The U.S. population aged 65 and older is larger and more diverse than ever before, entering old age having experienced an unprecedented combination of social, economic, familial, policy, and epidemiological environments during their lifetimes. While the health of middle-aged and older adults has improved overall in recent decades, the large and growing disparities in their health are a significant public health concern. In addition, trends in family formation, immigration, economic conditions, and rural-to-urban migration in recent decades have significantly altered the landscape of familial support and caregiving for older adults.
CAPS affiliates are addressing some of today’s most pressing and significant issues facing middle-aged and older adults, the places in which they reside, and the families that care for them. They have numerous externally funded research projects related to the CAPS signature themes of health and well-being and family and intergenerational supports as well as the cross-cutting themes of policy, place, and specific populations.