The Challenges of Our Aging Society
Over the past 100 years, we have witnessed enormous change in the size
of the aging population in the U.S. - from around 1 out of every 25 persons
in the early 1900s to around 1 our of every 4 or 5 persons in the 21st
century. Because older adults represent the fastest growing segment of
society, our universities must provide leadership, training, and scientific
advances to meet their diverse needs.
The mission of the Institute on Aging of the University
of Wisconsin-Madison is to promote, through excellence in multidisciplinary
research, education, and practice, the health and well-being of the rapidly-expanding
aging population in our local community, state, and society at large.
At the UW-Madison Institute on Aging, we are jointly focused on addressing
the problems of aging, which include diseases and impairments (e.g., osteoporosis,
dementia, Parkinsons, glaucoma, mobility problems) and the challenges
of later life (e.g., widowhood, retirement, caregiving, relocation) as
well as the potential of aging, which refers to the notable strengths,
resources, and vitality of those in their 70s and beyond. Our goal is
to understand the many factors (biological, psychological, social) that
promote resilience as people age and to translate this knowledge to innovative
educational and community intervention programs. As such, we see the present
as a time of unprecedented opportunity to change the fundamental meaning
of "old age."
In
the News:
- TIME - Our Personalitie are Constantly Changing, Even if We Think They're Not
(Jan. 4, 2013)
- LiveScience - Being Neurotic Might Have Some Health Benefits
(Dec. 28, 2012)
- ScienceDaily - Reactions to Everyday Stressors Predict Future Health
(Nov., 2, 2012)
- UW-Madison News - UW-Madison Researchers Expanding Study on Human Resilience
(Aug. 27, 2012)
- The Foundation for Psychocultural Research - The FPR Interviews Psychologist Carol Ryff on Well-Being and Aging
(July, 2012)
- The Doctor Will See You Now - The Happiness Dilemma
(May, 2012)
- MIDUS newsletter on Volunteering - Does it Help Us As We Age? now available.
(March, 2012)
- MIDUS article, Population Differences in Proinflammatory Biology: Japanese Have Healthier Profiles than Americans, by Christopher L. Coe and colleagues, wins the inagural prize for the Best Research in Health & Society at UW-Madison.
(March, 2012)
- Minnesota Public Radio, The Daily Circuit, with guest Carol Ryff - Protecting mental strengths through middle age
(March, 2012)
- Observer - Rewired: Cognition in the digital age
(February, 2012)
- BrandeisNOW - Nurturing mothers rear physically healthier adults
(Jan. 22, 2012)
- Death & Taxes - Education may help keep your brain young
(Jan. 20, 2012)
- The New York Times - A Sharper Mind, Middle Age and Beyond
(Jan. 19, 2012)
- The New York Times - Get a Midlife
(Jan. 5, 2012)
- The Cap Times - Q&A: 'Midlife in the U.S.' researcher to delve into reactions to recession
(Nov. 12, 2011)
- UW-Madison News - Major study returns to probe mid-life, recession-related harm
(Nov. 9, 2011)
- Association for Psychological Science (APS)- How Devoted Moms Buffer Kids in Poverty
(Sept. 19, 2011)