Population aging is one of the key demographic trends of our generation. But a lot of important research on aging isn’t seeing the light of day. At PRB, our goal is to put this information into the hands of the decisionmakers who need it.
The U.S. – like many other countries around the world – is growing older. Growth in the number of older adults has been unprecedented as more and more baby boomers reach retirement age.
PRB documents patterns and trends in U.S. population aging. We mine data from the Census Bureau and other sources to look at current estimates and projections of the population ages 65 and older.
We report on racial and ethnic change among older adults and the “diversity gap” between generations. We also analyze data to identify emerging trends, like the increasing sex ratio of older men to older women.
We look at regional trends—How population aging is taking place across the country for different reasons.
Most of the public discourse has focused on the implications of population aging for Social Security and Medicare, but state and local policymakers also need to be ready.
PRB’s work also focuses on translating aging-related research for nontechnical audiences.
We produce short research summaries, infographics, and data visualizations to provide information on key issues related to the health and well-being of older adults.
Aging populations present a growing challenge for governments, families, and health service providers. Through original analysis as well as synthesis and dissemination of research by others, PRB raises awareness of issues related to population aging and explains implications for decisionmakers.
For more about PRB's work, visit our website at prb.org
