179 Lois Wagh Aronstein: A Lifetime Spent Connecting Older People to Opportunities that Retain Independence and Showcase their Value

Lois Wagh Aronstein has advocated for older people the majority of her career. First, when she initiated Project Reward through the Framingham Chamber of Commerce and then as the New England representative for AARP and in various capacities for 26 years. “As a society we must understand the value of older people. We can design social structures in a way that plays down dependence and creates independence, but progress is slow…” – Lois Wagh Aronstein What she learned from her work is that older people want to keep making contributions and feel valued. They have assets that are underutilized. Lois shares many stories that illustrate the change that occurs, physically and mentally, when their passions find opportunities to be expressed. Ageism is a very real threat to our culture. We must create opportunities for older people to stay independent, rather than expecting dependence. We have to change that view of older persons wanting dependency, when what they really cherish is continuing to contribute. Connect with Lois: Email: LoisWagh@gmail.com