The Promise of an Age-Friendly Ecosystem
Generations Journal, vol. 49, no. 1 (Spring 2025)
The articles in this issue were written prior to the sweeping changes made to federal and state health programs and reductions in the federal workforce. At time of publication, these programmatic changes are not complete, but the editors acknowledge that these significant changes may have a profound impact on the programs and services that serve older people, people with disabilities, caregivers, families, and communities across the country. Multi-sector collaborations and partnerships across the age-friendly ecosystem are now more important than ever.
Guest Editor: Karon L. Phillips, PhD
Guest Editor: Megan Wolfe, JD
Leading by Example: Minnesota’s Approach to Dementia and Aging
This post is timed to June being Alzheimer's & Brain Awareness Month. Minnesota's rapidly aging population has made Alzheimer's disease and related dementias a pressing priority for the state. More than 120,000 Minnesotans are living with Alzheimer's, a 20% increase from 2020. Caring for residents with dementia also carries a heavy economic...
Don’t Panic, Have a Plan: How Care Facilities Can Subtly Support Sexual Wellness
Let's be honest, talking about sex in a care home can feel a little … awkward. Not just for families and residents, but for staff, too. But it really shouldn't. With a few subtle actions, care facilities can support sexual wellness in ways that help everyone involved gradually normalize residents' need for intimacy and connection. And let us not forget...
Joint Replacement and Nutrition: What Older Adults Need to Know
June is Wound Healing Awareness Month, a timely reminder of the critical role healing plays in recovery from surgery—especially for older adults undergoing joint replacement. Each year in the United States, more than 790,000 total knee replacements and 450,000 hip replacements are performed, with a significant portion of these surgeries involving...
Aggressive Immigration Policies Hurt Older Adults
Older immigrants are vital to our communities. They are strong pillars of support in multigenerational families and regarded as leaders with wisdom and expertise, but despite their contributions, older immigrants and immigrant communities are under attack. From the notion that Haitian immigrants eat domestic pets to the narrative that undocumented...
The Impact of Aging with a Criminal Record
People Living with HIV (PLWH) are, on average, living longer due to the revolutions in available treatment, while grappling with a system that is inadequate to address the needs of the general aging population, let alone the specific needs of People Living and Aging With HIV (PLAWH). PLAWH who are aging with a criminal record face greater difficulty...
On Aging, Identity and Survival
The landscape of HIV/AIDS has evolved dramatically over the past few decades. Thanks to advances in antiretroviral therapy (ART), people living with HIV are now living longer, transforming what was once a terminal diagnosis into a manageable chronic condition. However, for many Latino individuals aging with HIV, the journey is fraught with unique...
Caring for the Caregivers
In the ongoing fight against HIV, much attention has been given to treatment, prevention and support for those living with the virus. But standing quietly beside many of them are caregivers—spouses, siblings, friends, parents, adult children and even professional aides—who carry emotional, physical and social responsibilities that often go unrecognized....
Leaving a Legacy: HIV Long-Term Survivors Share Their Stories
Before medicine brought hope, people living with HIV were surviving. They buried friends, fought for care, endured silence, and found ways to live through a crisis that was supposed to end their lives. Today, more than 40 years after the start of the HIV epidemic, many of those survivors are still here. They are living proof that survival is not the end of...
Navigating Comprehensive Care for Older Adults Living with HIV
The number of older adults living with HIV/AIDS is rising rapidly, particularly in marginalized communities (HIV.gov, 2024). Although biomedical advances have extended life expectancy for people living with HIV, they have not eliminated the social, emotional and systemic challenges—including isolation, compounded stigma, chronic comorbidities and...
Healing Hope: The Power of Storytelling for Women Aging with HIV
The experience of aging while living with HIV remains profoundly isolating for many women. Despite advancements in medical treatments, societal stigma and historical neglect continue to marginalize women diagnosed with HIV, particularly as they age. This isolation is uniquely intensified for women in border states and rural parts of San Diego County, where...
YEP Educates: Empowering Lives Through Education
Several years ago, a group of grandchildren were gathered on Nina Nichols' sofa, and one asked her about the pieces of paper adorning her walls. She explained they were diplomas, signifying that her son and two daughters had successfully completed high school. She noted the children's grandfather had one, too, but the paper got lost during Katrina. “Then...
Without Immigrants, Our Caregiving System Could Collapse
More Americans than ever before will live to 100 in coming years, with the number of those ages 100 or older projected to more than quadruple by 2054. Within a decade, older adults will outnumber children for the first time in U.S. history. As our population ages, many more Americans will likely be unable to live independently. Who will care for our...
