Impact and Inspiration: What I’m Learning as a Nonprofit Intern (4/30/25)
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April 29, 2025
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By Kayla Zesaguli
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As we say goodbye to April and hello to May, we are also ushering in Older Americans Month 2025! This year’s theme is Flip the Script on Aging: challenging negative stereotypes and promoting the contributions to society older Americans have made and opportunities aging brings. Did you know that as of 2023 about 18% of the population in the United States is aged 65 and older? This means that one out of every six Americans is 65+!
Dr. Becca Levy, a psychologist at Yale University, has found that individuals with positive self-perceptions of aging live approximately 7.5 years longer than those with negative views. Embracing aging with optimism and uplifting older adults in society can lead to better health outcomes and increased longevity.
Although many believe that aging is associated with being dependent and seeing a decline in functioning, older adults actually report a better quality of life overall than younger adults. As shown in the chart, many myths about aging do not hold up in reality.
We can all join the movement to #FlipTheScript on aging during #OlderAmericansMonth! To begin, let’s focus on positive aging: qualities like wisdom, resilience, and active engagement with loved ones and the community.
