Mather Institute

What Mather Institute does

Mather Institute is the research and information arm of Mather, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1942. Established in 1999 and headquartered in Evanston, Illinois, the Institute conducts evidence-based research on aging, wellness, and senior living, distributing all outputs free of charge to industry professionals. Its core research portfolio includes the Age Well Study (a five-year longitudinal study of 8,200+ residents across 122 Life Plan Communities, completed in collaboration with Northwestern University), the Gen Xperience multi-year generational study, and the proprietary Person-Centric Wellness Model grounded in Self-Determination Theory and the Social-Ecological Model. The Institute also operates the InvestigAge blog, the NEXT trend report series, the annual Innovative Research on Aging Awards, Promising Practices Awards, and Wonders of Wellness Awards, and maintains Institutional Review Board services for collaborative research.

The Institute sustains a research ecosystem of 20+ university partnerships (including Cornell, UCLA, UC San Diego, Virginia Tech, Loyola, Wake Forest, and Washington University in St. Louis) and serves senior living operators, wellness directors, life plan community developers, and HR professionals across all 50 US states and 14 countries. Its customer base is enterprise-oriented (Life Plan Communities, senior living operators) and mid-market (individual senior living professionals) with no direct consumer monetization. The business model is mission-driven: all research reports, fact sheets, toolkits, and publications are provided free of charge, funded through Mather's broader not-for-profit resources rather than user fees, subscriptions, or external investment. Distribution occurs through digital channels (website, email newsletter, social media, blog) and through annual award programs that double as industry convening events.

Revenue is not separately disclosed; the Institute operates as an area of service within Mather's three-part structure (senior living residences, community-based initiatives, and the Institute). There is no evidence of private equity, venture capital, or public-market funding. The leadership team is research-credentialed (PhDs in psychology, gerontology, public health from institutions including Northwestern, UCI-Chicago, and UMass-Amherst), and the organization is governed by its own IRB for human-subjects research protection.

Name

Mather Institute

Legal name

Mather

Website

https://matherinstitute.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Mather Institute is the not-for-profit research arm of Mather, producing free evidence-based research on aging, wellness, and senior living for industry professionals, Life Plan Community operators, and academic partners across 50 US states and 14 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Senior Living Research and Information Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Health, Wellness & Healthy Aging Education (Chronic disease, mobility, nutrition) (EDAAAMAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Senior/Third-Age Lifelong Learning Institutes (EDAAAEAJ), Technology & Digital Skills for Seniors (Devices, internet safety, telehealth) (EDAAAMAH)

Keywords

• Senior living research
• Aging services insights
• Wellness frameworks
• Longitudinal aging studies
• Senior living education

Headquarters

HQ city

Evanston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Research and Information Services: Mather Institute operates as a not-for-profit research and information resource for the senior living and aging services industry. The organization provides free research reports, publications, and educational content to industry professionals, positioning itself as a thought leader. As an area of service of Mather (a not-for-profit organization), the Institute's activities are funded through Mather's broader organizational resources.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Mather Institute is a not-for-profit research and information resource for the senior living and aging services industry. It produces free research reports, longitudinal studies (Age Well Study, Gen Xperience), the proprietary Person-Centric Wellness Model, and award programs that recognize industry innovation. All resources are distributed at no cost to industry professionals as part of the Institute's mission to advance the aging services sector through evidence-based research.

Product overview

Mather Institute is a research and information organization focused on aging services and senior living wellness. The organization offers a portfolio of research products including the Person-Centric Wellness Model (a research-backed framework for personalized wellness), the Age Well Study (a landmark five-year longitudinal study on Life Plan Communities), InvestigAge Blog (a curated research content platform), the Gen Xperience initiative (a five-year Gen X research program), and the NEXT trend report series. The organization also operates award programs including the Wonders of Wellness (WOW) Awards and Innovative Research on Aging Awards, alongside free industry reports and resources. These products work together to advance the aging services industry through evidence-based research, best practice sharing, and industry recognition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• InvestigAge: An online resource for industry experts featuring curated and condensed research findings on aging covering a broad cross-section of research topics from 2010 to 2023.
• The Gen Xperience
• Age Well Study
• Person-Centric Wellness Model
• NEXT
• Wonders of Wellness Awards
• Innovative Research on Aging Awards
• Promising Practices Awards

Products and services

• Age Well Study A landmark five-year national longitudinal study, conducted in collaboration with Northwestern University, evaluating the impact of living in a Life Plan Community on residents' cognitive, physical, and psychosocial health and well-being. The study involved more than 8,200 residents from 122 Life Plan Communities across the country and is intended for senior living operators, researchers, and aging services professionals.
• Person-Centric Wellness Model

