Ken Dychtwald

Futurist, Best-Selling Author, Psychologist, Gerontologist, and Entrepreneur

In-Person Fee Range
$50,000 or greater
(Inquire for virtual fee)

Travels From
California, United States

Futurist, Best-Selling Author, Psychologist, Gerontologist, and Entrepreneur

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.

Books

Ken is a psychologist, gerontologist, and best-selling author of 19 books on aging-related issues, including Bodymind, Age Wave: The Challenges and Opportunities of an Aging Society, Age Power: How the 21st Century Will Be Ruled by the New Old, Healthy Aging, Gideon’s Dream: A Tale of New Beginnings, A New Purpose: Redefining Money, Family, Work, Retirement, and Success and What Retirees Want: A Holistic View of Life’s Third Age (an Amazon #1 bestseller in both the retirement and business marketing categories). He also released a memoir in April 2021: Radical Curiosity: One Man’s Search for Cosmic Magic and a Purposeful Life (an Amazon #1 New Release in the psychologist biographies category) and his latest book is Sages of Aging: A Guide for Changemakers.

Documentaries

He was the executive producer and host of the highly rated/acclaimed PBS documentary, The Boomer Century: 1946–2046 which aired over 2,000 times on PBS stations nationwide as well as the public television special, Life’s Third Age. Sages of Aging is Ken’s latest national public television program featuring profound conversations with twelve of the leading pathfinders in the fields of aging.

Age Wave

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.

Honors and Awards

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 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.

Keynote Speaker

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 over twenty billion media impressions.

Life in the Time of COVID-19: Five Generations’ Perspectives on Health, Family, Finances, Community and Purpose

This new presentation created in the wake of the COVID-10 pandemic, will present a thought-provoking analysis of how COVID-19 is impacting different generations in some very different ways. Synthesizing a wide range of current research and drawing from numerous experts’ views, this virtual presentation will explore: • How is the pandemic transforming people’s lives, relationships, hopes, fears, finances and purpose? • How is the coronavirus public health crisis affecting each of the five generations differently? • What can younger adults be teaching older adults about dealing with this disruption? • What can older adults be teaching younger adults about dealing with this disruption? • Why is there a need for more “empathy” and “interdependence” among the generations?

The Longevity Economy: Tomorrow’s Biggest Market Opportunities Are Hiding in Plain Sight

Rising longevity and the aging of the massive Boomer generation are radically altering both the demographic landscape and every aspect of the consumer marketplace. Already 50+ consumers account for more than half of all spending and control more than 70% of total U.S. net worth. In the coming years, we’ll see explosive business growth fueled by this unprecedented age wave. This provocative new presentation was created for business leaders seeking to understand, re-gear, and thrive in the era of unprecedented longevity. This revealing glimpse into the future explores the industries, products, and services that will dominate the longevity marketplace—many of which are hiding in plain sight: • The medical breakthroughs and technologies on the horizon that have the potential to dramatically transform health, aging, and longevity • How an aging population’s evolving need for healthy choices will the influence food, beverage, and supplement sectors • How a cyclic lifeplan—with repeated personal reinventions—will stimulate demand for new ways to learn, give, volunteer, work, and enjoy life • How aging Boomers will re-invent retirement and re-define the travel and leisure, housing, education, media, and financial services industries • What ways aging Boomers will take advantage of their newfound time affluence • Lessons learned from four decades on the front lines about the successes of pioneering companies worldwide that have “cracked the code” and created brands and marketing strategies that resonate with this generation of brand-loyal consumers

The Birth of Life’s Third Age and 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 20th 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

The Future of Health, Medicine, and 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?

The Future of Retirement: New Timing, New Purpose, New Funding – and 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

The New Alchemy of Travel: In Search of Peak Experiences

Amidst our current 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 the dual Boomer liberations of emptynesting 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 explores the forces causing an unquenchable appetite for stimulating and nourishing "peak experiences" of every form and flavor—and uncovers the abundant opportunities for entrepreneurs and industry leaders who understand the new travel consumer. • Longevity: more life, more time, more personal reinventions, more travel • 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

All Ken Dychtwald Books

Sages of Aging: A Guide for Changemakers
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Radical Curiosity: One Man’s Search for Cosmic Magic and a Purposeful Life
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What Retirees Want: A Holistic View of Life’s Third Age
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A New Purpose: Redefining Money, Family, Work, Retirement, and Success
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With Purpose: Going from Success to Significance in Work and Life
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Workforce Crisis: How to Beat the Coming Shortage of Skills and Talent
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The Power Years: A User’s Guide to the Rest of Your Life
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The Age Wave: How The Most Important Trend Of Our Time Can Change Your Future
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“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 |


Ken Dychtwald has a unique ability to blend cutting-edge social science and unrivaled knowledge about the marketing and workforce implications of the global age wave with world-class presentation showmanship. The response to his talks to our “Committee of 100” leadership has been tremendous and he has managed to earn the highest speaker ratings in our history of meetings. His presentation style is riveting, his knowledge base grows even stronger with the years and his understanding and insightful solutions are truly visionary. I highly recommend Ken Dychtwald to any organization seeking a show-stopping keynoter.

- Thomas J. Donohue | President and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce


You have a real gift for communicating with others. On a scale of 100, you received an average score of 98%. Obviously, this is just about as close to being 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 | President, National Association for Home Care and Hospice


In addition to being a gifted social scientist and great and prolific writer on the topic of aging and retirement, Ken Dychtwald’s presentation and communication skills, and his ability to engage all forms of media are beyond impressive.

- Jay Wintrob | President and CEO, SunAmerica Financial Group

Check Ken Dychtwald Availability

Recent Books

Sages of Aging: A Guide for Changemakers
Purchase Book
Radical Curiosity: One Man’s Search for Cosmic Magic and a Purposeful Life
Purchase Book

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