Dr. Debra Whitman: Getting Ready for the Next Fifty

In this week’s 4-Quarter Lives, Avivah Wittenberg-Cox talks with Dr. Debra Whitman, Executive Vice President and Chief Public Policy Officer for the AARP (the American Association of Retired Persons). They talk about ageing, longevity, and her new book The Second Fifty: Answers to the 7 Big Questions of Midlife and Beyond. Whitman discusses her role at AARP, an organization supporting people over 50 but open to all ages, focusing on advocacy, research, and benefits. She shares her motivation for writing the book, realizing as she approached 50 that many aspects of aging were not well understood. The book addresses key questions like life expectancy, financial security, work longevity, and health. They explore inequalities in ageing, with Whitman highlighting disparities in life expectancy based on income, location, race and the U.S. healthcare system’s focus on disease treatment over prevention. The discussion also covers the challenges of retirement planning, with many forced to work longer due to financial instability. Whitman advocates for policy changes, including improved retirement systems and long-term care solutions. She emphasizes the benefits of a positive ageing mindset, which can extend life expectancy. Relationships are also crucial for well-being, often outweighing financial wealth. The conversation underscores the need for individuals and societies to rethink and reframe ageing. As Chief Public Policy Officer of the AARP, Dr Debra Whitman leads policy development, analysis and research, as well as global thought leadership supporting and advancing the interests of individuals age 50-plus and their families. She oversees AARP’s Public Policy Institute, AARP Research, Office of Policy Development and Integration, Thought Leadership, and AARP International. An economist, her career has been dedicated to solving problems affecting economic and health security, and other issues related to population ageing. Formerly staff director for the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, she worked to increase retirement security, lower the cost of health care, protect vulnerable seniors, safeguard consumers, make the pharmaceutical industry more transparent, and improve the USA’s long term care system. Before that, Dr. Whitman worked for the Congressional Research Service as a specialist in the economics of ageing and, from 2001 to 2003, she served as a Brookings LEGIS Fellow to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. 

Dr. Whitman serves on several boards, including the National Academy of Social Insurance, Syracuse University Maxwell School and the Pension Rights Center. She holds master’s and doctorate degrees in economics from Syracuse University and a bachelor’s degree in economics, math and Italian from Gonzaga University.

Some Useful Links:

* Buy ‘The Second Fifty here (USA)

* Buy ‘The Second Fifty here (UK)

* AARP website

* Debra’s AARP Blogs