I study the social relationships of older adults and their effects on mental health, ageism and cognition. I also explore trauma in old age, how it affects health and what factors can protect against these effects. My research elucidates the changes in social networks in old age and their implications for mental health. I'm also interested in the social contexts of ageism and self-perceptions of aging and the effects of the social environment on cognitive aging. I additionally examine social relationships among minority groups in later life, such as LGBTQ adults and Holocaust survivors, as well as looking at gender differences in the social ties of older adults. 

News and Media

Awarded a Sol-Leshin grant for a joint research project with Prof. Wei-hsin Yu from UCLA. In this project, we will examine how changes in employment following childbirth shape parent–child relationships in later life.

מחקר: לאמהות שעברו לידה שקטה צפוי קשר טוב יותר עם ילדיהן האחרים

סודות אריכות הימים: למה נשים ברוב המדינות חיות יותר מגברים?

מחקר חדש: זקני הדרום שפונו מבתיהם חווים בדידות ודיכאון – והטכנולוגיה עשויה לעזור

הנתונים המטרידים: "הם סובלים יותר מבעיות נפשיות, דיכאון וחרדה"

זה הגורם משנות הילדות שקובע איך המוח שלכם יתפקד כשתזדקנו

Gum disease, tooth loss linked to increased dementia risk in new review

Children with more books at home have less mental decline when older

ISF grant for research on social networks of older gay and lesbian adults

Grant received for a Minerva School in 2022