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Research: GeriatricThe Center on Aging, Health & Humanities
at The George Washington University Medical Center
The SEA Change Program (Societal Education about Aging for Change)
Background
American society is experiencing the start of a sea change regarding attitudes and approaches to aging, where for the first time in the nation’s history potential in later life is being looked at seriously. The problem, though, is that the country lacks a sufficient infrastructure of ideas, plans, and programs to better enable older adults to tap this potential. Similarly insufficient are ideas, plans, and programs to help younger age groups better understand and prepare for positive opportunities that can come with aging.
Following a long historical period of nihilism about aging, the first major sea change in thinking about aging occurred in the mid-1970s. Around that time, many decrimental changes observed in later life became viewed not as normal aging changes, but as age associated problems or disorders that could be modified. This launched the development of a new infrastructure of (1) research to better understand the nature of the problems, (2) training to prepare new specialists in aging to address the problems, and (3) services to treat the problems among older adults. For example, all the major U.S. Federal research programs on aging became operational in 1975: the National Institute on Aging appointed its first director; the Center for Studies of the Mental Health of the Aging at the National Institute of Mental Health was established, with Gene Cohen (now at GW’s Center on Aging, Health & Humanities) as its first Chief; the Veterans Administration launched it Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Centers Program.
The Problem
Now we are at the start of the second major sea change where beyond our recognition of modifiable problems in later life we are beginning to recognize accessible potential. But America as a whole lacks an adequate infrastructure to tap potential in later life comparable to the infrastructure that has been growing to treat problems associated with aging. Especially lacking is adequate education of the young about aging and potential in later life—education that could have a positive impact on the course of their own aging.
The Opportunity
The new Sea Change Program, at George Washington University, through a number of specific initiatives with specific products, will address a series of societal gaps contributing to the lack of an adequate infrastructure in America to tap potential in later life. The outcomes of these initiatives and their evaluations will contribute to an improved infrastructure for promoting and accessing potential with aging. They will also highlight the need and the opportunity for others as well to enhance this infrastructure. Accessing one’s potential in later life has broad ramifications, not only for quality of life, but for health and longevity, as demonstrated in the growing number of studies demonstrating positive health outcomes in those who was socially active and productive as older adults. Early awareness and planning for one’s social portfolio in later life is just as important as staying physically fit and planning when young for a financial portfolio.
