Mark Mather
Associate Vice President, U.S. Programs
PROJECT LEADS
The Challenge
While more data and information about population aging are available than ever before, it is also difficult for nontechnical audiences to find trustworthy information they can use to make informed policy and program decisions. PRB produces and distributes reports and other materials to provide decisionmakers in government, business, and nonprofit organizations with up-to-date scientific evidence related to the demography and economics of aging and Alzheimer’s disease.
Our Approach
PRB products include the Today’s Research on Aging (TRA) series, feature articles, infographics, and data visualizations.
TRAs are intended to increase awareness of research results and their application to major public and private decisionmaking. By summarizing recent research and the links to major government, business, social, and private issues, we hope to increase appreciation of the scientific findings relevant to aging and Alzheimer’s disease and their effects on individuals and society.
The NIA’s Division of Behavioral and Social Research supports this work through a grant from the University of Michigan Coordinating Center for the NIA Centers on the Demography and Economics of Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Related Dementias. This Center coordinates dissemination of findings from the NIA demography centers located in universities across the country.
Impact
- PRB’s publications have been cited by government and private organizations such as:
- Virginia.gov.
- AARP.
- The National Council on Aging.
- American Society on Aging.
- Mayo Clinic.
- Population Europe.
- Cato Institute.
- PRB’s summaries of aging-related research are regularly featured in the news, including recent articles by:
- Business Insider.
- Fortune.
- The Guardian.
- MSNBC.
- The New York Times.
- Prevention.
- Washington Post.
- PRB’s award-winning data visualization of state death rates was featured in a congressional briefing to inform policymakers and their staff about key trends in health and life expectancy among older Americans.
Resources
New Studies Identify Early Warning Signs of Dementia
Brain changes, weight loss, and even infection history could help pinpoint who might be at risk.
More Than a Feeling: How Social Connection Protects Health in Later Life
Older adults’ social ties are more important for physical and mental health than previously thought, new research shows.
Rural America Is Aging—Without Enough Care Workers
Faced with a deficit of nursing assistants and home health aides, rural areas lack the workforce they need for people to age in place, new research finds.
New Biomarker Research Provides Insights Into What Speeds up or Slows Down the Aging Process
Several new studies find that socioeconomic status, as measured by one’s education, income, or occupation, contributes to rapid aging across the life course.
More Than Shelter: How Housing Affordability Is Linked to Older Americans’ Health
Older adults’ housing challenges reflect social and financial inequalities and can lead to poor health.
Among Older Americans, Black and Hispanic People Are Much More Likely to Need Help at Home—and Go Without It
Income, neighborhood characteristics, and state policies may underly racial disparities in who gets needed care, despite federal efforts to expand home-care programs.
No Matter Where They Lived, Older Americans With Dementia Were More Likely to Die From COVID-19
Among assisted living residents, those with dementia spent more time alone and sleeping in 2020 than their peers without the condition.
Off the Clock: Europeans Can Expect to Spend Over Half of Their Lives After Age 15 Providing Unpaid Care Work
Women spend more time as caregivers than men, and childless adults provide more support to their parents than those with children, studies on Europe show.
Certain State Policies Are Linked to Better Health, Fewer Premature Deaths Among Working-Age Americans
Explore which state policies are tied to longer lives and fewer deaths from overdoses, alcohol abuse, and suicide.
Happily Ever After? Research Offers Clues on What Shapes Happiness and Life Satisfaction After Age 65
Cognitive impairment and happiness are not mutually exclusive.
Life Expectancy Is Increasingly Tied to a State's Policy Leanings
Life expectancy differences between states have widened in recent years, says new analysis of U.S. Mortality Database.
Vulnerable Older Americans Aren’t Getting Adequate Care—Even With Paid Caregivers or Grown Children
Half of older parents who need daily care at home have unmet needs, and those with stepchildren are less likely to get help from their kids. Other at-risk groups include those with in-home caregivers or dementia, new studies show.