Population aging presents a challenge which is both a demographic shift and a task of cultural adaptation. The dominant form of adaptation, productivity through work, provides limited opportunities for personal development and for age-specific identities to take shape in later life. Alternatives are suggested which emphasize the creative value of inactivity, a re-thinking of social ageism, and increased generational intelligence, allowing age-specific existential and spiritual questions to emerge. The value of empathic understanding, negotiated solutions, and complementary roles between generational groups are examined as we move toward the discovery of age-specific contributions that may throw light on the wider human condition. Implications for policy and research direction are critically examined.
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