- department Social Research
- education BS, University of Connecticut
MSW, University of Washington
PhD, University of Washington Download CV
Judith Gonyea is a professor and Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs at BUSSW and a faculty affiliate of the Center for Boston University.
Gonyea is the author of more than 100 publications, often centering on historically disadvantaged older populations with the goal of advancing equity. In her work, she uses an intersectionality lens to explore how individuals’ multiple identities (e.g., gender, age, race) intertwine to shape their aging experience. One strand of Gonyea’s research focuses on elder care, especially the gendered nature of caregiving and how culture shapes health behaviors. A second strand explores the intersection of older adults’ health and environment, particularly neighborhood and community effects. In her current research, she is studying lower-income older adults in subsidized housing and those experiencing homelessness. She also writes extensively on the politics of aging.
Gonyea is a fellow and past elected chair of the Social Research, Policy and Practice Section of Gerontological Society of America, an elected member in the National Academy of Social Insurance, and an elected fellow of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare. She currently serves on the editorial boards of Public Policy & Aging Report, Journal of Aging & Social Policy, Journal of Aging Studies, Frontiers in Global Women’s Health, and the British Journal of Social Work.
Areas of Expertise
Aging and Gerontology; Behavioral Health, Mental Health and Substance Use; Community Engagement; Housing and Homelessness; Program Evaluation Methods
Practice and scholarly focus
Intergenerational family relations; elder caregiving; the intersection of gender and race in later life health, economic, and housing disparities; innovative community-based aging programs; age-friendly communities; and aging politics and policy.
Courses
SR 743 Social Work Research I
SR 744 Social Work Research II
SR 910 Doctoral Dissertation Seminar
WP 720 Family Policy
SR 744 Social Work Research II
SR 910 Doctoral Dissertation Seminar
WP 720 Family Policy
Publications
Gonyea, J.G., O’Donnell, A.E., Curley, A., & Trieu, V. (2022). Food insecurity and loneliness among older urban subsidized housing residents: The importance of social connectedness. Health and Social Care in the Community. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.14027
Gonyea, J.G., & Grenier, A. (2021). Precarity in Later Life: Understanding risk, vulnerability, and precarity. Generations, 45(2), https://generations.asaging.org/understanding-precarity-later-life
Gonyea, J.G., & O’Donnell, A. E (2021) Religious coping and psychological well-being in Latino Alzheimer’s caregivers. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 36, 1922-1930. https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.5606.
Melekis, K., & Gonyea, J.G. (2020). Identity narration and negotiation among older adults experiencing homelessness. Journal on Aging and Environment. https://doi.org/10.1080/26892618.2020.1834051
Gonyea, J.G., & Hudson, R.B. (2020). In an era of deepening partisan divide, what is the meaning of age or generational differences in political values? Public Policy & Aging Report. 30(2), 52-55.
https://doi.org/10.1093/ppar/praa003
O’Donnell, A., Leff, V., & Gonyea, J.G. (2020). Social work involvement in palliative care heart failure research: A review of recent literature. Current Opinion in Supportive & Palliative Care, 14(1), 3-8, doi: 10.1097/SPC.0000000000000482
Gonyea, J.G. (2019). The presence of older women in current U.S. electoral politics. Generations, 42(4), 26-33. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26608426
Gonyea, J.G. & Melekis, K. (2018). Women’s housing challenges in later life: The importance of a gender lens. Generations, 41(4), 45-53.
Hudson, R.B, & Gonyea, J.G. (2018). The second sex: Older women and public policy. Generations, 41(4), 20-28.
Gonyea, J.G., Curley, A., Melekis, K., & Lee, Y. (2018). Perceptions of neighborhood safety and depressive symptoms among older minority urban subsidized housing residents: The mediating effect of sense of community belonging. Aging and Mental Health, doi: 10.1080/13607863.2017.1383970
Gonyea, J.G., Curley, A., Melekis, K., Levine, N. & Lee, Y-J. (2018). Loneliness and depression among older adults in urban subsidized housing. Journal Aging and Health. 30, 458-474. doi: 10.1177/0898264316682908
Gonyea, J.G.., & Melekis, K. (2017). Older homeless women’s identity negotiation: Agency, resistance, and the construction of a valued self. The Sociological Review, 65, 67-82. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-954X.12369
Gonyea, J.G., López, L.M., & Velásquez, E.H. (2016). The effectiveness of a culturally sensitive cognitive behavioral group intervention for Latino Alzheimer’s caregivers. The Gerontologist, 56, 292-302. doi: 10.1093/geront/gnu045
Gonyea, J.G., Curley, A., Melekis, K., Levine, N. & Lee, Y-J. (2016). Loneliness and depression among older adults in urban subsidized housing. Journal Aging and Health. DOI: 10.1177/089826431668290
Gonyea, J.G., López, L.M., & Velásquez, E.H. (2016). The effectiveness of a culturally sensitive cognitive behavioral group intervention for Latino Alzheimer’s caregivers. The Gerontologist, 56, 292-302. DOI: 10.1093/geront/gnu045
Gonyea, J.G., & Grenier, A. (2021). Precarity in Later Life: Understanding risk, vulnerability, and precarity. Generations, 45(2), https://generations.asaging.org/understanding-precarity-later-life
Gonyea, J.G., & O’Donnell, A. E (2021) Religious coping and psychological well-being in Latino Alzheimer’s caregivers. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 36, 1922-1930. https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.5606.
