Aging on Nantucket: A community needs assessment

This report describes efforts undertaken by the Nantucket Center for Elder Affairs, Inc. (NCEA), in partnership with the Center for Social & Demographic Research on Aging within the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The purpose of these efforts was to investigate the needs, interests, preferences, and opinions of Nantucket’s older residents. The focus of this report is on the cohort of Nantucket’s residents age 60 and older. The contents of this report are intended to inform NCEA, the Saltmarsh Senior Center, the Council on Aging, the Town of Nantucket, and organizations that provide services to older residents, as well as those who advocate for older people, and community members at large

Transit-Oriented Development in the Chicago Region: Efficient and Resilient Communities for the 21st Century

In this report CNT researchers evaluated the dynamics of the Chicago Region's 367 fixed Metra and CTA rail stations and station areas between 2000 and 2010. Using the National TOD Database, a first-of-its-kind web tool developed by CNT that provides access to comprehensive information about more than 4,000 transit zones across the United States, researchers identified the transit zones that performed well: those that anchored vital, walkable communities that possess an affordable, high quality of life with minimal impact on the environment. While Chicago made significant investments in TOD during that time period, researchers found that peer cities (based on extensive transit system size) had more successful development of transit zones. Six case studies. Five recommendations

Putting the gender back in digital housekeeping

Prior work examining technology usage and maintenance practices in homes describes division of labor in terms of technical expertise. In this paper, we offer a counter-narrative to this explanation for engagement with Ubiquitous Computing. Using feminist theory as an analytic lens, we examine how gender identity work is a determining factor of whether and how people engage with digital technologies in their homes. We present a model of gender & technical identity co-construction

Transportation Needs of Older Adults in Suburban and Rural Areas

The fact that the average age of the world\u27s population is increasing, which is more pronounced in developed countries, necessitates the understanding of the challenges faced by older adults in accessing transportation services. With advancing age, individuals may experience age-related changes that can notably affect their driving capabilities, emphasizing the importance of alternative transportation alternatives. This challenge is more evident in suburban and rural settings, where transportation choices are limited, and older adults often find themselves without access to suitable transportation alternatives. Given that mobility plays an essential role in maintaining social connections, accessing healthcare services, and fulfilling daily needs, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the unique challenges faced by older adults in accessing transportation services in these areas is pivotal. This study employed a multifaceted approach, incorporating questionnaire surveys and focus group meetings with participation from both older adults and transportation service providers in suburban and rural Wisconsin. The dataset included 1,650 valid questionnaire responses from older adults, addressing their socio-demographics, technology usage, travel patterns, satisfaction with local transportation, challenges faced, and suggestions for improvements. The majority of responses were from females, individuals from low-income households, and those living alone. Furthermore, 103 valid responses were received from service providers, echoing and expanding upon these topics from a different perspective. Regression models were applied to analyze older adults\u27 travel mode and purpose preferences. Qualitative insights into their experiences and recommendations were obtained through focus meetings conducted with both older adults and service providers. The analyses unveiled that older adults often depend on self-driving and support from their social networks, while their utilization of local transportation services remains limited. The model results further confirmed the influence of demographic factors, demonstrating fewer trips among females, adults over 85 years, wheelchair users, low-income individuals, and those living alone. The COVID-19 pandemic curtailed older adults’ mobility additionally. A pronounced digital divide underscored the need to address internet access issues. Ride requests were primarily made via phone calls. While overall satisfaction with local services was positive, concerns regarding scheduling, routes, accessibility, healthcare coordination, reservations, communication, and driver performance were prevalent, highlighting areas for improvement in elderly transportation services. To address the found transportation barriers, this study puts forward eight key recommendations: collaboration and funding, coordination, expanding services, enhancing accessibility, providing training, focusing on rural areas, targeted marketing, and technology improvement. These measures have the potential to significantly enhance transportation services for older adults, benefiting not only Wisconsin but also comparable suburban and rural regions. Policymakers, transportation providers, and community organizations can utilize these insights to establish a more inclusive, accessible, and age-friendly transportation network that promotes the well-being of older adults

Ecodriving and Carbon Footprinting: Understanding How Public Education Can Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fuel Use

