The Roaring Twenties 2.0 – From the Jazz Age to the New Joyconomy

“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”

– F. Scott Fitzgerald “The Great Gatsby”

As I wrote in my new book, “Me Time Monday – The Weekly Wellness Plan to Find Balance and Joy for a Busy Life ,” we are emerging from a global pandemic and struggling with economic instability, just as we did a century ago. After spending too many sleepless hours worrying about work, weight gain or loss, caregiving responsibilities, financial implosions and rising costs of living as well as social media’s lure of FOMO (fear of missing out), we need a change. All of this negative static is invading our Joy space. While we cannot control a lot of these life challenges, we can control our pursuit of happiness. Fitzgerald dubbed the Roaring Twenties the Jazz Age. For our modern times, we are calling it the new Joyconomy.

?

My book research brought an epiphany about the control we have of our own happiness: we have always known how to achieve better balance and wellness in our lives. It is based on ancient practices handed down through the ages and just dusted off and repackaged for new generations. Wundermark Thompson writes the Joyconomy is about, “The rise of trends such as elevated expressionism, ageless play, and positive feeds that are driving brands to lean into consumers’ desire for inspiration and optimism, as people become determined to show resilience, innovation, and joy in the face of continued hardships.”

?

But personal Joyconomy is not only about what you buy or what is being marketed. It is about what you create. It is also not about overcoming anxiety, fears, depression and stress. While living a happy life requires techniques to abate or address those mental health issues, the Joyconomy is not about just eliminating the “bad,” it is more about creating the “good.” We do that by building the skills and using the tools we have to live with passion and purpose. This is why wellness is a practice grounded in maximizing strengths rather than fixing problems.

?

As a gerontologist I look at the Longevity Economy ($8.3 trillion market driven by people over age 50) and the Care Economy (identified by the World Economic Forum as the fastest growing economy over the next few years). But whether it is living longer or needing care, life is based on a journey to find joy. This pursuit of happiness improves healthspans (life without disease and disability), wellspans (optimal aging despite health status) and ultimately lifespans (the years we will live). And unlike the pleasure-seeking activities of the previous Roaring Twenties, our modern take on happiness is about meaningful connections, multisensory experiences (often involving nature) and finding gratitude rather than a tub full of gin.

5 Joyconomy Trends Shaping the Future of Wellness and Longevity

In a research presentation I made this summer at the What’s Next Longevity Venture Summit , I identified five Joyconomy trends from my “Me Time Monday” book research:

1) The Socializers

As the Global Wellness Institute Trends Report stated, “We are going from Goop to group, from solo to social and from URL to IRL (in real life).”? Connections are the currency in the Joyconomy.

It is time to invest in these connections. The loneliness epidemic as outlined by the U.S. Surgeon General’s report highlights that 1 in 2 Americans are lonely. This is especially concerning for our older population, including solo agers, who can be both socially isolated and lonely in their current relationships. Loneliness takes an?estimated financial toll on our society and is estimated to cost $6.7 billion annually according to an AARP report . Some of the costs of loneliness are tied to an increased risk for Type 2 diabetes(1), a 13-27% increased heart disease risk for women(2) and a 40% increased risk for Alzheimer’s(3). This global loneliness epidemic will drive an increase in social prescribing. Britain’s National Health Services (NHS) will have 1 million patients referred for social-prescription interventions by 2024. Many of these will be “green social prescriptions” defined as local outdoor walking programs, community gardening projects, conservation volunteering, green gyms, open water swimming, and arts and cultural activities that take place outdoors.

While McDonald’s rebooted its Happy Meal for adults in fall 2022, one age-tech company, Ageless Innovation, LLC , is giving sustenance to our relationships by leading the ageless play category with its recently launched Reach Out and Play. Dusting off favorite boomer board games such as Trivial Pursuit, Scrabble and Life, Ageless Innovation reimagined the games with generational topics for parents, grandparents and grandkids to enjoy together. This also taps into the spirit of hygge – a digital unplugging and cozying up to old-fashioned analog activities while also helping to address the loneliness felt by both younger and older generations.

