Dear Friends,

As we navigate through change, one thing that never changes is aging. But even though we all age from the time we are born, we age differently. Social Security and Medicare set the age of 65 for benefit eligibility and somehow that arbitrary number has become the divide between younger and older. It became the “age for retirement.” However, we now see more people working well into their seventies and even their eighties and the population that is older than 85 years continues to grow and many of them are healthy and active.

Our guest column this month is written by Patricia D’Antonio who is passionate about eliminating ageism and talking more in terms of our life’s journey which varies in length and quality in spite of the numerical value placed in it. It tells why it is important to reframe aging and suggests some ways by which we can do that.

Have a great month!

Warmly,

Reframing Aging: A Public Health Imperative for Thriving Communities

Patricia M. D’Antonio, BSPharm, MS, MBA, BCGP

Vice President, Policy & Professional Affairs

Gerontological Society of America

 Executive Director, National Center to Reframe Aging

Creating a society where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and lead productive, healthy lives requires a collective effort across multiple sectors. Public health agencies, health care systems, the aging services network, and educational institutions are increasingly recognizing the power of communication in dismantling silos and ensuring our communities are places where we can all have meaningful lives as we age.

From an early age, we hear and see messages that drive unproductive thinking about age. These cultural models are patterns of thinking that become largely automatic and inform our understanding of aging and older people. We need to provide a new story to shape a more productive thinking about aging and older people.

The concept of framing is central to utilizing the power of communication to strengthen our communities. Framing involves the choices we make when communicating, such as how we introduce a topic, what we emphasize or omit, and how we explain an issue. These choices shape cultural models and how people think about aging, often from a young age.

Consider the everyday language we use. When a toddler reaches for a snack left out for a while, an adult might exclaim, “Ew, don’t eat that—it’s old!” Linking the concept of being old with something undesirable. Another example is the 100th Day of School tradition in many elementary schools. Students are encouraged to dress up as centenarians, often reinforcing negative stereotypes. These cultural models, by default, focus on negative perceptions of aging that influence how we interact within our society.

Framing can be a powerful tool to reshape these learned perceptions. They can drive ageist thinking, even unknowingly! Addressing ageism requires us to reframe how we talk about getting older. Changing how we talk about aging can shift attitudes, promote inclusion, and build support for policies and programs that benefit everyone as we age. When communicating with colleagues, policymakers, and funders, we can emphasize the collective responsibility to reduce barriers to age-inclusive environments and strengthen resources that support us all as we age. In client interactions, we can use person-centered language that reinforces agency and independence and highlights interdependence as a natural part of life at every age.

The National Center to Reframe Aging is dedicated to ending ageism by advancing an equitable and complete story about aging in America. It is a trusted source for effective communication strategies and tools to frame aging issues.

Here are some practical ways to start reframing your language:

• Use neutral descriptors such as “older people” or “older Americans,” and steer clear of words like “seniors,” “elderly,” or “aging dependents,” which reinforce stereotypes.
• Use inclusive language like “we” and “us” to replace “othering” terms such as “those older adults” or “aging workers.” This shift can foster a greater sense of shared responsibility and inclusion.
• Communicate positively about longer life spans, “As Americans live longer and healthier lives, we have new opportunities to strengthen our communities,” rather than leaning on catastrophic metaphors like “tidal wave” or “tsunami” to describe demographic changes that perpetuate fear.

The National Center to Reframe Aging’s website has a growing library of helpful tools and resources, such as a Quick Start Guide, to help us get started in reframing our language about aging. We encourage everyone to consider our attitudes about what it means to get older, learn more about the principles to reframe aging, explore our materials, and, of course, get in touch if you would like to examine this issue more comprehensively in your organization. By working together to change how we talk about aging, we can create a society where people of all ages are valued and supported. Let’s shift the conversation—and reframe aging for the benefit of us all.

HPNA Annual Assembly

Are You Caring for An Older Adult with Dementia?

Research Volunteers 18+ Needed

The NYU Meyers College of Nursing is conducting a research study and seeking caregivers of persons living with dementia to test a smartphone app based program. The app will help caregivers prioritize and self-manage symptoms for the person living with dementia through ‘How-To’ videos and tip sheets. The program will be available via the Aliviado Caregiving app and will last for approximately 4 weeks.

Caregivers who are eligible to participate in this program will create a care plan for the person they are caring for and be able to log their daily progress. The study team will meet with the caregiver twice (via Zoom call or the phone) over the course of the study to answer some survey questions. Caregivers will receive gift cards after each meeting for their volunteered time.

If you are a caregiver (age 18+) or know any caregivers interested in learning more about this study, please reach out to aliviado-caregiving@nyu.edu or 212-998-5321.

