Grand Challenges of Our Aging Society
Workshop Summary
Amy Smith, Rapporteur
THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS
Washington, D.C.
www.nap.edu
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NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the Steering Committee for the workshop were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.
This study was supported with internal funds from the National Academy of Sciences. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the project.
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Suggested citation: National Research Council. (2010). Grand Challenges of Our Aging Society: Workshop Summary. Amy Smith, Rapporteur. Center for Economic, Governance, and International Studies, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES
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PLANNING COMMITTEE FOR THE ACADEMIES-WIDE INITIATIVE ON THE GRAND CHALLENGES OF OUR AGING SOCIETY
RONALD LEE (Chair),
Center for the Demography and Economics of Aging, University of California, Berkeley
ROBERT H. BINSTOCK,
School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University
ROBERT N. BUTLER,
International Longevity Center, New York
JUDITH CAMPISI, E.O.
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California
LAURA L. CARSTENSEN,
Department of Psychology, Stanford University
JOSEPH F. COUGHLIN,
Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
EILEEN M. CRIMMINS,
Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California
ROBERT M. HAUSER,
Center for Demography of Health and Aging, University of Wisconsin–Madison
JAMES S. JACKSON,
Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan
CHARLES M. LUCAS,
Osprey Point Consulting, Deer Isle, Maine
DAVID B. REUBEN,
Multicampus Program in Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, University of California, Los Angeles
DAVID R. WEIR,
Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan
JANE L. ROSS, Study Director
TRACY HARRIS, Senior Program Officer
CONNIE CITRO, Center Director
BARNEY COHEN, Board Director
ROGER HERDMAN, Board Director
SUSAN VAN HEMEL, Senior Program Officer
BARBARA WANCHISEN, Board Director
SCOTT WEIDMAN, Board Director
GOOLOO WUNDERLICH, Senior Program Officer
BARBARA BOYD, Administrative Coordinator
KATHLEEN SASLAW, Assistant Director,
Finance
Acknowledgments
This report summarizes the proceedings of a workshop that focused on the development of high-priority topics in aging research. Over a year ago the presidents of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine launched an initiative focused on the challenge of shaping policies and programs that exploit the benefits of increased longevity and enhanced health for individuals and for society. The intent of the initiative was to develop a broad portfolio of studies and related activities that would contribute to an evidence-based dialogue on population aging. The initiative was also designed to contribute to the development of sound program and policy options related to an aging society. The two-day workshop on which these proceedings are based included presentations by experts in many aspects of aging and discussion with a broad range of invited guests. The substance of the workshop was developed by the Planning Committee for the Academies-Wide Initiative on the Grand Challenges of Our Aging Society. The workshop was supported by the Presidents’ Fund.
This workshop summary was reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved by the Report Review Committee of the National Research Council (NRC). The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that assist the institution in making its report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness
to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process.
The panel thanks the following individuals for their review of this report: Andrea Louise Campbell, Department of Political Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Laura L. Carstensen, Department of Psychology, Stanford Center on Longevity, Stanford University; Joshua R. Goldstein, Office of the Executive Director, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany; and Barbara Boyle Torrey, Population Reference Bureau.
Although the reviewers listed above have provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the content of the report, nor did they see the final draft of the report before its release. The review of this report was overseen by Beth J. Soldo, Population Aging Research Center, University of Pennsylvania. Appointed by the NRC, she was responsible for making certain that the independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of the report rests entirely with the author and the NRC.
Contents
Introductory Remarks, |
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BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH, MEDICAL ADVANCES, AND ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS |
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Extending the Life Span, |
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The Biology of Frailty, |
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Allocating Scarce Health Care Resources, |
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Strategies for Health Promotion, |
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Obesity Among Older People, |
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Exercise and Cognition, |
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Racial Disparities and Communication, |
General Macroeconomic Overview, |
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Macroeconomic and Financial Impacts of Aging, |
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An International Perspective, |
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Income Security for an Aging Population, |
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Health Care Financing, |
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An International Perspective, |
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Will Institutions and Policies Permit Sufficient Flexibility?, |
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The Growing Imperative for Structural Change, |
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Transportation, |
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Technology, Aging, and Innovation, |
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APPENDIXES |
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Selected Recent National Academies Publications on Aging Issues |
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Biographical Sketches of Planning Committee Members and Presenters |