Society

A New Age

In response to a maturing global demographic, Magnum photographers capture the myriad stories of older persons around the world

Jim Goldberg Morio Taira (left, 84) and Etsuko Taira (right, 75). Ogimi, Okinawa. Japan. 2019. © Jim Goldberg | Magnum Photos

Both in raw numbers and as a proportion of the world’s population, there are more people over 50 alive today than ever before. The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) commissioned 21 Magnum photographers to capture stories of aging around the world, in responce to the challenges and opportunities that come along with this unprecedented demographic situation.

The photographers drew on the lives of extraordinary individuals as well as upon everyday stories. The people they encountered demonstrated the science of healthy aging, worked on groundbreaking research innovations, ignited new creative and romantic passions, and had dedicated themselves to giving back to their communities.

Here we present images from each story alongside an adapted version of the text presented by AARP.

Health, Mind & Body

More of us are living longer, more active lives than ever before. But better public health and key medical breakthroughs are just one part of the picture. No matter our age or abilities, from ski jumpers to dance-class regulars, staying active brings far more than physical benefits. It’s also a rich source of fulfillment, community and lasting relationships — and enjoyment knows no age limit.

Jonas Bendiksen At the IMC World Champtionships for veteran ski jumpers.

Jan Willy Oskal jumping, born in 1945. Vikersund. Norway. 2019. © Jonas Bendiksen | Magnum Photos
Jonas Bendiksen Pyotr Doldin from Russia, born in 1949, at the Ski Jumping International Masters Championships in Vikersund. Norway. Vikersund. 2019. © Jonas Bendiksen | Magnum Photos
Jonas Bendiksen At the Norwegian Championships for veteran ski jumpers. Crew preparing the sku jumps for tomorrows jumping competition. Tolga. Norway. 2019. © Jonas Bendiksen | Magnum Photos
Jonas Bendiksen Tor Arild Malin, born in 1957, sets off for a training jump the night before the Norwegian Championships for veteran ski jumpers. Tolga. Norway. 2019. © Jonas Bendiksen | Magnum Photos
Jonas Bendiksen Arnstein Vatle (left, born 1962) having coffee, looking out at the conditions the morning the Norwegian Championships for veteran ski jumpers. Vatle is worried about today's jump after having sprai (...)
Jonas Bendiksen Ivar Sturla Skårset, born in 1955, caries his skis up to the top of the 60-meter hill at the Norwegian Championships for veteran ski jumpers. Tolga. Norway. 2019. © Jonas Bendiksen | Magnum Photos

For proof, look to the members of Norway’s Veterans Ski Jump Association, photographed by Jonas Bendiksen. The stalwarts of this grueling, gravity-defying sport are in their 60s, 70s and 80s and show no signs of slowing down. They’ve also achieved folk hero status for their decades of dedication to this beloved cultural pastime, which originated in Norway in the 19th century. Kåre Holmen was born in 1939 — making him among the oldest active competitive ski jumpers in the world.

Moises Saman An orphaned child sits in front of an electric heater in the house that he shares with his grandmother, 62-year-old Sana'a Ibrahim Muhammad. Sana'a is the main care provider for 22 of her grandchil (...)
Moises Saman Buildings destroyed during the war against ISIS in western Mosul. Mosul. Iraq. 19 January, 2019. © Moises Saman | Magnum Photos
Moises Saman Buildings damaged by heavy fighting in western Mosul.

A year and a half after the liberation of Mosul from ISIS, parts of western Mosul remain in ruins. Mosul. Iraq. 19 January, 2019. © Moises Saman | Magnum Photos
Moises Saman Life slowly returns to war-ravaged western Mosul a year and a half after the city was retaken by Iraqi forces from ISIS in July of 2017. Mosul. Iraq. 15 January, 2019. © Moises Saman | Magnum Photos
Moises Saman 62-year-old Sana'a Ibrahim Muhammad surrounded by some of the 22 grandchildren that she takes care of in the temporary house that they share in the eastern side of war torn Mosul. Sana'a lost th (...)
Moises Saman 62-year-old Talal Hasoon, a former Iraqi Olympian weightlifter who represented Iraq in dozens of international competitions, including the 1988 Moscow Olympics, during his daily exercise routine th (...)
Moises Saman 76-year-old Qasim Yahya is a former soldier from Mosul who served in the Iraqi Army during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980's and the invasion of Kuwait in the 1990's. Before ISIS took control of Mos (...)

