The Future of Aging and Longevity - Flipbook - Page 49
“Collec琀椀ve longevity is the
shared journey of a people
through 琀椀me, shaped by
freedom, interdependence,
cultural con琀椀nuity,
and intergenera琀椀onal
responsibility.”
wisdom and for琀椀tude and younger genera琀椀ons
innovate and organize. Community life sustains
care, iden琀椀ty, and belonging. This view
acknowledges that Black aging is not only about
survival, access to services and programs, or years
added to life but also agency, connec琀椀on, and the
ability to shape the future.
This framing explains why progress feels
incomplete. Black communi琀椀es emphasized to us
the interconnectedness of Black life, yet support
systems remain fragmented. Health, housing,
food, faith, technology, safety, and family are
woven together, but policy and services are
delivered in silos. Elders are o昀琀en seen as needy
or disconnected, while their assets and wisdom
are minimized. E昀昀orts to improve the well-being
of marginalized communi琀椀es, like Black older
adults, face increasing opposi琀椀on and setbacks.
Well-inten琀椀oned reforms stabilize hardship
without considering people. The last decade
in some areas produced a more responsive
patchwork, not a system built for collec琀椀ve
thriving. Advoca琀椀ng for aging policies that include
Black older adults is essen琀椀al.
Jus琀椀ce in Aging’s Equity in Aging: Public
Bene昀椀ts and the Reali琀椀es of Black Older Adults brief
outlines policy considera琀椀ons for Black elders.40
It iden琀椀昀椀es necessary steps we must take now:
stronger civil rights and an琀椀-discrimina琀椀on
enforcement, improved access to Medicare
and Medicaid, and expansion and redesign of
home- and community-based services. Reforming
Medicaid estate recovery and using tools like
the Older Americans Act that can priori琀椀ze Black
elders with the greatest social and economic need
are paramount. Safety net programs and services,
though imperfect, are vital for Black elders. Safety
net programs help lessen the harmful e昀昀ects of
longstanding discrimina琀椀on and the resul琀椀ng
economic and health inequi琀椀es that impact Black
elders in later life.
The policy stakes are whether reforms will
merely so昀琀en hardship or change who can age
with security, stability, and belonging. A more
equitable patchwork is s琀椀ll a patchwork. It must
include a broader vision of aging and community
support across genera琀椀ons.
Collec琀椀ve longevity calls for a larger vision.
Prac琀椀琀椀oners must move beyond a service model
and toward a societal design grounded in shared
responsibility. It insists that public systems
recognize intergenera琀椀onal life as founda琀椀onal to
Black well-being, not supplemental. It also insists
that iden琀椀ty, culture, faith, ancestry, and story are
not decora琀椀ve features of aging policy. All are part
of the infrastructure that helps people adapt and
thrive. Success in data requires qualita琀椀ve and
quan琀椀ta琀椀ve metrics that consider belonging, joy,
civic par琀椀cipa琀椀on, safety, and stronger community
rela琀椀onships.
Black elders carry hard-earned wisdom,
determina琀椀on, and ac琀椀vism, while younger
genera琀椀ons bring technological 昀氀uency,
entrepreneurial energy, and a sharpened social
consciousness. Neither contribu琀椀on is su昀케cient
alone.
The last decade taught us that progress
without intergenera琀椀onal design leaves much
untouched. To lead e昀케ciently, the next decade
must be built through shared leadership across
genera琀椀ons. The next decade should focus on
crea琀椀ng the policy condi琀椀ons for Black people to
age together with joy, power, and purpose. Black
communi琀椀es’ voices must de昀椀ne the future of
aging and not adapt to it.
A D ECA D E O F P RO GRE S S , A D ECA D E TO ACT 45
