Older Adult System of Care Conference San Francisco, CA April 2728, 2006

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Older Adult System of Care ConferenceSan
Francisco, CAApril 27-28, 2006

• Older Adults and Their Community Building Full
  Service Partnerships

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Are We Ready for the New Face of Aging?
The tides of change are upon us.
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We are seeing the rise of a new civilization
that challenges all of our old assumptions. Old
ways of thinking, old formulas, old dogmas and
ideologies, no matter how cherished or how useful
in the past no longer fit the facts. Yesterdays
conventional cubbyhole does not fit the embryonic
world of tomorrow. There is room for long range
optimism seen though the transitional years
immediately ahead are likely to be stormy and
crisis ridden. Toffler
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• We are living on one of the hinges of
  history-one of those transitional periods between
  the ages, when all of our institutions are
  shaken, all of our assumptions are challenged and
  all of our power is loosened. Instability and
  uncertainty are going to be part of our lives.
  Our survival may depend on our ability to
  disconnect from the past and accept change as a
  way of life. We will be discouraged and anxious
  and surprised all of our lives, but we will be
  participators in the emergence and shape of a new
  age. John Brantner

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• The future is not what it used to be. It arrives
  more rapidly, it brings more change and it alters
  our priorities in entirely unexpected ways. Not
  only will the future change the world in which we
  live, it will change the way that world can be
  effectively governed and managed. Robert Theobold

The future is avalanching around us, and we are
ill equipped to deal with it. Lee Kaiser
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Longevity is revolutionizing the aging experience
into a new Age Span and new Life Stages.

• 0-29 emerging young adult
• 29-40 young adult
• 40-55 adult
• 55-75 middle age
• 75-95 older adult
• 95 elder

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The World is Graying!

• 2020 60
• Japan 23
• Germany 23
• Italy 24
• Spain 21.8
• US 16

2050 60 Japan 42 Germany 35
Italy 42 Spain 44 US 26.9
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• Life Expectancy is
• Increasing 2 1/2 years/10 yrs

2045 Japan 88 Sweden 84.6 US 82.6
Iceland 83 Hong Kong 84.7
We are tied in destiny across the aging planet.
What is a planet of elders?
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• Two thirds of those 65 who ever lived are here
  today.
• The Boomers will add 76 million more.
• In 2020 CA will have 6.5 million citizens over
  age 64.

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Most current assumptions about aging are wrong.
Preconceived notions of a typical older person
are wrong.

• 30 year old men live at home with mom
• 40 year old women are just getting pregnant
• 55 year old women have egg donor babies
• 80 year olds run marathons
• 90 year olds remarry and enjoy sex
• 100 year olds are on the increase

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The Self Image of aging is changing. The new age
is the HIP Age. Healthy Independent Productive Bo
th science and life experience will continue to
redefine aging and the life span.
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What is active aging? What is the meaning of the
third and fourth stage of life?
Power years Regeneration of Self Legacy
Years

• Re-creation of recreation to the awakening of
  potential
• Ongoing learning, new adventure and purpose at
  60, 70, 80, 90
• Preventing illness, maintaining fitness,
  promoting wellness and independence

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Our existing policy, systems and practices,
designed to fit the circumstances and customers
of the past, now face a pressing new market with
vastly different expectations. We have a major
cultural lag. What we know is ahead of what
is. No common understanding of the problem. No
consensus on priorities for solutions. Three in
one Paradox the most cognitively impaired,
most wealthy, most wise generation.
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We hold conflicting ideas on how to address the
challenges. Therapeutic approach Technological
approach Power redistribution approach Equity and
capacity building approach We need to leverage
multiple approaches, BUT in new and better ways.
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Current societal responses are doomed to
failure. Denial, fear of aging Obsession with
youth Budget driven short-term policy Cost
shifts/phantom cost savings Rampant
ageism Mythology of retirement Generational
divisions Small scope advocacy Medical model high
tech interventions Empty long term care
policy Death taboos Turfs, Silos, Egos
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A huge untapped resource pool is waiting to be
unleashed. No model exists to measure the
value of what can be accomplished by this grand
population in work, arts, community building,
teaching, politics, justice and civil rights,
environmental reservation, child care, leisure,
travel and creative reflection.
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The Possibilities are filled with
Potential. WHEE World Helping Elders
Evolve GUIDE Grannies Undoing International
Destruction of the Environment GOLD Grandpare
nts Offering Learning and Development GRRR Gr
andparents Ranting and Raving for
Reforms SEEDS Seniors Eradicating the Effects
on Diseases
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The retired will work again, and are working
now! Bridge employment Customized work
Intergenerational work force Survey of Boomers
65 (The Revolving Retired) 17 will not work
for pay 6 will work full time 13 will own a
business 16 will work part time 42 will cycle
work, leisure, and study 6 do not know
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Leaders with a high comfort level with change and
talent for creativity are needed to define a new
vision and open up new pathways. LEADERS who
can Live as a Legacy Energize and
Elevate Assemble to Acquire Develop and
Demand Educate and Evolve Redesign and
Redeploy Stabilize and Shake up
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How do we move forward? Chaordic Leadership
(nobody in charge) 50 management of self 25
management of superiors 15 management of
peers 10 hiring and training others to do the
same
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Hyper-Creativity Creativity beyond innovation. A
Hyper-Creative leader asks the question How can
I maximize the creativity of this organization
all of the time?
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Why should We Bother? Most opportune time
crisis as a tool for change Most exciting
possibilities untapped potential
awaits Most promising impact huge numbers
exist Most professionally anchored
value/philosophy based Most morally compelling
safety net required Most consequential
avoid cost of not acting
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Do we have the resolve to stand with Boundless
Faith? Do we have the willingness to change with
Boundless Compassion for self/others? Do we
accept the mandate for Innovation or
Deprivation? Do we commit to Advocacy for
Posterity?
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New Age
I call upon the real leaders, the pioneers,
the agents of change, the
champions of aging, to step
forward to participate,
in the emergence and shape
of a new age.
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• Lu Molberg, Director
• Riverside County Office on Aging
• lmolberg_at_co.riverside.ca.us
• www.rcaging.org