Chief Strategy Officer shares insights and solutions for aging well Washington, D.C. (Jan. 24, 2018) - Today, National Council on Aging (NCOA) Chief Strategy Officer and Senior Vice President for External Affairs Anna Maria Chávez testified before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging. The hearing, Turning 65: Navigating Critical Decisions to Age Well, highlighted strategies to empower Boomers as they move into older adulthood and carve new paths for future generations. In her testimony, Chávez highlighted NCOA’s solution-based innovations that successfully help Americans navigate life after 65, including managing chronic conditions, preventing falls, reducing isolation, accessing available benefits, making smart Medicare decisions, and leveraging job opportunities. She also shared the most important lesson NCOA has learned as the nation’s oldest aging advocacy organization: “After serving older adults for more than 67 years, NCOA knows that aging is not something you just let happen to you. Like your career decisions, your education decisions, your relationship decisions – aging well means making informed, deliberate choices,” Chávez said. “As a society, we’re not doing enough to help people prepare for and navigate their third stage of life. We don’t teach them how their bodies are going to change as they age or how to manage their savings so it will last an extra 20 to 30 years. At NCOA, we offer tools and solutions to help people make smart choices to age on their terms.” Chávez gave Senators highlights of the NCOA programs that empower older adults to make these important decisions and how, with the help of thousands of partners across the country, NCOA is addressing the two essential pillars of life past age 65 – health and economic security. Read Chávez’s written testimony here or watch the full video here.