Seminar Series: John W. Rowe

Aging in America: National and State Trends in Well-Being of Older Persons

Presentation Slides
Zoom Recording

This presentation will include findings from two recent studies. The first is an analysis of trends in mental and physical well-being in a national sample of older individuals between 2003-2017. Results show stable to slightly increasing physical health and a decline in mental health, especially amongst the young old (aged 65-69) and those with low education and wealth. The second study traces trends in the status of older persons, as reflected in the Aging Society Index, in individual States between 2003-2017. Findings indicate substantial variability between States in the baseline status of older persons and the trends over time.  The impact of potential drivers of these trends are evaluated.