Debt of the Elderly and Near Elderly, 1992–2007

Employee Benefit Research Institute reports on an increase in housing and consumer debt of those in or near retirement age. 63% of families, whose "head" was aged 55 or older have some level up debt in 2007 (up 3% since 2004).

Report is available

Is Posner Right? An Empirical Test of the Posner Argument for Transferring Health Spending from Old Women to Old Men

Institute for the Study of Labor looks at the concept of "life satisfaction", to determine if widowhood creates lower satisfaction with life. The paper tests a theory by Posner, which suggested health spending be switched from women to men, in order to afford longer life to the men, and higher life satisfaction to the women.

Full report is available

Rural Seniors Have Fewer Options for Healthy Diets

Southern Rural Development Center examines the nutritional choices faced by the elderly in rural settings. The report discusses some aspects of the plight of rural elderly to conditions facing seniors in the urban setting.

Full document is available

The State of Aging and Health Among Older Latinos in Los Angeles 2009

The Los Angeles Area Agency on Aging and the Los Angeles Partnership for Evidence-Based Solutions in Elder Health presents the health priorities of Latino seniors and the members of the baby-boom era who will reach age 65 in the next 20 years. The report demonstrates that poor lifestyle behaviors are a primary contributor to death, reduced quality of life, and loss of independence. It also looks at the impact of chronic health and social conditions to this community.

Full report is available

Fixing Social Security: Adequate Benefits, Adequate Financing

National Academy of Social Insurance's report demonstrates that Social Security can in fact be made more adequate and solvent for the long term. The report presents options for balancing programs finances and making it an adequate resource.

Full report is available

Coming Home®: Affordable Assisted Living

The results of a program supported by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Coming Home® was an attempt to demonstrate that assisted living can be created as a viable alternative to institutional long-term care for people with incomes as low as the federal SSI payment.

Full report is available