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 teams weren’t the same age, but multigenerational.
That’s what the Flip the Script campaign is all about. Launched this May for Older Americans Month, this grassroots social and earned media campaign challenges outdated stereotypes and generational myths. And we’re doing it with a bold, hopeful message: the future of work is intergenerational.
What Is Flip the Script?
Flip the Script is a campaign to reframe age and work. We’re tackling ageism by shining a spotlight on older workers’ strengths and the benefits of multigenerational teams. The campaign offers a ready-to-use toolkit of social media content, OpEd templates, talking points, data, graphics and weekly challenges to help individuals and organizations change the narrative in their communities and networks.
While anchored in Older Americans Month, the campaign isn’t stopping there. Ageism isn’t a 1-month problem, and we’re not offering a 1-month solution. We’re building a movement to recognize experienced talent and intergenerational teams as essential to business success, innovation, and community prosperity—especially in these challenging times.
Why Now?
Let’s face it: the stories we, even some well-meaning aging advocates, tell about older workers haven’t kept up with reality. Media tends to portray entrepreneurs as 20-something guys in hoodies—but data shows that the most successful startups are launched by people older than 45.
We hear that older people struggle with tech, yet many are AI power users—crafting better prompts, interpreting results through lived experience, and spotting risks that younger users might overlook.
‘Companies that value age diversity perform better and appeal to a broader range of customers.’
While many perpetuate generational conflict myths, those of us working with multigenerational teams know the truth: when people of different ages collaborate, productivity and innovation rise.
We launched Flip the Script to rewrite the narrative. Instead of focusing only on needs and challenges, we’re emphasizing contributions and solutions. Instead of talking about older adults, we’re creating platforms for people to tell their own stories. And instead of siloing age as a “special population” issue, we’re connecting it to big-picture concerns: workforce shortages, rapid changes in the economy, and yes, DEI.
Key Themes
Here are a few of the messages we’re amplifying—and that we hope ASA members will share and expand upon:
- Demographics are destiny: The U.S. population is aging. By 2030, 1 in 5 Americans will be ages 65 or older. That’s not a problem—it’s an opportunity to tap into a growing pool of experience and talent.
- The future of work is intergenerational: Age-diverse teams drive better outcomes. They’re more creative, more resilient, and more likely to avoid groupthink.
- Older entrepreneurs are thriving: The highest rate of entrepreneurial success belongs to founders older than 45. Let’s stop acting like startups are a young person’s game.
- Experienced workers are essential during change: In uncertain times, organizations need people with judgment, perspective and the ability to navigate complexity.
- Age inclusion is smart business: Companies that value age diversity perform better and appeal to a broader range of customers.
Why ASA Members Should Care
ASA members are uniquely positioned to Flip the Script. I personally loved the amount of “script flipping” that happened during the recent On Aging conference:
- The many sessions focused on generations coming together
- In a panel on AI and aging, when asked, “Who used AI in the last day?” Nearly every hand went up, which may have defied the panelists’ expectations.
- In a session on creative entrepreneurship, panelists demonstrated how experience—and intergenerational teamwork—fueled compelling ventures.
Whether you work in policy, programs, education or consulting, you’re already talking about aging. Why not add your voice to a conversation that’s rooted in possibility?
We know that ageism is rampant and harmful, directed at either younger or older people. It undermines people’s confidence, shortens careers, and narrows the talent pool at a time when we can least afford it. But as advocates, professionals, and thought leaders, we can change that.
Imagine incorporating Flip the Script messages into your presentations, newsletters, media outreach. Imagine integrating these ideas into your organizations and programs. Imagine highlighting stories that defy the usual “decline” narrative and instead celebrate innovation, mentorship and contribution.
Flip the Script is not just a campaign. It’s a shift in mindset. And like any mindset shift, it needs champions.
Join Us
Whether you have 5 minutes to share a graphic or 50 minutes to deliver a talk, there’s a place for you in this campaign. Download our toolkit. Join the conversation online. Host a Flip the Script Friday challenge. Write an OpEd. Most importantly, help us get the message out: age is not a barrier—it’s an asset.
The time is now.
Janine Vanderburg is CEO of Encore Roadmap and previously founded and directed Changing the Narrative.
Photo credit: Shutterstock/Lomb
