After nearly two decades leading the Stanford Center on Longevity, founding director Laura Carstensen reflects on what longer lifespans mean for society.
Rather than focusing on extending life, she argues that the greater opportunity is to rethink how we live across the entire lifespan and create environments that support health, connection, financial security, and quality of life.
Key Takeaways:
- Longevity is about every stage of life: Longer lives don’t only raise questions about old age. Carstensen argues that many challenges experienced later in life have roots much earlier, making longevity a lifelong issue.
- Design environments for longer, healthier lives: Singapore’s Queenstown Health District offers an example of how communities can intentionally support exercise, intergenerational connection, financial security, and long-term health.
- Shift the focus from longer to better: While growing investment in longevity often focuses on helping individuals extend their lives, Carstensen sees a greater need to invest in how societies can help people live better as they live longer.
Greater Good explores the science of a meaningful life.
