Preparing for Healthy Longevity
Jo Ann Jenkins, Chief Executive Officer, AARP In 2020, the world was turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic. But 2020 also marked another milestone that will change our world: The number of people 65 and older outnumbered children under age five for the first time in history. And this is only the beginning. In just 30 years, the number of people over age 65 is expected to almost double, reaching 1.6 billion – or 17% of the world’s population. A subset of that group, those known as the “oldest old,” or people over 80, will more than triple in size during the same period. Longer lives are a triumph of medicine, public health, technology and international development. But whether the extra years will be good ones – and whether societies and economies will benefit as a result – depends on the actions we take now. To be sure, an unprecedented and exciting opportunity lies before us. But to take advantage of this opportunity, in addition to increasing the life span, we must also increase the health span—the years we maintain good health. We need to empower societies around the world to both embrace the opportunities of aging to the fullest extent possible and address the attendant challenges. Healthy longevity requires societies to focus more on physical and mental fitness rather than diminishment alone—on preventing disease and improving wellbeing rather than simply treating ailments. Further, as we empower societies, we also need to empower people to become active partners in ensuring their own health and wellbeing. If we prepare now, we can extend healthy longevity and productivity. As people live longer, healthier lives, they could stay in the workforce longer, whether motivated by desire or need. They could continue contributing to their families, communities and society. They could delay or reduce admissions to hospitals and other care facilities as well as enjoy active, independent and fulfilling lives while enriching their environments in many ways. The time has come to cast aside outdated attitudes and stereotypes about aging and understand that a healthy, engaged and productive older population has the potential to be an economic boom, not an economic and social burden. It’s time to recognize that as we extend healthy longevity, the growing number of older people is not a drain on society but, instead, a key driver of economic growth, innovation and new value creation. The opportunity to live longer, healthier, more productive lives stands to be one of humankind’s greatest accomplishments. Capitalizing on such an unprecedented opportunity, however, will require a commitment to innovation across all sectors of society: the personal, private and public. It is up to us to take heed and harness what’s possible. Only then can we create the sort of healthy longevity we all deserve.
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