abstract: 'We employed cumulative dis/advantage and ecological theories to identify

  risk and protective factors at the individual, family, institutional,

  and societal levels that promote employment and health among low-income

  older adults. The authors conducted semi-structured interviews with 26

  older adults who participated in a federally funded training and

  employment program for low-income individuals 55+ years of age.

  Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Approximately

  60\% of participants had experienced a lifetime of disadvantages (e.g.

  low levels of formal education, poor physical and mental health,

  enduring poverty, physically demanding jobs). Surprisingly, 40\% of

  respondents had higher levels of education, excellent or good health,

  consistent lifetime employment, and personal drive to obtain employment,

  but had experienced a major health, economic, or social shock that

  resulted in unemployment, poverty and at times, homelessness. Their life

  stories, as well as the extant literature, enabled us to understand the

  many risk and protective factors across the ecological framework

  associated with employment and improved health. A holistic,

  strengths-based approach, which utilizes the full scope of

  biopsychosocial and service assessments is required to bolster

  employment and health of low-income older adults.'
affiliation: 'Gonzales, E (Corresponding Author), NYU, Silver Sch Social Work, New
  York, NY 10003 USA.

  Gonzales, Ernest, NYU, Silver Sch Social Work, New York, NY 10003 USA.

  Lee, Kathy, Univ Texas Arlington, Sch Social Work, Arlington, TX 76019 USA.

  Harootyan, Bob, Senior Serv Amer Inc, Silver Spring, MD USA.'
author: Gonzales, Ernest and Lee, Kathy and Harootyan, Bob
author-email: 'geg2000@nyu.edu

  kathy.lee@uta.edu

  bharootyan@ssa-i.org'
author_list:
- family: Gonzales
  given: Ernest
- family: Lee
  given: Kathy
- family: Harootyan
  given: Bob
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1007/s10615-019-00719-x
eissn: 1573-3343
files: []
issn: 0091-1674
journal: CLINICAL SOCIAL WORK JOURNAL
keywords: 'Ecological framework; Older workers; Cumulative dis; advantage; Risk and

  protective factors'
keywords-plus: WORKPLACE AGE-DISCRIMINATION; PARTICIPATION; MOTIVATION; EMPLOYERS
language: English
month: JUN
number: 2, SI
number-of-cited-references: '43'
orcid-numbers: GONZALES, ERNEST/0000-0002-6182-1326
pages: 211-222
papis_id: b9435019f1b948a1d6c1feaf9848486d
ref: Gonzales2020voicesfield
researcherid-numbers: 'Lee, Kathy/ADV-0634-2022

  '
times-cited: '9'
title: 'Voices from the Field: Ecological Factors that Promote Employment and Health
  Among Low-Income Older Adults with Implications for Direct Social Work Practice'
type: Article
unique-id: WOS:000535270200007
usage-count-last-180-days: '2'
usage-count-since-2013: '14'
volume: '48'
web-of-science-categories: Social Work
year: '2020'