Community Gerontology: A Framework for Research, Policy, and Practice on Communities and Aging.

TitleCommunity Gerontology: A Framework for Research, Policy, and Practice on Communities and Aging.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2019
AuthorsGreenfield, EA, Black, K, Buffel, T, Yeh, J
JournalGerontologist
Volume59
Issue5
Pagination803-810
Date Published2019 Sep 17
ISSN1758-5341
KeywordsAging, Geriatricians, Geriatrics, Health Policy, Humans, Public Health, Research, Residence Characteristics
Abstract

We introduce "community gerontology" as an area of research, policy, and practice that aims to advance understanding of communities as fundamental contexts for aging and its diversity, and to leverage this understanding for change. We present a foundational framework for community gerontology in three parts. First, we discuss the mesolevel as the unifying construct for community gerontology. Second, we describe community gerontology's focus on pathways of mutual influence between the mesolevel with more micro and macro contexts over time. Third, we put forth community gerontology's emphasis on gerontologists' participation in community change processes to facilitate more optimal experiences of aging among diverse population subgroups. We conclude by describing the integrative nature of community gerontology and the ways that this framework can advance research on particular substantive areas, as well as gerontology as a whole.

DOI10.1093/geront/gny089
Alternate JournalGerontologist
PubMed ID30124872