Age Wave makes Waves

The Age Wave is that world-wide tsunami of men and women over age 60 who are continuing in their lives more or less as they always have - working, playing, investigating, traveling, investing, being sick, being well, talking, exercising, listening to music, etcetera, etcetera. All the while, moving right along to their 90s, 100s, and who knows what after that.

If this demographic billow were a surfing wave, it would be called a “bomb”. And what an explosion: According to Statista, in 2024, 12.6% of the earth’s population was 60+. That equates to almost 100 million individuals (more than any one of the foremost EU countries).

By 2100, our planet will be populated almost 30% by “the elderly” - who will likely be continuing in their lives more or less as they always have…doing etcetera.

This week, Age Wavers (which includes members of the Age-defying Athlete Project (ADAP) community) made headlines in two Dow Jones outlets: Barrons May 12 2025, and The Wall Street Journal May 17-18 2025.

Barrons

The Barrons piece focused on the economic implications of an aging population. Its article, pitched toward the publication’s typical reader, was entitled: “How to Invest in the Longevity Economy”. It consisted of an interview with Joseph Coughlin, Founder and Director, MIT Age Lab.

Coughlin described the very positive impact longevity can have on an economy.

(Keep in mind that Baby Boomers currently hold the most wealth of any generation in US history - $78.55 trillion. Source. )

Coughlin outlined two “sides” to this economy:

The first side revolves around a “push” approach – new businesses and services that assume seniors need to be “supported”. Think senior housing, medical devices, pharmaceutical products, basic healthcare.

“This is the old, antiquated view of the older consumer,” Coughlin asserted, “—a view that says older consumers are either on crutches or cruises. It is built on limited assumptions about aging consumers.”

In contrast, Coughlin is more excited by what he defines as the “pull” side, in which active older people demand innovation to match their expectations.

“Older consumers are often described as not willing to try anything new, or frozen in time,” he explained. “Perhaps companies have just failed to excite and delight the older consumer who has money but hasn’t seen anything new, let along exciting.”

Barrons concluded with these thoughts that resonate with ADAPers: “The future isn’t just about living longer – it is about living better,” said Coughlin. “This gap between traditional aging and modern aspirations creates a white space ripe for investment and innovation. For investors who understand this shift, the longevity economy offers something rare: a massive, predictable trend that is still fundamentally misunderstood by the market.”

Wow. But Age-defying Athletes do not miss this massive trend, because they have created it.

The Wall Street Journal

Continuing the “groovy geezer” theme of its sister publication, The Wall Street Journal ran “Americans in Their 80s and 90s are Redefining Old Age: Dementia rates are down, recovery rates are up. Many are thriving mentally and physically deep into their later years.”

Again, no surprise to any Age-defying Athlete.

Whereas Barrons focused on the economic implication of hordes of 90 year olds inspiring new innovative firms, WSJ looked at real oldsters and how they spend their time.

The article describes several men and women – including men in the “Kick-Ass Old Farts” exercise group who have been exercising together since 1980 – who are mostly in their 80s and 90s. These individuals do not seem a bit surprised that their lives are rich and full of sports, exercise, travel, dancing, socializing, and all the things that make life worth living.

The WSJ writer offered several insights, including one about why older, healthy adults are often “invisible”: “The reason we hadn’t seen things that tend to improve with age is we were never looking for them,” noted Yochai Shavit of the Stanford Center on Longevity.

Imagine that, things improving with age!

It’s a good thing, too, because according to the US Census Bureau, “by 2034, for the first time in US history, adults 65 and older will outnumber those under age 18.”

Age Wave!!

The article also pointed out that some statistics can be misleading. For example, today, more older Americans live with chronic diseases like arthritis, high blood pressure, and diabetes. But Mark Lachs, MD, Co-chief of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine clarified that “…these statistics say little about the quality of these lives: You can’t tell if they are living in a nursing home or CEO of a Fortune 500 company.”

WIIFY?

The more the Age Wave is visible, the less invisible it becomes. The economic power of the 60+ year-old crowd speaks far more loudly than societal misperceptions of elders fastened to “crutches or cruises”. Not that there’s anything wrong with either thing – but the world offers much more to Age Wavers.

The great secret is that the older you get, the more economically magnificent you become. So, go out and spend. Treat yourself. Purchase that new windsurfing board or invest in fencing lessons. Have fun and kick ass.