Social Science Spotlight

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 14:09:36 -0500

Aging at Home Alone with Alzheimer's and Related Dementias

Dr. Laura Girling is the director of the Center for Aging Studies at UMBC. She is also affiliated with the Hilltop Institute, and is an assistant research scientist for the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Public Health.

Dr. Girling made headlines last year when the National Institute of Aging, a division of the National Institutes of Health, awarded her over $750,000 in grants to further her research. Her most recent work focuses on vulnerable aging adults living alone with dementia, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Girling and her team are doing interview-based studies with community dwelling persons with dementia and their informal caregivers to see how they are navigating and negotiating their physical environment with the restrictions imposed as a result of the pandemic.

To learn more about Dr. Girling and her work, listen to episode 9 of Retrieving the Social Sciences, CS3’s podcast.