Intergenerational equity, equality and reciprocity in economically and politically turbulent times: narratives from across generations

Preparing the Younger Generation for an Aging Society: Strategies, Challenges, and Opportunities

The global demographic landscape is experiencing a monumental shift as populations age, driven by advances in healthcare and declining birth rates. This transition underscores the need to prepare the younger generation to navigate and contribute effectively to an aging society. This manuscript comprehensively reviews strategies to equip younger generations with the requisite knowledge, skills, and empathy to support an aging population. This study identifies critical challenges and opportunities in fostering intergenerational solidarity and understanding through an extensive analysis of existing literature and innovative educational programs. The review highlights the importance of early education, community engagement, and policy interventions in bridging the generational divide. Additionally, it explores the role of technology and digital media in facilitating awareness and empathy among young people. Key findings suggest that incorporating aging-related content into educational curricula, promoting volunteerism, and implementing supportive policies can significantly enhance the younger generation's readiness to support an aging society. The manuscript concludes with recommendations for future research and practical steps for educators, policymakers, and community leaders to foster a more inclusive and age-friendly environment. By preparing the younger generation today, we can build a more cohesive and supportive society for tomorrow.

The Impact of Age Stereotypes and Age Norms on Employees' Retirement Choices: A Neglected Aspect of Research on Extended Working Lives

This article examines how older workers employ internalized age norms and perceptions when thinking about extending their working lives or retirement timing. It draws on semi-structured interviews with employees (n = 104) and line managers, human resource managers and occupational health specialists (n = 52) from four organisations in the United Kingdom. Previous research has demonstrated discrimination against older workers but this is a limiting view of the impact that ageism may have in the work setting. Individuals are likely to internalize age norms as older people have lived in social contexts in which negative images of what it means to be "old" are prevalent. These age perceptions are frequently normalized (taken for granted) in organisations and condition how people are managed and crucially how they manage themselves. How older workers and managers think and talk about age is another dynamic feature of decision making about retirement with implications for extending working lives. Amongst our respondents it was widely assumed that older age would come with worse health-what is more generally called the decline narrative - which served both as a motivation for individuals to leave employment to maximize enjoyment of their remaining years in good health as well as a motivation for some other individuals to stay employed in order to prevent health problems that might occur from an inactive retirement. Age norms also told some employees they were now "too old" for their job, to change job, for training and/or promotion and that they should leave that "to the younger ones"-what we call a sense of intergenerational disentitlement. The implications of these processes for the extending working lives agenda are discussed.