The Future of Aging and Longevity - Flipbook - Page 6
INTRO D UC T I O N
A Longevity Society
in the Making
Diane Ty
Paul Irving, JD
Managing Director,
Future of Aging and
Longevity, Milken Ins琀椀tute
Chairman Emeritus and
Senior Advisor,
Future of Aging and
Longevity, Milken Ins琀椀tute
en years ago, we asked a group of
respected thought leaders to contribute
to a publica琀椀on about the future of aging.
Their essays recognized the challenges faced by
older adults and socie琀椀es grappling with a historic
demographic age shi昀琀. Hopeful for a be琀琀er future,
they called for a琀琀en琀椀on and urgent change.
Ten years later, we invited many of the original
contributors and other luminaries in aging and
longevity to coauthor essays with a new genera琀椀on
of leaders, re昀氀ec琀椀ng on the past decade’s progress
and exploring the opportuni琀椀es and challenges
that lie ahead. This intergenera琀椀onal collec琀椀on is a
product of their generosity in sharing their exper琀椀se,
complemented by conversa琀椀ons with leading
prac琀椀琀椀oners who are transla琀椀ng ideas into ac琀椀on
across various sectors.
The pages that follow are organized around four
calls to ac琀椀on: Build infrastructure and ins琀椀tu琀椀ons
for longer lives; invest in people and in innova琀椀ons
to serve them at every age; shi昀琀 outdated thinking,
T
2
policies, and prac琀椀ces; and connect genera琀椀ons in
ways that strengthen and serve us all.
What has progressed in the past decade?
Popula琀椀on aging has moved from a niche concern
to a de昀椀ning force across health, work, markets, and
public policy. Healthspan, rather than lifespan alone,
has become a central focus of medical research,
and geroscience has emerged as a dynamic 昀椀eld
of biomedical discovery. Employers increasingly
recognize the value of experienced workers and the
elevated performance of intergenera琀椀onal teams,
while lifelong learning is gaining trac琀椀on. Investors
and policymakers are paying close a琀琀en琀椀on.
Alongside this progress, awareness of ageism’s
harms and the opportuni琀椀es created by longer lives is
spreading. Culture is beginning to shi昀琀 as in昀氀uen琀椀al
昀椀gures in entertainment, sports, business, and beyond
wear their age and experience with pride.
The term “longevity” has also entered the
mainstream. It carries a more expansive, life-course
view that speaks to every genera琀椀on. We’ve
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
