Jacklyn Kohon, PhD, is a Research Assistant Professor at the Institute on Aging at Portland State University and an Affiliate Researcher at the Research Center for Sustainability and Environment at Shiga University in Japan. Her research primarily examines the intersections of community health, environmental change, and health inequities, with a particular focus on older adults. Dr. Kohon is the Director of the Climate Change and Older Adults initiative at the IOA and serves in leadership roles in the Gerontological Society of America’s Climate Change and Aging Interest Group.
Dr. Kohon returned to the Institute on Aging after several years away, which included serving as Assistant Professor of Urban Sociology in the Global Studies program at Akita International University in Japan. In this role, she taught courses in environmental sociology, urban sociology, social problems, sustainable community development, and research methods. Dr. Kohon has conducted research in Japan on the challenges and opportunities of a “super aging” society and the key social issues involved in district-scale urban sustainability planning. She currently leads a short study abroad program focused on Japan’s Super-Aging Society. (Please reach out if you’re interested in applying for Winter 2027 (travel during Spring break)! jacklynk@pdx.edu)
Current and Recent Projects:
Publications (Forthcoming):
Kohon, J., Tunalilar, O., Toda, E., Dys, S., Jespersen, B., and Carder, P. Where the Wildfires Are: Correlates of Disaster Preparedness among Oregon Assisted Living Facilities. In press for a special issue of the Journal of Applied Gerontology on Hyper-Complex Emergencies and the Effect on Older Populations.
Kohon, J., Himes, D., and Carlson, B. Building Climate-Resilient Communities for an Aging Population: Exploring Policies and Programs. Chapter in Handbook of Climate Change and Aging. In press for publication with Policy Press – Ageing in a Global Context series.
Carlson, B. and Kohon, J. Environmental Threats: Aging, Older Adults, Emerging Vulnerabilities. Chapter in Handbook of Sociology and Aging (2nd Edition). In press for publication with Springer Nature.
Manu, M., et al….Kohon, J. Policies and Practices for Positive Aging in Japan’s Super-Aging Society: Evidence from Tokyo and Akita. Under review, chapter in Translating Positive Aging to Delightful Aging: Rethinking Policies and Practices from a Global Perspective, edited by Kallol Kumar Bhattacharyya with Springer Nature.
Publications (Peer-Reviewed):
Carder, P., Dys, S., Kohon, J. N., Bowblis, J. R., Singh, Y., Huang, S. S., Bunker, J., Smith, L., Rahman, M., Thomas, K. S. (2026). Why and How is Private Equity Involved in Assisted Living Community Development & Operations?. Health Affairs Scholar, qxag118.
Kohon, J., Tanaka, K., Himes, D., Toda, E., Carder, P., and Carlson, B. (2023). Extreme Heat Vulnerability among Older Adults: A Multi-level Risk Index for Portland, Oregon. Advance online, gnad074, The Gerontologist, special issue on Climate Change and Aging.
Carlson, B., Kohon, J., Carder, P., Himes, D., Toda, E., and Tanaka, K. Climate Change Policies and Older Adults: An Analysis of States’ Climate Adaptation Plans. The Gerontologist, special issue on Climate Change and Aging.
Kyler-Yano, J. Tunalilar, O., Hasworth, S., Kohon, J., Winfree, J., Wilton, R., Tuttle, A., Carder, P. (2021). "What keeps me awake at night": Assisted living administrator responses to COVID-19. The Gerontologist, gnab106.
Kohon, J. (2018). Social inclusion in the sustainable neighborhood? Idealism of urban social sustainability theory complicated by realities of community planning practice. City, Culture and Society, 15, 14-22.
*Kohon, J. (2018). Interpreting the social dimension of sustainability: Connecting theory and community planning practice with a social determinants of health lens. The International Journal of Sustainability in Economic, Social, and Cultural Context, 14(3), 1-19.
*This publication received the On Sustainability International Award for Excellence from the On Sustainability Research Network, December 2018.
Carder, P.C., Kohon, J., Limburg, A., and Becker, E. (2018). Waiting for housing assistance: Characteristics and narrative accounts of low-income older persons. Housing and Society, 45(2), 63-80.
Kohon, J., Ellis, S., Dujon, V., and Iglesias, M. (2016). Redeveloping Old Havana: The challenge of maintaining social equity in the face of rapid change. The International Journal of Sustainability in Economic, Social, and Cultural Context, 13(2), 1-24.
Carder, P.C., Luhr, G., and Kohon, J. (2016). Differential health and social needs of older adults waitlisted for public housing or housing choice vouchers. Journal of Aging & Social Policy, 28(4), 246-260.
Kohon, J. (2015). Building social sustainability from the ground up: The contested social dimension of sustainability in neighborhood-scale urban regeneration in Portland, Copenhagen, and Nagoya. Dissertations and Theses. Paper 2330.
Kohon, J. and Carder, P.C. (2014). Exploring identity and aging: Auto-photography and narratives of older adults living in subsidized housing. Journal of Aging Studies, 30, 47-55.
Publications (Reports):
Carder, P., Dys, S., Schwartz, L., Jacoby, D., Kohon, J., Himes, D., Fox, M., Elliott, S., and Bouchard, L. (2023). Direct Care Staff Experiences in Oregon Assisted Living, Residential Care and Memory Care Communities, 2022. Portland, OR: Portland State University Institute on Aging. Funded by Oregon Dept. of Human Services.
Carder, P., Kohon, J., Limburg, A., Zimam, A., Ruskin, M., and Neal, M. (2016). Oregon Community-Based Care Survey 2016: Assisted Living, Residential Care, and Memory Care + Adult Foster Homes. Portland, OR: Portland State University Institute on Aging. Funded by Oregon Dept. of Human Services.
Carder, P., Kohon, J., Limburg, A., West, M., Zimam, A., Neal, M. (2014). Oregon Community-Based Care Survey 2015: Assisted Living, Residential Care, and Memory Care + Adult Foster Homes. Portland, OR: Portland State University Institute on Aging. Funded by Oregon Dept. of Human Services.
Carder, P., Kohon, J., Elliott, S., West, M., Zimam, A., and Neal, M. (2014). Characteristics of Medicaid Clients in Assisted Living, Residential Care, Memory Care, and Adult Foster Homes 2013-2014. Portland, OR: Portland State University Institute on Aging. Funded by Oregon Dept. of Human Services.
Carder, P., Weinstein, J., Kohon, J. (2013). Comfort, Home and Community: Resident Perceptions of Home Forward’s Congregate Housing Services Program. Portland, OR: Portland State University Institute on Aging. Funded by Home Forward.
Carder, P., Weinstein, J., Kohon, J. (2012). The Health and Housing Specialist: An Emerging Job Classification to Support Aging in Place in Subsidized Housing. Portland, OR: Portland State University Institute on Aging. Funded by the Northwest Health Foundation.
Carder, P., Weinstein, J., Kohon, J. (2011). Home Forward’s Aging in Place Initiative: Planning for the Aging in Place of Current and Future Residents. Portland, OR: Portland State University Institute on Aging. Funded by Home Forward (Housing Authority of Portland).