In my “Me Time Monday” book I highlight how Soul Cycle founders are spinning a new business venture from social wellness. Their new startup is called Peoplehood where you ditch the bikes for relational fitness through 60-minute guided group conversations called “Gathers” to encourage active listening on a variety of life topics and to connect people in meaningful conversations. Launched this year, think of it like talk therapy instead of sweat therapy.

2) The Soothers

With 1 in 5 Americans suffering from mental health issues(4) and a survey by Archangels showing 52% of Sandwich Generation caregivers had suicidal ideation and 85% had negative impact to their emotional health during the pandemic(5), mental and emotional health needs are finally getting our full attention.

?

In 2021, the meditation health app Headspace joined forces with mental teletherapy platform Ginger, a $3 billion deal that boasts 70 million users. While a Fair Health report showed telehealth usage dropped 76% from 2020 to 2021, a CB Insights report showed Andreesen Horowitz is doubling down on apps and teletherapy focused on mental health, care delivery and well tech. The caveat is AH wants to see evidence-based validation and use case research results. This is good news for mpathic , that uses a range of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to improve communication backed by robust research so solutions are delivered with greater empathy.

?

And for its employer channel, Headspace is attempting to help employers who are suffering from point solution fatigue – where numerous apps need to be evaluated but also curated to fit into an overall systems solution. At a recent USC Entrepreneurship “Aging is the Future” Symposium focused on aging, long-term care and entrepreneurs in age-tech, two themes emerged: 1) Organizations and employers across all industries need more gerontologists to help assess and curate systems solutions, and 2) The aging and longevity ecosystem is overwhelmed with one-point solutions but the future will be more about “one front door” systems solutions for senior living and home care.

?

Roger that. Happify transformed itself into Twill by Dario to offer Sequences?, which are configurations of evidence-based digital therapeutics and well-being products, care communities, virtual coaching, and third-party services. This change reflects the company’s transition from wellness app to clinical-grade solution that weaves together a more precise, personalized, and connected care experience.

?

The other side of mental health has to do with the intersection of neuroscience and nature, two key themes in my “Me Time Monday” book. Since our ancient brains (the limbic system including the amygdala and hippocampus) are hotwired to our five senses of sight, sound, smell, touch and taste, immersive multisensory activities and programs are the new trend in wellness.

?

Addressing the concerning results of a 2021 Kaiser Family Foundation/Washington Post Frontline Health Care Workers Survey that found 55% of front-line acute care workers suffered from burnout, some hospitals are turning to virtual biophilic design spaces at work (as explained in depth in my book, biophilia means love of nature).?Frontline Strong Relief at Mt Sinai and Beth Israel hospitals as well as Banner Health that has Studio Elsewhere Recharge Rooms for hospital employees are using biophilic décor, nature scenes on the big screen and relaxing scents and sounds.

?

This neuroscience meets nature focus is becoming the answer to address stress for acute and long-term care workers as well as with family caregivers. A study in Frontiers in Psychology showed just 15 minutes of relaxation in these virtual nature environments reduced stress significantly, improved cognitive performance and had a Net Promoter Score of 99.3% for the experience.(6)

?

In my book, I share the research behind multisensory therapeutics. For instance, pink noise (the most effective sonic hue for improved sleep), healing and calming effects of chromatherapy and the science of gastrophysics to create sonic seasoning using musical menus to trigger tastes, smells and a more pleasurable dining experience, especially for those with dementia.

3) The Sustainers

As we witness exponential growth in our older population with a lifespan potential into the 90s and 100s, there is a need to address the 20% of 75-year-olds today who are living with three or more chronic conditions and the 68% of those age 50+ who reported requiring assistance with daily living and mobility over the next 10-30 years.(7) ?In fact, 6 in 10 boomers, currently between the ages of 58 and 76, have at least one chronic condition as a result of obesity, such as high cholesterol or heart disease estimated to increased healthcare spending by $149 billion annually (about half of which is paid for by Medicare/Medicaid).(8) By 2030, 25% of the boomer generation will have diabetes and today 1 in 3 current Medicare dollars are spent on people with diabetes.(9,10)

?

