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Contact: Jon Meerdink ([email protected])

ANN ARBOR — The Institute for Social Research played host to the 2025 Aging Initiative Symposium on Friday, March 14, welcoming scholars on aging and social determinants of health to the James S. Jackson Atrium for poster presentations and several in-depth lectures.

Kristine J. Ajrouch of the Michigan Center for Contextual Factors in Alzheimer’s Disease gave introductory remarks, highlighting the Aging Initiative’s goal of improving well-being for people all throughout their life course.

“ Improving social determinants for people of all ages with different backgrounds and disabilities can positively affect health and well being in later life,” she said. “Researchers, along with public health organizations, health care providers, policy makers, and partners in the private and public sector, all have a role to play in this goal, or toward this goal, which is why we are excited to present today’s Aging Initiative Symposium.”

The symposium is the result of a combined effort of seven different research centers at the University of Michigan:

• Michigan Center on the Demography of Aging
• Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center
• Michigan Center for Urban African American Aging Research
• Michigan Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center
• Michigan Center for Contextual FActors in Alzheimer’s Disease
• Center to Accelerate Population Research in Alzheimer’s
• Roybal Center for Promoting Adherence to Behavior Change and Enhancing Cognitive Function

Each of these centers is funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), and together, they work to advance research on the most pressing issues related to aging adults in America and around the world.

Carl V. Hill of the Alzheimer’s Association delivered the keynote presentation Friday morning, emphasizing the power of community in the development of the NIA Health Disparities

Research Framework. He advocated for continued attention to equity in the research enterprise as a means to ensure a healthy society for all. He also illustrated the need for continued support for research into Alzheimer’s and related dementias due to their increasing presence in American society.

“There are seven million Americans out there with Alzheimer’s,” Hill said. “One in three seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another dementia. Between 2000 and 2021, deaths from heart disease decreased, while deaths from Alzheimer’s disease increased by 141%. This is an important area for research, intervention, support, and care.”

In all, six different speakers presented at the Symposium followed by panel discussions in addition to morning and afternoon poster presentations.