The Future Is Older: A Fireside Conversation on Aging and the Built Environment
11:30 AM–12 PM Eastern | 8:30–9 AM Pacific
As communities across the country grow older, the spaces we live, work, and gather in are becoming more influential than ever in shaping our experience of aging. The built environment now plays a central role in determining whether people can remain independent, connected, and supported throughout their later years.
Join ASA President Leanne Clark-Shirley, PhD and Felix Kabo, PhD, the Fall 2026 Generations Journal guest editor, for an in depth fireside chat exploring the ideas at the heart of this special issue. Together, they’ll unpack why the built environment is central to autonomy, identity, belonging, health creation, and social connection, and why reimagining our physical world is essential for meeting the needs of rapidly aging societies.
This conversation will dive into:
- The global realities of population aging and why the future is older, now
- How buildings, neighborhoods, and care environments shape aging outcomes • New models and mindsets emerging across architecture, design, and policy
- What it will take to create equitable, human centered environments where everyone can thrive across the lifespan
Whether you work in aging services, design, policy, health, housing, or community development, this fireside chat will offer perspective for understanding how the built environment can support or hinder aging well. Don’t miss this opportunity on how our spaces can shape the future of aging.