Unlocking the Full Potential of Older Adults

As we’re seeing more people live well into their 80s and beyond, it’s crucial to shift our societal focus from age to capability. The potential for older adults to contribute meaningfully—as volunteers, consultants, community leaders, employees, board members, and active family participants—is immense.

Taking Charge of Your Health

The key to ageing well lies in individuals taking proactive steps for their own well-being. A holistic approach, combining health education, innovative solutions from both public and private sectors, and effective public policies, can significantly enhance one’s control over health outcomes.

Lifelong Healthy Habits

Adopting a balanced lifestyle from an early age—incorporating physical exercise, nutritious eating, social engagement, and mental stimulation—is essential for reaping long-term benefits. Adequate support, such as financial aid for essential medical procedures like cataract surgeries, can further facilitate this.

Community Engagement

Staying active in the community through volunteering, part-time work, or other meaningful activities is highly encouraged. For instance, New York’s Department for the Aging is offering retirees from city agencies opportunities for part-time roles that allow them to contribute to their communities.

Age-Inclusive Public Infrastructure

Public services should be designed to encourage active participation rather than dependency. This means tailoring social services to the individual’s life stage rather than their age and creating an accessible public transport system that caters to the needs of older adults, such as larger print signs and louder alarm sounds.

By adopting these measures, we can create a society where older adults are not just living longer, but also living richer, more fulfilling lives.

The four dimensions of health are shaped by social and personal influencing factors that support a holistic view of health. The McKinsey Health Institute healthy aging framework is influenced by social and personal factors.

McKinsey Health Institute healthy aging framework.

Personal influencing factors:

Physical and cognitive fitness

• Activity
• Sleep
• Diet
• Lifelong learning

Financial empowerment

• Employment
• Financial circumstances

Social/ spiritual engagement

• Meaningful community or civic roles
• Relationships
• Religious affiliation/ spiritual connection

Social influencing factors:

Basic needs

• Access to quality affordable housing
• Access to nutritious food
• Public transport
• Physical safety/ low crime

Living and care

• Access to care and support
• Access to high-quality healthcare
• Health equity

Inclusion

• Accessible community spaces
• Cultural inclusion (e.g., attitude towards aging)
• Digital inclusion (e.g., digital products and services)

See: Living longer in better health: Six shifts needed for healthy aging | McKinsey