BACKGROUND

The Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics (Forum) was initially established in 1986, with the goal of bringing together Federal agencies that share a common interest in improving aging- related data. The Forum plays a key role by encouraging cooperation and data sharing among Federal agencies and preparing collaborative statistical reports.

MISSION

The mission of the Forum is to encourage cooperation and collaboration among Federal agencies in order to improve the quality and utility of data on the aging population.

The Forum stimulates discussions among and between statistical communities, policymakers and users of information on aging, and publicly disseminates aging-related information products as well as engaging in other activities that support aging related statistics. The Forum operates within the general principles and practices for Federal statistical agencies and units and seeks to inform policy and the public.

OBJECTIVES

To fulfill its mission, the Forum works to achieve the following objectives:

• Widen access to information on the aging population through periodic publications and other means.
• Promote communication among data producers, researchers, and public policymakers.
• Identify information gaps and data inconsistencies.
• Investigate new methods for obtaining data.
• Investigate questions of data quality.