年過 50，還需要談健康與成長嗎？
多數人對健康與成長的想像，往往停留在年輕階段。但在GWS25的台上，美國非營利組織 Mather 總裁 Mary Leary 在演講中指出：「50 歲以上族群，反而是最渴望理解健康壽命與長壽的世代。」
研究顯示，遺傳對壽命的影響可能只有 10%，真正關鍵在於生活選擇、心態與環境。這樣的認知，正在重新點燃熟齡世代對健康的主動權。
你認為，長壽是命運嗎？
Mary 分享，多項研究證實，即使是高齡族群，也能透過行為與心理調整改善健康壽命。
耶魯大學研究更指出，擁有正向老化心態，能讓壽命平均增加 7.5 年。
這對出生於二戰後， 1946 年至 1964 年之間嬰兒潮世代而言，是一次認知翻轉：老化不再只是被動接受，而是可以參與設計的人生階段。
為什麼熟齡族群，更重視體驗與價值？
透過 Mather Institute 長達 25 年的研究，團隊發現嬰兒潮世代並非外界想像中保守或抗拒改變，反而對「如何生活得更好」極度主動。
他們高度重視透明度、選擇權與彈性，也期待客製化體驗，而非被動接受標準化服務。同時，這一代人同樣追求高科技，卻不願犧牲人與人之間的真實互動，High-tech, high-touch 成為關鍵關係。
更重要的是，他們在意是否被尊重、被邀請參與、是否能為環境與社會帶來正向影響，這使 50+ 市場成為體驗設計與 wellness 創新的核心實驗場。
熟齡 wellness，需要什麼元素？
Mary 指出，設計熟齡 wellness 不能只談「做什麼」，更要理解「怎麼做」。
在內容上，Mather 採用涵蓋身體、心理、社交等層面的六大健康構面；在方法上，關鍵來自「三個 A」自主權Autonom、成就感 Achievement 與歸屬感 Affiliation。
研究發現，當熟齡者擁有選擇權、目的感與連結感時，參與度與幸福感顯著提升。其中，「創意老化」尤其關鍵，藝術、學習與創作不只是活動，而是支持身心與社交健康的核心機制。
「老化」的重新定義，其實是在重新定義未來
這場演講最關鍵的訊息，並不只是指出 50+ 市場的潛力，而是徹底顛覆我們對「老化」的想像。
Mather 不斷證明健康壽命並非命中注定，而是一連串可被設計、被支持、被選擇的結果。當基因只佔影響壽命的一小部分，真正拉開差距的，是心態、環境，以及在一個鼓勵行動與連結的系統中。
Mary Leary 所描繪的未來，不是把年齡視為限制，而是將人生後段視為一個充滿主動性、創造力與影響力的階段。當社會願意投資在尊嚴、關係與目的感上，熟齡不再只是被照顧的對象，而是健康、創新與社群價值的關鍵推動者。
如果老化不是退場，你準備如何參與？
老化，其實不是時間發生在你身上的事，而是你每天如何與世界互動的結果。真正值得思考的，或許不是「我幾歲了」，而是我是否還被鼓勵去學習、去創造、去連結他人？我的生活環境，是在放大我的能量，還是在默默削弱它？
如果 50+ 被證明是最願意為健康投入行動的一群人，那麼問題也回到我們自己身上：現在的選擇，正在為未來的哪一種自己鋪路？也許，長壽從來不是延後結束，而是提早開始，為仍然充滿主動權的人生做準備。
Is Wellness Still Relevant After 50?
Many people assume wellness belongs to the young. On the stage of GWS25, however, Mary Leary, President of Mather, an American non-profit organization, offered a different perspective—one that challenges this long-held belief. According to Leary, adults over 50 are often among the most motivated to improve their health span and longevity.
Research suggests genetics may account for only 10% of lifespan, while mindset, lifestyle, and environment play a far greater role—empowering older adults to actively shape their future.
Is Longevity Fixed—or Can It Be Designed?
Mary highlighted evidence showing that longevity is not predetermined. Yale research found that a positive perception of aging can extend life by 7.5 years.
For baby boomers, this reframes aging as an active, designable stage of life—not a passive decline.
Why Do Older Adults Value Experience Over Everything Else?
Decades of research by the Mather Institute reveal that baby boomers are not resistant to change, but deeply intentional about how they live.
They value transparency, flexibility, and personalized experiences, while expecting both advanced technology and genuine human connection.
For them, services are not transactions but relationships—making the 50+ market a powerful driver of experiential and values-based wellness innovation.
What Makes Wellness Programs Truly Work for Older Adults?
Mary emphasized that effective wellness lies in both what is offered and how it is delivered.
Autonomy, achievement, and affiliation drive engagement, while creative aging—through art, learning, and expression—has been proven to enhance physical, mental, and social well-being among older adults.
Redefining Aging Is Redefining the Future
The core message of this talk goes far beyond identifying the potential of the 50+ market—it fundamentally challenges how we define aging itself.
Mather demonstrates that health span is not predetermined by genetics, but shaped by mindset, environment, and systems that empower choice and connection.
Mary Leary’s vision reframes later life not as a period of decline, but as one of agency, creativity, and contribution. When society invests in dignity, relationships, and purpose, older adults are no longer passive recipients of care—they become central drivers of wellness, innovation, and collective well-being.
If Aging Isn’t an Exit, How Will You Show Up?
Aging is not simply something that happens to you over time—it is the result of how you choose to engage with the world every day.
What truly deserves reflection may not be “How old am I?” but rather: Am I still encouraged to learn, to create, and to connect with others? Is my environment amplifying my energy, or quietly draining it?
If the 50+ generation has proven to be the most willing to invest in their health, the question ultimately returns to each of us: What kind of future self are our choices today preparing us for?
Perhaps longevity has never been about delaying the end, but about starting earlier—actively designing a life that remains rich in agency, purpose, and possibility.