The elderly of Mosul, Iraq (photographed by Moises Saman), are far too acquainted with war. Every decade since 1920, the city has been involved in conflict. The battles and skirmishes that occurred here in the past 20 years resulted in thousands of deaths of the country’s “sandwich generation,” causing many of Iraq’s grandparents to serve as the primary caregivers of their grandchildren, becoming parents for the second time. Despite the bombings and airstrikes, Talal Hassoun Kader, 66, continues his daily exercise routine that started in his youth. The weightlifter represented his country in dozens of international competitions, including the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Today he is one of the most famous blacksmiths in Mosul and works four or five days a week. After finishing a day’s work, he lifts weights for an hour. His walls are covered with awards, medals and pictures of him on stage.

Chien-Chi Chang James Harrison visits Australian Red Cross Blood Service Riverside Park. 81-year-old James Harrison has donated blood 1,175 times in 60 years and the anti-D in his blood has saved 2,4 million babie (...)
Chien-Chi Chang 81-year-old James Harrison has donated blood 1,175 times in 60 years and the anti-D in his blood has saved 2,4 million babies in Australia. Umina Beach. Australia. 2019. © Chien-Chi Chang | Magnum Photos
Chien-Chi Chang James Harrison greets Tanya Pastor and her 2-year-old daughter Brianna McLaren. “I have been lucky enough to be able to have two healthy beautiful girls as a result of James’ life saving contributi (...)
Chien-Chi Chang "If it wasn't for the Anti-D injections we may not have such a large family! In 4 weeks I'll receive my first Anti-D injection for our 5th baby. Knowing now that this life-saving product requires t (...)
Chien-Chi Chang Australian Red Cross Blood Service Riverside Park. Umina Beach. Australia. 2019. © Chien-Chi Chang | Magnum Photos
Chien-Chi Chang Felicia Delamotte and her four-year-old son Julian who was benefited from James Harrison's blood donation. Sydney. Australia. 2019. © Chien-Chi Chang | Magnum Photos

Health can also be a matter of community, with ripple effects for generations to come, as discovered by Chien-Chi Chang. After blood transfusions helped save his life during a major surgery at age 14, James Harrison, now 82, committed to becoming a blood donor himself. He gave blood regularly for nearly 60 years, donating more than 1,100 times. Doctors were able to use a rare antibody in his blood to produce an injection that prevents a serious, and sometimes fatal, condition in which a pregnant woman’s immune system attacks her unborn baby’s blood cells. According to Australia’s Red Cross Blood Service, Harrison has helped to save the lives of more than 2.4 million Australian babies, including his own grandson.

In Chongqing, China, Sim Chi Yin captured dancers moving with ease at Bao Zhu, one of the city’s dozens of popular dance halls. The mix of ballroom, Latin and modern rhythms helps the dancers to feel less isolated in a country where, until recently, couples were allowed to have only one child, and young adults frequently relocate long distances for work.

Sim Chi Yin China. Chongqing. Dashiba. 2019. Bao Zhu Dancehall. A dance class for the elderly. Liang Yu, 63, (in pink gown) and her dancing partner Du Changming, 70. © Sim Chi Yin | Magnum Photos
Sim Chi Yin Some dancers, male and female, wait on the sidelines of the dance floor for partners to ask them to dance. While some people come with regular dance partners, others come seeking them and spend the (...)
Sim Chi Yin China. Chongqing. Dashiba. 2019. Bao Zhu Dancehall. A dance class for the elderly. Ding Huaicun, 75. © Sim Chi Yin | Magnum Photos
Sim Chi Yin Bao Zhu Dancehall. A dance class for the elderly. Du Changming (left), 70, and Liang Yu, 63. Dashiba. Chongqing. China. 2019. © Sim Chi Yin | Magnum Photos
Sim Chi Yin Bao Zhu Dancehall. A dance class for the elderly. Dancehall regular Zhong Jiyu, 65. Dashiba. Chongqing. China. 2019. © Sim Chi Yin | Magnum Photos
Sim Chi Yin A partnerless dancer does moves on his own in front of a mirror at an old-style community dancehall in Dashiba area of Chongqing. The southwestern Chinese city has an active dance hall culture. Mo (...)

Scientists have not yet uncovered all the secrets to super-longevity, but one thing is certain: Okinawa, Japan, is a very, very good place to grow old. A recent count lists more than 900 people on the islands of Okinawa over the age of 100. Jim Goldberg encountered elders who have clear roles of responsibility and a feeling of purpose well into their triple-digit years. For some, this purpose means gathering frequently with friends in a “moai,” a tight social network that brings the sense that someone is always looking out for you. Even if it’s simply partaking in a game of bowls or dressing in costume to sing karaoke, these Okinawans get together to participate in youthful activities.

