Lifespan and Healthspan: Past, Present, Promise

It is likely that increases in life expectancy at older ages will continue but life expectancy at birth is unlikely to reach very high levels unless there is a fundamental change in our ability to delay the aging process. We have yet to experience much compression of morbidity as the age of onset of most health problems has not increased markedly. In recent decades, there have been some reductions in the prevalence of physical disability and dementia.

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NOTE: Next week's Seminar will take place on Tuesday, 2/21. We'll send more details and a reminder later this week.

Karen Fredriksen-Goldsen, CSDE Affiliate and Professor of Sociology at UW, recently published a variety of findings in The Gerontologist about elderly LGBT individuals and the issues they deal with as they age. The study is the first national survey of its kind, and it sheds important light on the unique health disparities the LGBT population faces.

“These articles provide the opportunity to consider how social, historical, and environmental contexts influence the health and well-being of LGBT older adults as we more forward in . . .

Eric Waithaka, former CSDE Fellow and UW Social Work graduate, accepted a faculty position at George Mason University. He’ll be starting this fall as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work. He’ll bring a wealth of experience to the role from his graduate studies, which focused on intergenerational social and economic mobility during young adults’ transition to adulthood, specifically the role of family capital (resources) on young adults’ life outcomes. More information is available here in his dissertation.

Congratulations, Eric, and good luck with your new position!