Your final paper is your exploration of a public policy issue in an aging world.

Assignment is the definition of the issue you will write about and the scope of the problem in the locality you have defined.

• Define the problem you are addressing. NOTE: this is a problem in the laws, policies, practices, institutions RESPONDING to the aging population. It is NOT a problem with old people. For example, “the U.S. Medicare program leaves out critical populations and services” is a policy problem suitable for your paper. “Many old people are unhealthy” is not a policy problem; it is a description of old people; it is not suitable.

• Research the scope of the problem in the locality you are addressing (could be world, a country, state, city, neighborhood).

Below are some topic options I am suggesting for the final papers. You will want to narrow one of these broad topics into a specific issue you will address, including specificity about the geographic area to be covered (depending on whether you will be addressing international, national, state, city, or community district policies). Or, choose one yourself, but run it by me before you commit to it).

1. Solutions to affordable, accessible housing challenge for older adults in NYC;

2. Challenges to aging in prison, including causes and solutions;

3. Challenges to re-entry for older adults, including causes and solutions;

4. Policy approaches and implications to “rationing” health care when there is not enough capacity to meet need;

5. Policy (not programmatic) solutions to the digital divide;

6. Policy (not programmatic) solutions to improve older adults’ access to arts programming and lifelong learning;

7. Solutions to the specific structural issues affecting older adults in the U.S. who were born in different countries;

8. Development of urban planning strategy and foci for older adults in NYC based on models done elsewhere (NOT based on Age Friendly NYC);

9. Policy (not programmatic) solutions to social isolation issues in NYC (can be in context of COVID or pre-);

10. Comprehensive transportation planning approach  and solutions for older adults in NYC

(or another specific locality you can research comprehensively);

11. Strategies to better prevent and address age discrimination in the work context;

12. Explication of the causes of the solvency challenges for the Social Security Trust Fund and evaluation of options for solution;

13. Explication of the causes of the solvency challenges for Medicare and evaluation of options for solution;

14. Description of the problems with the long term care system and evaluation of options for solution;

15. Principles for design and development of an age-friendly health system for NYC (or another specific locality you can research comprehensively);

16. Policy strategies to promote employers to adopt practices that make it possible for older workers to continue to work;

17. Demonstration models where investment in housing and support services for older adults have resulted in improved well-being and reduction of health expenditures;

18. Demonstration models of innovative senior center design with evidence of effects and application to NYC;

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