Here’s to a Better 2024

In 2024, about 12,000 Americans a day will turn 65 as those born in the peak years of the baby boom continue to hit that milestone, says the Retirement Income Institute. They reach that age in a fast-changing world in which technology plays an increasingly important role in their ability to stay healthy, financially secure and socially connected.

The influx adds stress to systems designed to help people as they age, such as Social Security and Medicare, and shines a spotlight on the need to address caregiving and brain health.

Here are some of the ways AARP will address these issues in the year ahead.

As the 2024 election year officially kicks off with the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, AARP is launching a nationwide voter engagement campaign to keep people informed with factual, unbiased information about when, where and how to vote as well as where candidates stand on the issues. This year, our voter engagement campaign will focus attention nationwide on protecting Social Security and supporting family caregivers.

Increased longevity means little unless we also increase good health. This year, we will continue our fight to lower the cost of prescription drugs as big companies sue to stop Medicare from negotiating for lower prices on some drugs. We’re also stepping up our efforts to support the growing number of family caregivers as demands on them take an even greater toll on their physical, financial and mental health.

Timothy Greenfield-Sanders

We work with a wide range of organizations to help people maintain their brain health as we invest in the search for better treatments and a cure for Alzheimer’s.

An AARP survey found that more than 1 in 5 adults have no retirement savings and nearly 2 in 3 adults are worried they will not have enough money to last in their ­later years. To address this problem, AARP has partnered with the Ad Council for a new public service announcement campaign, “This Is Pretirement,” to encourage people in their 40s and 50s to start planning their retirement. The campaign features a website providing a free personalized action plan to help you build retirement savings.

AARP will again have a significant presence at the tech event CES 2024 in January to encourage companies to invest in AgeTech. This includes showcasing smart technologies to assist people in living longer in their homes, monitoring and managing their daily activities, and keeping them connected to family and friends.

Innovation is driving more imaginative uses of digital technology for better health — products to monitor and track vital signs, help manage older adults’ care and facilitate long-distance caregiving. Such advances also aid communities in developing comprehensive strategies to become more livable and age-friendly. Our AgeTech Collaborative from AARP will continue to lead the way in this emerging field.

These are just some of the ways AARP will work to empower people to live better as they age. To learn more about how aging is changing the way we live, see our 65th anniversary bonus issue at aarp.org/bonusissue.

Happy New Year, everyone!