Sojung Park, PhD

Washington University in St. Louis (WU)

As an environmental gerontologist, Sojung aims to expand knowledge of person-environment dynamics that can affect disparities in health and well-being in old age. To identify an optimal fit between the person and environment, Soung examins various aspects of vulnerability in old age (poverty, living alone, multiple chronic medical conditions) as risk factors for health, well-being and health care use. Her recent research findings on the positive role of senior housing for vulnerable older adults in health, health care use, and well-being provides much needed evidence for policy efforts that will expand subsidized and supportive senior housing. Also, Sojung’s cross-cultural research on senior housing has begun to provide important knowledge in the national efforts to build a sustainable senior housing models for low-income older adults in Korea