Elena Portacolone Research Published in Ageing and Society

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.

Military Technology Helps Wheelchairs Detect Hazardous Terrain | Wheelchair Accessibility Blog and Disability News

by Destiny

Researchers are working on developing a wheelchair that can detect hazardous terrain and self adjust its settings to move more smoothly and safely over different types of landscapes. The new technology helps electric wheelchair users avoid accidents involving wheels slipping, sinking, or tipping over.

The idea originated from automatic terrain-sensing controls for unmanned military vehicles and multiple four-wheel-drive automobiles that are already on the market. Emmanuel Collins from Florida State’s Center for Intelligent Systems stated that the device is known as a laser line striper and is used to recognize different terrain conditions.

Full Article

Patient Money - Cost-Effective Ways to Make Homes Safer for Older People - NYTimes.com

By LESLEY ALDERMAN Stay put or sell? That’s the question many older people ponder as they move into their 70s and beyond. Most older people settle on staying put, according to a recent survey by the Home Safety Council, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing home-related injuries. (From the source of the survey, you can see where this column is heading, right?) Read More: Patient Money - Cost-Effective Ways to Make Homes Safer for Older People - NYTimes.com

H.R. 7114: (Medicare) Independence at Home Act

Introduced by Rep. Edward Markey [D-MA] and referred to House Energy and Commerce Committee To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide certain high cost Medicare beneficiaries suffering from multiple chronic conditions with access to Independence at Home services in lower cost treatment settings, such as their residences, under a plan of care developed by an Independence at Home physician or Independence at Home nurse practitioner. Section 3: Establishes Voluntary Independence at Home Chronic Care Coordination Demonstration Project Under Traditional Medicare Fee-For-Service Program.