Progress Made on Brandeis Research Examining Economic and Health Inequities Facing Older Women
Type: News
Focus Area: Women’s Health
The Jewish Healthcare Foundation (JHF) is highlighting progress from an ongoing, 18-month research project being conducted by Brandeis University’s The Heller School for Social Policy and Management this was sparked by the 2024 Salzburg Seminar, “Women as They Age: Addressing the Next Inequity Frontier,” convened by JHF and Women’s Health Activist Movement Global (WHAMglobal).
The gathering brought together 45 leaders from 10 countries across healthcare, public health, government, academia, advocacy, and philanthropy to confront persistent inequities in women’s health as they age. The gathering brought together 45 leaders from 10 countries across healthcare, public health, government, academia, advocacy, and philanthropy to confront persistent inequities in women’s health as they age.
During the seminar, Karen Donelan, ScD, EdM, the inaugural Stuart H. Altman Professor and Chair of U.S. Health Policy at Brandeis, presented findings on gender, aging, and health inequities, including economic data from Christine E. Bishop, PhD, the Atran Foundation Professor of Economics at Brandeis, and highlighted the compounding risks faced by older women: living alone, reduced lifetime earnings due to caregiving, widowhood or divorce, and limited financial reserves to support long-term services and supports (LTSS).
Karen Donelan
“When Dr. Karen Feinstein and Nancy Zionts invited me to the convening of the Salzburg global seminar on women, aging, and equity issues, several ideas that I had been working on in the context of health and healthcare delivery for older women expanded. Our conversations included wealth, housing security, retirement security, and access to home-based long-term services and supports,” Dr. Donelan said.
Moved by the urgency of these gaps, Dr. Feinstein invited Donelan and Dr. Bishop to develop a focused research initiative on gender equity in LTSS financing, funded through a $150,000 two-year grant approved by the JHF Board in April 2024.
