The Future of Aging and Longevity - Flipbook - Page 7
“The 琀椀me is now to realize
the poten琀椀al of advances in
science, technology, and AI, as
well as the new approaches to
working, living, and learning.”
embraced it, even adding it to our organiza琀椀onal
name, but with cau琀椀on: Longevity must be more
than a personal op琀椀miza琀椀on trend. It must be a
public good that everyone can share. A 2026 survey
by the Milken Center for Advancing the American
Dream and Gallup found a similar tension: Nearly
seven in ten Americans believe they will personally
achieve it, yet fewer than half believe everyone in
the country has the same opportunity. Longevity
risks the same pa琀琀ern unless democra琀椀za琀椀on is
founda琀椀onal, not aspira琀椀onal.
Longevity is shaped over a life琀椀me, through a
child’s early health and educa琀椀on; a young adult’s
昀椀nancial habits and access to a昀昀ordable housing
and to vehicles for savings and investment; healthy
lifestyle choices solidi昀椀ed in midlife; and the design
of care, work, learning, community, and social
connec琀椀ons at every age, grounded in evidence and
delivered with equitable access.
The bene昀椀ts of longer lives remain unevenly
distributed, with dispari琀椀es across gender, race,
ethnicity, and income. Women live longer than men,
o昀琀en by half a decade or more, yet spend more of
those years in poorer health, shouldering heavier
Americans’ View of the
American Dream
caregiving responsibili琀椀es, and reaching their later
years with insu昀케cient savings. A broad longevity
movement must put women, communi琀椀es of color,
and economically vulnerable popula琀椀ons at its core.
At the same 琀椀me, we should reclaim the word
“aging” as something to embrace in its fullness
rather than avoid. Longer, physically and cogni琀椀vely
healthier lives o昀昀er opportuni琀椀es for ongoing social
connec琀椀ons and purposeful engagement. But aging
is also about transi琀椀ons, caregiving needs, and the
losses that come with growing older. Individuals
must prepare for each life stage, and our systems,
ins琀椀tu琀椀ons, policies, and prac琀椀ces must be
transformed to support them.
Making healthy longevity a public good will
require far more than scien琀椀昀椀c progress. Chronic
condi琀椀ons, including demen琀椀a, con琀椀nue to
threaten pa琀椀ents, families, and communi琀椀es.
Customs and conven琀椀ons designed for yesterday’s
demography s琀椀ll limit the possibili琀椀es of longer
lives. The past decade has shown the promise,
but ideas have outpaced ac琀椀ons. The 琀椀me is now
to realize the poten琀椀al of advances in science,
technology, and AI, as well as the new approaches
to working, living, and learning.
We remain op琀椀mis琀椀c. A be琀琀er future requires
all of us to build, invest, shi昀琀, and connect. We
are honored to con琀椀nue our work with a growing
community of leaders and partners who share our
convic琀椀on that healthy aging and longevity should
be a public good accessible to everyone, not a
privilege for a fortunate few. We hope you will
read this collec琀椀on, share it, and help us carry this
work forward.
I will achieve the
American Dream
2024 vs. 2026
Everyone in this country has
the opportunity to achieve
the American Dream
Source: Gallup and Milken Center for
Advancing the American Dream
(June 17, 2026). American Dream
endures as US approaches 250 years.
0
10
20
% of Americans
30
40
2024
50
60
70
80
2026
A D ECA D E O F P RO GRE S S , A D ECA D E TO ACT
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