Respect Age International

Source: AARP Press Center | September 17, 2005

Yash Aggarwal
Member, AARP Board of Directors
The National Convention of All India Association of Senior Citizens Forum on in Agra, India

September 17, 2005

Thank you very much. Before I address the topic at hand, I want to say a word about the catastrophe that has befallen the Gulf Coast region of the United States. My professional training is as a seismologist, so I know a thing or two about the havoc that a natural disaster can wreak. But the harrowing images I've seen leave me absolutely speechless.

Nearly nine months ago, we all witnessed this part of the world cope with the devastating effects of the tsunami, and only a month ago the residents of Mumbai braved the fury of the killer monsoon rains. Please keep the thousands of displaced Americans in your thoughts, and pray that they will have the same strength, courage and resolve demonstrated by India in the face of the tsunami.

It's a great honor to be here to discuss the ways that AARP has become an effective champion for older citizens in the United States. I have spent much of my career promoting partnership between the land of my origin and my adopted home. And I can think of no more important area of bilateral cooperation than tackling the challenges of an aging population. Nothing would make me prouder than to see AARP's experience help you become better advocates for India's older citizens.

From its very inception, AARP has had an interest in international affairs. But in recent years, we have stepped up our international focus and made it a more strategic effort. And how could we not? Nations and peoples are growing becoming increasingly interdependent. The world's elderly may perhaps outnumber its children by mid-century. AARP absolutely must be engaged in a global dialogue about aging.

Through the AARP Global Aging Program, we facilitate and engage in international policy debates related to the aging population. There is much we can offer in sharing our experiences with other countries, and at the same time, learning from the experiences of other nations. We are here to listen and to learn, as well as to teach.

For example, an EU directive mandates that all member states implement age discrimination laws by 2006. Age discrimination has been illegal in the US since 1976, and AARP has substantial expertise in this area. So we have been providing resources and advice to these countries to help them successfully implement these new laws.

As we debate Social Security reform in the U.S., we have taken close looks at pension systems in other countries that have moved toward privatization. We have used the experiences from Chile, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Australia to inform and strengthen our position against President Bush's recommendations.

To this point, most of our cooperative work has been with Europe, Japan and other developed nations. But I hope that this conference will be the catalyst for further engagement with India. There is much that we can learn from one another by sharing experiences and best practices.

India, of course, has a rich tradition of esteem for the eldest members of society. Because that unquestioned respect is woven so deeply into the cultural fabric, there was limited need for Indians to plan for their retirement security, to diligently put away money or explore long-term care options. The assumption always was extended family would take care of its own.

Americans respect their grandparents too. But it's not something intrinsic to our spiritual customs. There is no American equivalent, for example, to the practice of touching the feet of family elders. Many fewer Americans than Indians share homes with and take financial responsibility for the older generation. Ironically, as a result, we probably have a stronger tradition of individual retirement planning.

But what happens to India now that urban centers beckon the young and talented, now that globalization has created opportunities around the world? Who will stay home to take care of the grandparents? At just the moment that India is bracing for an elder explosion—177 million by 2025—the modern world is upending custom and breaking apart the joint family system. Suddenly, older Indians may become more responsible for their own retirement security in ways they never have before. If so, they will need strong, effective aging organizations.

With that in mind, against that backdrop, let me tell you a little bit about AARP

AARP is a non-governmental, non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to enhancing quality of life for all as we age. Founded in 1958 by a retired high school principal, Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus, AARP evolved from the National Retired Teachers Association, whose goal was to secure health insurance for retired educators.

Half a century later, we are almost 36 million people strong, the largest membership organization in the world…and one of the most powerful and recognizable in the United States. Our vision is of a society in which everyone ages with dignity and purpose and in which AARP helps people fulfill their goals and dreams.

We realize our vision and fulfill our mission in a number of ways. First of all, we lead positive social change, which benefits all populations, not just those in the 50+ demographic who comprise our membership. Specifically, we have a 10-year social impact agenda that covers a number of important issues.

First, economic security. So that Americans can live comfortably in their later years by enjoying a guaranteed public pension benefit; accumulating and managing private pensions and other retirement assets; and remaining in the workforce if they choose.

Second, health and supportive services. We are committed to ensuring that Americans have affordable coverage and access to health care, as well as other supportive services like home and community-based care.

Third, livable communities. That means helping people sustain mobility and live in their own homes and communities for as long as possible.

Fourth, global aging, an agenda item that we're seeing in action here today. We are a leading force in the international exchange of experiences and best practices on global aging issues.

And fifth, navigation. That is, making sure older Americans have access to the information they need.

In addition to social change and impact, we are also about member value at AARP. As with any business or organization, our members are our most cherished asset. We are committed to giving them the information, the advocacy and the products and service they need to age with dignity and purpose.

