Program Area: Social Research, Policy, and Practice

Policy Series: Healthy Aging During the Pandemic and Beyond: Lessons from Five Years of the National Poll on Healthy Aging and AARP

Chair(s)

• 

  Erica Solway, PhD, MSW, MPH

  Deputy Director
  Institute for Healthcare Policy & Innovation
  University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging
  Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States

Co-Chair(s)

• 

  Teresa Keenan, PhD

  Director, Health and Health Security Research
  Consumer Insights, Health and Health Security
  AARP
  Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Discussant(s)

• 

  Brian Lindberg, MMHS (he/him/his)

  Public Policy Advisor
  Policy and Professional Affairs
  The Gerontological Society of America
  Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Individual Symposium Abstract First Author(s)

• 

  Erica Solway, PhD, MSW, MPH

  Deputy Director
  Institute for Healthcare Policy & Innovation
  University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging
  Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
• 

  Teresa Keenan, PhD

  Director, Health and Health Security Research
  Consumer Insights, Health and Health Security
  AARP
  Washington, District of Columbia, United States
• 

  Sheria Robinson-Lane, PhD, MSN, MHA

  Assistant Professor
  Department of Systems, Populations and Leadership
  University of Michigan School of Nursing
  Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
• 

  Jessica Finlay, PhD

  Research Investigator
  Social Environment and Health Program, Institute for Social Research
  University of Michigan
  Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States

The past five years have brought enormous changes in the lives of older adults and their families. During this time the University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging (NPHA), co-sponsored by AARP and Michigan Medicine, has gathered the experiences and perspectives from nationally representative samples of US adults age 50-80 on a range of topics related to healthy aging. These polls have been used to elevate the voices of the older adults in the development of policies and practices to improve the health of people as they age. During the past two years, poll reports have captured how changes in lifestyle and behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic have impacted the health and well-being of older adults. Members of the NPHA team from the University of Michigan and AARP will begin with an overview of the poll including its goals and methods. The session will then highlight key findings from the first five years of the NPHA that have important implications during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, with special attention to poll findings related to joys and stresses and aging in place. The presenters will also discuss how to access publicly available NPHA data. The session will wrap up with a discussion of how the perspectives and experiences of older adults gathered through the NPHA and AARP polling can be used to inform policy and advocacy to support healthy aging.

Presentations:

• 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM ET

  Lessons from Five Years of Polling Through the National Poll on Healthy Aging
  

  Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Erica Solway, PhD, MSW, MPH – University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging
• 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM ET

  Reimagining Aging: Lessons on Healthy Aging from AARP
  

  Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Teresa A. Keenan, PhD – AARP
• 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM ET

  Older Adults' Preparedness to Age in Place: Findings from the National Poll on Healthy Aging
  

  Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Sheria G. Robinson-Lane, PhD, MSN, MHA – University of Michigan School of Nursing
• 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM ET

  Joy and Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from the National Poll on Healthy Aging
  

  Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Jessica M. Finlay, PhD – University of Michigan