We need to lead. And lead we will… by answering these and other questions:
- How will our communities adapt to the unprecedented number of older adults?
- Who will work in our field?
- Who, among the many kinds of providers, will be the winners and losers in this ever-changing landscape?
- Will the notion of “retirement” even exist?
- What will older adults expect? Demand?
Earlier this year, we released a new scenario planning toolkit, Aging Services 2030, in which LeadingAge has identified forces that will influence the answers to these questions, and they include:
- Attitudes about aging.
- Technology.
- Government.
- And of course, Workforce.
Ageism is everywhere. It’s insidious. To free America from ageism, we need to hold up a mirror to our society and ignite change.
Some say, “light a candle; shatter the darkness.” LeadingAge says, “Light 10,000 candles; illuminate a nation.”
We will not stop until the darkest corner of ageism is lit with the brilliance of our efforts.
Technology is an overwhelming force. The possibilities of enabling people to live independently, to tap into the shared economy, to enhance safety, security, and efficiency seem to be endless. And yet, for some, so are the delays and road blocks.
We can’t wait. We must close the gap in access.
The self-government our founding fathers left us is a massive, opaque, and, at times, intractable force. To shift its momentum—to rein in its worst excesses and expand its best intentions—takes all of us… pushing… prodding… persuading… pursuing new legislation… and, sometimes, rejecting its antiquated ideas.
Workforce is an issue that brings us all together in a way no other issue does. It must be our rallying cry. This is not just a national crisis, it’s a global one. For LeadingAge members, it’s a Monday to Sunday crisis. 24/7.
Looking for a workforce solution forces us to innovate. We need to work together to figure out our moon shot on workforce.
At LeadingAge, a longer-term time horizon is imperative. 2050 may seem too distant to imagine, but 2030 is less than 12 years away.
According to the U.S. Census, “2030 will be an important demographic turning point in our history.” Why? Because by 2030, “1 in every 5 residents will be of retirement age.”
One in five.
Twenty percent.
71 million Americans.
Such a seismic change is unavoidable. It must be met head-on.
With both commitment and resilience—2 abiding characteristics of LeadingAge, its members and its state partners—we can master the forces arrayed ahead of us. And, we will.