Jim Goldberg Yunohama Park. Ogimi, Okinawa. Japan. 2019. © Jim Goldberg | Magnum Photos
Jim Goldberg Sueko Nakamura (left, 71) and Yoshi Shiroma (right, 97) cosplay at Big Echo Karaoke. Naha, Okinawa. Japan. 2019. © Jim Goldberg | Magnum Photos
Jim Goldberg (From left to right) Shigeru Uchima (92), Sadaji Tamashiro (92), Kazumasa Oshiro (92), and Yasuji Miyagi (92) at the Nakijin Village Community Center. Okinawa. Japan. 2019. © Jim Goldberg | Magnum Photos
Jim Goldberg Mr. Maehara (103) at Chatan Bowl. Chatan, Okinawa. Japan. 2019. © Jim Goldberg | Magnum Photos
Jim Goldberg Toshiko Taira (98). Toshiko is well known in Okinawa as one of the few remaning artists practicing Kijoka-bashofu, or the weaving of cloth from basho (banana leaves). Bashofu Centre, Ogimi, Okinawa (...)
Jim Goldberg Fumio Haruya (83) is a painter and member of the art movement, “Piyo Pino Kai”. Okinawa. Japan. 2019. © Jim Goldberg | Magnum Photos

Age is a Gift

Love, creativity, happiness: Those are a few of the rewards that a long life can bring. With longer lifespans come challenges and choices. Can we find inspiration for new passions and the confidence to move away from the familiar? Can we sustain our longest friendships, and enlarge our capacity for compassion and curiosity about the world? Age, it seems, opens doors to the world of dance, art, a second career, or finding love again with less worry about judgment. The people we discovered across six continents are making the most of their age and living life to the fullest, some to 100 or more.

Jérôme Sessini Marilyn Church. NYC. USA. 2019. © Jérôme Sessini | Magnum Photos
Jérôme Sessini USA. NYC. 2019. Sculptor Olivia Beens. © Jérôme Sessini | Magnum Photos
Jérôme Sessini Elton Tucker at his home/studio. NYC. USA. 2019. © Jérôme Sessini | Magnum Photos
Jérôme Sessini Mel Smothers in his studio. NYC. USA. 2019. © Jérôme Sessini | Magnum Photos
Jérôme Sessini Regina Silvers at Buzz White Street Studio. NYC. USA. 2019. © Jérôme Sessini | Magnum Photos
Jérôme Sessini USA. NYC. 2019. Regina Silvers at Buzz White Street Studio. © Jérôme Sessini | Magnum Photos

The Carter Burden Gallery in New York City (photographed by Jérôme Sessini), nestled among a trio of exhibition spaces in the city’s Chelsea neighborhood, showcases works by painters, sculptors and mixed-media masters with one biographical detail in common: all are 60 or older. Pieces by previously undiscovered artists sell for prices ranging from several hundred to many thousands of dollars — market proof that the art scene isn’t just for younger up-and-comers.

Larry Towell Tour group inside architect and builder Vina Lustado's Tiny House which measures 8.5 feet x 20 feet. It contains a loft bedroom, full kitchen, bath, storage loft and living room area and is heated (...)
Larry Towell Outside view of architect and builder Vina Lustado’s office, an adjacent Tiny House of 8.5 feet x 16 feet. Ojai, CA. USA. 2019. © Larry Towell | Magnum Photos
Larry Towell Tiny House of wood craftsman and designer Zavier Cabarga. Ojai, CA. USA. 2019. © Larry Towell | Magnum Photos
Larry Towell Inside sound isolation booth housing vacuum machines for MINKA “printers” (robots) which cut plywood into 157 parts for efficient assembly. Bill has designed MINKA homes based on low impact technol (...)
Larry Towell Caleb Thomas (left). Employee and son of Bill Thomas (right) in factory for MINKA “printers” (robots) which cut plywood into 157 parts for efficient assembly. Bill has designed MINKA homes based on (...)
Larry Towell Employee Hope in factory for MINKA “printers” (robots) which cut plywood into 157 parts for efficient assembly. Bill has designed MINKA homes based on low impact technology, high efficiency, and mi (...)

In Ojai, California, illustrator and designer Zavier Leslie Cabarga, photographed by Larry Towell, has found a second career as a fine carpenter and cabinetmaker. Among his latest projects? His own tiny house, hand-crafted from the ground up.

Olivia Arthur captured the story of Lorraine Field, who, in her 30s, found herself suddenly free of a telecom company job in which she had felt constrained. Thanks to that layoff, she made a bold choice to return to school for a bachelor’s degree and then a doctorate in a field about which she is passionate: volcanology, the study of volcanoes. Now 54, she is a happy petrologist who studies rocks with the British Geological Survey and teaches at the University of Nottingham.