Whether it's physical fitness tips or advice for grandparents raising their grandchildren, AARP prides itself on being a credible source of timely, relevant information for its members. AARP The Magazine is one of our most important information vehicles - in fact, it has a larger circulation than any other magazine in the world.

Advocacy is one of AARP's most critical and valuable functions. Our members can rely on us to represent their interests when it comes to pivotal legislative, regulatory and legal matters. Let me give you just a few examples. A few years ago our support was critical to the enactment of prescription drug coverage under Medicare, the publicly-funded health care program for older Americans.

As you may know, Social Security now in place for 70 years, is the U.S. government insurance program that provides a guaranteed income for disabled Americans and retirement income for seniors and their survivors. Throughout this year, we have waged a battle to block attempts to drain money out of Social Security for use as private investment accounts - something that would force reductions in future benefits, create a mountain of new debt and pass the bill along to future generations.

Advocacy means more than lobbying the government. For example, through our affiliated charity, AARP Foundation, we also provide legal support for older Americans who have been victimized by discrimination in the workplace. We also litigate to protect the rights of older Americans regarding health and long-term care.

AARP is also renowned for its unique, unparalleled member services. Our for-profit subsidiary offers a broad menu of insurance policies - health auto and life-as well as discounts on travel, entertainment products and other consumer goods.

At AARP, "service" also means community service. We believe, as the Hindu proverb says, that "They who give have all things; they who withhold have nothing." Volunteerism is the beating heart of AARP. Our founder, Dr. Andrus, had a motto - "To serve, not to be served." That is a guiding organizational philosophy to this day.

Up and down our organization, volunteers are empowered to change lives in American communities and make critical decisions about the goals and direction of our organization. The President of AARP is a volunteer, and I am a member of AARP's all-volunteer Board of Directors.

In the coming years, there will be millions upon millions of mature, experienced Americans…living longer and healthier than ever before…many looking to wind down their professional lives but still looking to invest their time in worthwhile endeavors. In short, we're talking about a deep reservoir of human capital that can be tapped for society's volunteer needs.

And we're doing our best to tap it. In addition to our volunteer leadership, we have about 160,000 volunteers across the country, who give their personal time to help improve the lives of older Americans. Volunteers are critical to the success of our Benefits Outreach Program, helping low-income older Americans take advantage of federal, state, local and private services that provide food, shelter and health care. Volunteer instructors are the reason for the success of our Driver Safety Program, which helps 700,000 people brush up on their driving skills.

Through our Money Management and Tax-Aide Programs, volunteers help older people pay their bills and stay financially independent. The NRTA, AARP's Educator Community, is involved in tutoring and mentoring schoolchildren. And volunteers help low-income job-seekers prepare resumes and polish their interview skills under AARP's Senior Community Service Employment Program.

In addition to our corps of volunteers, we have a base of over a million activists who mobilize to lobby government at the state and national level to protect their rights to a decent pension, affordable health care and protection as consumers against predatory business practices.

It takes more than good intentions alone for community service to work. There's a saying often used in the United States, urging people to practice "random acts of kindness." At AARP, we like to think that we practice "organized acts of kindness", which are even better. Our efforts are cohesive and efficient. Our volunteers are well-trained and assigned to tasks that fit their skills.

A prominent American children's advocate, Marian Wright Edelman calls service "the rent we pay to be living." And in the U.S., many, many people are willing to pay that rent. Research shows that those who aren't volunteering would do so if someone simply asked them to. And there's also convincing empirical evidence that, in addition to its social benefits, service is actually good for the volunteers themselves. Older adults who are engaged in service activities actually are happier, healthier and live longer.

Volunteering may denote something different slightly from culture to culture, but there's every reason to believe that AARP's success with community service can be transferred to aging organizations in other countries. We're pleased that NGOs and other governments have sought to replicate the AARP volunteering model.

Let me close by reemphasizing both the challenges and the opportunities of a graying planet. Aging populations will affect every aspect of our public lives in the 21st century - our economies, our health care systems, infrastructure, housing, transportation, natural resources and so on.

Much has been made of the perils. But let's not forget that global aging is in part the result of great triumphs of human compassion and innovation. Thanks to improved health care, nutrition and living standards life expectancy has soared in virtually every corner of the globe.

Without diminishing or ignoring the work that needs to be done to accommodate aging societies, we must see this as an opportunity rather than a crisis. There's every reason to be optimistic. Let's embrace what's been called the "longevity bonus." Let's celebrate the wisdom that aging societies will accumulate. Let's imagine the production and consumer power of 1 billion human beings over the age of 50.

Turning this challenge into an opportunity will require unprecedented transnational exchange. We're all at different points on the aging curve, approaching these issues from slightly different perspectives. But that's all the more reason for dialogue and cooperation. As India becomes the world's most populous nation in the coming decades, AARP looks forward to building that dialogue with you. Thank you very much.