![](https://www.matherinstitute.com/wp-content/themes/mlia/images/investigage_hero.jpg)
Aging & Social Factors
Defining “Healthy Aging”
,The concept of “successful aging,” as coined by gerontologists Rowe and Kahn, has been influential in gerontology and has advanced scholarly understanding of healthy aging.…
Early Life Experience & Successful Aging
,Proponents of the “successful aging” model argue that later-life aging should be viewed as more than a process of physical and cognitive decline. The successful…
Gait, Cognition, & Falls Risk
,Gait performance—the ability to walk steadily at a useful pace—is a strong predictor of falls. Because gait involves the incorporation of multiple cognitive and physical…
Is Strength Training or Power Training More Effective Against Frailty?
,Frailty is a common risk associated with aging and is predictive of many poor outcomes. Much research exists that demonstrates the utility of physical exercise…
Can Physical Activity Halt Decline in Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)?
,Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is a diagnosis of cognitive decline that is greater than would be expected based on age and education, but which does…
Measuring Physical Resilience
,Resilience is the ability to adaptively respond to challenges and adverse events. There are many types of resilience—emotional resilience, for example, is one form of…
Significant Findings from First-Ever National Survey of CCRC Residents’ Families
,In 2011, Mather LifeWays Institute on Aging, Ziegler, and Brecht Associates, Inc. partnered to conduct the first-ever national survey of family members of residents living…
Masters Athletes Retain Muscle Mass
,There is a common assumption that muscle mass is naturally lost with aging. Indeed, research shows that individuals lose an average of eight percent of…
Neighborhood Walkability, Income and Physical Activity
,Low physical activity is a risk factor for a variety of functional impairments and health problems. Older adults are at particular risk for physical inactivity…
Understanding Developmental Time’s Effects on Biological & Cognitive Aging
,When we use the word “age” in common speech, we are usually referring to our chronological age, or the number of years since our birth.…
Sense of Personal Control and Physical Well-Being: A Cross-national Study
,Researchers have hypothesized that older adults who have a strong sense of personal control may likely live healthier and longer lives. More specifically, older adults…
Successful Aging and Longevity in Older Women
,A recent study published in Journal of Aging Research uncovered additional support for the “successful aging” theory as well as new findings on the impact…