MSU'S FAMILY RESEARCH INITIATIVE TO FOCUS ON AGING...(cont.)

According to the census, the number of U.S. residents 65 and older is expected to more that double in 50 years--from 22 million in 2000 to 48 million in 2050--making it the fastest growing age group.

And that makes gerontology, or the study of aging, critical, said Bokemeier. "The stress that the baby boomers are going to place on our system is shared by all", she adds. "Aging and issues related to aging will touch everybody's lives, whether we're looking at health issues, political issues or community and social issues."

The goal-supported by President Lou Anna K. Simon, Provost Kim Wilcox and Ian Gray, vice president for research and graduate studies is to create a leading national research program on the family that cuts across disciplinary boundaries.

Over the next two years, about 10 to 15 new faculty members will be hired to directly support the FRI, Bokemeier said. About half of the new faculty will focus on aging-related issues. A second area of focus will be determined next year, she said.

Also expected to play a key role in the aging research are the colleges of Nursing and Social Science and MSU Extension.

"Extension's role in the Family Research Initiative is to take the cutting-edge research that we do and develop educational programs and outreach efforts to serve Michigan's population," said Bokemeier.

"This is going to be a multimillion-dollar project."

From MSU Today, October 11, 2007

For more information on The Family Research initiative, visit www.families.msu.edu