University Of Michigan Receives Record Federal Research Grant for its Retirement Study

The Retirement Study at the University Of Michigan has led to the creation of similar projects around the world. Other countries have also launched studies that follow a similar pattern.

Study in USA: University Of Michigan has received $195 million in new federal funding to extend its highly influential Health and Retirement Study through 2029.

“We are grateful to the NIA for their scientific engagement as well as their financial support to this cooperative agreement. Together we have kept the study relevant to the rapidly advancing science of ageing, maintained a diverse and nationally representative sample of participants, and with our commitment to data sharing steadily increased the number of users and publications supported by the HRS," said David Weir, co-director of HRS and research professor at ISR.

According to Kenneth Langa, co-director of HRS and professor of medicine at U-M, with funding now secured through 2029, HRS will expand its focus on several high-priority scientific topics.

“Alzheimer’s disease and dementia will affect a growing number of older adults in the decades ahead, with huge implications for family caregivers and the cost of government support programs. Our expanded data collection on cognition and disability in later life will be especially valuable to better understand and track the growing impact of dementia now and into the future, including the potential long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dementia risk," Langa said.

“We are thrilled to see renewed funding for the continued contributions of the Health and Retirement Study. HRS’s body of work provides key insights into the ageing population, and we look forward to seeing the study’s continued growth through the leadership of its principal investigators and devoted research team,” said ISR Director Kate Cagney.

About Health and Retirement Study at University of Michigan

It is a long-running study of older and middle-aged adults in the US which provides multidisciplinary data for researchers to use to address significant questions about the opportunities and challenges of aging. HRS is all set to utilize these new funds to continue to follow about 20,000 American adults aged 50 or more, some of whom have been a part of the study for up to 30 years.

The study was launched in 1990 and is supported by the National Institute on Aging (NIH grant U01AG009740) and the Social Security Administration.

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