Ecodriving is a collection of changes to driving behavior and vehicle maintenance designed to impact fuel consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in existing vehicles. Because of its promise to improve fuel economy within the existing fleet, ecodriving has gained increased attention in North America. One strategy to improve ecodriving is through public education with information on how to ecodrive. This report provides a review and study of ecodriving from several angles. The report offers a literature review of previous work and programs in ecodriving across the world. In addition, researchers completed interviews with experts in the field of public relations and public message campaigns to ascertain best practices for public campaigns. Further, the study also completed a set of focus groups evaluating consumer response to a series of websites that displayed ecodriving information. Finally, researchers conducted a set of surveys, including a controlled stated-response study conducted with approximately 100 University of California, Berkeley faculty, staff, and students, assessing the effectiveness of static ecodriving web-based information as well as an intercept clipboard survey in the San Francisco Bay Area. The stated-response study consisted of a comparison of the experimental and control groups. It found that exposure to ecodriving information influenced people’s driving behavior and some maintenance practices. The experimental group’s distributional shift was statistically significant, particularly for key practices including: lower highway cruising speed, driving behavior adjustment, and proper tire inflation. Within the experimental group (N = 51), fewer respondents significantly changed their maintenance practices (16%) than the majority that altered some driving practices (71%). This suggests intentionally altering driving behavior is easier than planning better maintenance practices. While it was evident that not everyone modifies their behavior as a result of reviewing the ecodriving website, even small shifts in behavior due to inexpensive information dissemination could be deemed cost effective in reducing fuel consumption and emissions

Aging in Sherborn: A Community Needs Assessment

This report describes research undertaken by the Center for Social & Demographic Research on Aging within the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston, on behalf of the Sherborn Council on Aging. The goals of this project were to investigate the needs, interests, preferences, and opinions of Sherborn’s population of residents who are age 55 and older. The content of this report is meant to inform the Sherborn Council on Aging, and organizations that work with and on behalf of older residents of Sherborn, for the purposes of planning and coordination of services, but also to build awareness about issues facing Sherborn older residents. Sustained growth in the percentage of older Sherborn residents, compared to the full Sherborn population, is expected within the next decade. The overarching observation – that the share of older residents of Sherborn is already large and will continue to expand – makes clear the importance of considering how well features of the Town, the services and amenities available, and virtually every aspect of the community align with the age demographic moving forward. Planning is especially warranted with respect to the Council on Aging, which may be heavily impacted by aging of Sherborn residents. In preparing for this demographic shift, the Sherborn COA and the Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging at the University of Massachusetts Boston partnered to conduct a study to investigate the needs, interests, preferences, and opinions of the Town’s residents age 55 and older

Industry Career Guide: Health and Wellness

The Health and Wellness Services industry belongs to the services sector. The National Statistical Coordination Board (2007) defines it as institutions that cater to the “activities of persons traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for health and wellness purposes not related to the exercise of an activity remunerated from within the place visited”. Establishments belonging to the industry, therefore, are in engaged in: 1) hospital care and treatment – refer to services offered by public and private hospitals, sanitaria and other similar services; 2) specialty clinics – pertain to general public and private medical services such as dental and laboratory services, and other human health services; 3) wellness and spa centers – consisting of enterprises that provide physical and well-being services including but are not limited to slendering and body-building services, massage, reflexology, facials, nail care, waxing, and body treatments, etc.; and 4) retirement and rehabilitative care – comprised of residential institutions, that care for the aged and orphans, and the rehabilitation of people addicted to drugs or alcohol

Addressing educational access and retention of orphaned and vulnerable children in high HIV prevalence communities in rural Malawi : a flexible approach to learning

In Malawi, where a policy of Free Primary Education has been in place for more than fifteen years, relatively few children have never attended school. However, despite high initial enrolments, primary education in Malawi is inefficient, with high dropout and low completion rates. Against a context of underlying poverty, research suggests that many of the children in Malawi denied adequate access to education are those orphaned or made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS. Evidence from Malawi and neighbouring countries indicates that not enough is being done in schools to support vulnerable children in the context of HIV/AIDS and that a powerful argument can be made for new, more flexible models of formal schooling that reach out to young people who face educational exclusion. This doctoral study demonstrates the potential of flexible learning to enhance learning experiences, bring psychosocial benefits and help improve retention of vulnerable pupils in primary schools in high HIV prevalence communities in rural Malawi, with important, positive spill-over effects to pupils at risk of dropout. It also argues that effective innovation requires strategies to create an enabling environment and promote an inclusive philosophy within schools. Further insights were drawn from the perspectives of actors on the benefits, shortfalls and outcomes of the intervention, as well as the successes and challenges of the implementation process. A synthesis and discussion of the empirical findings in relation to the wider literature explores the possibilities for introducing more flexible modes of educational delivery and support within formal schooling.ESRC-DFI