Melekis, K., & Gonyea, J.G. (2020). Identity narration and negotiation among older adults experiencing homelessness. Journal on Aging and Environment. https://doi.org/10.1080/26892618.2020.1834051
Gonyea, J.G., & Hudson, R.B. (2020). In an era of deepening partisan divide, what is the meaning of age or generational differences in political values? Public Policy & Aging Report. 30(2), 52-55.
https://doi.org/10.1093/ppar/praa003
O’Donnell, A., Leff, V., & Gonyea, J.G. (2020). Social work involvement in palliative care heart failure research: A review of recent literature. Current Opinion in Supportive & Palliative Care, 14(1), 3-8, doi: 10.1097/SPC.0000000000000482
Gonyea, J.G. (2019). The presence of older women in current U.S. electoral politics. Generations, 42(4), 26-33. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26608426
Gonyea, J.G. & Melekis, K. (2018). Women’s housing challenges in later life: The importance of a gender lens. Generations, 41(4), 45-53.
Hudson, R.B, & Gonyea, J.G. (2018). The second sex: Older women and public policy. Generations, 41(4), 20-28.
Gonyea, J.G., Curley, A., Melekis, K., & Lee, Y. (2018). Perceptions of neighborhood safety and depressive symptoms among older minority urban subsidized housing residents: The mediating effect of sense of community belonging. Aging and Mental Health, doi: 10.1080/13607863.2017.1383970
Gonyea, J.G., Curley, A., Melekis, K., Levine, N. & Lee, Y-J. (2018). Loneliness and depression among older adults in urban subsidized housing. Journal Aging and Health. 30, 458-474. doi: 10.1177/0898264316682908
Gonyea, J.G.., & Melekis, K. (2017). Older homeless women’s identity negotiation: Agency, resistance, and the construction of a valued self. The Sociological Review, 65, 67-82. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-954X.12369
Gonyea, J.G., López, L.M., & Velásquez, E.H. (2016). The effectiveness of a culturally sensitive cognitive behavioral group intervention for Latino Alzheimer’s caregivers. The Gerontologist, 56, 292-302. doi: 10.1093/geront/gnu045
Gonyea, J.G., Curley, A., Melekis, K., Levine, N. & Lee, Y-J. (2016). Loneliness and depression among older adults in urban subsidized housing. Journal Aging and Health. DOI: 10.1177/089826431668290
Gonyea, J.G., López, L.M., & Velásquez, E.H. (2016). The effectiveness of a culturally sensitive cognitive behavioral group intervention for Latino Alzheimer’s caregivers. The Gerontologist, 56, 292-302. DOI: 10.1093/geront/gnu045
Presentations
Gonyea, J.G., O’Donnell, A.E., & Nizza, M. Older homeless women navigating urban streets and shelters: Aging-in-place or stuck-in-place? Annual Conference of the Society for Social Work and Research, January 2023, Phoenix, AZ.
Gonyea, J.G., O’Donnell, A.E., & Nizza, M. Aging in place: The realities of older homeless women navigating urban treets and shelter, Annual Scientific Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, November 5, 2022, Indianapolis, IN.
O’Donnell, A.E. & Gonyea, J.G. Interprofessional palliative care team members’ perceptions of palliative social workers’ roles and contributions to patient centered collaborative practice in hospital settings, American Public Health Association Annual Meeting, November 6, 2022, Boston, MA
Gonyea, J.G., O’Donnell, A.E., Curley, A., & Trieu, V. Aging in Place: The relationship between food insecurity and loneliness among older subsidized housing residents. Annual Conference of the Society of Social Work and Research, January 15, 2022, Washington DC and virtual.
