I walked into the ballroom with red, yellow, and blue lights and a large table set up for the panelists on a stage. Though this was my first experience at the American Society on Aging Conference, I had heard of the Panel of Pundits and how generative, witty, and informative the conversation seemed. I was unsure of what to expect, but was eagerly anticipating the panel and closely followed ASA On Aging’s twitter account to see updates throughout the conference. The Panel of Pundits featured Paula Basta, Directory of the Illinois Department on Aging; Joel White, Executive Director of Health Innovation Alliance and President of the Council for Affordable Health Coverage; Ramsey Alwin, the CEO of the National Council on Aging; Josie Kalipeni, Executive Director of Family Values at Work and Strategy Advisor for Caring Across Generations; and Jason Resendez, the President and CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving. The panel was moderated by Bob Blancato, President of Matz Blancato & Associates. Below, I will highlight some pieces of the conversation that were particularly interesting and important to advancing discussions around the field of aging.

The conversation began by discussing the Build Back Better Act and the importance of creating more support systems for caregivers, who are disproportionately women of color in the U.S. Additionally, the panelists discussed investing in home and community-based care systems, emphasizing livable communities for all would benefit all of society and not only older adults. Most of the panelists, however, were hesitant about the feasibility of such investments because of increasing tensions and divisions along political party lines as well as slow-moving policy changes. Topically similar, the panel answered questions about decisions to age at home and the need for bolstering home and community-based services and how systems of for-profit long-term care needed to change.

Shifting a bit, the panel then discussed pathways into the field of aging and gerontology, framed as a “pipeline for gerontology.” Paula Basta described partnerships with educational associations and organizations to forge new partnerships and open opportunities to include the field of aging in schools. Josie Kalpeni explained that the use of TikTok, new social media connections, and technological advancements would help to connect and create more “youth engagement” by utilizing these new tools available to us.

There were discussions about social justice and diversity throughout the conversation. Overall, the consensus was that “aging is a non-partisan issue” and Ramsey Alwin discussed that “aging should be a human issue, a human right, we need to frame aging as a social justice issue.” Other members of the panel, such as Joel White and Josie Kalipeni noted that it is politically imperative to tell our stories of aging and ensure that we are electing people that represent marginalized communities. Some portions of the conversation focused on LGBTQ+ aging, with Paula Basta explaining that we need better training and information around diversity, language, sexuality, and culture.

After a lightning round of questions with humorous answers sprinkled throughout, panelists were asked the final question: what policies should we be more intentional about working toward? Most of the panelists discussed the issues surrounding climate change and policy, that there are pressing energy issues facing our country and “older adults are the most vulnerable to natural disasters” as stated by Ramsey Alwin. Other panelists discussed the importance of new technology policies, reducing isolation for older adults through mentorship programs, racial justice policies, and addressing income inequality. Bob Blancato noted that there need to be linkages between these topics, because “if you you stay in one silo away you are missing something else, how do you make it comprehensive and understand the relationships of these things together.”

I left the discussion with swirling thoughts about infrastructure for the field of aging and gerontology, including structures, places, and spaces for people to learn more about the field and build connections. As a scholar of aging, I often noticed that I was the only person in the room studying this particular field, so the importance of building connections and opportunities for people to pursue the field of aging is important in my own life and studies. Pressing concerns about climate change, working for social justice and anti-oppression, and finding connections linking these topics is essential to address. I especially appreciated the conversational nature of the panel which was refreshing after attending many presentations over the course of the conference. This generative conversation left me excited and hopeful for the next steps in the field of aging and looking forward to next year’s conference.

Brittney Pond is a co-Assistant Director of the Emancipatory Sciences Lab and a doctoral student in the Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences at UCSF.