Gerontology with Focus on Management of Aging Services

About Us

The Gerontology Institute, founded in 1984, and the Department of Gerontology of the University of Massachusetts Boston comprise one of this country’s leading centers for the academic study of social gerontology. The Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston has as its mission:
  • To conduct social and economic research on aging.
  • To provide public education on issues associated with aging.
  • To expand opportunities for older people to make productive contributions in aging services.

The Gerontology Institute emphasizes three areas of concern to our aging society: income security, health/longterm care, and productive aging. The Institute is also establishing itself as a national center on social demography. In addition, the Institute provides editorial leadership for the Journal of Aging and Social Policy, a peer-reviewed, quarterly journal published by the Haworth Press. The Journal is distinguished by its emphasis on policy and its attention to international developments.

The Institute is closely aligned with the University’s academic programs in gerontology. These include:

  • The Ph.D. Program - Established in 1990, this program was the second of its kind nationally and the first on the east coast. It provides the University with national and international visibility.
  • Bachelor’s Degree Program - This program helps students plan for an aging society by focusing on issues of aging, health, emographics, economics and policy.
  • The Frank J. Manning Certificate Program - Established in 1980, this program is a vehicle for training elders and others to advocate effectively on behalf of elders and to influence state legislation.