Gonyea, J.G., O’Donnell, A.E., Curley, A., & Trieu, V. Food Insecurity Among Older Urban Subsidized Housing Residents: The Importance of Social Connection. Symposium on Aging in Place: Social Connectedness and the Health of Older Subsidized Congregate Housing Residents, Annual Scientific Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, November 11, 2021, Phoenix, AZ and virtual.
Cadet, T.J., Gonyea, J.G., Jones., J.L., McCoy, H. & Pinto, R. Impact of COVID-19 and State Violence on Tenure and Promotion Webinar. Society for Social Work Research, Research Capacity and Development Committee, National Webinar, May 27, 2021.
Gonyea, J.G. & Hudson, R.B. The meaning of age or generational differences in U.S. political values and priorities. Symposium on Building momentum for a new future in politics and aging. Annual Scientific Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, November 4, 2020 (virtual national conference).
Gonyea, J.G., & Melekis, K. Navigating street and shelter life: The consequences of forced mobility for older homeless women. Annual Scientific Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, November 14, 2019, Austin TX.
Gonyea, J.G., Golden, R., Kropf, N., & Wilson, N. Care justice: A call to action for social work and gerontology (Invited Panel). University of Washington, School of Social Work, November 4, 2019, Seattle, WA.
Bachin, R., Brugge, L., Sprague-Martinez, L., Reisner, E., & Gonyea, J.G. Inclusive community engagement (Invited Panel). Re-envisioning urban infrastructure to address climate change: A comprehensive regional framework for sustainability. National Science Foundation (NSF-funded conference), Boston University, Boston, MA, August 5-6, 2019.
O’Donnell, A.,* McLaughlin, K., & Gonyea, J.G. Emerging trends in palliative care intervention for homeless adults. Social Work Hospice & Palliative Care Network General Assembly, March 18, 2019, Orlando, FL.
Gonyea, J.G., O’Donnell, A.,* & Mitchell, S. Understanding the role of religious coping on Latino Alzheimer’s caregivers’ psychological well-being. Annual Conference of the Society for Social Work and Research, January, 18, 2019, San Francisco, CA.
Gonyea, J.G. Voices from the streets: Older urban women navigating homelessness. [Invited Speaker]. Working Summit on Social Justice and Equity in the Engineering of Smart and Connected Cities, a National Science Foundation (NSF) project, MOHERE: Mobility, Health, and Resilience: Building Capacities and Expanding Impact. December 10, 2018, University of Washington, Seattle, WA.
Gonyea, J.G., O’Donnell, A., & Mitchell, S. Religiosity, religious coping and psychological well-being of Latino caregivers. Annual Scientific Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, November 15, 2018, Boston, MA.
Gonyea, J.G. Older women’s homelessness experiences in later life: The intersection of gender and age. World Conference on Social Work, Education and Social Development, July 4, 2018, Dublin, Ireland.
Gonyea, J.G., Curley, A., Melekis, K. Perceptions of neighborhood safety and depressive symptoms among older minority urban subsidized housing residents: The mediating effect of sense of community belonging. Annual Conference of the Society for Social Work and Research, January 14, 2018, Washington, DC.
Gonyea, J.G. & Melekis, K. Falling through the Cracks: How older women negotiate their movement through homelessness. Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Social Problems, August 11, 2017, Montreal, Canada.
Gonyea, J.G., Curley, A., & Melekis, K. The correlates of depression among lower-income minority older adults living in urban subsidized housing. The World Congress of the International Association of Geriatrics and Gerontology, July 26, 2017, San Francisco, CA.
Gonyea, J.G., Curley, A., Melekis, K., & Lee, Y. Neighborhood safety and depression among older adults in subsidized housing: Sense of community belonging as a mediating variable. Annual Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, November 19, 2016, New Orleans, LA.
Gonyea, J.G. & Melekis, K. Narratives of older homeless women: Social connection, sense of agency an levels of resistance. Symposium on Gendered trajectories: The pathways and experiences of older homeless adults. Annual Scientific Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, November 18, 2015, Orlando, FL.
Gonyea, J.G. & Melekis, K. (2017). Falling through the cracks: How older women negotiate their movement through homelessness. Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Social Problems, Montreal, Canada.
Gonyea, J.G., Curley, A., & Melekis, K. (2017). The correlates of depression among lower-income minority older adults living in urban subsidized housing. The World Congress of the International Association of Geriatrics and Gerontology, San Francisco, CA.
Gonyea, J.G., Curley, A., Melekis, K., & Lee, Y. (2016). Neighborhood safety and depression among older adults in subsidized housing: Sense of community belonging as a mediating variable. Annual Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, New Orleans, LA.
