The Measure of Our Age – MT Connolly

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Has there ever been a better time to be an older adult? Lifespans have increased significantly in the 21st century and older adults report high levels of happiness. But there are major challenges an aging population poses - and faces - at the societal, governmental, legal and individual levels. MT Connolly, the former head of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative, discusses her new book The Measure of Our Age: Navigating Care, Safety, Money and Meaning Later in Life and ways of improving life for older adults at those different levels.

MT Connolly joins us from Washington, DC.

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Bio

MT Connolly, a leading national expert on elder justice, was awarded a MacArthur "genius" grant for her work shaping research, policy and practice. She was founding head of DOJ’s Elder Justice Initiative, architect of the federal Elder Justice Act, and lead author of the Elder Justice Roadmap, setting priorities for the field. That work, and her research for "The Measure of Our Age: Navigating Care, Safety, Money and Meaning Later in Life," led her to co-design teams that provide more holistic, hopeful, and evidence-based services aimed to reduce trouble and enhance connection as we age, like the innovative "RISE" program. First pilot-tested in Maine, and now expanding elsewhere, RISE services are “person-centered” and can include support for caregivers and others.

MT grew up in Rochester, Minnesota and the Northwoods of Wisconsin, graduated from Stanford and Northeastern University School of Law, is adjunct faculty at USC's Davis School of Gerontology, and lives in Washington, DC.

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For More on MT Connolly

The Measure of Our Age: Navigating Care, Safety, Money, and Meaning Later in Life

Website

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Podcast Episodes You May Like

Breaking the Age Code – Dr. Becca Levy

Who Will Take Care of You When You Are Older? – Joy Loverde

Are You Ready for The New Long Life? – Andrew Scott

Getting Good at Getting Older – Rabbi Laura Geller

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Mentioned in This Podcast Episode

Is This Risk on Your Radar? – Julie Belshe

How the Elderly Lose Their Rights - The New Yorker

The Mindful Body – Ellen Langer

The New Old Age - David Brooks in The Atlantic

Dr. Kate Wilber USC

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Wise Quotes

On Creativity and Curiosity

"Then there's aging as an opportunity. The late chapters of life has been a good opportunity for expanded creativity and curiosity. And I think we really underestimate old age in this respect, because there is so much we can do. And recent article by David Brooks in the Atlantic focusing on Encore Time focused on this as well. And I think that it's a spectacular time to do something new, to try something new that can also be tremendously enriching. There's the power of awe and transformation. Life is, and time is transformation. We're always changing. But also if we focus on what we think is beautiful, what is transcendent? And that's different for everybody. It might be a night sky for somebody. For another person, it might be a religious practice. For another person, it might be meditation, or a trip to the Grand Canyon. It's different for everybody, but it's feeling like we're part of something bigger, like this great flow of humanity, but also the universe. We're the tiny little specks in the universe.