The aging baby boomer generation is often described as a “tsunami,” with accompanying alarms about the capacity of Medicare and Social Security to contain the flood. But what about the strengths and potential contributions baby boomers bring into retirement? Join us for a series of lectures and conversations centered on how this newest generation of older adults is forever altering the aging experience.
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11/10: AGING IN THE 21ST CENTURY: New Issues and a New World
The experience of aging is neither universal nor static. Aging is a biological process that is greatly influenced by the social world in which individuals spend their lives. Social forces such as political movements, scientific advancement, and technological change impact the experience of aging for each generation. We will discuss the social changes that most affect current cohorts of older adults as well as the ways that biology has changed among this population, and ask how those factors impact our experience of retirement and aging
11/12: MAKING VISIBLE, COMING OUT OF THE SHADOWS: Advancing Research on the Health and Well-being of Sexual and Gender Minority Elders
LGBTQ elders are at a greater risk of health disparities and social isolation in later life. Professor Karen Fredriksen Goldsen explores the landmark longitudinal project, “Aging with Pride: National Health, Aging and Sexuality/Gender Study,” and how its research findings have encouraged the development of community evidence-based interventions and policy changes to address these issues. Such research can provide innovative solutions to complex social problems, promoting equity to create a future for all to reach their full age, health, and potential
11/17: ENLIGHTENED AGING: How Boomers Might Transform the Future
The Baby Boom generation’s impact on society, from birth to young adult to retirement, cannot be understated. How can a generation that is living longer and more actively than any preceding generation impact aging? Drawing from the long running “Adult Changes in Thought” study, Dr. Larson argues that an “enlightened” approach to aging that builds resilience for a long, active life is possible. All that’s needed is a generation keen for knowledge and acceptance of the mental, physical, and social changes that aging bring
11/19: FORECASTING AN AGING FUTURE IN WASHINGTON: Imagining Possibilities in the Demography of Diversity
As the average age of King County residents climbs, the older adult cohort brings an increasingly varied array of life experiences. Sara Curran, Professor and Director of the Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology, will speak on recent research on the growing diversity of the older generation in King County and the impact of demographic factors on the experience of aging