If you would like to be added to our list to receive future information about NYU Caregiving programs and research projects please also complete our signup form here.

Health and Aging Policy Fellows

The Health and Aging Policy Fellowship program is an opportunity to join a dynamic community who are all committed to improving health and quality life for older Americans. The program is now accepting applications through April 15.

The one-year Fellowship runs from October 1 – September 30 and has full-time and part-time tracks. It is conducted as a hybrid program of mentoring, networking, learning and practicum experiences. Health and Aging Policy Fellows work across diverse fields of aging, and develop lifelong partnerships and networks. Individually and collectively, they are improving the lives of older adults around the country.

Click here to learn more and apply!

Free Course: Foundations of Practice for Gerontological Nursing

For the month of February, we are offering our Foundations of Practice for Gerontological Nursing course for free.

Nursing Continuing Professional Development contact hours are available for this course.

Use the promo code feb2025 (case sensitive)

to view until the end of February!

The NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing Center for Nursing Continuing Professional Development is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation (Provider # P0367)

HIGN Highlights

A special thanks to Profs. Fidel Lim, Dan David, and Donna McCabe for supporting students’ community health learning at Greenwich House Older Adult Centers over the winter term.

Prof. Fidel Lim published a blog entitled Nurses as Pilgrims in the ANA’s American Nurse online journal.

Publications:

Fernandez Cajavilca, M., Lee, M., & Ðoàn, L. N. (2025). Reviewing and Advocating for Data Disaggregation in Aging-Related Health Research: NIA Grants and Recommendations for Equity. The Gerontologist.

Grudzen CR, Siman N, Cuthel AM, Adeyemi O, Yamarik RL, Goldfeld KS; PRIM-ER Investigators; Abella BS, Bellolio F, Bourenane S, Brody AA, Cameron-Comasco L, Chodosh J, Cooper JJ, Deutsch AL, Elie MC, Elsayem A, Fernandez R, Fleischer-Black J, Gang M, Genes N, Goett R, Heaton H, Hill J, Horwitz L, Isaacs E, Jubanyik K, Lamba S, Lawrence K, Lin M, Loprinzi-Brauer C, Madsen T, Miller J, Modrek A, Otero R, Ouchi K, Richardson C, Richardson LD, Ryan M, Schoenfeld E, Shaw M, Shreves A, Southerland LT, Tan A, Uspal J, Venkat A, Walker L, Wittman I, Zimny E. (2025). Palliative Care Initiated in the Emergency Department: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA.

Jones, T., Luth, E.A., Cleland, C.M. & Brody, A.A. (In Press). Race and Ethnicity, Neighborhood Social Deprivation and Medicare Home Health Agency Quality for Persons Living with Serious Illness. American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. DOI: 10.1177/10499091251316309.

Liu, R., Qi, X., Luo, H., & Wu, B. (2025). Trajectory of Cognitive Decline Across Different Racial/Ethnic Groups: The Role of Edentulism. Research on Aging, 01640275251315850.

Murali, K.P., Gogineni, S. (NYU GPH MPH Student), Bullock, K., Sadarangani, T., McDonald, M.V., Schulman-Green, D., Brody, A.A. (2025). Interventions and Predictors of Transition to Hospice for People Living with Dementia: An Integrative Review. The Gerontologist.

Patel, R.V., Bowden, J.M., Boselli, D., Strahley, A.E., Gibbs, S.L., Murali, K.P., Patel, V.R., Kotecha, R.R., Nelson, J.E. (2025). Utilization and Perceptions of Chaplaincy Among Hospitalized Adults of Dharmic Religions with Cancer. Cancer. (in press)

Pei, Y., Qi, X., Li, G., Tang, W., Huang, K., Hall, B. J., & Wu, B. (2025). Unequal Effects of the Lockdown on Mental Health in Shanghai: The Moderating and Mediating Role of Neighborhood Environment and Online Social Connections. Journal of Community Psychology, 53(1), e23177.

Presentations:

Curseen, K.A., Furuno, J.P., Murali, K.P., Estrada, L.V., Dias, N., Madni, A., Zhukovsky, D.S. (2025). Overcoming Barriers in Health Equity Work in Palliative and Hospice Care: A Multidisciplinary Approach. Annual Assembly of Hospice and Palliative Care 2025, Denver, CO.

Murali, K.P. & Moreines, L.T. (Meyers PhD Student) (2025). Small Actions, Big Outcomes: Harnessing the Power of APRNs in Everyday Care. Annual Assembly of Hospice and Palliative Care 2025, Denver, CO