Dr. Anna Dixon’s recently published book, The Age of Ageing Better? A Manifesto for our Future sets out a vision for how society could be different; a vision of a society where we are all able to make the most of our longer lives, where old age is celebrated not feared and where people of all ages feel part of their communities.

Anne Dixon is the Chief Executive of the UK’s Centre for Ageing Better (an independent charitable foundation that brings about change for people in later life today and for future generations). The book focuses on solutions for the UK context but the discussion and ideas are highly relevant in other countries and reflect many of the inter-disciplinary themes of research in the Center on Longevity’s New Map of Life initiative such as health, education, financial security, work, retirement , housing and community and intergenerational relations.

The book challenges the “population pessimists” assumptions about ageing and what longer lives mean for our society.  Dr Dixon turns the misleading and depressing narrative of burden and massive extra cost of people living longer on its head and shows how society can thrive if we start to think differently. A new reality for ageing better needs multifaceted and cross-sectoral policy and practical solutions.  Anna Dixon offers an optimistic and  comprehensive analysis of what we need to transform our workplaces, our homes and our  communities and how we spend our time and use our money so that everyone can enjoy a better future.

You can hear Anna Dixon discussing the book in this interview.