A Long Bright Future: An Action Plan for a Lifetime of Happiness, Health, and Financial Security Book

I met Laura Carstensen after she gave a wonderful lecture at Stanford. The program was basically a "back to school" day for parents of then Stanford students and my daughter, Rosemary, said that Carstensen would be a highlight of the day - my daughter was right.
This book is a very important read and should be required reading for all members of congress. It provides keen insight into just how badly our system is broken. We have a social security system that is based on false assumptions that just don't apply in modern America. The system was based on a form of universal contribution that assumed most wage earners would retire and then die shortly afterwards, if not before. In fact, modern medicine has helped extend longevity to well passed the assumed retirement age of 65 but we have not changed the plan to reflect the fact that most recipients will have many "surplus" years beyond those original projections.
Carstensen challenges not just social security but the holistic societal norms around aging. Basically, we are all going to live longer than we could have imagined growing up and shouldn't we all adjust our expectations accordingly. The whole concept of retirement, assumed that someone would work until the age of 65, have a couple of years of "retirement" and then die. Now, a 65 year old who "retires" has to address the question, what are you going to do for the next 30 or so years? This book is very thought provoking, especially for anyone approaching the 65 year old threshold.
Modern medicine will keep you alive, but how do you want to live it? Bedridden for 30 years? What are you doing today to make sure your body will thrive rather than fall apart and keep you imprisoned? How are you going to finance those next 30 years - with fewer contributors and more elderly people surviving to draw down the benefits will the funding in social security be enough to provide financial well-being for all of us? Doubtful!
Carstensen also points out that new models have to be built that accommodate an older work force, a model that values years of experience combined with highly flexible structures around roles, wages, hours, etc. Essentially creating alternative career paths that incorporate volunteerism, or "doing good" with extended years of active participation in the economy!
Carstense is truly a thought leader in this field. I only gave her four stars rather than five because at times the book vacillates between an academic approach versus a book intended for a broader audience. She does an outstanding job of describing the problem but it's up to society to come up with the solutions.
Back to that day when I met Professor Carstensen - I have to agree with Mark Twain that education is wasted on the young - I'd love to take her class!