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 out 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, Parkinson's, 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:

Wall Street Journal - The Virtuous Midlife Crisis: Forget the sports car and new trouphy spouse. For Generation X, it's yoga, meditation retreats, and keto diets
(2020-01-12)

New MIDUS newsletter published - Cancer Survivors in MIDUS
(2020-01-09)

Forge - Welcome to the new midlife crisis.
(2019-11-22)

The Daily Cardinal - Participating in lifelong learning brings purpose to life's later years
(2019-08-20)

OPPORTUNITIES

MIDUS Gene Expression Workshop, June 9-10, 2020.
A free workshop providing instruction to social & behavioral scientists about functional genomics methods (e.g., gene expression profiling) in research on psychosocial determinants of health. Held in Madison, WI.
Apply by March 1, 2020.

HIGHLIGHTED PUBLICATIONS

Health of parents of individuals with developmental disorders or mental health problems: Impacts of stigma. (2018)

Aging is associated with a prefrontal lateral-medial shift during picture-induced negative affect. (2018)

Behavioral adjustment moderates the link between neuroticism and biological health risk: A U.S.-Japan comparison study. (2018)

Osteoporosis is Common and Undertreated Prior to Total Joint Arthroplasty. (2019)

Maintenance of bone mass despite estrogen depletion in female common marmoset monkeys (Callithrix jacchus). (2018)

HIGHLIGHTED POSTERS

Coordinated Cross-talk between Ca2+ and cAMP & A Novel Role for the Unique Inhibitory G-protein, Gaz, in Regulating Pulsatile Insulin Secretion (2018)

National Physical Activity Guidelines (2018): Implications for the Older Adult (2019)

Objective and Subjective Socioeconomic Gradients in Biological Health: Does Historical Context Matter? (2019)

Loss of the unique inhibitory G-protein Gaz in the pancreatic B-cell protects against diet induced glucose intolerance by enhancing insulin secretion, but is nt B-cell autonomous. (2018)

Beta-cell-specific loss of the inhibitory G protein, Gaz, alters development of type 1 diabetes in NOD mice (2018)