Can Aging Be a Force for Change, Connection, and Impact?

• The Economic Power of Healthy Longevity: McKinsey Health Institute and the FII Institute’s new report, The Economic Case for Investing in Healthy Longevity, shows that every dollar spent on healthy longevity generates between $2.3 and $6 in returns. With the global population over 65 set to double to 1.6 billion by 2050, these investments can strengthen health systems, extend workforce participation, and unlock new markets for innovation. From Japan’s Silver Human Resource Centres to Zimbabwe’s Friendship Bench, global initiatives show that longevity is not a cost, but a catalyst for growth. 

   

• Happiness Across the Lifespan: Research shows that well-being comes from purposeful action, not luck. Angela Haupt (The Times), in 4 Ways to Get Happier as You Age, highlights Dr. Kerry Burnight’s Joyspan, emphasizing growth, connection, adaptation, and giving as keys to thriving in later life. Similarly, Cornell psychologist Anthony Burrow (Washington Post), in A 6-Year Research Project Found a Surprisingly Simple Route to Happiness, finds that even small contributions toward meaningful goals boost purpose and positive emotions, especially among young people. Together, these studies show that lifelong happiness is rooted in intentional engagement, connection, and contribution. 

   

• The Power of Social Connection: A new OECD study shows that social connections shape health, work, learning, and civic engagement. However, in-person interactions have declined over the past decade, rising loneliness in countries like the UK, Japan, Germany, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Spain. The findings highlight the need for strong social infrastructure, parks, libraries, community centres, and safe digital spaces to support meaningful connections.  Ashoka Fellow Mark Swift, through Wellbeing Enterprises CIC, tackles the root causes of ill-being with social prescriptions, non-clinical approaches. Tools like Thrive Together, developed with Grandmother Collective and Ashoka, provide practical tools to strengthen intergenerational bonds across schools, workplaces, and communities. 

   

• How prepared are we for longer, healthier lives? John Hancock, with MIT AgeLab, is redefining readiness for longer lives through the Longevity Preparedness Index. Measuring health, care, housing, social connections, daily activities, community, life transitions, and finances, the Index reveals where people are underprepared and points to actionable strategies for thriving in longer, healthier lives. A recent NAPA report confirms that most U.S. adults remain underprepared, particularly in care, housing, and health. Learn more. 

   

• Lifelong learning in action: The New York Times article “Why Are More Retirees Going Back to College?” highlights Mirabella at Arizona State University, a retirement community where residents 62+ live on campus, take classes alongside undergraduates, and volunteer in programs like Ashoka Fellow Dixon Chibanda’s Friendship Bench. There are more than 85 such communities in the U.S., showing that retirement can be a socially and intellectually vibrant stage of life. Andrew Carle, from Georgetown University, created a website to track them.   

   

• The digital lives of older adults: The Economist article “Meet the Real Screen Addicts: The Elderly” shows that retirees, many digitally fluent since middle age, are spending hours on social media, gaming, streaming, and video calls—sometimes more than younger adults. Technology offers connection, mental stimulation, and cognitive benefits, but also brings risks like scams, sleep disruption, and social isolation. Ashoka Fellow Gabriela Agustini (Transborda 60+) and TIME 2025 Kid of the Year Tejasvi Manoj are helping older adults navigate technology safely and confidently, ensuring they can stay informed, connected, and engaged. 

   

• Global health workforce shortage: McKinsey & Company’s Tackling the Healthcare Worker Shortage, the global healthcare workforce will be short by 10 million roles by 2030, leaving 4.5 billion people without essential care. Solutions include rethinking training, leveraging AI to reduce workloads, and empowering patients to play active roles in their care. Across Africa, mobile health (mHealth) innovations in Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, and Tanzania are expanding access to care through digital tools and community health support. In Nigeria, Ashoka Fellow Dr. Nneka Mobisson and her team at mDoc are leading the way, blending technology and human connection to help people manage chronic conditions and strengthen frontline care. 

   

• Addressing Palliative Care Gaps: In a recent Times of India article, only 4% of India’s population has access to essential end-of-life services, a situation experts call “passive violence” due to systemic neglect. With low- and middle-income countries consuming just 6% of global opioids for pain management, the need for palliative care in the Global South is urgent. Championing this cause, Ashoka Fellow Dr. Suresh Kumar, through the Institute of Palliative Medicine, delivers volunteer-led, home-based care addressing medical, social, and psychological needs, providing dignity and comfort where universal health coverage remains out of reach. 

   

• Uruguay’s policy shift on assisted dying: According to BBC News, Uruguay has become the first Latin American country to legalize assisted dying, passing the Dignified Death bill. Mentally sound adults with terminal, irreversible illnesses can request a peaceful, painless end-of-life procedure. Supported by 62% of the public, advocates highlight the law’s humane and compassionate approach. 

   

• Celebrating 10 Years of Changemaking in Italy: Ashoka Italia marked its 10-year milestone with the Changemaker Days event, bringing together social innovators, institutions, and citizens to drive community impact. The session “Sports for Changemaking” underscored how starting sports early shapes lifelong wellbeing, health, and resilience, with Kelly Davies (Ashoka Sports for Changemaking) and Jack Lowe (Fit for Life Foundation) sharing insights on how early engagement influences long-term healthspan. During the event, Jack Lowe’s inspiring film Dare to Dream was showcased, capturing his remarkable journey cycling up the French Alps at age 83, a powerful testament to the lifelong impact of sports. Watch the film trailer. 

Fellows in action