventures

Bacon Trust   

Borchard Foundation    

City of Boston   

Collective Insight 

Community Catalyst, Inc.   

Donaghue Foundation

Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley  

Grantmakers In Aging, Inc.  

Harvard Medical School

Hebrew Senior Life   

LeadingAge

Massachusetts Bar Foundation

Massachusetts Councils on Aging

Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs   

Massachusetts Executive Office of Health
    and Human Services

Milbank Memorial Fund

Town of Natick

National Academy for State Health Policy

National Cancer Institute

National Council on Aging   

National Institutes of Health   

Bernard Osher Foundation

Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute   

Planning Office for Urban Affairs Inc.

Point32Health Foundation 

Research Triangle Institute   

RRF Foundation for Aging 

The SCAN Foundation   

The Silver Century Foundation   

Henry & Marilyn Taub Foundation     

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services  

University of Massachusetts Medical School 

University of Wyoming

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Download a summary version of our impact report
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