 

Olivia Arthur Dr Lorraine Field inspecting a thin section at the British Geological Survey. Nottingham. England. GB. 2019. © Olivia Arthur | Magnum Photos
Olivia Arthur GB. England. Nottingham. Dr Lorraine Field holding a Speleothem in the Samples Reception Laboratory of the British Geological Survey. 2019. © Olivia Arthur | Magnum Photos
Olivia Arthur Granite sample observed through a microscope using cross-polarised light. Nottingham. England. GB. 2019. © Olivia Arthur | Magnum Photos
Olivia Arthur Super high magnification of a thin section from Nyamuragira, DRC observed through a microscope using cross-polarised light. Nottingham. England. GB. 2019. © Olivia Arthur | Magnum Photos
Olivia Arthur Samples in a core inspection bay of the National Geological Repository. Nottingham. England. GB. 2019. © Olivia Arthur | Magnum Photos
Olivia Arthur Dr Lorraine Field inspecting a sample in the Core Store of the British Geological Survey. Nottingham. England. GB. 2019. © Olivia Arthur | Magnum Photos

Lifelong learning

Other struggles for freedom are ongoing — and older adults are at the fore. In Maharashtra, India, at the Grandmothers School, about 30 women over 50 are learning to read and write. Many grew up in poverty, often without access to a primary education, unlike their brothers. Cristina Garcia Rodero spent time documenting these women as they embarked on their journey in education.

Cristina García Rodero All the grandmothers assemble at around 1:30 in the afternoon to prepare for the school day, which begins at 2 pm and lasts until 4 pm. Backed by a charitable trust, the school was able to provide (...)
Cristina García Rodero Elderly women education. Phangane Village, Maharastra. India. 2019. © Cristina García Rodero | Magnum Photos
Cristina García Rodero The elderly women from Aajibaichi Shala offering prayers to the rising Sun at the Kalu river just outside Phangane. By mid-April the river, which relies on the monsoon rains for its flow, all but d (...)
Cristina García Rodero Weddings are a grand affair in India, and we caught the grandmothers enjoying an evening of revelry during one such event. Phangane Village, Maharastra. India. 2019. © Cristina García Rodero | Magnum Photos
Cristina García Rodero Gangubai, 65, preparing to offer her usual evening prayers to the basil plant in her courtyard. The basil plant (Tulsi in Hindi) is a holy plant in the Hindu religion. Phangane Village, Maharastra. (...)
Cristina García Rodero Weddings are a grand affair in India, and we caught the grandmothers enjoying an evening of revelry during one such event. Phangane Village, Maharastra. India. 2019. © Cristina García Rodero | Magnum Photos

The needs of a changing world are a guiding force for Deborah Carlos-Valencia, 69. With one in every 30 people living outside their birth country, the world’s current population of migrants is the largest ever — and Carlos-Valencia knows the refugee experience from both sides. In Athens, Enri Canaj followed the day-to-day life of Deborah and her husband, Joe, who emigrated from the Philippines to Greece in the 1980s. Together they run a daycare center for migrant children in Athens, named Munting Noyon. Deborah also co-founded a non-profit called the Melissa Network of Migrant Women in Greece. Named after the Greek word for “honeybee” because of the group’s buzzing hive of activity, the organisation helps recently arrived refugees build new lives and learn vital citizenship skills.

Enri Canaj Deborah Carlos Valencia among refugee and migrants women which follow Melissa's Program. The joy of shearing celebration. Athens. Greece. 2019. © Enri Canaj | Magnum Photos
Enri Canaj On her way to work. Unexpected meeting with one of the young girls that follows Melissa's program. All places that Debbie works and partecipate are in the heart of Athens which now has become the a (...)
Enri Canaj Deborah Carlos Valencia, 69. Playing with the children which follow the Munting Noyon program. She is the founder of a day center for migrant children in Athens since she first arrived in Athens 30 (...)
Enri Canaj #Bring_Back_the_Light Neighborhood Party, Melissa Network participating, with food from every corner of the universe in the heart of Athens, including our wonder-cooks from Afghanistan, Ukraine an (...)
Enri Canaj Joe Valencia and members of the Kasapi, the Philippino community in Greece. Athens. Greece. 2019. © Enri Canaj | Magnum Photos
Enri Canaj Debbie and Joe Valencia. Athens. Greece. 2019. © Enri Canaj | Magnum Photos

Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Technology continues to fuel a new age of innovation on many fronts, and the forward-thinking scientists, executives and trailblazers we photographed only see expanding transformation for those 50 and up.

