Research at CAPS addresses some of today’s most pressing issues facing midlife and older adults and the families that care for them, with a focus on the policies and places that shape those issues. Pressing issues include large disparities in U.S. adult health, which are widening across geographic areas and socioeconomic status, with some areas and populations experiencing absolute declines in health. In addition, macro-social trends in family formation, immigration, economic conditions, and rural-to-urban migration are altering the landscape of familial support and caregiving for older adults and intersect with the growing disparities in health.
Research at CAPS is organized around two signature an three cross-cutting research themes that address those increasingly pressing issues and align with priority areas at the National Institute on Aging. The two signature themes are health and well-being and family and intergenerational supports. The three cross-cutting themes are the role of policy, importance of place, and circumstances of specific populations. Researchers at CAPS are experts on the health of socioeconomically disadvantaged and rural populations and adults with disabilities.