MISSION
The mission of the Pepper Institute on Aging and Public Policy is to initiate research, educate students, and provide outreach activities that address the opportunities and challenges of an aging population.
Our Research Areas
Faculty and students at the Pepper Institute are examining an array of issues related to the social aspects of aging and their implications for public policy.
Pathways to Later Life
Our later lives are influenced by the accumulation of experiences across the lifecourse. At the Pepper Institute, researchers are studying, for example, how military experience at earlier life stages affects older adults’ mental health and how people’s positive or negative views of aging affect their well-being as they grow older.
Aging, Social Factors, and Health Dynamics
Several social factors shape our experiences in later life. At the Pepper Institute, we conduct research examining, for example, how functional and cognitive impairment differs across populations and experiences, how the experience of ageism differs by sex and various life exposures, and how psychological resilience protects wellbeing for men and women during widowhood.
Communities and Transportation
Features of our physical and social environments influence our well-being in later life. Researchers at the Pepper Institute examine, for example, how the aging process influences technology use, how the transition away from driving affects older adults’ life satisfaction, and how involvement in religious communities impacts physical functioning in later life.
Aging and Health Policy
Public policies related to aging emerge from interactions between social groups that often have different views, interests, and resources. At the Pepper Institute, researchers are examining, for example, the politics surrounding reproductive health policy, the effectiveness of case management for chronically ill patients, and the implications of public and private sector policies for economic security in later life.