Whether it is diabesity, Alzheimer’s or preventing falls, all are the focus of numerous start-up companies in age-tech and lifelong wellness including: Balance, BrainHQ from Posit Science , Halo, Limeade , SafelyYou and Spiro100: Senior Fitness Programs . The future will be about brain exercises (not brain games), biohacking and fitness trends that lean towards blue wellness (involving hot and cold water therapy as well as hydrotherapy) as well as green exercise (GE).

?

The GE movement is where activities are performed outdoors in nature environments instead of inside. A 2023 study in Nature found a 15-minute walk outside on a leaf-canopied or tree-lined path rather than inside on a treadmill, improved cognitive test scores and calmed anxious nerves. Also, the aerobic activity of walking in nature just 5,000 steps a day, improves blood flow and lowers blood pressure to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s. (11) ??

Kelly McGonigle, health psychologist and lecturer at Stanford University who is known for her work in psychology and neuroscience recently wrote in the New York Times about the “Joy Workout ” done inside or outside taking about 7-8 minutes a day. This fun, fast fitness regime is really just a refresh of J.P. Müller’s My System – 15 Minutes’ A Day for Health’s Sake published in 1904. Again, everything old is new again.

4) The Seekers

Albert Einstein once said, “Once you stop learning, you start dying.” An AARP report on lifelong learning found 75 million Americans over age 45 have created the $5.6 billion market for online learning. The survey also reported that 83% of respondents feel lifelong learning enhances brain health.

?

Older adults are flexing their intellectual and social wellness areas of life by finding more purpose and personalizing their lifelong learning with educational, entertainment and travel platforms. These activities not only create meaning but also meaningful relationships.

?

GetSetUp based in the U.S. and The Joy Club in the U.K. are two of the top platforms helping older adults connect on everything from cooking to bird watching to learning about technology. Get Set Up feels the social connectivity means more to their members than just learning a new language. They are helping address loneliness and social isolation issues among older adults by working with local county and state offices on aging as well as other organizations.

?

In the area of seeking new adventures and wellness travel – which I call “wellcations” in my book – two companies in the virtual travel space are connecting armchair travelers with trips they would not otherwise take. Using live guides, these experiences go beyond passive watching by engaging the travelers to ask questions of the guide or interact with other virtual travelers.

Discover Live is a bespoke travel service where travelers dictate the date, time and place and can invite multiple fellow travelers or family members to join in the fun from different screens. It is a great service for reunions, girlfriend trips, long distance weddings and intergenerational travel. Another company, Wowzitude , is designed for older adults and offers a new city each week where travelers sign up to join others from across the globe to see the sights in Rio, Paris or the Australian Outback or join heritage tours to Jerusalem or Celtic countries and beyond. The virtual travelers also get menus and recipes, music lists and other local insights into the culture of the city they will be visiting.

?

These virtual travel companies employ what gerontologists call “SOC Theory” of selectivity, optimization and compensation – adapting rather than abandoning activities as we age. (I write about lifelong learning and virtual travel in my book or you can listen to or watch my podcast interviews with both Discover Live and Wowzitude as well as Get Set Up).

5) The Shelterers

In my “Me Time Monday” book, I emphasize the neuroscience connections to nature and how our environments are not just places of shelter or safety but sanctuaries for healing. We spend 95% of our lives indoors which makes our environments critical places for wellness design including multisensory connections to biophilic design, air care and color psychology that improve the aging experience. My book research expanded on an article I wrote for PBS Next Avenue about how many large home brands have shifted gears to address the growing aging population including Pottery Barn 's Accessible Home line, 宣伟 Senior Living paint collection and Lowe's Companies, Inc. Livable Home options.

?

At CES January, 2023, there were more options for multisensory engagement and technology than ever before. LG电子 introduced its unique MoodUP, advanced refrigeration and smart technologies for better food freshness and enhanced convenience. The LED doors include customized color panel lighting that play music via its built-in speaker. Using color psychology and the user’s personal musical tastes, it provides a multisensory experience every time you are in the kitchen. At the KBIS show, 科勒公司 announced its new Sprig collection of showerhead attachments that elicit aromatherapy in the bathroom and 宜家 unveiled a sculptural light design collection, the VARMBLIXT Collection, as part of Ikea’s “long-term goal… to encourage a shift in the perception of lighting as simply functional to lighting as emotional.”

