GERO 742 - Economics of Aging

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The main objective of this course is to provide students with the basic tools necessary to understand, critique and evaluate alternatives to issues in aging that have economic implications. The course is divided into four main sections. The first part of the course familiarizes students with tools used in microeconomic analysis. This section will also provide students with necessary computer related activities to obtain and process data for economic/policy analysis. The second part of the course will focus on understanding issues at the macro level. Accordingly, this part will address the nature and magnitude of the current issues, implications of these issues for the future and issues that need to be addressed to increase income and health security in old age. The third part of the course will examine the circumstances under which current programs such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and other related welfare programs that address economic and health security in old age were implemented, their performance under current circumstances and issues related to their continuation. The final part of the course is designed to view issues discussed in prior units through an aging or life-course perspective that emphasizes the impact of events and issues in younger ages on income and health security in old age.