By Jennifer M. McGivney
Which topics will the next generation of gerontology researchers tackle? Student researchers at UMass Boston offer a glimpse into the future.
Wondering which topics will capture the imagination of gerontology researchers over the next decade? The inaugural cohort of Caro Fellows at the University of Massachusetts Boston may offer a clue.
The Caro Fellowship recognizes high-performing doctoral students in the university’s gerontology program who conduct empirical research on health and health disparities affecting vulnerable and underserved older adults.
Sung S. Park, an assistant professor of gerontology at UMass Boston and a faculty organizer for the Caro Fellowship, praises the program’s 2025 cohort for their diverse research topics and their commitment to making a difference.
“They’re all very invested in conducting research that will translate into the real world and improve the lives of older adults,” says Park.
Here’s a glimpse into the students and their research:
Reemployment After Retirement
Fellow Wuyi Dong is investigating whether satisfaction across life domains, such as finances, family, and leisure, affects the likelihood that older adults will return to work after retirement. The research also examines whether certain combinations of satisfaction domains form distinct patterns that help explain who returns to work and whether these patterns differ between men and women.
“This study helps us understand why some older adults return to work and what makes that experience meaningful,” says Dong. “Many retirees work again not just for money, but for fulfillment, social connection, a sense of purpose, or just simply the desire for change in daily life. The findings can guide programs and workplaces to create more flexible and rewarding opportunities for older adults who want to stay active.”
Environmental Hazards and Incidence of Mild Cognitive Impairment
Jeein Law is examining whether baseline exposure to home and neighborhood environmental hazards independently predicts the incidence of mild cognitive impairment or dementia among older adults. The study also investigates whether home and neighborhood hazards have joint effects and whether neighborhood conditions modify the association between home hazards and cognitive outcomes.
“While research has focused largely on biomedical and behavioral risks, the physical environments where older adults age in place, both within the home and the surrounding neighborhood, are less well understood despite their daily and cumulative cognitive demands,” says Law. ”Findings from this study can reveal targets for prevention, inform housing and community design, and support interventions that help older adults maintain cognitive health and independence.”
Lessons from Age-Friendly Boston Planning
Megan Siebecker is comparing data from the Age-Friendly Boston initiative’s 2017 and 2025 planning cycles to assess how Boston has progressed as an age-friendly city. The study focuses on financial security—a pressing concern for older residents in both planning cycles—to identify what has changed and which barriers remain.
“Boston has been a leader in the Age-Friendly movement, and this research will help document that impact,” says Siebecker. “Beyond Boston, older adults in other communities will benefit as their local age-friendly initiatives learn from Boston’s successes and challenges, creating more effective, responsive programs that truly meet their needs.”
Loneliness in Couples as a Predictor of Health
Elisabeth Stam is investigating how loneliness, particularly in couples, affects health in middle-aged and older adulthood. The study uses data from the 2022 Health and Retirement Study to examine whether having a lonely partner poses a health risk for couples across sexual orientation identities, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, or straight.
“My aspiration is that older adults, as well as their partners, caregivers, families, friends, and healthcare providers, can benefit from this study by learning more precisely about the connection between loneliness and health among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and straight couples,” says Stam.
The Nutrition Landscape for Low-Income Older Adults
The goal of this research is to examine how wellness teams at Hebrew SeniorLife, a LeadingAge member in Boston, implement and coordinate nutrition support within the Right Care, Right Place, Right Time (R3) Program. Which workflows, barriers, and facilitators shape their ability to promote food access and healthy eating behaviors and to provide nutritional support among low-income adults?
“My previous training in nutrition and public health has primarily informed my research interest,” says Tran. “I also believe that older adults’ nutrition is not discussed enough, and as I delve deeper into the field, I’ve found that other scholars share this concern. From nutrition and healthy eating behavior to food insecurity and food sovereignty, older adults are often overlooked as a population of focus, and I aim to change that.”
For More Information
For more information about the Caro Fellows, visit the Gerontology Institute Blog.