?

And wellness design is not just for the home. One of my favorite examples of biophilic design and joy is the Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants which is leading hospitality wellness trends with its Plant Pals program. This is a wellness trend I love to see – bringing nature inside to soothe stress, calm our anxieties and tap into our ancient brain’s need for green, living and air care.

I have started to work with employers wanting to entice employees back to the office using environmental wellness enticements. I use principles from the International WELL Building Standards? that embrace biophilic interior and exterior design (greenery, air, lighting), color psychology and soundscaping to optimize multisensory responses. These immersive without being intrusive environments are based on the nature effect and are set to be the next decade’s biggest movement in workplace design. A recent IWBS “2023 Workforce Well-Being Poll,” found employees want more daylight, more thermal control for comfortable office temperatures, more access to nature and outdoor settings and more comfortable and healthful workstations. In return, research shows employers benefit because these types of perks enhance workplace performance and productivity and create allegiance from loyal employees.

?

As opposed to most economies that are driven by consumer spending and business investment, the Joyconomy is driven by consumer adoption of wellness practices and both personal and business investment in a balanced life where physical, psychological and social health support each other. Ultimately, the index for measuring the Joyconomy will be societal happiness and well-being throughout the lifespan.

?

Note: You can find more information on the trends above as well as longevity and wellness in my new book, “Me Time Monday – The Weekly Wellness Plan to Find Balance and Joy for a Busy Life .”

REFERENCES

(1) Flowers, L., et al. (November, 2017) Medicare spends more on socially isolated older adults. American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Public Policy Institute Report. Washington, D.C.

?

(2) Golaszewski, N. M., LaCroix, A. Z., Godino, J. G., Allison, M. A., Manson, J. E., King, J. J., ... & Bellettiere, J. (2022). Evaluation of social isolation, loneliness, and cardiovascular disease among older women in the US. JAMA network open, 5(2), e2146461-e2146461.

?

(3) Sutin, A. R., Stephan, Y., Luchetti, M., & Terracciano, A. (2020). Loneliness and risk of dementia. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 75(7), 1414-1422.

?

(4) NAMI (2023). National Alliance on Mental Health.

?

(5) Czeisler, M. é., Drane, A., Winnay, S.S., Capodilupo, E.R., Czeisler, C.A., Rajaratnam, S.M.W., Howard, M.E. (2021). Mental health, substance use, and suicidal ideation among unpaid caregivers of adults in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic: Relationships to age, race/ethnicity, employment, and caregiver intensity. Journal of Affective Disorders, Volume 295, Pages 1259-1268, ISSN 0165-0327

?

(6) Putrino, D., Ripp, J., Herrera, J. E., Cortes, M., Kellner, C., Rizk, D., & Dams-O’Connor, K. (2020). Multisensory, nature-inspired recharge rooms yield short-term reductions in perceived stress among frontline healthcare workers. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 560833.

?

(7) American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). (November, 2021). Home and community preferences survey. AARP, Washington, D.C.

?

(8) Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. National health expenditure data analysis report. Retrieved: https://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Statistics-Trends-and-Reports/NationalHealthExpendData/NationalHealthAccountsHistorical

?

(9) Hackett, R. A., Hudson, J. L., & Chilcot, J. (2020). Loneliness and type 2 diabetes incidence: findings from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Diabetologia, 63(11), 2329-2338.

?

(10) Fradkin, J. (January, 2012). Confronting the urgent challenge of diabetes: An overview. Health Affairs. 31(1): 12-19. Retrieved from: https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/abs/10.1377/hlthaff.2011.1150

?

(11) Boere, K., Lloyd, K., Binsted, G., & Krigolson, O. E. (2023). Exercising is good for the brain but exercising outside is potentially better. Nature Scientific Reports, 13(1), 1140.