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Ken Dychtwald

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Futurist, author, psychologist, entrepreneur and original thinker regarding the lifestyle, marketing & healthcare

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Over the past 40+ years, Dr. Ken Dychtwald has emerged as North America’s foremost visionary and original thinker regarding the lifestyle, marketing, health care, economic and workforce implications of the age wave. Ken is a psychologist, gerontologist, and best-selling author of 18 books on aging-related issues. He also released a memoir in April 2021.

Reasons to book Ken Dychtwald

  • He is a futurist, best-selling author, psychologist, entrepreneur and popular public speaker.
  • Through his highly acclaimed presentations, his breakthrough research and consulting initiatives, and his leadership within both the social science and business communities, Ken has dedicated his life to battling ageist stereotypes while promoting a new, vital and purposeful role for life’s second half.

Since 1986, Ken has been the Founder and CEO of Age Wave, an acclaimed think tank and consultancy focused on the social and business implications and opportunities of global aging and rising longevity. His client list has included over half the Fortune 500. He has served as a fellow of the World Economic Forum and was a featured speaker at two White House Conferences on Aging.

Ken has twice received the distinguished American Society on Aging Award for outstanding national leadership, and American Demographics honored him as the single most influential marketer to baby boomers over the past quarter century. His article in the Harvard Business Review, “It’s Time to Retire Retirement,” was awarded the prestigious McKinsey Award, tying for first place with the legendary Peter Drucker. He was honored by Investment Advisor as one of the 35 most influential thought leaders in the financial services industry over the past 35 years.

Ken and his wife, Maddy, recently received the Esalen Prize for their outstanding contributions to advancing the human potential of aging men and women worldwide. In 2018 he was awarded the Inspire Award from in the International Council on Active Aging for his exceptional and lasting contributions to the active-aging industry and for his efforts to make a difference in the lives of older adults globally. In 2020, he was the first recipient of the Pioneer Award from the Retirement Coaches Association.

During his career, Ken has addressed more than two million people worldwide in his speeches to corporate, association, social service, and government groups. His strikingly accurate predictions and innovative ideas are regularly featured in leading print and electronic media worldwide and have garnered nearly fifteen billion media impressions.

See keynotes with Ken Dychtwald
A Presentation by Ken Dychtwald, PhD

The Birth of Life’s Third Age & the Retirement of Retirement

Today there are more than one billion people over the age of 60 worldwide, thanks to steadily rising longevity and the aging of the massive global Baby Boom generation. Most 60-year-olds can expect to live another 20 years or more, and with impending breakthroughs in exponential and precision medicine, living to 100+ will soon become commonplace.

Dr. Ken Dychtwald, who has been North America’s leading visionary and original thinker about the “age wave” for more than 40 years, will explain how the combination of rising longevity and the aging of the Baby Boomers will forever change our lives, families, communities, government programs, and the consumer marketplace. He’ll explain why the 20 th century notion of “retirement” has become too narrow and obsolete, and he’ll provide a mind-stretching preview of the new “Third Age” that is rising worldwide.

Topics to be covered include:

  • The emerging medical breakthroughs and technologies that have the potential to dramatically improve health, aging, and longevity for all.
  • How a cyclic lifeplan—with repeated personal reinventions—will turbo-charge demand for new ways to repeatedly learn, give/volunteer, work, and enjoy life.
  • The new measure of lifelong success and the ideal roles for 21st century “modern elders”.
  • How we can work together to eliminate ageism and envision an abundantly healthy, continually curious, and satisfyingly purposeful Third Age.
A Presentation by Ken Dychtwald, PhD

The Longevity Revolution: Triumph or Tragedy?

History’s greatest accomplishment—increasing longevity—could ironically become civilization’s greatest crisis. Left “uncorrected,” it could cause an economic misalignment of every aspect of society from pensions to playgrounds; global pandemics of degenerative diseases, including a billion humans with dementia; and a gerontocracy that could spark political age wars.

Gerontologist/psychologist/futurist Ken Dychtwald outlines four parallel “moonshots” that are needed to transmute these potentially grave problems and by so doing match healthspan to lifespan; safeguard financial security for all generations; stimulate a longevity marketplace; and provide a 21st century purpose for modern elders.

A Presentation by Ken Dychtwald, PhD

The Rise of History’s Biggest Untapped Market - It’s Hiding in Plain Sight!

Men and women over 50 now make up 33% of the total U.S. population and 44% of the adult population but control more than 70% of total wealth. Due to the combination of rising longevity, declining fertility, and the aging of the Baby Boom generation, this group is now bigger than the entire market of most countries. As active and curious consumers, they are responsible for 53% of all food and grocery purchasing; 55% of all travel and leisure consumption; 56% of new car and truck purchasing; 68% of OTC drugs and 77% of all Rx drug consumption; and 78% of all retirement accounts. However, people 50+ only appear in 15% of advertisements and are disproportionately portrayed as old, sick, and homogenous.

