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PPI Research examines the prospects for secure middle-class retirement.
See also personal stories of struggling middle-class Americans.
Data by state on Americans 50-plus: health, financial security, housing, caregiving and more. Read
Learn about the policy development process at AARP, and read about AARP's positions on public issues in The Policy Book, AARP Public Policies
2011-2012. More
Faces of Chronic Care, a video produced by AARP’s Public Policy Institute, explores the difficulties faced by many older Americans with chronic health conditions as they (and their caregivers) navigate the health delivery system. Watch
PPI is home to the Center to Champion Nursing in America — a joint initiative of AARP, the AARP Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation — committed to addressing the growing nursing shortage that threatens access to health care and quality of care across the nation. More

Downloadable as Adobe Acrobat PDFs
State-specific data on socioeconomic indicators and public programs that impact the health and well-being of older Americans:
Importance of Social Security and Medicare
The number of seniors who count on Social Security for much of their retirement income; the percentage of middle income seniors kept out of poverty by Social Security; number of state Medicare beneficiaries; and the role of Social Security and Medicare in the state economy.
Long-term Care and Independent Living Profile
Population by age cohort, locality, gender, income level, disability rates. Long-term care financing, utilization, costs, resources and trends.
Raising Expectations: A State Scorecard on Long-Term Services and Supports
Data on affordability and access to care, quality of care and quality of life, choice of setting and providers, and support for family caregivers.
Households by race, type, family make-up, and incidence of disabilities. Characteristics of occupied units.
Impact of the Recession on Long-term Services and Supports by State, 2010
Data on non-Medicaid services, Medicaid long-term services and supports (LTSS), LTSS expenditures and provider payment rates, and state priorities.
Health Data on Older Americans
Demographic data, health expenditures and financing, health status, Medicare enrollment, utilization and quality of services, access to care.
Economic, Demographic and Fiscal Indicators
Economic indicators, population and poverty data, income distribution, state and local revenues, taxes and rates, state and local expenditures.
Energy and Telephone Assistance Profile
Lifeline and link-up phone assistance. Low Income Home Energy Assistance, Weatherization Assistance Programs and utility rate assistance.
Economic Value of Family Caregiving
Number of care givers, economic value of caregiving, economic value relative to level of Medicaid spending.
Visit PPI’s State Data Center for information on other states and national data.