It’s About Ability, Not Age
With 58 million people ages 65 and older in the United States today—and 1.4 billion worldwide by 2030—the idea that they all belong in the same class, need the same equipment, or enjoy the same pace when exercising is simply absurd. Yet we persist with labels like “senior yoga” and “silver strength.” These age-based titles often reinforce outdated notions...
ASA’s Hill Day Highlights the Need for Action on Aging and Obesity
This post is the first in a series of three centering obesity as a health equity issue for older adults. ASA published a series of fact sheets to inform and educate the aging services network on prioritizing obesity care for older adults, which were distributed to congressional offices during ASA's Hill Day on April 3, 2025, in Washington, DC, to advocate...
Let’s Flip the Script on Aging
Suppose the opposite of what's true today were true. Suppose older adults weren't seen as winding down or stuck in their ways, but instead as power AI users, invaluable mentors and successful startup founders. Suppose generational differences weren't a source of conflict at work, but of creativity, resilience and innovation. Suppose the most effective...
Homesharing Can Be a Path to Community
Having spent many years working at the Burlington Community Justice Center in various roles, on restorative justice panels, as a case coordinator and as a victim liaison, I have always aspired to and identify myself as being a peacemaker. And helping create the Center's Conflict Assistance Program has been my joy. As coordinator of the program, I conduct...
Exposing Glaring Gaps in Hospice Care
The below is excerpted from the new book, DisElderly Conduct: The Flawed Business of Assisted Living and Hospice (New Village Press, paperback, May 13, 2025). Despite common belief, hospices are not run by volunteers. Volunteers might become part-time visitors or assistants for a variety of tasks, but hospice administrations are led by professionals who...
Executive Orders and Federal Agency Gutting Harm Older Adults
In a typical month, most older adults in the United States will interact directly with and rely upon several federal programs and agencies to navigate the healthcare system, apply for economic benefits like Social Security, or get help with housing or utility bills. At some point in their lives, most older adults also will need additional support with...
The Community That Shapes You
Editor's Note: The John A. Hartford Foundation is collaborating with ASA to advance equity in aging by supporting ASA RISE, a 20-week social justice and leadership program for rising leaders of color in aging, and via the development and dissemination of equity-related, partnership-based thought leadership through ASA's Generations platform. This blog post...
The Evolution and Promise of Age-Friendly Ecosystems in Rural Communities
Abstract Rural America, home to more than 20% of the older adult population, faces distinct challenges in supporting healthy aging. Despite these challenges, age-friendly initiatives have not been fully prioritized in rural communities. The National Rural Age-Friendly Initiative, led by the National Rural Health Association in partnership with The John A....
Staff
Editor-in-Chief: Leanne Clark-Shirley, PhD
Senior Editor: Alison Biggar
Issue Contents
Leading by Example: Minnesota’s Approach to Dementia and Aging
This post is timed to June being Alzheimer's & Brain Awareness Month. Minnesota's rapidly aging population has made Alzheimer's disease and related dementias a pressing priority for the state. More than 120,000 Minnesotans are living with Alzheimer's, a 20%...
Don’t Panic, Have a Plan: How Care Facilities Can Subtly Support Sexual Wellness
Let's be honest, talking about sex in a care home can feel a little … awkward. Not just for families and residents, but for staff, too. But it really shouldn't. With a few subtle actions, care facilities can support sexual wellness in ways that help everyone involved...
Joint Replacement and Nutrition: What Older Adults Need to Know
June is Wound Healing Awareness Month, a timely reminder of the critical role healing plays in recovery from surgery—especially for older adults undergoing joint replacement. Each year in the United States, more than 790,000 total knee replacements and 450,000 hip...
Aggressive Immigration Policies Hurt Older Adults
Older immigrants are vital to our communities. They are strong pillars of support in multigenerational families and regarded as leaders with wisdom and expertise, but despite their contributions, older immigrants and immigrant communities are under attack. From the...
The Impact of Aging with a Criminal Record
People Living with HIV (PLWH) are, on average, living longer due to the revolutions in available treatment, while grappling with a system that is inadequate to address the needs of the general aging population, let alone the specific needs of People Living and Aging...
On Aging, Identity and Survival
The landscape of HIV/AIDS has evolved dramatically over the past few decades. Thanks to advances in antiretroviral therapy (ART), people living with HIV are now living longer, transforming what was once a terminal diagnosis into a manageable chronic condition....
