Preparing for our aging society

The whole world is aging -- it is an unprecedented global trend. Here and abroad, people are living longer than ever before. The demographic shift poses serious issues for societies across the globe.
Public policy responses to the changed age structure require six high-priority considerations, according to John Rowe, Chair of the MacArthur Foundation and Professor of Public Health at Columbia University. Rowe writes about core societal implications in the Spring 2015 issue of Daedalus, a quarterly journal that was created in 1955 to raise collective learning for the betterment of mankind. Rowe’s input is particularly provocative in light of his renowned reputation as co-author of the publication Successful Aging, which was published in 1997 with colleague Robert Kahn.
Rowe asserts that intergenerational relations require greater import as there is a need for cohesion among the generations. The future requires that we be concerned with both younger and older individuals and families. Changing family structures and roles must also be considered. The family has evolved in contemporary American society and this impacts intrafamilial
Such issues resonate for not only income security
Greater attention must be placed on the domains of livability that impact the ability to age well in one’s community. Fortunately, many local, national, and international efforts are underway to enhance aging in community. Now is the time to prepare for OUR aging society!