Gary Engelhardt

Professor, Economics, Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs Link

Faculty Associate, Aging Studies Institute
Faculty Affiliate, Center for Aging and Policy Studies

CAPS Biography:

My specialties are in the economics of aging, Social Security, pensions, housing markets, and household saving. My current research focuses on the impact of health and aging on the housing and living arrangements of older Americans, in general, and the widowed, in particular.  I have used the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) to investigate the role of motives for intergenerational and inter vivos transfers on home ownership late in life and at the time of death, and transfers of housing wealth across generations, which relates to the CAPS signature theme of family and intergenerational supports. I have also used the HRS to examine the role of housing structural characteristics and home modifications in the mitigation of falls among elderly adults, a significant health risk, which relates to the CAPS signature theme of health and well-being. My work in both signature themes has often integrated the CAPS cross-cutting themes of policy and specific populations – particularly evident through its focus on adults with disabilities. In addition, I have received research funding from the Social Security Administration on the role of chronic inflammation in propagating long COVID and its associated labor-market effects for mid- and late-career individuals. My research is regularly cited by policymakers, most recently in 2023 Congressional testimony before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging on creating accessible and affordable housing for older adults and people with disabilities.