📘 Book Review: The Age of Dignity by Ai-jen Poo

As America enters an elder boom, books like The Age of Dignity by Ai-jen Poo offer a powerful look at what it means to age with care, respect, and justice. This list also includes titles like The 60-Something Crisis by Barbara Pagano and How to Retire with Enough Money by Teresa Ghilarducci—guides that cover the emotional, financial, and social shifts of life over 60.

These carefully selected books aim to help you live well, stay informed, and plan confidently for the years ahead.

Title: The Age of Dignity: Preparing for the Elder Boom in a Changing America
Author: Ai-jen Poo
Published: 2015
Genre: Non-fiction / Aging / Social Policy / Caregiving
Length: ~160 pages

🔍 Overview

In The Age of Dignity, Ai-jen Poo presents a passionate and urgent call to reimagine aging in America. As millions of baby boomers enter their later years, the U.S. faces a caregiving crisis that most people aren’t even aware of—yet every family will feel it.

This book goes beyond facts and policy. It tells stories—of domestic workers, aging parents, immigrant caregivers, and working-class families all navigating a system that is failing both the cared for and the caregivers.

Poo envisions a more humane future: one where elders age with dignity, caregivers are treated with respect and paid fairly, and the social contract catches up with our aging reality.

👤 About the Author

Ai-jen Poo is the director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and co-director of Caring Across Generations. She’s a MacArthur “Genius” grant recipient and one of the most influential voices in the labor and aging advocacy space.

Her deep knowledge of social policy is balanced with compassion, making her writing both informed and deeply human.

💡 Key Ideas and Insights

1. America Is Unprepared for the Elder Boom

By 2030, over 70 million Americans will be over the age of 65. Yet the current systems—healthcare, caregiving, long-term support—are broken or under-resourced.

Families are overwhelmed, care workers are underpaid and unsupported, and seniors face difficult choices between independence, care quality, and affordability.

2. Caregivers Deserve Care Too

Poo emphasizes that the mostly female, immigrant, and low-wage caregiving workforce has been invisible for too long. They are essential—but rarely protected by labor laws or given career advancement opportunities.

By raising wages, providing benefits, and offering training, we can professionalize caregiving and give dignity to those who do this essential work.

3. Caring Is the Infrastructure of the Future

As America ages, our economy must shift. Caregiving should be considered a key part of national infrastructure—just like roads, energy, and education.

The book highlights how investing in care would create millions of jobs, support families, and offer seniors more options to age safely at home.

4. A Moral Vision

Beyond policy and economics, The Age of Dignity makes a moral argument: How we treat our elders and those who care for them reflects who we are as a nation.

📣 Notable Quotes

“We are all aging. If we’re lucky, we will all need care. And many of us will need to give care too.”

“A caring America is not just possible—it’s necessary.”

🧠 Why It Matters for You (Especially If You’re 60+)

Whether you are:

• Caring for a spouse, parent, or friend
• Starting to think about your own long-term care needs
• Worried about affording in-home or nursing care
• Interested in aging policy and reform

…this book offers clarity, perspective, and hope. It empowers readers to ask better questions, advocate for better options, and join a national movement for care reform.

You’ll walk away better informed—and maybe even inspired to take part in shaping the future of elder care.

✅ Pros and Cons

✔ Pros

• Emotional and policy-driven storytelling
• Short, digestible, and impactful
• Highlights real lives and real struggles
• Offers a practical framework for change

✘ Cons

• May feel policy-heavy in places
• U.S.-centric and doesn’t explore global comparisons
• Less focused on individual retirement planning than some readers may expect

🔚 Final Verdict

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)

The Age of Dignity is more than a book—it’s a call to action. With compassion and clarity, Ai-jen Poo makes the case that America’s future depends on how we care for our aging population—and those who care for them.

Whether you’re 60, 70, or 30, this is essential reading for anyone who wants to age with dignity—or ensure someone they love can.

📚 Related Reads on 60AndOver.net:

• The Longevity Economy by Joseph F. Coughlin
• The Second Fifty by Debra Whitman (coming soon)
• Our Complete List of Recommended Books on Retirement & Aging (coming soon)