The Future of Aging and Longevity - Flipbook - Page 33
“As this popula琀椀on grows, so
does the opportunity to build
and invest in systems that
help them contribute.”
At the same 琀椀me, AARP has worked to ensure
those lessons shape the systems that a昀昀ect the
more than 125 million Americans age 50 and
older it serves. Over the past decade, AARP
has advanced prescrip琀椀on drug a昀昀ordability,
expanded re琀椀rement savings opportuni琀椀es,
elevated family caregiving as a na琀椀onal priority,
built a na琀椀onwide movement of age-friendly
communi琀椀es, accelerated innova琀椀on through its
AgeTech Collabora琀椀ve, and challenged outdated
assump琀椀ons about aging itself. Together,
we’ve shown that aging is a shared societal
responsibility. And now, we must meet the
moment before us.
The United States is entering a new
demographic era. The 50-plus popula琀椀on is
growing by more than one million people each
year, and as Americans live longer, every sector of
society will feel the impact. AARP’s latest Longevity
Economy Outlook 昀椀nds that adults 50-plus already
generate $12.5 trillion in annual economic ac琀椀vity,
an amount that would make them the world’s
third-largest economy if considered independently.
They drive innova琀椀on, support nearly half of all US
jobs, strengthen families through caregiving and
volunteering, and create value that bene昀椀ts every
genera琀椀on. As this popula琀椀on grows, so does the
opportunity to build and invest in systems that help
them contribute.
The next fron琀椀er in longevity isn’t another
breakthrough con昀椀ned to a single discipline. It
is redesigning the systems people interact with
every day and viewing every sector through a
longevity lens.
Success looks like health care that invests
in preven琀椀on as much as treatment. It looks like
workplaces that recognize careers and caregiving
increasingly overlap. It looks like communi琀椀es
designed to foster mobility, independence, social
connec琀椀on, and belonging. It looks like 昀椀nancial
systems that help people plan con昀椀dently
across longer lives. And it looks like community
organiza琀椀ons being recognized and invested in
as essen琀椀al partners in helping people remain
healthy, connected, and engaged.
This is not work any one sector can accomplish
alone. Business leaders. Health-care providers.
Policymakers. Philanthropists. Innovators.
Community organiza琀椀ons. We each have a role to
play in how people experience aging.
This is where AARP and Meals on Wheels
America will con琀椀nue to lead.
Meals on Wheels brings the trust that
comes from decades of serving communi琀椀es,
understanding the diverse experiences and
evolving needs of older adults, and demonstra琀椀ng
what works on the ground. AARP brings the
ability to connect those lessons to research,
advocacy, innova琀椀on, and partnerships that can
drive change at scale. Together, we’ve spent the
last decade helping rede昀椀ne successful aging.
Now comes the harder, and more important,
work. The next decade is about building a society
worthy of longer lives. The challenge is no longer
proving what works. It is inves琀椀ng in proven
solu琀椀ons that enable people to age well in their
communi琀椀es and meet the needs of an aging
America.
That’s how we’ll narrow the gap between
lifespan and healthspan. That’s how we’ll unlock
the full promise of longevity. And that’s how we’ll
ensure the next decade isn’t remembered simply
for helping people live longer, but for helping
every genera琀椀on live be琀琀er.
A D ECA D E O F P RO GRE S S , A D ECA D E TO ACT 29
