Language and imagery shape how aging is perceived, influencing public opinion, policies, and community support. In this episode of This Is Getting Old: Moving Toward an Age-Friendly World, Dr. Melissa Batchelor and Hannah Albers from the National Center to Reframe Aging discuss research-backed strategies to communicate about aging in ways that reduce ageism and highlight older adults' contributions.

The discussion covers the gap between expert and public perceptions of aging, communication traps to avoid, and practical strategies that have been applied successfully in real-world settings. Topics include emphasizing aging as a process of growth, framing supports for meaningful lives, addressing frailty without paternalism, presenting ageism as a solvable problem, and using imagery that reflects older adults as active and engaged members of the community.

By 2030, adults over 65 will outnumber children in the U.S., yet only one percent of homes meet basic accessibility standards. What does that mean for the future of aging in our communities? In this episode, AARP's Shannon Guzman explains why most neighborhoods weren't built with aging in mind and how we can change that.

We explore the AARP Livability Index, a tool that measures how communities support aging well through housing, transportation, health, and more. From policy shifts to everyday improvements, this conversation offers a roadmap for building communities where people of all ages can thrive.

By the end of this decade, one in five Americans will be over 65—and for the first time in U.S. history, older adults will outnumber children. In this episode of This Is Getting Old, futurist and author Bradley Schurman explains why ageism is bad for business and how ignoring demographic change could quietly undermine success.

We explore how businesses and communities can benefit by embracing older adults as workers, leaders, and consumers. Age-diverse teams perform better, inclusive businesses grow stronger, and recognizing the economic power of aging populations is key to building a sustainable future.

What if one of the best solutions to America's biggest challenges—like health, loneliness, and the economy—was as simple as letting people work longer if they want to? In this episode of This is Getting Old, Tim Driver shares why extending opportunities for older adults to remain in the workforce benefits individuals, employers, and society as a whole.

Drawing on data, surveys, and real-world examples, Tim shows how working longer can boost health, strengthen businesses, and even lift the economy. But it's not just about employers creating age-friendly environments—older adults also need to stay adaptable and engaged. Together, both sides can reshape what work looks like in an age-friendly world.

In this episode of This Is Getting Old: Moving Toward an Age-Friendly World, I welcome Ashton Applewhite, a leading voice in the global movement against ageism. Ashton challenges the cultural myths that equate aging and disability with decline, showing how these biases harm us all in health care, the workplace, and even in the way we see ourselves. Her talk, Still Kicking: Confronting Ageism and Ableism in the Pandemic's Wake, highlights the importance of intersectionality and reminds us that ageism is not inevitable—it's a social construct we can change.

Together, we explore how dismantling ageism and ableism is not just about supporting older adults or people with disabilities—it's about building a world where everyone is valued at every stage of life. This conversation is both empowering and practical, offering a vision of cultural change rooted in equity, inclusion, and age pride.

During the George Washington University Center for Aging, Health, and Humanities' Age-Friendly Ecosystem Summit, Lindsay Goldman, CEO of Grantmakers in Aging (GIA), delivered a presentation titled Aging is Living: The Case for Investing in Aging. She highlighted how aging intersects with every philanthropic priority, from health and housing to transportation and caregiving, and emphasized that funding aging initiatives is about funding the future for all. GIA works to mobilize money and ideas by supporting funders, strengthening age-friendly community efforts, and advancing policies such as the Older Americans Act reauthorization and multi-sector plans for aging.

Goldman also discussed shifts in philanthropic practice, including trust-based philanthropy, which emphasizes multi-year unrestricted funding and transparency, and impact investing, which leverages larger, recyclable funding streams to drive structural change. These strategies ensure that communities have the flexibility and resources needed to sustain age-friendly initiatives over time. Her message was clear: aging is not a niche issue—it is the human experience, and embedding age-consciousness across philanthropy and policy builds more equitable and resilient communities. To stay connected, join the GW Center for Aging, Health, and Humanities' email list or its Facebook group, Building Age-Friendly Ecosystems.

The Regional Older Adults Facility Mental Health Support Team (RAFT) in Northern Virginia has been helping older adults with mental illness and dementia remain in their communities for more than a decade. With a multidisciplinary team that includes social workers, counselors, psychiatrists, and nurses, RAFT provides intensive support such as case management, therapy, medication oversight, and caregiver training. The program has achieved a 98% success rate in preventing re-hospitalizations, making it a model for effective, community-based mental health care.

In addition to direct services, RAFT offers dementia-specific caregiver support, including education, consultations, respite care, and connections to local resources. These services strengthen family resilience and improve quality of life for both caregivers and older adults. To learn more about RAFT, visit www.raftnorthernvirginia.org.

Getting a dementia diagnosis is one of the most emotional moments in healthcare—for patients, families, and clinicians. In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Melissa Armstrong, a neurologist and dementia researcher, to explore how to approach that conversation with clarity, compassion, and the right tools.

We talk about the importance of early diagnosis, how to support both patients and caregivers, and why building a care team matters. Whether you're facing memory changes or supporting someone who is, this episode offers practical advice and hope.

As the number of older adults living with dementia continues to rise, hospitals must adapt to meet their unique needs. A dementia-friendly hospital incorporates evidence-based strategies to reduce risks such as falls, confusion, and readmissions. At UNC Health in North Carolina, a comprehensive initiative led by the Division of Geriatric Medicine and the Center for Aging and Health included interdisciplinary staff training, tailored environmental changes, and ongoing evaluation to improve care for this vulnerable population.

The project trained over 550 clinical and non-clinical staff and implemented tools like dementia-friendly meal options, activity kits, and a red plate program to support patients' cognitive and physical needs. Sustainability was prioritized through annual training refreshers and the development of a virtual dementia room for new staff orientation. UNC Health's model provides a practical framework for hospitals nationwide aiming to become more age- and dementia-friendly.

Could home sharing be the answer to rising housing costs and loneliness among older adults? This timely question opens the door to an important conversation about aging, affordability, and community. Today, nearly 1 in 3 older adults struggle with housing costs—and projections show that rent burdens and homelessness among adults 65+ will rise sharply in the next decade. With limited affordable options, many older adults are searching for ways to stay in their homes while staying connected. Enter home sharing—a creative and growing solution that allows older adults to share space, reduce expenses, and build meaningful relationships. In this episode, we explore how home sharing works, who it benefits, and what it means for the future of aging in place. Whether you're looking for affordable housing, want to stay in your home longer, or are just curious about how it all works—this episode is for you. We'd like to invite you to be a part of the GW Center for Aging, Health and Humanities community. Here are two ways that you can do that: You can join our email list by visiting the GW Center for Aging's website – https://nursing.gwu.edu/center-aging-health-and-humanities And we'd love to have you join our Facebook Group called "Building Age-Friendly Ecosystems" at https://www.facebook.com/groups/agefriendlyecosystems If you have trouble finding the website or the Facebook Group, please email us at [email protected] and we can help you find either or both!