Breaking the Wall of Living Longer, Better: How Technology and Innovation Will Invent A New Future of Old Age
Falling Walls Foundation
Since 1900, the industrialized world has gained nearly 30 extra years of longevity. Aging has become a disruptive force in many countries and economies, not only because there are more walkers and wheelchairs than baby buggies in some parts of Europe, or because people over 60 in China are more numerous than the entire population of Russia. There are also fewer young people to support the aging societies around them; and citizens in Japan, North America, and Europe have growing expectations to not only live longer and better than previous generations but also remain engaged in rather than “retired” from society. These disruptive demographics will challenge government, business, and societal assumptions of what aging is and requires from everyone. In 1999, Joseph Coughlin, who has published nearly 100 peer-reviewed publications and reports on the topic, began the AgeLab at MIT – a multi-disciplinary group gathering researchers, business partners, universities, and the aging community in order to design, develop, and deploy products, services, and policies to invent how we all will live, work, and play tomorrow. At Falling Walls, he explains how technology, business, and policy will redefine old age as a new opportunity.