Lindokuhle Sobekwa found that for Jennifer Riria, 59, being a trailblazer comes naturally. A couple of decades ago, it was difficult to find female entrepreneurs in Africa, but today women all over the continent are running successful businesses. Riria is one of the reasons why. Born into poverty in rural Kenya, she got herself through school with her parents’ help and in 1991 joined a microfinance institution teetering on failure. Since then, she has stabilized it and climbed to the rank of group CEO, rebranding the firm as Echo Network Africa.

Lindokuhle Sobekwa Nairobi. Kenya. 2019. Saje Village, Muguga area of Kiambu county. Dr Jennifer Riria at her home in her garden. © Lindokuhle Sobekwa | Magnum Photos
Lindokuhle Sobekwa Kayole area, Nairobi. Kenya. 2019. Trickle Up Vocational Training Center. Faith Nduku, 17 years old, fashion student. © Lindokuhle Sobekwa | Magnum Photos
Lindokuhle Sobekwa Trickle Up Vocational Training Center. A class for a beauty salon. Kayole Area, Nairobi. Kenya. 2019. © Lindokuhle Sobekwa | Magnum Photos
Lindokuhle Sobekwa Gladys Malelu, 42 years old, in her office. She is the founder and chair of Trickle Up Vocational Training Center. The organization recruits young people, mostly women, in the area and provides voc (...)
Lindokuhle Sobekwa Landscape, a man sleeping during lunch time. Kayole Area. Nairobi. Kenya. 2019. © Lindokuhle Sobekwa | Magnum Photos
Lindokuhle Sobekwa Jennifer Riria. Kenya. Nankuru. 2019. © Lindokuhle Sobekwa | Magnum Photos

Ottawa entrepreneur Bruce Linton, captured by Eli Reed, took advantage of new Canadian rules that encouraged commercial marijuana cultivation in 2013, to cofound his company Tweed. By 2014, as other businesses scrambled to get an edge in the highly competitive industry, Tweed became the first cannabis company in North America to publicly trade on a stock exchange. The comapny was renamed Canopy Growth in 2015, with Tweed as a subsidiary. Canopy has brought innovative new products, such as cannabis softgels, to the market while keeping pricing affordable for medical marijuana users.

Eli Reed Ottawa. Canada. 2019. Bruce Linton of Canopy Growth. © Eli Reed | Magnum Photos
Eli Reed Brian Athaide smells plant at Green Organic Dutchman Holdings. Ontario. Canada. 2019. © Eli Reed | Magnum Photos
Eli Reed Jeanette VanderMarel, of 48North, loading and putting together marijuana cigarette. Ontario. Canada. 2019. © Eli Reed | Magnum Photos
Eli Reed Brian Athaide, of Green Organic Dutchman Holdings, holding piece of plant in his hand. Ontario. Canada. 2019. © Eli Reed | Magnum Photos
Eli Reed Workers with marijuana plants at Canopy Growth. Ottawa. Canada. 2019. © Eli Reed | Magnum Photos
Eli Reed Jeanette VanderMarel, of 48North, at factory with different strains of plant. Ontario. Canada. 2019. © Eli Reed | Magnum Photos

Innovation isn’t always about the new, as reported by Carl de Keyzer. It can be about fresh and creative thinking using existing technology in groundbreaking ways. That’s something that retired octogenarian Curtis Rogers, creator of one of the world’s largest DNA databases, knows firsthand. Rogers initially created the GEDmatch database as a way to connect with relatives, but as the site grew, so did its potential. Law enforcement officials have now turned to it to crack cold cases. After decades of dead ends, California authorities used GEDmatch to identify and catch the Golden State Killer.

Carl De Keyzer USA. Lake Worth, Florida. 2019. CEO of GEDmatch, Curtis Rogers, a retired octogenarian who runs the largest, public DNA database in the U.S. out of this three-room bungalow. It is a mixture of high (...)
Carl De Keyzer USA. New Port Richey, Florida. 2019. Carolanne Stanislaw, initially used GEDmatch to find family members. Once she heard that GEDmatch had been used to help find the Golden State Killer she wanted (...)
Carl De Keyzer USA. Lake Worth, Florida. 2019. CEO of GEDmatch, Curtis Rogers, a retired octogenarian who runs the largest, public DNA database in the U.S. out of this three-room bungalow. It is a mixture of high (...)
Carl De Keyzer USA. Lake Worth, Florida. 2019. CEO of GEDmatch, Curtis Rogers, a retired octogenarian who runs the largest, public DNA database in the U.S. out of this three-room bungalow. It is a mixture of high (...)
Carl De Keyzer USA. Boynton Beach, Florida. 2019. Dwight Brooks, a volunteer for “Search Angels”, where he uses GEDmatch to help adoptees find their birth families. He also works as a “Genetic Genealogist” with D (...)
Carl De Keyzer USA. Boynton Beach, Florida. 2019. Dwight Brooks, a volunteer for “Search Angels”, where he uses GEDmatch to help adoptees find their birth families. He also works as a “Genetic Genealogist” with D (...)