Dr. Ken Dychtwald, who has been North America’s leading visionary and original thinker about the “age wave” for more than 40 years, will explain how to best target this massive, misunderstood, misrepresented, and wildly untapped new market. He’ll illustrate why 20 th century notions of “lifetime brand loyalty,” “retirement,” and “seniors” have become obsolete and how with impending breakthroughs in precision medicine, living to 100+ will soon become commonplace. And he’ll provide a mind-stretching preview of the products, services, marketing, and advertising that will succeed at meeting the needs and aspirations of this new “Third Age” while eliminating the ageism that has impeded shareholder value for too long.

A Presentation by Ken Dychtwald, PhD

The Future of Health, Medicine & Aging in a Post-COVID World

Due to the combination of rising longevity, declining fertility, the aging of the massive global Baby Boom, and the impact of COVID-19, all dimensions of health and healthcare—as well as aging and longevity—are being transformed.

In this revealing glimpse into the future, presented by Age Wave visionary Dr. Ken Dychtwald, he explores:

  • How long might we live?
  • Will our later years be a time of health and vitality or illness and disability?
  • What advances are needed in diagnostics, medical/nursing skills, public health, preventative and rehab fitness, functional nutrition, and scientific advances to ensure that our healthspan matches our lifespan?
  • What are the solutions to the coming caregiving crunch?
  • Will super-longevity be purchasable on the open or black market?
  • How do we feel about “longevity inequality”?
  • What will be the new purpose of elderhood?
  • Will health be affordable?
A Presentation by Ken Dychtwald, PhD

COVID-19’s Impact on Our Lives: New Perspectives on Health, Family, Finances, Community & Purpose from Five Generations

In this new presentation, created in the wake of the world-changing COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Ken Dychtwald will present a thought-provoking analysis of how different generations have been impacted in some very different ways.

Synthesizing a wide range of cutting-edge and highly acclaimed new Age Wave research, this presentation will explore:

  • How the pandemic has transformed people’s lives, relationships, hopes, fears, finances, and purpose.
  • How the coronavirus public health crisis has affected each of the five generations differently.
  • The negative and positive influences the pandemic has had on women vs. men.
  • What younger adults have begun teaching older adults about dealing with this disruption and its aftermath.
  • What older adults can teach younger adults about dealing with this disruption and its aftermath.
  • Why there is more need than ever for “empathy” and “interdependence” among the generations.
  • How the role of purpose has been redefined for everyone in the time of COVID.
A Presentation by Ken Dychtwald, PhD

The Future of Retirement: New Timing, New Purpose, New Funding & New Planning Help Needed

With the convergence of rising longevity, the aging of the massive Boomer generation, and widespread financial insecurity stemming from the COVID pandemic, there is a greater need than ever for trusted, holistic financial guidance. Americans want financial professionals who seek to understand what matters most to them and their families and can help them achieve their goals.

This new presentation by Dr. Ken Dychtwald, the nation’s foremost visionary and expert on longevity, aging and retirement, draws on his new book What Retirees Want: A Holistic View of Life’s Third Age, as well as cutting-edge new research that spans five generations. He’ll outline the most important questions in retirement planning today and explain how financial professionals can demonstrate greater empathy to safeguard a well-lived retirement by providing targeted solutions for these uncertain times.

Topics to be covered include:

  • Why has financial peace of mind become far more important than wealth?
  • What are the greatest worries in achieving a financially secure retirement?
  • How could “generational generosity” jeopardize retirement?
  • In what ways is women’s rising financial power transforming the field of retirement planning?
  • How will the demands of eldercare, sibling care, grandparenthood, singlehood, and “rehirement” impact retirement planning?
  • Leaving a legacy: managing the greatest generational hand-off in history.
A Presentation by Ken Dychtwald, PhD

Alchemy of Travel: In Search of Peak Experiences

Amidst our high-tech, high-anxiety, and workaholic culture, there is an awakening appreciation for the immeasurable value of great times with friends and loved ones, the satisfaction of continued personal growth, and the excitement of encountering new people, places, and cultures. Fueled by COVID fatigue as well as the dual Boomer liberations of empty-nesting and retirement—and turbo-charged by Millennial FOMO—hundreds of millions of men and women worldwide are hoping to enjoy more “time affluence” than at any other point in history.

This dynamic new presentation by Age Wave guru and author of the new book, Radical Curiosity: One Man’s Search for Cosmic Magic and a Purposeful Life, explores the forces causing an unquenchable curiosity for stimulating and nourishing “peak experiences” of every form and flavor. Dr. Ken Dychtwald will uncover the abundant opportunities for both entrepreneurs and industry leaders who understand the emerging new travel consumer.

