There’s no dispute that the US population, as well as the global population, is aging. In the US, our median population age is now 37.9, whereas in 1970 it was 28.1. And in parts of the country- for example, New England, the Midwest, and Appalachia- younger people have left and the result is a disproportionately older population. Coupled with increasing death rates and declining birthrates, you can see that a fundamental shift is occurring. For a visual representation of these changes, take a look at the article and maps Here.

And a recent article in the Harvard Business Review makes clear that these demographic shifts may lead to real trouble, as “age segregation” can result in distortions of how the young and old view each other and could result in a generational war over resources as well as heightened ageism. In order to combat these trends, we all need to work hard to create intergenerational opportunities for younger and older people to come together. The HBR article cites the example of intergenerational programming at the Judson Manor in Ohio, about which you can watch a video Here. For another example of an effort to bring young and old together, take a look at The Sticky Rice Project, a Seattle-based community effort to bring generations together over Vietnamese food. Finding areas of commonality, and ways we can learn from each other, will be key to ensuring that age segregation doesn’t lead to harmful consequences for us all.