Center for Aging & Serious Illness

The Center for Aging and Serious Illness (CASI) research center at Massachusetts General Hospital was established in the fall of 2019 to bring together researchers across Mass General and the Boston community to improve the well-being of older adults and enhance the lived experience of those with advanced illnesses.

Demographically, the proportion of people who are elderly in the United States is on the rise. The U.S. Census Bureau predicts that there will be more older adults (persons over 65) than children (persons under 18) by 2034. CASI aims to improve the medical community’s understanding of how to meet the health care needs of this rapidly growing population, including its complex medical and social needs.

Operating within the Mass General Mongan Institute — a research enterprise with the mission to improve the lives of people with complex health needs — CASI recognizes the importance of generating research in the fields of aging and serious illnesses to achieve health equity and holistically shape health policy.

Research Objectives

CASI’s objectives are to:

• Conduct research that will engage aging populations in research
• Illuminate how to provide effective care for serious illnesses
• Augment well-being for older adults and their caregivers

The CASI team will apply methods from intervention, implementation, population health and health policy research to close the current gaps in care of older adults. This research most directly benefits both the current and future aging populations who will require complex care for serious illnesses. However, it will also benefit a broader community of health care providers, researchers, policy makers, patients and their families.

Areas of Research

CASI conducts monthly research salons to discuss its areas of research as well as current and upcoming projects related to:

• Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD)
• Chronic pain
• Geriatrics
• Heart failure
• Home-based care
• Multimorbidity
• Palliative care
• Rehabilitation services
• Underrepresented minority populations

Clinical Trials & Research Team

Learn more