Every month, we share highlights on how innovations and changemakers are shaping society for New Longevity.

 

  • As global populations age and birth rates decline, the World Economic Forum and Mercer ’s new white paper, Future-Proofing the Longevity Economy: Innovations and Key Trends 2025, highlights the urgent need to redesign financial, healthcare, and social systems. The report spotlights opportunities in AI-driven employment tools, modernized retirement systems, and financial models that support longer, more dynamic careers. Collaboration across sectors is critical to build a longevity economy where people of all ages can thrive. Ashoka is contributing to this shift, with over 100 social innovators around the world working to reshape the future of longevity, unlocking new ways for individuals to live, work, and contribute across every stage of life. Learn more.

 

  • In response to these demographic changes, Hungary is leading the way with forward-thinking family support policies aimed at addressing its declining birth rate and broader economic challenges. Telegraph reports that Hungary plans to exempt mothers from income tax for life, starting with those raising three or more children by 2025, and expanding to those with two children by 2026. This initiative, part of a larger strategy including free education, capped housing loan interest rates, and cash benefits, is designed to make parenting financially sustainable. Hungary is positioning itself as the world’s first “family-centered economy,” sparking global discussions on how nations can better support families and ensure long-term demographic and economic stability. Learn more.

 

  • Japan faces a looming succession crisis, with nearly half of SME owners over 70 set to retire without successors by 2025, risking massive economic loss. The World Economic Forum highlights how new models blending tradition, innovation, and AI are helping preserve jobs, heritage, and community resilience. Ashoka - New Longevity is working with a community of partners to build inclusive pathways for meaningful work and societal contribution, designing systems that recognize, value, and harness the experience, wisdom, and talents of older adults—transforming how society benefits from contributions at every life stage. Read more.

 

 

  • Still on AI, ageism remains a significant barrier to its implementation. In Harvard Business Review in its article How Ageism Is Undermining AI Implementation authors Mona Mourshed and Anika Heavener highlight a survey by Generation that reveals just 32% of U.S. employers would consider candidates over 60 for AI-heavy roles, compared to 90% for those under 35. In Europe, only 33% of companies are open to hiring candidates over 55. However, mid-career and older workers who self-train in AI tools report enhanced work quality, speed, and decision-making. Employers grappling with AI implementation should rethink their biases—workers of all ages are crucial to unlocking AI’s full potential. Learn more.

 

  • The United States is about to experience the largest wealth transfer in history—an estimated $124 trillion by 2048. However, this massive shift could make existing racial wealth gaps even worse unless we act quickly. As Staci Alexander and Julie Miller, PhD, MSW explain in their AARP-sponsored article, wealth is not just about assets—it includes homeownership, business ownership, and financial security for future generations. Disparities between White, Black, and Latine families, driven by unequal access to estate planning, financial advice, and capital, risk turning this "great transfer" into a cause of greater inequality. Ashoka Fellows Stephanie Brobbey , through The Good Ancestor Movement in the UK, and Alison Lingane and Bree Jones , through Project Equity and Parity in the U.S., are leading the way with new ideas for creating wealth, working to change financial systems for a more equitable future.

 

  • Social isolation and loneliness are growing issues, particularly for younger and older adults. CoGenerate's report Can Intergenerational Connection Heal Us? highlights how organizations are bridging generational gaps to reduce isolation through connection, collaboration, and shared purpose. Featuring nine key findings and actionable recommendations, the report emphasizes the power of intergenerational initiatives, calling for a shift from viewing loneliness as an individual problem to a collective one. Eldera.ai is an example of how technology can be leveraged to connect young people with older adults, addressing both mental health and loneliness.

 

 

  • Aging in rural areas is not always in the headlines. The SCAN Foundation ’s toolkit helps rural communities develop Local Multisector Plans for Aging (MPAs) to address the unique challenges of an aging population. Drawing on California’s Rural MPA Initiative, it provides practical steps, templates, and real-world examples to enhance healthcare, transportation, and aging services. The toolkit outlines ten essential steps to create age-friendly environments for older adults and caregivers. Learn more about how to implement this toolkit in your community.

“The future is built on the relationship between the young and the elderly, who are the memory and the hope of humanity.” - Pope Francis

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