Elena Portacolone (Elenaportacolone.com), noted researcher and lecturer
on aging in America, is sharing her findings in the June issue of Ageing
and Society, a Cambridge University Press academic journal.
Ms. Portacolone challenges the belief that elderly Americans living
alone can only enjoy life if they are self-reliant and “independent”.
Her research on the hardships associated with living independently runs
counter to conventional thinking and is rarely portrayed in the media.
The American elderly who live alone do not want to be a burden to
others and fear moving to a nursing home As a result, they avoid
assistance when they need it most – as their bodies, energy, and social
circles decline, yet as income is fixed and healthcare expenses
increase.
According to the U.S. Census in 2000, over 38% of Americans over 85
lived alone. Researchers believe this percentage is increasing steadily
because the U.S. population is living longer.
“Ms. Portacolone’s work in the field of older people living alone is
cutting-edge and extremely valuable not only to me, but to the United
States,” says Eric Klinenberg, author of the book Heat Wave.
The elderly do not ask for help because they feel like a failure if they
do. Shunning help, however, can lead to a precarious existence
characterized by constant crisis.
“There are elders who are living alone, isolated, and chronically ill
who risk dying helplessly at home alone. Elena’s research offers ideas
and solutions to hidden and chronic problems,” says Carroll Estes,
Founder of The Institute for Health and Aging, UCSF.
Ms. Portacolone will be a featured speaker at the following conferences:
1) “Aging in America” (San Francisco, CA), 2) “Aging in Society
(Berkeley, CA), and 3) “Society for the Study of Social Problems” (Las
Vegas, NV). She has been quoted in the San Francisco Chronicle. Her
dissertation, titled “Precariousness among older Americans living alone
in San Francisco: Towards a sociological theory”, will be presented in
May 2011 at UCSF.
About Elena Portacolone
Ms. Portacolone is a researcher on aging in America. She holds two
masters degrees in business administration and public health from the UC
Berkeley. She will receive a PhD in medical sociology at UCSF in June.
More information is available at Elenaportacolone.com.
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