Ray Kurzweil, 71, is photographed by Gregory Halpern. As a director of engineering at Google and arguably the foremost futurist in Silicon Valley, Kurzweil leads a research team that collectively anticipates how technology can better help us think, learn and live. He also co-founded Singularity University in Silicon Valley, where future leaders study advancements in machine intelligence, among other subjects. One example of artificial intelligence is the adorable little brainiac named Pepper, capable of around 90,000 cheerful interactions with humans.

Gregory Halpern Ray Kurzweil and “Pepper," a robot. Moffett Field, CA. USA. 2019. © Gregory Halpern | Magnum Photos
Gregory Halpern Ray Kurzweil, holding a portrait of himself, which was painted by a robot, with the robot “Pepper” in the foreground, Innovation Lab, Singularity University. Moffett Field, CA. USA. 2019. © Gregory Halpern | Magnum Photos
Gregory Halpern Portrait of Ray Kurzweil, painted by a robot. Moffett Field, CA. USA. 2019. © Gregory Halpern | Magnum Photos
Gregory Halpern Ray Kurzweil at Innovation Lab, Singularity University. Moffett Field, CA. USA. 2019. © Gregory Halpern | Magnum Photos
Gregory Halpern Ray Kurzweil wearing virtual reality goggles. Moffett Field, CA. USA. 2019. © Gregory Halpern | Magnum Photos

For James Allison, innovation starts small — cell-sized, to be exact. Allison, photographed by Peter van Agtmael, has always been fascinated by the blood’s disease-fighting T cells, and last year the PhD scientist’s groundbreaking research into the cells’ function earned him a Nobel Prize. The work has also led to the development of a new class of immunotherapy drugs called immune checkpoint inhibitors, which are helping some last-stage-cancer patients to survive for years longer. Allison offers his young colleagues the same advice that has guided him: “Find something you’re interested in. Follow your heart.”

Peter van Agtmael Dr. James Allison, an American immunologist and Nobel Laureate, takes a group selfies with members of his research lab. He is the executive director of immunotherapy at MD Anderson Cancer Center at (...)
Peter van Agtmael Dr. James Allison, an American immunologist and Nobel Laureate, talks to Oluwatomisin Atolagbe, his lab Research Assistant 2. He is the executive director of immunotherapy at MD Anderson Cancer Cen (...)
Peter van Agtmael Dr. James Allison, an American immunologist and Nobel Laureate. He is the executive director of immunotherapy at MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas. He is famous for discovering n (...)
Peter van Agtmael Dr. James Allison, an American immunologist and Nobel Laureate. He is the executive director of immunotherapy at MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas. He is famous for discovering n (...)
Peter van Agtmael Dr. James Allison, an American immunologist and Nobel Laureate. He is the executive director of immunotherapy at MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas. He is famous for discovering n (...)
Peter van Agtmael The office of Dr. James Allison, an American immunologist and Nobel Laureate. He is the executive director of immunotherapy at MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas. He is famous for (...)

Preserving Tradition

As the world around us changes, so does our way of life. But even as new technology, innovation, experience and education shape the forces of modern life, traditional values and skills are being preserved in places around the globe, as Cristina de Middel discovered. Chile’s gauchos, the rugged cattlemen who call some of the country’s most remote regions home, are preservationists, bringing the old ways into a modern world.

Seen as a rejection of European modernization, the gauchos of South America are not unlike American cowboys in representing romantic ideals of the past. But men like Horaldo Soto, 51 (seen riding his horse, El Engaño) are plenty active today. Living deep in a remote area of Chile called Valle del León, he’s up early on this particular day, transporting oxen on a four-hour journey to finish a new house he’s building before winter sets in. Soto’s family has been in this remote valley near the Argentine border for three generations. The valley first got electric power in 2010, but despite the residents’ isolation, they have a rich social life, helping each other with construction projects, visiting often and communicating frequently through a radio system.

