Aging is Everyone’s Business
Creating A Better Future for Seniors
When we talk about aging, most of us think in personal terms—our health, our parents, and our own plans for later in life. We talk less about how aging is reshaping the world of work itself. With 10,000 Americans turning 65 every day, the ripple effects are being felt far beyond healthcare, touching professions many people never associate with aging at all.
Recently, I had the opportunity to explore this shift with Dr. Marwa Noureldin, Associate Professor and Director of Aging Studies and Healthcare Administration Programs at the University of Indianapolis (UIndy). Aging, she reminded me, isn’t a trend or a temporary challenge—it’s a long-term shift in how our society is structured.
“Longer lives are changing the expectations placed on workplaces, communities, and professionals across nearly every field,” Dr. Noureldin explained.
When we pause to consider it, aging extends beyond medicine and caregiving. Public policy, law, human resources, housing, education, real estate, and financial planning are all being reshaped by longer lives and changing expectations about work, retirement, and community. Professionals in fields far from healthcare are increasingly realizing that the aging of society is influencing how work gets done—and who it is designed to serve.
One place this shift is already visible is housing. As more Americans live longer and want to remain independent, demand is growing for homes and communities designed to support aging in place. These are not traditional assisted living facilities. Today’s older adults are choosing environments that reflect how they want to live — active, social, and engaged. The private sector has responded with 55+ communities that emphasize recreation, fitness, and amenities rather than medical care. By the mid-2030s, one in three U.S. households will be headed by someone 65 or older, making housing one of the clearest examples of how aging is reshaping everyday life.
As these shifts unfold, the question isn’t whether aging will affect our institutions, but whether society is preparing for it intentionally. Dr. Noureldin emphasized that as people live longer, they will also work longer. She explained having a better understanding of aging will impact the workplace as multi-generations continue to work together. That kind of awareness — across career fields and generations — is becoming essential as longer lives reshape how work, services, and communities are designed.
Much of the public conversation focuses on people turning 65, but another reality is quietly emerging. The fastest-growing segment of the population is adults age 85 and older — people living longer, often with complex needs, and increasingly visible in the community. Understanding how society is preparing for that reality is no longer theoretical.
In next week’s post, I’ll take a closer look at how UIndy is not only preparing the current and future workforce to know more about aging, the University itself went through a transformation. The University of Indianapolis was accepted into the Age-Friendly University (AFU) Global Network in 2024. They are proud to be just the second university in Indiana to join this prestigious network of over 110 universities worldwide (and growing) that promotes age-inclusivity and intergenerational understanding.
Please share this post with a friend. Thanks!
Are you meeting with Emily Tisdale at U Indy? She used to work for me on special projects at ADA. In truth, I should have been working for her - she is super sharp and a lovely person. Appreciate your articles :-).
Most interesting. Having worked for an organization with all the ages represented (although boomers were in the minority) its great to know that UIndy is taking the lead on understanding the dynamics of a diverse (through aging) workforce). We may need larger fonts but we do bring some value to the table!