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Gonyea, J.G., O’Donnell, A.E., & Nizza, M. Aging in place: The realities of older homeless women navigating urban treets and shelter, Annual Scientific Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, November 5, 2022, Indianapolis, IN.
O’Donnell, A.E. & Gonyea, J.G. Interprofessional palliative care team members’ perceptions of palliative social workers’ roles and contributions to patient centered collaborative practice in hospital settings, American Public Health Association Annual Meeting, November 6, 2022, Boston, MA
Gonyea, J.G., O’Donnell, A.E., Curley, A., & Trieu, V. Aging in Place: The relationship between food insecurity and loneliness among older subsidized housing residents. Annual Conference of the Society of Social Work and Research, January 15, 2022, Washington DC and virtual.
Gonyea, J.G., O’Donnell, A.E., Curley, A., & Trieu, V. Food Insecurity Among Older Urban Subsidized Housing Residents: The Importance of Social Connection. Symposium on Aging in Place: Social Connectedness and the Health of Older Subsidized Congregate Housing Residents, Annual Scientific Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, November 11, 2021, Phoenix, AZ and virtual.
Cadet, T.J., Gonyea, J.G., Jones., J.L., McCoy, H. & Pinto, R. Impact of COVID-19 and State Violence on Tenure and Promotion Webinar. Society for Social Work Research, Research Capacity and Development Committee, National Webinar, May 27, 2021.
Gonyea, J.G. & Hudson, R.B. The meaning of age or generational differences in U.S. political values and priorities. Symposium on Building momentum for a new future in politics and aging. Annual Scientific Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, November 4, 2020 (virtual national conference).
Gonyea, J.G., & Melekis, K. Navigating street and shelter life: The consequences of forced mobility for older homeless women. Annual Scientific Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, November 14, 2019, Austin TX.
Gonyea, J.G., Golden, R., Kropf, N., & Wilson, N. Care justice: A call to action for social work and gerontology (Invited Panel). University of Washington, School of Social Work, November 4, 2019, Seattle, WA.
Bachin, R., Brugge, L., Sprague-Martinez, L., Reisner, E., & Gonyea, J.G. Inclusive community engagement (Invited Panel). Re-envisioning urban infrastructure to address climate change: A comprehensive regional framework for sustainability. National Science Foundation (NSF-funded conference), Boston University, Boston, MA, August 5-6, 2019.
O’Donnell, A.,* McLaughlin, K., & Gonyea, J.G. Emerging trends in palliative care intervention for homeless adults. Social Work Hospice & Palliative Care Network General Assembly, March 18, 2019, Orlando, FL.
Gonyea, J.G., O’Donnell, A.,* & Mitchell, S. Understanding the role of religious coping on Latino Alzheimer’s caregivers’ psychological well-being. Annual Conference of the Society for Social Work and Research, January, 18, 2019, San Francisco, CA.
Gonyea, J.G. Voices from the streets: Older urban women navigating homelessness. [Invited Speaker]. Working Summit on Social Justice and Equity in the Engineering of Smart and Connected Cities, a National Science Foundation (NSF) project, MOHERE: Mobility, Health, and Resilience: Building Capacities and Expanding Impact. December 10, 2018, University of Washington, Seattle, WA.
Gonyea, J.G., O’Donnell, A., & Mitchell, S. Religiosity, religious coping and psychological well-being of Latino caregivers. Annual Scientific Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, November 15, 2018, Boston, MA.
Gonyea, J.G. Older women’s homelessness experiences in later life: The intersection of gender and age. World Conference on Social Work, Education and Social Development, July 4, 2018, Dublin, Ireland.
Gonyea, J.G., Curley, A., Melekis, K. Perceptions of neighborhood safety and depressive symptoms among older minority urban subsidized housing residents: The mediating effect of sense of community belonging. Annual Conference of the Society for Social Work and Research, January 14, 2018, Washington, DC.
Gonyea, J.G. & Melekis, K. Falling through the Cracks: How older women negotiate their movement through homelessness. Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Social Problems, August 11, 2017, Montreal, Canada.
Gonyea, J.G., Curley, A., & Melekis, K. The correlates of depression among lower-income minority older adults living in urban subsidized housing. The World Congress of the International Association of Geriatrics and Gerontology, July 26, 2017, San Francisco, CA.
Gonyea, J.G., Curley, A., Melekis, K., & Lee, Y. Neighborhood safety and depression among older adults in subsidized housing: Sense of community belonging as a mediating variable. Annual Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, November 19, 2016, New Orleans, LA.