Quantifiable outcome

• Residents reported better physical, emotional, intellectual, social, and vocational wellness than community-dwelling counterparts over 5-year study period
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Northwestern UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research partnership for the landmark Age Well Study, a five-year longitudinal study assessing the impact of living in a Life Plan Community on residents' cognitive, physical, and psychosocial health and well-being.
• Virginia TechcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner for piloting a Resident Wellness Coaching Program in Life Plan Communities, testing a collaborative strengths-based approach where coaches work with residents to set and achieve wellness goals.
• Cornell UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating on developing a new Happiness Index for Life Plan Communities, inspired by Bhutan's Gross National Happiness concept, creating a multidimensional survey-based assessment tool.
• UC San DiegocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner for Boosting Resilience in Older Adults study, conducting the Raise Your Resilience program designed to increase resilience by fostering positive emotions and meaningful goals.
• University of ArizonaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner logo displayed among Institute collaborators.
• Loyola University ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Boosting Perceptions of Aging through Savoring Life Lessons study, developing and testing a savoring-based thought exercise to change older adults' perceptions of aging.
• Michigan State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner logo displayed among Institute collaborators.
• University of California - BerkeleyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner logo displayed among Institute collaborators.
• Colorado State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner logo displayed among Institute collaborators.
• NORC at the University of ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner for Racial Differences & Similarities in Meaning in Life study, examining associations between leisure activities, meaning, and well-being among White and Black older adults.
• Wake Forest UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating on piloting a Resident Wellness Coaching Program, testing a nine-week collaborative strengths-based approach in Life Plan Communities.
• Arizona State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in developing a Happiness Index for Life Plan Communities, working with Cornell University on this multidimensional assessment tool.
• University of California - Santa CruzcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner for Examining Motivations for Solitude & Wellness study, investigating solitude among senior living residents and its relationship to wellness.
• Middlebury CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating on research examining motivations for solitude and wellness among older adults, exploring the relationship between solitude and well-being.
• UC Davis HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner for Perceptions of Aging Well in South Asian Older Adults study, focusing on one of the fastest growing yet understudied ethnic groups in the US.
• UCLAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner for Using Messages about Aging to Promote Wellness among Older Adults study, examining effectiveness of wellness messaging on senior center attendees.
• Howard UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner logo displayed among Institute collaborators.
• University of Illinois ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Delivering At-Home Wellness Programs through Smart Technology study, testing voice-activated personal assistant (Google Home Mini) delivery of wellness programming.
• University of Illinois - Urbana - ChampaigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating on testing effectiveness of smart technology (Google Home Mini) for delivering mindfulness meditation and physical activity programs to senior living residents.
• Washington University in St. LouiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner for Hope as a Motivator for Healthy Behaviors in Older Adults study, exploring the relationship between hope and healthy behaviors using online surveys.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Gerontological Society of America (GSA): GSA is the oldest and largest interdisciplinary scientific organization devoted to research, education, and practice in the field of aging, producing peer-reviewed journals and policy briefs. Comparable to Mather Institute in producing rigorous applied research on aging, but with a stronger academic and policy orientation versus Mather's operator-focused applied lens.
• National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC): NIC is a nonprofit that produces data, research, and analytics for the seniors housing and care industry, including occupancy trends, NIC MAP data, and industry reports. Directly comparable to Mather Institute as a nonprofit research and data resource serving senior living operators and investors.
• Polisher Research Institute (Madlyn and Leonard Abramson Center): Polisher Research Institute is an applied aging research center affiliated with a senior care provider, conducting studies on long-term care quality, dementia care, and workforce. Closely comparable to Mather Institute as a nonprofit, provider-affiliated aging research center producing applied studies for the senior services field.
• Argentum: Argentum is the national association representing senior living operators and is the publisher of the Senior Living Executive magazine, which produces research and industry trend reports. Directly comparable to Mather Institute as a senior living industry association generating research and thought-leadership content for operators.
• LeadingAge (LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston): LeadingAge is the largest national association representing nonprofit aging services providers, with its LTSS Center conducting applied research on aging services quality, workforce, and financing. Directly comparable to Mather Institute as a nonprofit, university-partnered research body producing free reports for senior living operators.
• American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA): ASHA is a national membership organization for senior living executives and owners, producing research and benchmarking content on independent living, assisted living, and memory care. Comparable to Mather Institute as a senior living industry research and convening body, though ASHA leans more toward executive/operator networking than research publication.
• International Council on Active Aging (ICAA): ICAA is a nonprofit association focused on wellness and active aging across senior living, fitness, and community organizations, producing research and best-practice content. Directly comparable to Mather Institute in targeting wellness directors and senior living operators with applied research on aging well.

Emerging players

• SCAN Foundation / SCAN Health Plan Research: The SCAN Foundation funds and disseminates research on aging, independence, and integrated care for older adults, producing policy briefs and applied research for the aging services ecosystem. Comparable to Mather Institute as a nonprofit funder/publisher of applied aging research, with overlapping focus on community-based wellness and aging in place.
• NORC at the University of Chicago: NORC is an independent research organization affiliated with the University of Chicago that conducts large-scale surveys and aging-related studies (including for AARP and HHS). Already a Mather research partner (Racial Differences & Similarities in Meaning in Life study), but represents a peer in competing for grants and producing applied aging research.

Broad incumbents

• AARP Public Policy Institute: AARP's research arm produces influential reports on aging, livable communities, and long-term care financing targeting both policymakers and industry. Comparable to Mather Institute in producing free, evidence-based research on aging well, but operates at vastly larger scale and with consumer-facing (rather than operator-facing) audience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/matherlifeways
• Facebookfacebook.com/matheragewell
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/matheragewell

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mather Institute