Donald Redfoot, Ph.D.

Donald Redfoot, Ph.D.

Don has been a Strategic Policy Advisor with AARP’s Public Policy Institute for the past 15 years. During that time, he has conducted and supervised research on long-term care and housing public policy issues, including: assisted living, end-of-life care, trends in disability and institutional care, international comparisons of long-term care systems, and reverse mortgages.

He has participated in numerous expert panels and boards, including serving as a founding member and, for two years, Chairman of the Board of the Center for Excellence in Assisted Living, an umbrella organization of 11 national stakeholder organizations involved with assisted living. Previously, Don served for 8 years as AARP’s Legislative Representative on housing and transportation issues.

Don received his Ph.D. in sociology from Rutgers University, his M.A. in the social sciences at the University of Chicago, and his B.A. in sociology from Westminster College (PA). He has written numerous reports and articles for academic, policy, and popular audiences. He resides with his wife in Washington, DC.

Areas of expertise

Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Financing, Trends in Disability and Services Use, Assisted Living, International Systems of LTSS

Selected publications

W. Fox Grage and D. Redfoot, “Medicaid: A Program of Last Resort for People Who Need Long-Term Services and Supports,” AARP Public Policy Institute Fact Sheet, 2011. 

D. Redfoot, “How Recent Changes in Reverse Mortgages Impact Older Homeowners,” AARP Public Policy Institute Fact Sheet, 2011.

D. Redfoot and A. Houser, “More Older People with Disabilities Living in the Community: Trends from the National Long-Term Care Survey, 1984-2004,” AARP Public Policy Institute Report, 2010.