The Future of Aging and Longevity - Flipbook - Page 56
The Poli琀椀cs of Aging:
Intergenera琀椀onal Tensions and
Opportuni琀椀es
Fernando Torres-Gil,
PhD
Director, UCLA Center for
Policy Research on Aging;
Professor Emeritus of Social
Welfare and Public Policy
Courtney Demko, PhD
Lecturer of Social Welfare,
UCLA Luskin School of
Public A昀昀airs
he poli琀椀cs of aging is about the
par琀椀cipa琀椀on and in昀氀uence of older
persons: the ac琀椀vism of the 1930s and
1960s that gave us programs and bene昀椀ts such
as Social Security, Medicare, the Older Americans
Act, Medicaid, tax preferences, and civil rights
safeguards for today’s elders. But what awaits
millennials and Gen Z? Might today’s poli琀椀cal
divisions and concerns lead to a diminished social
safety net for future elders?
It behooves all of us to understand the
concerns, expecta琀椀ons, and aspira琀椀ons of younger
cohorts to mold their own poli琀椀cs of aging,
proposing and promo琀椀ng their vision of public and
private approaches to their future social, health,
and re琀椀rement needs. But therein lie disquie琀椀ng
dilemmas between genera琀椀ons, par琀椀cularly
between baby boomers and younger persons,
T
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who face the diminishment of de昀椀ned bene昀椀ts
and health and pension plans and greater personal
reliance on saving and inves琀椀ng. Moreover, the
impacts of high housing costs, student loan debts,
and job insecurity are well documented.
Genera琀椀onal di昀昀erences play out in
various ways. Baby boomers enjoy high home
apprecia琀椀on, while younger people struggle to
rent and buy. If old-age advocacy groups succeed
in raising taxes to sustain Social Security and
Medicare, it will be on the backs of younger
taxpayers. With lower fer琀椀lity rates among young
cohorts, they worry about who will take care of
their parents, grandparents, and later, themselves.
Caregiving responsibili琀椀es are increasingly landing
in the laps of millennials, increasing their risks of
physical, emo琀椀onal, and 昀椀nancial burdens, while
many are juggling work and raising children. The
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
