Upcoming Workshops

Measuring Disability and Functioning in Studies of Aging

This is a hybrid workshop. Zoom details will be shared with NIMLAS members prior to the event date. The workshop recording and related materials will be made available on our website 1-2 weeks after the workshop.

Thursday, October 8, 2026, 12-4 pm EST

ISR-Perry Building, Rooms G150A and G150B 

Speakers

• Jody Schimmel Hyde, Research Scientist, Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research
  Ph.D. Economics, University of Michigan
• Vicki A. Freedman, Research Professor, Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research
  Ph.D., Epidemiology, Yale University

 Abstract:

This workshop will focus on measuring disability and functioning in longitudinal studies that include a focus on aging. The content is designed for researchers who are conducting or plan to conduct their own study and are interested in how to align measures of disability and functioning with their study aims. It might also be relevant for people using established national surveys of aging who are less familiar with measures of disability and functioning.

We will discuss the concepts of disability and functioning, and how the current prevailing conceptual models shape approaches to measurement in studies of aging. We will explore existing measures, their alignment, and the ways they do (and do not) capture the disability experience. We will also discuss some important considerations in survey measurement, including mode effects, proxy responses, and novel ways of assessing disability and functioning. The workshop will end with a measurement clinic, where participants can solicit input on the measures of disability and functioning most appropriate for their survey design and research questions.