As we drift past the 4^th of July and Baseball’s All-Star game—the traditional mid-summer break—I’m reminded of my years growing up, when I would settle into a period of quiet contentment, freedom from the frenetic pressures and worries of daily life. It always seems to coincide with the annual appearance of thousands of fireflies, lighting up my backyard with magical bursts—nature’s own fireworks display. In those moments, the iconic little creatures would indeed light up my life.

Today, some sixty years later, the myriad fireflies have dwindled, the result of habitat loss, light pollution and modern landscaping practices. I still saw them this summer, but not in their previous abundance, and with their lesser numbers has come a diminished sense of light and hope for older Americans like me.

With more than 10,000 Americans turning 65 every day, the aging of our nation is not a distant thought—it is a current and accelerating reality. Yet despite this demographic shift, recent legislative actions in Washington—signed into law on the 4^th of July—have left millions of older adults more vulnerable to economic hardship, health insecurity, and social isolation.

It's a troubling paradox. On the one hand, we have never known more about how to age well. Advances in medicine, technology, and community design offer us the tools to help older people live longer, healthier, and more fulfilling lives. On the other hand, recent policy directions in Washington—ranging from cuts to Medicaid home- and community-based services, to the defunding of programs that support caregivers—are undermining this potential.

Medicare and Medicaid, the cornerstones of healthcare for older Americans, are facing sustained political attacks under the rationale of fiscal restraint—eliminating “fraud, waste and abuse.” In particular, Medicaid—which many low-income seniors rely on for long-term care—has faced state-level restrictions, benefit limitations, and underfunding of home care services.

These cuts are not just budgetary adjustments; they translate directly into delayed treatments, increased emergency care, and seniors being forced into nursing homes when they could thrive in their own communities with minimal support. The waiting lists for home- and community-based services are growing. In some states, older adults wait months or even years to receive the care they need—if they survive long enough.

Most older adults want to “age in place,” to live in their homes and communities safely, comfortably—and independently. But aging in place is not possible without reliable infrastructure: accessible transportation, affordable housing, in-home care, and social support. When these systems falter or fail, older adults are forced into institutional care, experience preventable hospitalizations, or are left socially isolated—factors that contribute to physical and cognitive decline.

The lack of affordable housing for seniors is particularly urgent. Rents are rising far faster than fixed incomes. Federal housing support programs like Section 202 (Supportive Housing for the Elderly) have been chronically underfunded, while zoning laws in many communities restrict the development of accessible or intergenerational housing options.

More than 48 million Americans serve as unpaid caregivers, many of them older adults themselves. They are the invisible backbone of our long-term care system, yet current policies do little to support them. Most caregivers are unpaid, receive limited training, and little respite. Without strong caregiver support, older adults face greater risks of institutionalization, and caregivers themselves suffer from physical exhaustion, lost income, and mental health challenges. It’s a cascading crisis that requires not just lip service, but meaningful legislative action.

An often overlooked aspect of aging policy is the capacity of older adults to continue contributing to society—not just as recipients of health care, but as workers, volunteers, mentors, and community leaders. Yet age discrimination in employment remains widespread, and many workplace policies fail to accommodate the physical or scheduling needs of older workers.

We need a forward-looking policy strategy that would include investment in lifelong learning, skills retraining, and flexible work arrangements for those who wish to stay engaged in the workforce. While programs like the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) are proven tools, they receive only modest federal funding. Meanwhile, expanding encore career pathways, entrepreneurship for seniors, and volunteer opportunities can provide both financial security and a renewed sense of purpose for older adults.

We already have the policy tools to improve the lives of older adults. What’s missing is the political will and public advocacy to make successful aging a sustained national priority. Seniors need to make their voices heard, louder than ever, and policymakers need to hear them. Here are several actionable steps that policymakers can take:

1. Protect Medicare and Medicaid
    Ensure stable funding and while striving for greater efficiencies and flexibility, resist efforts to privatize or restrict eligibility. Expand Medicaid waivers that allow states to offer more home- and community-based services.
2. Invest in Affordable Housing and Aging Infrastructure
    Increase funding for senior housing and incentivize age-friendly community development, including accessible transportation and public spaces.
3. Support Family Caregivers
    Enact a national paid family leave policy and provide tax credits and respite care for family caregivers.
4. Promote Workforce Inclusion
    Enforce age discrimination laws, fund training programs for older workers, and encourage employer flexibility.

If we want to age with security, comfort and joy, we must start by shifting the narrative around older adults—not as burdens, but as vital contributors to our communities. Public policy must reflect that vision.

We Americans pride ourselves on our freedom and self-reliance, and this pride does not diminish as we get older. There is quiet dignity in being able to maintain independence in our later years, but it is a different kind of independence that is viable through community, not simply unconnected, individual lives. After all, the light of fireflies does not come from isolated creatures, but from the dazzling panoply of all of them together.

The coming decades will test whether we are willing to evolve our social contract to meet the needs of an aging America. Will we embrace this transformation, or retreat into austerity? The answer will define not only the lives of today’s older adults, but the future that awaits all of us.

—Ron Roel