While data indicates about 16% of Reno’s population is 65 and older, with about 15% in that age group in Sparks, locally it’s a subset of about 80,000 people often feeling misrepresented in terms of overall priorities.
Social isolation is a common tragedy of the older population here and elsewhere. In Washoe County, headlines are made for the inferior food being served continuously at the Senior Center.
Gerontology is the study of aging and issues affecting older people, which encompasses biological, psychological, social and economic aspects.
Dr. Peter Reed, the Director of the Sanford Center for Aging at the University of Nevada, Reno, with his own greying and whitened beard, has spent his career helping people rethink what it means to grow older. For him, aging isn’t about decline but more about growth, and most importantly respect.
Reed’s journey into gerontology wasn’t something he always had in mind, but it came about through concern and volunteering.
As an undergraduate at the University of Kentucky he volunteered at an Alzheimer’s day program. Inspired by his grandfather's battle with the disease, the hands-on experience turned into an internship. Before he knew it, his career was dedicated to supporting older adults.
His early work focused on developing community based programs to improve the lives of older adults, and after more than 30 years in the field he is still advocating. He pushes for better resources, education, and policies to support older populations.
One of the biggest misconceptions about aging, according to Dr. Reed, is the idea that it is a disease.
“Aging isn’t something to fix, it's a natural process,” he explains.
But in a society obsessed with youth, we tend to see aging as a problem rather than a stage of life filled with opportunities. This misunderstanding creates consequences especially when it comes to healthcare. Many professionals aren’t trained to work with older adults, causing gaps in health care.
Nevada is currently the third fastest aging state in the country.
With more retirees moving in due to no state income tax and younger people leaving for jobs elsewhere, state demographics are shifting quickly. Reed expects nearly 20% of Nevada’s population to be over the age of 65 by 2030.
So what does that mean? More older adults means a greater need for healthcare, social services, and community support. The problem? There’s not enough funding to meet the current demand, let alone what's coming.
“We have to stop being dismissive of older adults, especially those with Alzheimer’s or dementia,” Reed says. “They still have human rights. They still deserve respect.”
At UNR, Reed and his team are working on solutions through education and community outreach. The university offers a Gerontology Certificate and Minor, giving students from all fields the chance to understand aging through a professional lens.
Whether you’re studying sociology, psychology or business Reed notes, “any field can have an aging lens within it.”
For anyone feeling uneasy about getting older, Reed has a simple message, “Every person you know alive today, they are going to wake up a day older tomorrow if they live through the night. The only alternative to aging is well…death.”
He laughs, but his point is serious. The anti-aging industry sells the idea that we can stop time but he says “all the anti aging stuff you see, the potions and lotions, none of it works. You can’t stop the aging process.”
Aging is going to happen and instead of fearing it we should embrace it.
“Aging isn’t something that happens to other people,” he reminds us. “It’s happening to all of us, every day.” Reed and his team are making sure older populations here and elsewhere are better served and more respected.