The New Old Age

October 4, 2017
New York City

Ageism may be the last bias to still be tolerated in mainstream American culture. Older people are routinely excluded from TV screens, advertising billboards and other popular culture mainstays. Yet aging athletes, entrepreneurs, musicians and more have proven time and time again that you can age and still do great things. What will it take for the rest of society to catch up to this reality? The Atlantic's New Old Age forum convened top experts on aging for a frank discussion of age discrimination and explore relevant issues ranging from aging in place to longevity and work.

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Speakers

Avery Chenoweth Founder and Board Chairman Here’s My Story
Steve Clemons Washington Editor at Large The Atlantic @SCClemons
Ellen Cole Professor of Psychology, The Sage Colleges; Co-author, 70 Candles! Women Thriving in their 8th Decade
Susan Donley Former Publisher and Managing Director Next Avenue
James Hamblin Senior Editor The Atlantic @jameshamblin
Yolangel Hernandez Suarez* Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Care Delivery Organization Humana
Joyce Jed Founder and President Good Neighbors of Park Slope
Anne Kreamer Author Going Gray: What I Learned About Beauty, Sex, Work, Motherhood, Authenticity, and Everything Else That Really Matters
Kathryn Lawler Executive Director Atlanta Regional Collaborative for Health Improvement
Norman Lear Television Writer and Producer @TheNormanLear
Michelle Lee Editor in Chief Allure @heymichellelee
Kelsey Mellard Head of Health System Partnerships Honor @KelseyMellard
Monique Morrissey Economist Economic Policy Institute @MoniquMorrissey
Betty Reid Soskin Writer and Activist
David Rhew Chief Medical Officer and Head of Healthcare and Fitness Samsung Electronics of America @drhew
George Shannon* Associate Professor USC Davis School of Gerontology
Stacy Smith Founder and Director The Media, Diversity and Social Change Initiative at USC Annenberg @MDSCInitiative
Alison Stewart Contributing Editor The Atlantic @alisonstewart
Katherine Switzer* Marathon Runner and Founder 261 Fearless Running Community
Elizabeth White Author Fifty-Five, Unemployed, and Faking Normal @55fakingnormal

Agenda

Wednesday, October 04
10:30 a.m.WelcomeMargaret Low, President, AtlanticLIVE
10:35 a.m.On Media: Portrayals of AgingSusan Donley, Former Publisher and Managing Director, Next Avenue
Anne Kreamer, Author, Going Gray
Michelle Lee, Editor in Chief, Allure
With Alison Stewart, Contributing Editor, The Atlantic
11:00 a.m.Still Striving at Ninety Something Betty Reid Soskin, Writer and Activist
With Steve Clemons, Washington Editor at Large, The Atlantic
11:10 a.m.Aging Well, Aging in PlaceEllen Cole, Co-author, 70 Candles! Women Thriving in Their 8th Decade
Joyce Jed, President, Good Neighbors of Park Slope
Kathryn Lawler, Executive Director, Atlanta Regional Collaborative for Health Improvement
Kelsey Mellard, Head of Growth, Honor Technology
With James Hamblin, Senior Editor, The Atlantic
11:35 a.m.Aging With Optimism*
Produced by our underwriter HumanaGeorge Shannon, Associate Professor, USC Davis School of Gerontology
Kathrine Switzer, Marathon Runner and Founder, 261 Fearless Running Community
With Yolangel Hernandez Suarez, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Care Delivery, Humana
11:45 a.m.Stretch Break-
12:00 p.m.Old Age, New TechnologyDavid Rhew, Chief Medical Officer, Samsung Electronics of America
With James Hamblin, The Atlantic
12:20 p.m.Living Longer, Working LongerAvery Chenoweth, Founder and Board Chairman, Here’s My Story
Monique Morrissey, Economist, Economic Policy Institute
Elizabeth White, Author, Fifty-Five, Unemployed, and Faking Normal
With Alison Stewart, The Atlantic
12:45 p.m.Searching for Grandma on the Small ScreenStacy Smith, Director, The Media, Diversity, & Social Change Initiative, USC Annenberg
With Steve Clemons, The Atlantic
1:00 p.m.A Conversation with Norman LearNorman Lear, TV Writer, Producer and Director
With Alison Stewart, The Atlantic
1:25 p.m.Closing ThoughtsMargaret Low, AtlanticLIVE

Underwriter

Also in This Series

Culture

Aging Up
- October 30, 2019
- New York City
The Atlantic will explore what it means for all generations to plan the long-term. Family life, career, budgeting and savings—it’s all up for reinvention.
Health Care

The New Old Age
- October 24, 2018
- New York City
How is getting older changing in America?
Health Care

The New Old Age
- September 13, 2016
- New York City
Since the turn of the 20th century, average life expectancy has been rising steadily. In the United States, we can now expect to live an average of three decades longer than our great-grandparents. As we collectively age, our societal understandings of the rhythms of an average lifespan have been slow to adapt. With nearly 10,000 baby boomers moving into retirement every day, The Atlantic examined the shape of the new old age and its impact on society.