Research and Policy to Address Financial Instability Among Older Adults

Timothy M. Smeeding, Lee Rainwater Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Public Affairs and Economics, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Colleen Heflin, Professor, Public Administration and International Affairs, Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs, Syracuse University
Safiyyah M. Okoye, Assistant Professor, Department of Graduate Nursing, College of Nursing and Health Professions, Drexel University
Wendell Primus, Visiting Fellow, Economic Studies, Center on Health Policy, Retirement Security Project, Brookings Institution

With the poverty rate for older adults climbing to 15% in recent years, this webinar addresses the urgent national issue of financial vulnerability among older adults in the United States. We will open the session by examining the current landscape of older adults in poverty in the United States, providing essential context for the multifaceted challenges ahead. The discussion then moves into the hidden epidemic of food insecurity and the challenges faced by food-insecure older adults. We’ll then look at the critical issue of housing instability, specifically examining how these crises affect vulnerable adults with and without disabilities. To conclude, the session will present actionable policy options to significantly reduce elderly poverty and increase program participation.