Cristina de Middel CHILE. 2019. Ernesto arrives with the cart and the oxes. It is a 4 hour journey to the new house they are building and it needs to be finished before the winter comes again to be able to use the st (...)
Cristina de Middel CHILE. 2019. Horaldo is a very respected member of the Valley and he is one of the best gauchos. He used to perform tricks on his horse but has decided now not to play anymore with the animals and (...)
Cristina de Middel Horaldo poses with the full Gaucho outfit and his horse “El Engaño”. The short wool poncho, the sheep skin and the hat are some of the distinctive elements. Chile. 2019. © Cristina de Middel | Magnum Photos
Cristina de Middel Segundo was also born and raised in the valley. So was his father and grandfather. He has a few sheep and one of his sons, who also lives in the valley, comes often to visit and makes sure he has e (...)
Cristina de Middel Horaldo discusses with his neighbour and partner, Ernesto, the details of transportation they need to make to a house in the deep part of the Valley. Ernesto, a father of 4 children, is coming fro (...)
Cristina de Middel Arturo has close to 30 sheep that he keeps near the farm house but his younger brother, Horaldo, the gaucho has a larger flock located deeper in the valley that he also has to attend every day. Chi (...)

Defying Limitations

For too long, the fashion industry saw age as something to fear or to nip and tuck away. At 67, Coco Mitchell, photographed by Olivia Arthur, is one of a growing number of older models helping to change that perception. “Beauty isn’t something that somehow stops as you get older,” says Mitchell, who broke barriers in the 1980s as one of Sports Illustrated’s first African American swimsuit models. “To me, beauty is never losing faith in who you are.”

Olivia Arthur Models Pia Gronning, Coco Mitchell, and Jaclyn O’Shaughnessy. Bronx, NY. USA. 2019. © Olivia Arthur | Magnum Photos
Olivia Arthur Model Coco Mitchell. Bronx, NY. USA. 2019. © Olivia Arthur | Magnum Photos
Olivia Arthur Model Pia Gronning. Bronx, NY. USA. 2019. © Olivia Arthur | Magnum Photos
Olivia Arthur Model Jaclyn O’Shaughnessy. Bronx, NY. USA. 2019. © Olivia Arthur | Magnum Photos
Olivia Arthur Model Pia Gronning. Bronx, NY. USA. 2019. © Olivia Arthur | Magnum Photos
Olivia Arthur Models Pia Gronning, Coco Mitchell, and Jaclyn O’Shaughnessy. Bronx, NY. USA. 2019. © Olivia Arthur | Magnum Photos

Laura Wooten was photographed by Carolyn Drake. Aged 97, Wooten was the longest-serving poll worker in the state of New Jersey, having volunteered at every election at the polls in Mercer County since 1939. After retiring from her previous job at Princeton Medical Center, she began her employment in food service at Princeton University, where she was well-known by students and staff. Describing her poll work in an interview for the university website on October 29, 2018, she encouraged students to vote, saying, “Voting is your voice. That’s the only way you’ll get changes.” Wooten passed away on March 24, 2019 and is survived by her extensive family, which includes 31 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

Carolyn Drake Laura Wooten, 97 years old, at the dining hall at Princeton University where she works checking student IDs. She has also worked at the voting polls for 79 consecutive years. Princeton, NJ. USA. 2018. © Carolyn Drake | Magnum Photos
Carolyn Drake Laura Wooten, 97 years old, heads from home to the Lawrenceville fire station at 4:45 am to open the voting station. She has worked at the voting polls for 79 consecutive years. Lawrenceville, NJ. (...)
Carolyn Drake Laura Wooten, 97 years old, heads from home to the Lawrenceville fire station at 4:45 am to open the voting station. She has worked at the voting polls for 79 consecutive years. Lawrenceville, NJ. (...)
Carolyn Drake Laura Wooten, 97 years old, finishing work at the dining hall at Princeton University and then catching the senior bus home. She has also worked at the voting polls for 79 consecutive years. Prince (...)
Carolyn Drake Laura Wooten, 97 years old, finishing work at the dining hall at Princeton University and then catching the senior bus home. She has also worked at the voting polls for 79 consecutive years. Prince (...)
Carolyn Drake Laura Wooten, 97 years old, at home with her family. She has worked at the voting polls for 79 consecutive years. Lawrenceville, NJ. USA. 2018. © Carolyn Drake | Magnum Photos