Topics to be covered include:

  • Longevity: more life, more time, more personal reinventions, more travel.
  • Coming out of COVID: how post-vaccine, pent-up demand will be unleashed into the travel marketplace.
  • How the unprecedented “age wave” demographic phenomenon will both boost and transform the travel marketplace worldwide.
  • Why the “freedom zone” is now the most liberated and liberating time in life.
  • Life’s true valuables: the growing importance of experiences over things.
  • 2.5 trillion hours to fill: tapping the enormous “longevity economy”.
  • In search of “peak experiences” and how they can both be programmed and marketed.
A Presentation by Ken Dychtwald, PhD

From Newark to Big Sur to Davos to Elderhood: The Keys to a Meaningful, Magical & Purposeful Life

In this wide-ranging conversation with “age wave” guru Ken Dychtwald, he shares stories and lessons from his first 70 years of life. From his working-class roots in New Jersey to the “tune in, turn on, drop out” cliffs of Big Sur and the pinnacles of the human potential movement, from launching his company Age Wave to rising to global prominence as a fellow of the World Economic Forum, from facing the death of his parents while coming to terms with his own aging process, Ken offers invaluable guidance through the lens of a man constantly seeking self-discovery and self-improvement—providing a glimpse into a visionary’s extraordinary world, and a guide for claiming a powerful vision of one’s own.

Widely regarded as one of the world’s foremost experts and original thinkers about aging and longevity, Dychtwald will share an entirely different and far more personal side of his life, drawing from his new book Radical Curiosity: One Man’s Search for Cosmic Magic and a Purposeful Life. He dives deep to examine the arc and legacies of his own life through touching stories, mind-stretching adventures, and unique encounters with many of the world’s great leaders and influencers to show readers his keys to a meaningful, magical, and purposeful life.

Key themes to be covered include:

  • The importance of perpetual openness to self-discovery, self-improvement, re-invention, and untapping one’s potentials.
  • How serendipity and coincidence can play just as big a role in your life as good intentions.
  • How to juggle the new roles of love, marriage, parenthood, caregiving, and work in today’s high- tech, high-pressure world.
  • The importance of lifelong curiosity, courage, and resilience if one is hoping to change the world.
  • Perceiving not only youth—but adulthood, middlescence, late adulthood, elderhood, and ultimately death—as respected and important parts of life’s journey.
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A Life Well Lived - Birthday Tribute by speaker Ken Dychtwald

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Ken Dychtwald has a unique ability to blend cutting-edge social science and unrivaled knowledge. He earned the highest speaker ratings in the history of our ‘Committee of 100’ meetings. His presentation style is riveting, and his understanding and insightful solutions are truly visionary. He’s a show-stopping keynoter.

Thomas J. Donohue, President and CEO

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Ken Dychtwald changed the way I view the future. He unlocked truths so clear and powerful that they are shocking. His understanding of population demographics is utterly critical for any CEO, executive team or government leader to understand.

Peter H. Diamandis, PhD, Chairman & CEO

XPRIZE Foundation & Executive Chairman, Singularity University

Ken Dychtwald is a gifted speaker on a topic that needs to be spoken about. He combines data with storytelling and his own years of experience to help us think differently about ageism and what it should mean for any modern workplace.

Steve Clayton, Chief Storyteller and General Manager of Innovation

Microsoft

You have a real gift for communicating with others and you are just about as close to perfect as you can get. We have enjoyed many top-ranked speakers over the years, including Dr. Victor Frankel, Mother Teresa, David Brinkley, George Will, Chris Matthews, Cokie Roberts, Congressman Claude Pepper and Senator Ted Kennedy, but no one was ever better received than you.

Val J. Halamandaris, JD, former President

National Association for Home Care and Hospice

Every business leader who is thinking creatively about the future has to listen to Ken Dychtwald’s insights about demographics, aging, and their impact on the global marketplace…

Jack Welch, former Chairman and CEO

General Electric

Ken Dychtwald is a masterful keynote presenter and storyteller whose vision and message is not only thought-provoking, it transcends generations, cultures, organization types, and geographic locations.

Colin Milner, Founder and CEO

International Council on Active Aging

Ken Dychtwald is a showstopper. He is one of the few speakers that can educate, entertain, and have you laughing and crying—all at the same time.

Brian Perkins, former Worldwide Chairman

Johnson & Johnson

Ken Dychtwald’s session was insightful and superbly delivered. Ken received the highest ratings of any presenters in the history of WTTC.

Olivia Ruggles-Brise, Senior Vice President

World Travel & Tourism Council

I have been learning from Ken Dychtwald for years and am convinced that he is today’s most innovative and original thinker on this important subject.

President Jimmy Carter
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