Looking at aging in a totally different light

Kiyoshi Ota/Bloomberg via Getty Images The Japan Post Holdings Co. is creatively adapting to aging populations by uses postal carriers to check on the well-being of older residents and

relaying that information to family members using a tablet. En español | I wrote the book Disrupt Aging: A Bold New Path to Living Your Best Life at Every Age two years ago to help change

the conversation about what it means to grow older. I believe we need to create a new mind-set around aging—a new way of thinking about possible solutions that can help us live better as we

age. With the release of the paperback edition of Disrupt Aging this month, it’s gratifying to see shifts in attitudes, behaviors and culture as more people throughout the world are

challenging outdated attitudes and stereotypes and sparking new solutions that recognize the potential historic benefits of living longer. Where leaders once looked at the growing aging

population and saw only retirees, they are now beginning to see a new type of experienced, accomplished workforce. Where they once saw only expensive costs, they are now beginning to see an

exploding consumer market that is bolstering our economies. And where they once saw only a growing pool of dependents, they are now beginning to see intergenerational communities with new

and different strengths. All we have to do is look around us to see what is happening. Advances in research and technology are driving innovation in virtually every field of endeavor that

affects our ability to live well as we age. Entrepreneurs and innovators are creating an incredible array of products and services targeted to people as they age. Science is making longer

lives possible, and we’re just now beginning to realize the opportunities those longer lives offer. People are reinventing work, searching for purpose, embracing technology and opening

themselves up to new experiences. Societies around the world are coming up with creative, commonsense ways of adapting to the challenges posed by aging populations and doing it with existing

resources. One example is Japan’s Watch Over service. For a small monthly fee, a Japanese postal carrier will check on an older resident along the mail delivery route and relay information

about the resident’s well-being to family members using a tablet. The brilliance of this model is that it takes an existing infrastructure resource (a nationwide postal delivery network) and

a seemingly unconnected challenge (isolated seniors) and puts them together. It works. The cost is low, the barriers to entry are few, and the payoff is huge. TWEET JO ANN Join me in the

discussion about aging well on Twitter, @JoAnn_Jenkins Here at AARP we’re embracing a culture of innovation. Through our innovation lab and our AARP innovation fund, we’re exploring ideas

for products, services, collaborations, campaigns, apps and projects focused on our three pillars of health, wealth and self. We’re designing and experimenting with virtual reality and

artificial intelligence. We’re investing in promising technology. We’re working with universities, health care systems, banks, entrepreneurs, students, programmers, community leaders and

more to find ways of empowering more people to live better as they age. As you read Disrupt Aging, you’ll discover it’s about embracing aging as something to look forward to, not something

to fear. It’s about seeing ourselves and others as contributors to society, not burdens. It’s not just about adding years to the end of life; it’s about creating a bold new path to living

your best life at every age. _Jo Ann Jenkins is CEO of AARP._ MORE ON DISRUPT AGING * Disrupt Aging: What you do after 50, can be just as amazing as what you’ve done before 30

-------------------------