The Future of Aging and Longevity - Flipbook - Page 55
“If the 昀椀rst chapter of
the longevity movement
focused on adding years
to life, the next chapter
must focus on adding a
happy, thriving, and social
life to those years.”
aging. A GenSpace ini琀椀a琀椀ve on the Communica琀椀on
of Aging was born.
GenSpace was chosen to premiere a Hollywood
昀椀lm about friends in their seven琀椀es and eigh琀椀es
on a joyride to the Super Bowl—older women s琀椀ll
chasing adventure and friendship and fun. On a
panel a昀琀er the 昀椀lm, 80 for Brady actresses Jane
Fonda and Sally Field urged storytellers, “Don’t
show stereotypes, especially about people who are
always stereotyped.”
What we’ve observed at GenSpace since
its opening has reinforced early 昀椀ndings in our
research about the aging popula琀椀on simply seeking
community, new learnings, and connec琀椀on. People
don’t age out of curiosity, crea琀椀vity, or purpose.
And as lifespans have expanded, too many of our
ins琀椀tu琀椀ons have failed to keep pace. Too many
communi琀椀es s琀椀ll lack the spaces, programs, and
opportuni琀椀es that help people remain connected,
engaged, and essen琀椀al throughout longer lives.
People need places to gather, learn, teach,
volunteer, create, and build rela琀椀onships. They need
pathways to connec琀椀ons across genera琀椀ons. They
need communi琀椀es that con琀椀nue to see them as
contributors with knowledge, experience, and value
to o昀昀er. The longevity conversa琀椀on and ac琀椀on must
begin to meet the moment.
Imagine a brand-new, updated na琀椀onal
conversa琀椀on on aging in our country or around the
world.
And just as previous genera琀椀ons invested in
hospitals, research ins琀椀tu琀椀ons, and public health
systems, we must invest in the social infrastructure
that allows people to thrive no ma琀琀er their age.
That means suppor琀椀ng the community spaces,
organiza琀椀ons, and models that help people maintain
purpose, connec琀椀on, and belonging in aging.
We should recognize that the future of healthy
aging will be shaped by whether people have places
to belong, opportuni琀椀es to contribute, and reasons
to remain engaged in the world around them. The
longevity revolu琀椀on has already helped millions of
people live longer lives. The next fron琀椀er is ensuring
those lives remain rich with connec琀椀on, purpose,
and possibility with a na琀椀onal narra琀椀ve that re昀氀ects
just that.
A D ECA D E O F P RO GRE S S , A D ECA D E TO ACT 51
