Defying Gravity at the Engaging with Aging Conference: Why States Need Multisector Plans for Aging

In December 2025, I had the pleasure of participating in the Engaging With Aging Conference, where leaders from across sectors came together to discuss one of the most pressing realities of our time: how we prepare our states and communities for an aging population. Thank you to Jeffrey Klein, FACHE for an amazing event. I had the opportunity to interview Greg Olsen , Acting Director of the New York State Office for the Aging, about the importance of and growing momentum around state Multisector Plans for Aging (MPAs).

Drawing from the excitement about The Wizard of Oz movie playing at The Sphere (highly recommend by the way!) and the recent Wicked For Good movie, we reflected on MPAs and, perhaps surprisingly, The Wizard of Oz offers a useful way to think about why they matter.

We’re Not in Kansas Anymore: The Aging Landscape Has Changed

Just as Dorothy steps into a world that looks nothing like home, states are waking up to the reality that aging has changed and that old approaches are no longer sufficient.

The systems that support older adults today were largely designed decades ago, for a very different demographic reality. People are living longer, families are smaller and more dispersed, housing is less affordable, and the demand for #caregiving far outpaces supply.

The fastest-growing segment of the population is adults over 85. More people are living longer with complex health needs. At the same time, the caregiving workforce is shrinking, housing costs continue to rise, and social isolation is becoming more common.

These challenges can’t be solved in silos. Addressing aging today requires coordination across systems that historically haven’t worked together. States need a new playbook — one that matches the scale and complexity of the moment.

Follow the Yellow Brick Road: MPAs Provide a Clear Path Forward

Just as Dorothy needed a path to follow, states need a roadmap to translate vision into action.

Multisector Plans for Aging provide that path. #MPAs are long-term, cross-sector strategies that align agencies, stakeholders, and investments around shared goals. They connect housing, healthcare, long-term services and supports, workforce development, and community infrastructure into a coherent plan.

Rather than reacting to challenges as they arise, MPAs allow states to plan proactively, set priorities, and measure progress over time. They create clarity, continuity, and accountability, even as administrations change.

Brains, Heart, and Courage: What Aging Systems Need to Succeed

One of the enduring lessons of The Wizard of Oz is that progress requires more than one ingredient. Aging systems need:

• Brains — data, evidence, and thoughtful planning. MPAs bring together data from across sectors to inform decisions and guide investments where they can have the greatest impact.

• Heart — an understanding that caregivers and the direct care workforce are the backbone of aging systems. MPAs elevate caregiving as a core priority, addressing workforce shortages, family caregiver supports, and sustainability.

• Courage — the willingness to tackle complex, long-standing challenges like long-term care financing, housing affordability, and inequities that shape how people experience aging. MPAs provide the structure and shared vision that make bold action possible.

There’s No Place Like Home: Centering Aging in Community

Across states and communities, one message is consistent: people want to age at home and in their communities. But aging in place doesn’t happen by accident. It requires:

• Accessible housing

• Reliable transportation

• Affordable healthcare

• Caregiver supports

• Opportunities for connection.

MPAs help states move from aspiration to action. By strengthening home- and community-based services and aligning policies across systems, MPAs support choice, independence, and dignity as people age.

Pulling Back the Curtain: Transparency and Accountability

Aging systems can feel complex and difficult to navigate for individuals, families, and policymakers alike. MPAs help pull back the curtain. By setting clear goals, tracking outcomes, and reporting progress publicly, they promote transparency and accountability.

Several states have created public-facing MPA dashboards to track MPA implementation and outcomes over time. Additionally, the West Health National Aging Readiness Dashboard provides a range of indicators from demographic data to economic security, healthcare access, mental health, and housing at the national, state, and local levels.

Clicking Our Heels Isn’t Enough: Why States Must Act Now

#MultisectorPlansforAging are not about magic solutions. They are about doing the hard work of planning, aligning systems, and investing wisely so that people can age with dignity, choice, and security.

Our call to action is simple but urgent: states must commit to comprehensive, actionable Multisector Plans for Aging and sustain them over time.

If we build the path together, thoughtfully and intentionally, we can ensure that for every older adult, caregiver, and family, there truly is no place like home.