Over the past several years I have worked on a variety of research projects on demographic and gerontological issues. I am currently involved in research that falls broadly in two areas: the social consequences of chronic illness among older persons in the United States; and the role of family support for the elderly in the developing world. These projects are united broadly by a perspective on the interrelationships among disability, family structure, and patterns of formal and informal care to disabled elderly.

My main research project at the present time is on the role of assistive technology in long-term care among older persons in the United States. Assistive technologies are an essential but understudied part of the long-term care system. My interests are in how older disabled persons choose technology and/or personal care to meet their long-term care needs, and also in the ways in which the type of assistance used affects the conceptualization and measurement of disability. In particular, I am studying the effectiveness of technology and personal care arrangements in alleviating disability, relieving the burden on informal caregivers, and reducing health care costs.

I also have a long-standing interest in the adaptation of families to population aging during the course of social and economic development. In this area, I am involved in several studies. First, I am studying patterns of intergenerational assistance between older persons and their families in Taiwan and the Philippines. This research analyzes the redistribution of resources between the generations as a function of the generalized exchange systems that characterize the family economy in Asian societies. I also will be working with a research team from the University of Michigan to study the relationship between social network characteristics and health in four Asian countries. In addition, I am collaborating with present and former students and Post-Doctoral Fellows on aging, living arrangements and family support in regions as diverse as the former Soviet Union, the Middle East, and India.

Population and Family Health Sciences, Aging, Demography, Long-Term Care, Disability, Family and Household, Intergenerational Relations.

PROFESSIONAL AWARDS AND HONORS:

Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America

EDUCATIONAL AWARDS AND HONORS:

National Institute on Aging Post-Doctoral Fellow in Demography of Aging (1993-1995)

National Institute on Aging Pre-Doctoral Fellow in Demography of Aging (1989-1993)

Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellow,

U.S. Dept. of Education (1991) Special Fellowship for the study of Portuguese Language

Published Articles:

Kathleen A. Cagney and Emily M. Agree (forthcoming) “Racial Differences in Formal Long Term Care: Does the Timing of Parenthood Play a Role?” (Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences)

Kathryn M. Yount and Emily M. Agree. (forthcoming) “Gender Differences in Disability among Older Adults in Egypt and Tunisia.” (Demography)

Jennifer Cornman, Vicki A. Freedman, and Emily M. Agree. (forthcoming) “Measurement of Assistive Device Use: Implications for Estimates of Device Use and Disability in Late Life,” The Gerontologist.

Emily M. Agree, Ann E. Biddlecom, Thomas W. Valente. (forthcoming) “Intergenerational Exchanges with Extended Kin in Taiwan and the Philippines,” Population Studies

Karen F Glaser, Emily M. Agree , Elizabeth Costenbader , Antonio Camargo and Belkis Trench, (forthcoming) “The Effects of Fertility Decline on Family Structure and Support for Older Persons in Latin America And Asia,” Journal of Aging and Health

Kathryn M. Yount, Emily M. Agree, and Cesar Rebellon 2004. “Gender and Use of Health Care among Older Adults in Egypt and Tunisia” Social Science and Medicine

Jennifer L. Wolff and Emily M. Agree, 2004. “Depression among Recipients of Informal Care: The Effects of Reciprocity, Respect, and Adequacy of Support,” Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences. 59: S173-S180

Emily M. Agree, Vicki A. Freedman, and Manisha Sengupta. 2004. “Factors Predicting the Use of Mobility Technology in Community Based Long Term Care” Journal of Aging and Health, 16(2):267-307

Kathryn M. Yount and Emily M. Agree, 2004. “The Power of Older Women and Men in Egyptian and Tunisian Families” Journal of Marriage and the Family. 66 (1): 126-146

Manisha Sengupta and Emily M. Agree. 2003. “Gender Differences in Use of Health Care Services among the elderly in North and South India,” Asia-Pacific Population Journal, 18(4):53-65.

Emily M. Agree, Beverley Bissett, and Michael S. Rendall. 2003. Simultaneous Care for Parents and Care for Children among Mid-life British Women, Population Trends, 112:27-34

Emily M. Agree and Vicki A. Freedman. 2003. “A Comparison of Assistive Technology and Personal Care in Alleviating Disability and Unmet Need ” The Gerontologist, 43(3): 142-151.

George C. Myers, Vicki L. Lamb, and Emily M. Agree. 2003. “Patterns Of Disability Change Associated With The Epidemiologic Transition,” In Determining Health Expectancies, (J.M. Robine, C. Jagger, C. Mathers, E. Crimmins, and R. Suzman, eds.) Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. (pp. 59-74.)

Emily M. Agree 2002. “ Technology and Aging” MacMillan Encyclopedia of Aging, (David J. Ekerdt, ed.) New York: MacMillan Reference USA.

Manisha Sengupta and Emily M. Agree. 2002. “Gender and disability among older adults in north and south India: differences associated with coresidence and marriage,” Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 17:313-336

Emily M. Agree, Ann E. Biddlecom, Ming-cheng Chang, and Aurora E. Perez. 2002. “Transfers from Older Parents to Children In Taiwanese And Filipino Families,” Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 17:269-294.

Emily M. Agree, Ann E. Biddlecom, Thomas W. Valente, and Ming-cheng Chang. 2001. “Social Network Measures Of Parent-Child Exchange: Applications in Taiwan & the Philippines,” Connections 24(2):59-75.

Emily M. Agree. and Vicki. A. Freedman. 2000. “Incorporating Assistive Devices into Community-Based Long-Term Care: An Analysis of the Potential for Substitution and Supplementation,” Journal of Aging and Health 12(3):426-450

Emily M. Agree. 1999. “The Influence of Personal Care and Assistive Technology on the Measurement of Disability,” Social Science & Medicine, 48(4): 427-443.

Kathleen Cagney and Emily M. Agree. 1999. “Race Differences in Skilled Nursing Care and Home Health Use: The Mediating Effects of Family Structure and Social Class,” The Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 54B(4): July 1999.

Emily M. Agree and Vicki A. Freedman. 1999. “Implications of Population Aging for Geriatric Health,” Clinical Aspects of Aging, 5th Edition, Joseph J. Gallo (ed.), Baltimore, MD: Williams and Wilkins Inc. (pp. 659-669).