Age: Why grey is the new green

Society is ageing rapidly - a macro issue with huge social, economic and political implications.

Having 85% additional people aged 60 or over (as the UN projects for 20 years time) will bring unprecedented challenges and opportunities, which cross cultures and sectors.  Today the significance is appreciated in a relatively few pockets, but five years hence I predict that the "grey" agenda (or "gray", depending where you're ageing/aging) will have gained the same prominence that the "green" agenda has over the last five years.

That's certainly our view in Cisco IBSG, prompting a new focus on helping people, communities and nations to age well.  This is based on a few premises:

1.  That this is a major, public- and cross-sector issue that has been underaddressed to date

2.  Adopting new service models will be essential to tapping the exciting new opportunities and meeting the significant new challenges. (The areas of care and participation are of particular note)

3. Today's communication possibilities, based on pervasive, high-speed and symmetric broadband, enable new approches like never before

4. Increasing location-independence and personal control will be two key success factors (today's economics, and increasing citizen expectations, demand both of these)

5.  Ensuring value for citizens, providers and governments, through a holistic and policy-led approach, is also essential for scaleable success. (That's not the norm today)

Attached is a draft Point of View: we would welcome your thoughts, whether on the topic overall or the PoV iteslf.  We'll be refining, validating and extending this significantly in the coming months, along with related insights gained through continued collaborations, and selected engagements with like-minded governments and providers.  Thanks in anticipation.

Kevin Johnson (IBSG Public Sector), Petra Wilson (IBSG Healthcare),           William Buller (IBSG Innovations)  

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