The Future of Aging and Longevity - Flipbook - Page 54
The Next
Longevity
Fron琀椀er Is
Social
Cinny Kennard
Christopher Leech
President, Wallis Annenberg
Legacy Founda琀椀on
Director, Wallis Annenberg
GenSpace
ver the past decade, the longevity
movement has transformed our
understanding of aging. Scien琀椀sts
are uncovering the biological mechanisms that
drive aging. New therapies and technologies
are extending healthy lifespans. Investors,
policymakers, and philanthropists are pouring
resources into helping people live longer, healthier
lives. And this is even before we account for AI—a
revolu琀椀on whose implica琀椀ons for health care we
are only now beginning to see.
Millions of people are living longer, but as the
昀椀eld matures, an uncomfortable reality is becoming
harder to ignore. We have invested enormous
energy in extending life but far less 琀椀me asking
what those addi琀椀onal years should look like.
For so many older adults, the greatest threats
to well-being are not solely biological. Research
has taught us that the biggest threat is the lack of
social experiences in aging. Loneliness, isola琀椀on,
loss of purpose, and disconnec琀椀on from community
are all linked to poorer health outcomes, increased
health-care costs, cogni琀椀ve decline, and premature
mortality.
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
O
50
life to those years. Several years ago, well into her
eighth decade, philanthropist Wallis Annenberg
saw one too many aging adults alone in the middle
of the day and began asking ques琀椀ons: How were
people spending the 琀椀me they had gained with a
longer lifespan?
What emerged was striking. People were
not asking for someone to manage their decline.
Instead, they wanted opportuni琀椀es to con琀椀nue
learning, engage with new technologies, build
meaningful rela琀椀onships, contribute their
experience, and remain ac琀椀ve par琀椀cipants in their
communi琀椀es. They wanted purpose, connec琀椀on,
and con琀椀nued relevance.
Those conversa琀椀ons shaped the vision for the
Wallis Annenberg GenSpace, opened in Los Angeles
in 2022. GenSpace was built on a simple belief that
healthy aging depends on crea琀椀ng environments
where people can con琀椀nue to learn, contribute,
connect, and thrive throughout their longer lives.
Wallis was hands-on with designing classes on
wellness, tech learnings, hor琀椀cultural therapy, and
arts and culture, among others. GenSpace is packed
each day.
Wallis Annenberg was also concerned about
outdated images and inaccurate portrayals of aging
on our screens contribu琀椀ng to nega琀椀ve views on
MIL K EN I N S T I T U T E | T H E FU T U RE O F AGI N G A N D LO N GEV I TY
