Heflin, London, Wilmoth analysis of economic well-being among older adults published in JGSW

Apr 28, 2015

Economic Well-Being among Older-Adult Households: Variation by Veteran and Disability Status

Janet Wilmoth, Andrew London & Colleen Heflin

Journal of Gerontological Social Work, April 2015

Colleen Heflin

Andrew S. London

Janet M. Wilmoth

Public Administration & International Affairs Department

Sociology Department

Aging Studies Institute

Center for Policy Research

Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion and Population Health

Veterans

Journal of Gerontological Social Work

Colleen Heflin

Andrew S. London

Janet M. Wilmoth

This analysis uses data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) to examine whether veteran and disability statuses are jointly associated with poverty and material hardship among households that include an older adult. Compared to households that do not include a person with a disability or veteran, disabled nonveteran households are more likely to be in poverty and to experience home hardship, medical hardship, and bill-paying hardship. Disabled veteran households are not significantly different in terms of poverty, but exhibit the highest odds of home hardship, medical hardship, bill-paying hardship, and food insufficiency. The implications for social work practice are discussed.