Emily A. Greenfield, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Social Work | Rutgers
New Brunswick, NJ, UNITED STATES
Dr. Greenfield's research addresses how early life experiences matter for aging. She also studies age-friendly community change processes.
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Biography
Emily Greenfield is an Associate Professor at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. She received her Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research aims to support efforts to improve social environments for diverse populations of older adults, families, and communities. Her areas of scholarly expertise include age-friendly community initiatives, aging-in-place supportive service programs, civic engagement in later life, and the long-term health effects of social inequalities in childhood. She uses a range of research methods, including analysis of large datasets, in-depth interviews, and community-based participatory research approaches. Greenfield’s research has received support from the National Institute on Aging, the John A. Hartford Foundation, The Henry and Marilyn Taub Foundation, the Silberman Fund for Social Work Faculty Research, and the Grotta Fund for Senior Care.
Areas of Expertise (12)
Ageing
Life Course Human Development
Social Services
Theory Development
Loneliness
Longevity
Social Inequality
Social Isolation
Family Studies
Evaluation
Social Relationships and Health
Aging
Accomplishments (5)
Awarded Fellowship (highest level of membership)
2018 The Gerontological Society of America
Recognized as “Outstanding Reviewer” for The Gerontologist
2017 The Gerontological Society of America
Selected as a member of a national working group to develop a specialized curricular guide on aging
2016 Council on Social Work Education
Recognized as “Outstanding Reviewer” for The Gerontologist
2015 The Gerontological Society of America
Recognized as “Outstanding Reviewer” for a faculty/student reviewer team for The Gerontologist
2016 The Gerontological Society of America
Education (4)
University of Wisconsin-Madison: Ph.D., Human Development & Family Studies 2007
Minor in Aging Studies
University of Wisconsin-Madison: M.S., Human Development & Family Studies 2004
Interdisciplinary Certificate in Gerontology
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: B.S., Psychology 2002
Graduated with departmental distinction and summa cum laude
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: B.A., Spanish 2002
Graduated with departmental distinction and summa cum laude
Affiliations (2)
- Gerontological Society of America
- Rutgers Institute for Health, Healthcare Policy and Aging Research
Links (2)
Media Appearances (5)
A Poor Childhood Could Hurt Your Memory in Old Age
The Atlantic online
2019-02-26
“Epidemiological research in cognitive aging highlights an intuitive yet oftentimes overlooked aspect of brain aging: It is lifelong,” said Emily Greenfield Cohen, an associate professor of social work at Rutgers, in an email.
Why We Argue With Our Neighbors Over the Stupidest Things
NBC News
2017-10-28
Emily Greenfield, the study’s lead researcher and associate professor for Rutgers School of Social Work, says older people might place more value on their neighborly relationships because a) they’re home more and b) they often need to help each other out just to get by.
How The Trailer Park Could Save Us All
Pacific Standard online
2017-06-14
Emily Greenfield, an assistant professor at the Rutgers School of Social Work, who researchers elder-care networks, says a change is occurring under our feet, whether we see it or not: "Baby boomers have critical mass—they're covertly revolutionizing society again" as they retire.
Extracurricular activities in youth tied to social engagement later in life
Reuters online
2017-02-03
“Participation in voluntary groups is thought to be especially important for older adults, who are more likely to lack other major social roles (such as through paid work) and who might face economic and health barriers that jeopardize their inclusion within their communities,” Greenfield said by email.
Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities Let Seniors Age In Place
NJ Spotlight online
2012-09-25
“We want to leverage existing services,” said Emily Greenfield, a professor of social work at Rutgers University. “This will allow us to connect the dots of existing services and encourage the provision of in-kind services.”
Event Appearances (5)
Developing program theory to assess age-friendly community change
The Gerontological Society of America Boston, MA
Advancing a Spatial Justice Lens through Research on Local Age-Friendly Community Change Processes.
Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies Harvard University
Assessing age-friendly community change processes over time
The 14th annual meeting of the International Federation on Aging Toronto, ON
A framework for aging-friendly community initiatives in the early planning phase
IAGG World Congress San Francisco, CA
Budding from our roots: Envisioning community gerontology
Gerontological Society of America New Orleans, LA
Research Grants (5)
Developing an Interactive County Mapping Tool to Advance Age-Friendly Policies, Programs and Planning in New Jersey
Rutgers Community Design for Health and Wellness $19,996
2019-2021 Role: MPI
Understanding the Impact of Age-Friendly Initiatives in Diverse Communities in Northern New Jersey
Grotta Fund for Senior Care and The Henry and Marilyn Taub Foundation $97,500
2019-2020 Role: PI
Life Course Socioeconomic Status and Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease among African American Older Adults in Newark, NJ
National Institute on Aging $359,081
2018-2019 Role: MPI
Optimizing Cognitive Health in Later Life by Examining Childhood Socioeconomic Status as an Early-Life Risk and Protective Factor
National Institute on Aging $715,854
2017-2020 Role: MPI
Supporting the Development of Age-Friendly Community Initiatives in Northern New Jersey
Grotta Fund for Senior Care and The Henry and Marilyn Taub Foundation $127,000
2016-2018 Role: PI
Featured Articles (5)
Housing Plus Services, IADL Impairment, and Healthcare Expenditures: Evidence from the Medicare Current Beneficiaries Survey
The Gerontologist
Akincigil, A., & Greenfield, E. A.
2019 Despite enthusiasm for the potential cost savings of embedding supportive services in senior housing, few population health studies have empirically examined such associations.
Advancing Program Theory for Licensed Assisted Living Services in Independent Housing
Journal of Housing For the Elderly
Greenfield, E. A.
2019 Assisted living programs (ALPs) embed licensed assisted living services within independent housing. To advance nascent research on this type of housing plus services, this study aimed to develop empirically grounded program theory on the processes through which ALPs benefit residents within independent housing.
Community Gerontology: A Framework for Research, Policy, and Practice on Communities and Aging.
The Gerontologist
Greenfield, E. A., Black, K., Buffel, T., & Yeh, J.
2018 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.
Childhood Socioeconomic Status and Later Life Cognition: Evidence From the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study
Journal of Aging and Health
Greenfield, E. A., & Moorman, S. M.
2018 This study examined childhood socioeconomic status (SES) as a predictor of later life cognition and the extent to which midlife SES accounts for associations. Methods: Data came from 5,074 participants in the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study. Measures from adolescence included parents’ educational attainment, father’s occupational status, and household income.
Getting Started: An Empirically Derived Logic Model for Age-Friendly Community Initiatives in the Early Planning Phase
Journal of Gerontological Social Work
Greenfield, E. A.
2018 Age-friendly community initiatives (AFCIs) foster efforts across stakeholders to make localities more supportive and inclusive of older adults, and potentially better for residents of all ages. This study drew on in-depth interviews with leaders of nine newly forming AFCIs in northern New Jersey to develop an empirically based logic model for the initiatives in the early planning phase.
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