Caring for the Caregivers
In the ongoing fight against HIV, much attention has been given to treatment, prevention and support for those living with the virus. But standing quietly beside many of them are caregivers—spouses, siblings, friends, parents, adult children and even professional...
Leaving a Legacy: HIV Long-Term Survivors Share Their Stories
Before medicine brought hope, people living with HIV were surviving. They buried friends, fought for care, endured silence, and found ways to live through a crisis that was supposed to end their lives. Today, more than 40 years after the start of the HIV epidemic,...
Navigating Comprehensive Care for Older Adults Living with HIV
The number of older adults living with HIV/AIDS is rising rapidly, particularly in marginalized communities (HIV.gov, 2024). Although biomedical advances have extended life expectancy for people living with HIV, they have not eliminated the social, emotional and...
Healing Hope: The Power of Storytelling for Women Aging with HIV
The experience of aging while living with HIV remains profoundly isolating for many women. Despite advancements in medical treatments, societal stigma and historical neglect continue to marginalize women diagnosed with HIV, particularly as they age. This isolation is...
YEP Educates: Empowering Lives Through Education
Several years ago, a group of grandchildren were gathered on Nina Nichols' sofa, and one asked her about the pieces of paper adorning her walls. She explained they were diplomas, signifying that her son and two daughters had successfully completed high school. She...
Without Immigrants, Our Caregiving System Could Collapse
More Americans than ever before will live to 100 in coming years, with the number of those ages 100 or older projected to more than quadruple by 2054. Within a decade, older adults will outnumber children for the first time in U.S. history. As our population ages,...
It’s About Ability, Not Age
With 58 million people ages 65 and older in the United States today—and 1.4 billion worldwide by 2030—the idea that they all belong in the same class, need the same equipment, or enjoy the same pace when exercising is simply absurd. Yet we persist with labels like...
ASA’s Hill Day Highlights the Need for Action on Aging and Obesity
This post is the first in a series of three centering obesity as a health equity issue for older adults. ASA published a series of fact sheets to inform and educate the aging services network on prioritizing obesity care for older adults, which were distributed to...
Let’s Flip the Script on Aging
Suppose the opposite of what's true today were true. Suppose older adults weren't seen as winding down or stuck in their ways, but instead as power AI users, invaluable mentors and successful startup founders. Suppose generational differences weren't a source of...
Homesharing Can Be a Path to Community
Having spent many years working at the Burlington Community Justice Center in various roles, on restorative justice panels, as a case coordinator and as a victim liaison, I have always aspired to and identify myself as being a peacemaker. And helping create the...
Exposing Glaring Gaps in Hospice Care
The below is excerpted from the new book, DisElderly Conduct: The Flawed Business of Assisted Living and Hospice (New Village Press, paperback, May 13, 2025). Despite common belief, hospices are not run by volunteers. Volunteers might become part-time visitors or...
Executive Orders and Federal Agency Gutting Harm Older Adults
In a typical month, most older adults in the United States will interact directly with and rely upon several federal programs and agencies to navigate the healthcare system, apply for economic benefits like Social Security, or get help with housing or utility bills....
The Community That Shapes You
Editor's Note: The John A. Hartford Foundation is collaborating with ASA to advance equity in aging by supporting ASA RISE, a 20-week social justice and leadership program for rising leaders of color in aging, and via the development and dissemination of...
The Evolution and Promise of Age-Friendly Ecosystems in Rural Communities
Abstract Rural America, home to more than 20% of the older adult population, faces distinct challenges in supporting healthy aging. Despite these challenges, age-friendly initiatives have not been fully prioritized in rural communities. The National Rural Age-Friendly...
Editorial Advisory Board
Ruth E. Katz, Chair
Wendy Lustbader, Immediate Past Chair
Tobi Abramson, PhD
Joe Angelelli, PhD
Orion Bell, MBA
Fayron Epps, PhD
Mary L. Flett, PhD
Sarah Galvan, JD
Robyn L. Golden, LCSW
Donna M. Lisi, PharmD
Heather Menne, PhD
Najja Orr, MBA, DBA
Winifred V. Quinn, PhD, FAANP, FAAN
Laura Trejo, PhD
ISSN 2694-5126
Suggested citation for articles in this issue: [Last Name(s), First Name(s)]. “Article Title.”
About Generations Journal
Generations Journal is the quarterly journal of the American Society on Aging. Each issue is devoted to bringing together the most useful and current knowledge about a specific topic in the field of aging, with emphasis on practice, research, and policy.