The Future of Aging and Longevity - Flipbook - Page 57
increased caregiving demands of aging parents
also make millennials more suscep琀椀ble to workrelated impacts such as reduced hours, foregone
promo琀椀ons, or pressure to leave their jobs.
If untended, these poten琀椀al genera琀椀onal
fault lines may lead to a di昀昀erent poli琀椀cs of aging,
one where older voters compete with younger
voters for diminishing tax dollars and resource
distribu琀椀on. Herein lie policy dilemmas, as this
essay’s coauthors support di昀昀erent posi琀椀ons,
with a baby boomer suppor琀椀ng expanded Social
Security bene昀椀ts, a single-payer health plan,
and universal long-term care, while a millennial’s
immediate concerns are saving for her children’s
educa琀椀on, using de昀椀ned contribu琀椀on plans (e.g.,
IRAs) to self-fund her future re琀椀rement, and
caring for her parents as they age. These and
other concerns create pressing insecuri琀椀es among
younger cohorts that their children may see a
reversal of the American Dream.
“By fostering meaningful
connec琀椀ons between
genera琀椀ons, both groups can
bene昀椀t from the strengths,
resources, and support each
has to o昀昀er.”
So, how can we move toward a coalescing of
mutual concerns and promote intergenera琀椀onal
common cause?
One intriguing answer: immigra琀椀on. A large
segment of the baby boomer cohort supports
closed borders and restric琀椀ve immigra琀椀on
because they feel the na琀椀on’s borders are
insecure, and immigrants and refugees are
hindering their economic and civic security.
Younger cohorts appear to be more open to
the diversity and economic contribu琀椀ons of
immigrants.
Perhaps one way to break the immigra琀椀on
reform logjam is to focus on one mutual concern:
the declining long-term care workforce that
historically relies on immigrants and refugees.
Older persons face a shortage of nursing home
sta昀昀, home-care workers, and assistants because
of this decline. Many younger persons depend on
immigrant workers to care for their children and
aging parents. On a wider policy level, immigrants
could help ensure the solvency of Social Security,
with younger, diverse immigrants working and
paying into the system.
What is certain is that immigra琀椀on and age,
race, and ethnicity issues will present diverse
challenges and opportuni琀椀es that younger cohorts
will face in the next 10 years. Gen Z in par琀椀cular
will be the 昀椀rst cohort to live their lives with the
full implica琀椀ons of a majority-minority society—a
na琀椀on that, regardless of current an琀椀-immigrant
sen琀椀ments, will face this demographic des琀椀ny.
Another untapped opportunity is the “琀椀me
a昀툀uence” of younger baby boomers who are
entering re琀椀rement, which places a heavier burden
on millennials. More intergenera琀椀onal programs,
policies, and interven琀椀ons are needed to support
an overworked and burned-out genera琀椀on.
At the same 琀椀me, many younger re琀椀rees are
transi琀椀oning into this stage of life without a clear
sense of purpose and greater social isola琀椀on. These
parallel challenges present a unique opportunity:
By fostering meaningful connec琀椀ons between
genera琀椀ons, both groups can bene昀椀t from the
strengths, resources, and support each has to o昀昀er.
Our message is to give more a琀琀en琀椀on to the
views and concerns of younger cohorts, while we
deal with the demands of aging baby boomers.
This involves rethinking a poli琀椀cs of aging that
moves from an aged-based (and ageist) focus and
criteria to a lifespan perspec琀椀ve—one that looks
at the concerns of younger persons and plans long
term for future policy and system changes. If we
need a sense of urgency, one need only look at the
diminishing vo琀椀ng power of baby boomers and
compare it to the increasing vo琀椀ng power of Gen Z
and millennials.
A D ECA D E O F P RO GRE S S , A D ECA D E TO ACT 53
