The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA)

The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA), is a large-scale, nationally representative, longitudinal study on ageing in Ireland.

The study involves interviews on a two yearly basis with a baseline sample cohort of 8,504 people aged 50 and over (or their spouses/partners) and resident in Ireland. TILDA collects data through personal interviews, self-completion questionnaires and health assessment measures.

TILDA collected data on the following topics:

• economic (pensions, employment, living standards)
• health (physical, mental, service needs and usage)
• social (contact with friends and kin, formal and informal care, social participation)

Demographic and background variables include age, sex, marital status, household composition, education, and employment.

The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing is being carried out by Trinity College Dublin in collaboration with an inter-disciplinary panel of scientific researchers, with expertise in various fields of ageing, from the several institutions.