Building Bridges between Gerontology and Elder Law

Background: Academics have long called for greater interaction between gerontologists and legal scholars. However, prior studies have suggested that disciplinary borders remain a barrier to such interaction, hampering gerontology's ability to function as a truly multi- or interdisciplinary field. Objective: This study was designed to understand the nature of current interactions between legal scholars and gerontologists, and to identify opportunities to advance scientific dialogue and cooperation between the two. Methods: Semi-structured, open-ended interviews with 27 participants (12 elder law scholars, 15 gerontologists) were conducted by phone, recorded, and analyzed by an interdisciplinary team. Results: Both elder law scholars and gerontologists indicate that their field would benefit from research collaboration and cross-disciplinary teaching with the other field, but the fields remain distinct with little cross-disciplinary learning. Participants identified a series of opportunities, however, for increasing such learning and collaboration. Conclusions: The authors identify ways gerontologists can be encouraged to integrate elder law into their teaching and research, and suggest how this integration could enhance understanding of the aging experience.