Elderhood: A New Vision for Later Life
Abstract The term elderhood establishes a much-needed pathway to acknowledge and embrace the distinctive opportunities, developmental transitions, and milestones of later life. The social construction of life stages progresses and transitions in response to changing norms and influences. Establishing elderhood as a distinct stage of life is necessary to...
At the Tipping Point: Liberating a New Age of Aging
Abstract: We’re at the tipping point of a transformative longevity revolution— with average life expectancy at age 78 and by 2034, the number of people older than age 65 will be larger than the number of people younger than age 18. We’re trying to meet the demands of this unprecedented demography with systems created as long as a century ago, when the...
Shibui: The Japanese Art of Finding Beauty in Aging
The below is excerpted from Shibui: The Japanese Art of Finding Beauty in Aging. Published by Sasquatch Books Nov. 4, 2025. I think a lot about aging and death. Perhaps it’s my Japanese-American upbringing; my Tokyo-born mother constantly talked about dying from the time I could grasp language. It wasn’t as morbid as it sounds, although she regularly...
The Optimist’s Call to Action
Abstract As we approach a collective longevity milestone in the United States, we can take rapid action to plan for adapting our communities in ways that optimize the aging experience. Called Connected Communities, they are places where people of different ages and abilities live together, access support when needed, and remain connected to the social and...
Growing a Productive Longevity Economy
Abstract: Aging populations are generally seen as an economic threat. We argue the opposite—a well-managed longevity economy, anchored by the ages-50-and-older cohort’s $45 trillion contribution to global GDP, represents one of the most significant growth opportunities of the 21st century. Realizing that opportunity requires shifting from fragmented,...
The Caregiving Divide
Abstract The U.S. long-term care ecosystem remains critical to millions of older adults, people with disabilities, families, and direct care workers. Yet a long-standing, deeply entrenched “caregiving divide” prevents this ecosystem from genuinely delivering what people need to provide and receive long-term care. The caregiving divide operates across six...
Care for America: The Intertwined Futures of Care for American Families and Immigrants
Abstract American families were already facing immense, often unmet, care needs for older adults and people with disabilities before the Trump administration launched an aggressive and chaotic set of policies and actions targeting immigrants. This administration’s actions have set off a cascading crisis in an already-strained care system: fewer direct care...
Putting the Pieces Together
Abstract The direct care workforce is the backbone of America’s long-term care system—yet the infrastructure supporting these workers remains fragmented and inadequate. Training varies widely, credentials rarely transfer, career advancement is scarce, and wages hover at the poverty level. PHI’s Universal Direct Care Workforce Initiative offers an...
Where Aging Actually Happens
A Home Visit I can smell the coffee being made as I walk up the front pathway—an offering always extended to me upon entry. I am greeted by a gray cat who weaves around my legs as I remove my shoes and set them near the door. I have my camping stool over my shoulder, and my doctor’s bag across my body, filled to the brim with supplies for our visit...
A Bold Vision for Aging Black Lesbians
I write this not as theory, but as lived experience. I am a Black lesbian cisgender woman, a service-connected disabled Veteran, and I am aging in a world that often feels built against my survival. For me, permacrisis is not a news headline or an abstract political concept. It is the constant condition of navigating systems that were never designed for my...
A Bold Vision for a Society Connected, Rather Than Divided, by Aging
Abstract This article explores age equity as a fundamental pillar of collective liberation. Drawing upon 15 years of experience in intersectional movement work—spanning racial justice, environmental equity, and immigrant rights—the author argues that a society connected by aging must actively work to dismantle racism and systemic oppression. By centering...
Portraits of a Bold Vision of Our Aging Selves
Nevada Senior Services’ art program was developed by our Program Director Dee Dee Woodberry for our Adult Day ReCreation program. Our art program encourages participants to view themselves in a new light, less like service recipients and more like autonomous, creative individuals whose voices and lives are valued. All our programs are developed to...
Staff
Editor-in-Chief: Leanne Clark-Shirley, PhD
Senior Editor: Alison Biggar
Issue Contents
A Bold Vision for Aging
Elderhood: A New Vision for Later Life By Tracey Gendron
At the Tipping Point: Liberating a New Age of Aging By Ken Dychtwald
Shibui: The Japanese Art of Finding Beauty in Aging: An Excerpt By Sanae Ishida
The Optimist’s Call to Action By Anne Montgomery and Joe Angelelli
Growing a Productive Longevity Economy By Joe Angelelli, Anne Montgomery, Stephen Johnston, and David Riemer
The Caregiving Divide By Robert Espinoza
Care for America: The Intertwined Futures of Care for U.S. Families and Immigrants By Emily Wright and Haeyoung Yoon
Putting the Pieces Together By Kezia Scales, Emily Dieppa Colo, and Jodi M. Sturgeon
The Future of Work Is Older By Jarett Hughes
Where Aging Actually Happens By Mariah Robertson
A Bold Vision for Aging Black Lesbians By Jennifer M-F Horn
Portraits of a Bold Vision of Our Aging Selves By Dee Dee Woodberry and Nevada Senior Services clientele
Editorial Advisory Board
Ruth E. Katz, Chair
Wendy Lustbader, Immediate Past Chair
Tobi Abramson
Orion Bell
Mary L. Flett
Sarah Galvan
Robyn L. Golden
Donna M. Lisi
Najja Orr
Winifred V. Quinn
Laura Trejo
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.