Gonyea, J.G. & Melekis, K. Narratives of older homeless women: Social connection, sense of agency an levels of resistance. Symposium on Gendered trajectories: The pathways and experiences of older homeless adults. Annual Scientific Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, November 18, 2015, Orlando, FL.
Gonyea, J.G. & Melekis, K. (2017). Falling through the cracks: How older women negotiate their movement through homelessness. Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Social Problems, Montreal, Canada.
Gonyea, J.G., Curley, A., & Melekis, K. (2017). The correlates of depression among lower-income minority older adults living in urban subsidized housing. The World Congress of the International Association of Geriatrics and Gerontology, San Francisco, CA.
Gonyea, J.G., Curley, A., Melekis, K., & Lee, Y. (2016). Neighborhood safety and depression among older adults in subsidized housing: Sense of community belonging as a mediating variable. Annual Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, New Orleans, LA.
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Grants
Co-Principal Investigator. (2020-2022). Resident Experiences of Bias in Inclusionary Affordable Housing in Cambridge, Massachusetts. City of Cambridge Funding. Prime; PI on BU Subcontract.
Principal Investigator (2021) Medical Care and Telehealth during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Experiences of Older Residents of Subsidized Congregate Housing. Boston University Institute for Health Systems Innovation & Policy (IHSIP) Funding.
Principal Investigator, (2020-22) The Aging Disaster of COVID 19: The Association of Social Isolation and Loneliness to Perceived Health, Psychological Wellbeing, and Material Hardship among Boston Residents Age 60 and Older. Boston University Initiative on Cities Funding.
Primary Mentor. (2019-2023). Geriatric Academic Career Award (GACA) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). PI and Recipient: Bronwyn Keefe, Boston University School of Social Work.
Principal Investigator. (2019). Emerging Palliative Care Interventions for Homeless Adults in the Ten US Cities with the Largest Homeless Populations. Boston University Institute for Health Systems Innovation and Policy (IHSIP) Funding.
Principal Investigator. (2017-2018). Falling through the Cracks: Policy and Program Gaps Experienced by Older Homeless Women. Melville Charitable Trust.
Principal Investigator (2021) Medical Care and Telehealth during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Experiences of Older Residents of Subsidized Congregate Housing. Boston University Institute for Health Systems Innovation & Policy (IHSIP) Funding.
Principal Investigator, (2020-22) The Aging Disaster of COVID 19: The Association of Social Isolation and Loneliness to Perceived Health, Psychological Wellbeing, and Material Hardship among Boston Residents Age 60 and Older. Boston University Initiative on Cities Funding.
Primary Mentor. (2019-2023). Geriatric Academic Career Award (GACA) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). PI and Recipient: Bronwyn Keefe, Boston University School of Social Work.
Principal Investigator. (2019). Emerging Palliative Care Interventions for Homeless Adults in the Ten US Cities with the Largest Homeless Populations. Boston University Institute for Health Systems Innovation and Policy (IHSIP) Funding.
Principal Investigator. (2017-2018). Falling through the Cracks: Policy and Program Gaps Experienced by Older Homeless Women. Melville Charitable Trust.
Professional Activities and Certifications
Current Editorial Board Member:
Aging and Social Policy
The Gerontologist
Public Policy and Aging Report
Journal of Gerontological Social Work
Global Health of Women
Grant Reviewer:
Israel Science Foundation (ISF). Jerusalem, Israel (2023)
United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), Al Ain, United Arab Emirates (2022) Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Canada (2018)
Board Member:
National Research Advisory Board, Homelessness Research & Action Collaborative, Portland State University, Portland, OR.
Aging and Social Policy
The Gerontologist
Public Policy and Aging Report
Journal of Gerontological Social Work
Global Health of Women
Grant Reviewer:
Israel Science Foundation (ISF). Jerusalem, Israel (2023)
United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), Al Ain, United Arab Emirates (2022) Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Canada (2018)
Board Member:
National Research Advisory Board, Homelessness Research & Action Collaborative, Portland State University, Portland, OR.
Awards and Honors
Elected Fellow, American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare (AASWSW)
Elected Fellow, The Gerontological Society of America (GSA)
Elected Member, National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI)
2005: National Leadership Award, Association for Gerontological Education in Social Work (2005)
2004-2006: Elected Chair of the Social Research, Policy and Practice Section, Gerontological Society of America
Elected Fellow, The Gerontological Society of America (GSA)
Elected Member, National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI)
2005: National Leadership Award, Association for Gerontological Education in Social Work (2005)
2004-2006: Elected Chair of the Social Research, Policy and Practice Section, Gerontological Society of America
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