Aging Watch seeks to advance the protection, promotion and participation of elders in American society.

Protection means ensuring that the rights of older people are respected, that the social promises made to them are honored, and that their needs and interests are included at all levels of public planning and decision-making. Promotion refers to clarifying and expanding the social understanding of who older people are and of what they are capable of doing. Participation refers to organizing and amplifying the voices, perspectives, and contributions of elders in order to enrich and elevate our nation’s civil discourse.

Jessica Walker is the founder of Aging Watch. She is a public policy expert, advocate and author of several influential reports on social isolation among older adults, elder poverty, geriatric mental health and the creation of age-friendly communities.