Aging
As health advances extend the human lifespan, UB is striving to find solutions that enable graceful aging with enhanced vitality. The interdisciplinary collaborations among health sciences researchers lead to discoveries and approaches that benefit our older community members, their families and caregivers.
Addressing Health Factors and Societal Impacts of Aging
By 2040, about one in five Americans will be age 65 or older, up from about one in eight in 2000. The health of older populations has broad impacts on not just their families and caregivers but also health care providers, insurers and social services, as well as community planners and policymakers. With advancements in health sciences, people are living longer, and with that comes the need to support their health and lifestyles in different ways.
Researchers at UB are asking and answering questions about healthy aging that will affect current and future generations. Why do some people remain highly energetic and able to maintain their normal routine well into their 90s while others seem to begin an age-related decline in their 70s or earlier? How can we improve medication management for older adults after they are discharged from a hospital and protect them from avoidable medication harm? Can cellular bioengineering lead to anti-aging approaches for treating hardened arteries, osteoporosis, and other age-related disorders?
UB's Commitment to Healthy Aging
As New York State develops a long-range master plan for Aging, UB is at the forefront to provide knowledge, research capacity, and solutions that affect New Yorkers, Americans and people worldwide. These efforts are enabled by the strong collaborations between UB and the New York State Department of Health and community organizations such as the Health Foundation of Western and Central New York, as well as funding from the National Institute on Aging.