Gerda Weissmann Klein, photographed by Patrick Zachmann, likes to say that even a boring day is beautiful if you’re living in freedom. The 95-year-old Holocaust survivor, now residing in Phoenix, doesn’t take these words lightly. After she endured six years of Nazi brutality, she was liberated by U.S. troops — including Kurt Klein, who would become her husband and whose portrait she holds. The gift of survival inspired Klein to spend her life teaching tolerance and the blessings of American citizenship, a calling that earned her a Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Patrick Zachmann Gerda Weissmann Klein who is a holocaust survivor. Shows a picture of her German, American, and Jewish husband Kurt Klein who liberated her in 1945. Phoenix, Arizona. USA. 2019. © Patrick Zachmann | Magnum Photos
Patrick Zachmann Gerda Weissmann Klein who is a holocaust survivor. Shows a picture of her German, American, and Jewish husband Kurt Klein who liberated her in 1945. Phoenix, Arizona. USA. 2019. © Patrick Zachmann | Magnum Photos
Patrick Zachmann Gerda Weissmann Klein, a holocaust survivor at her apartment in the Sagewood Senior Community. Klein showing photos of her parents, and brother Arthur who were killed in the holocaust. Phoenix, Ari (...)
Patrick Zachmann Gerda Weissmann Klein in her apartment at the Sagewood Senior Community. Gerda Weissmann Klein is a holocaust survivor. Phoenix, Arizona. USA. 2019. © Patrick Zachmann | Magnum Photos
Patrick Zachmann Gerda Weissmann Klein at her apartment in the Sagewood Senior Community. Gerda Weissmann Klein is a holocaust survivor. Phoenix, Arizona. USA. 2019. © Patrick Zachmann | Magnum Photos
Patrick Zachmann Gerda Weissmann Klein's apartment at the Sagewood Senior Community. Gerda Weissmann Klein is a holocaust survivor. Phoenix, Arizona. USA. 2019. © Patrick Zachmann | Magnum Photos

Tom Budzinski and Frances Hodges found passion too, in new love. Budzinski, 65, and Hodges, 63, first made contact online; in 2018 they met in person at The Villages, Florida, and discovered that they both love music and travel and that they each have two sons. They fell in love instantly and are now planning a wedding. “We radiate love,” Hodges told Carolyn Drake. “We think the fact that we are older is important. It’s saying to each other, ‘I’ve waited for you for my whole life. You’re the absolute most special, wonderful person.’”

Carolyn Drake BJ and Dennis met through an online dating site. Port St. Lucie, FL. USA. 2019. © Carolyn Drake | Magnum Photos
Carolyn Drake Helena and Scott met through an online dating site. Hiram, GA. USA. 2019. © Carolyn Drake | Magnum Photos
Carolyn Drake Helena Williams (58) and James Scott Glore (61) at home. Helena and Scott met through a dating website called Plenty of Fish. Since then, they have been together for 5.5 years and are now engaged. (...)
Carolyn Drake Tom Budzinski (65) and Fran Hodges (63) at home. Tom and Fran met through a dating website called Our Time. They are recently engaged and planning their wedding for October 2019. The Villages, Flor (...)
Carolyn Drake Tom Budzinski (65) and Fran Hodges (63) at home. Tom and Fran met through a dating website called Our Time. They are recently engaged and planning their wedding for October 2019. The Villages, Flor (...)
Carolyn Drake Cathy Gonzolaz (64) and Terry Allison (65) met on a dating website called Our Time. After dating for 3 years, Cathy and Terry married in Ocala, Florida where they currently reside. Ocala, Florida. (...)

Managing Dementia

In the Netherlands, creative approaches help patients achieve well-being and autonomy, as reported by Rafal Milach. The Dutch have pioneered a unique approach to caring for dementia patients that’s considered among the best in the world. They have created respectful, socially rich environments so patients experience a sense of normalcy, which mitigates symptoms of the disease. Around the world, an estimated 50 million people are living with dementia — a number expected to rise to 152 million by 2050. While the population ages and the numbers grow, the search for a cure goes on.

On the outskirts of Amsterdam in Weesp, Netherlands, a lively community that mimics the way the real world looks and functions was created for people with dementia. Residents can enjoy working in one of several outdoor gardens, shopping in the home’s grocery store while using their own in-house currency, helping to make dinner, mailing a letter or package at the post office, or choosing to visit a pub or storefront club — all contained within the facility.

Another approach involves generational integration. The Humanitas long-term care facility in Deventer, Netherlands, requires college-age students to spend at least 30 hours a month socializing and helping its aging residents. In return, the students live on-site in modest, rent-free apartments. Altogether, six students share the building with 150 residents 70 and older, like Ans Meijer, who poses in front of a painting by Dutch painter Frans Hals. By looking to the Dutch for fresh, creative and respectful approaches, the future may be brighter for those living with dementia.

Rafał Milach Resident Ans Meijer posing for portrait in front of painting by Dutch painter Frans Hals. Humanitas dementia centre. Deventer. Holland. March 25, 2019. © Rafał Milach | Magnum Photos
Rafał Milach Humanitas dementia centre. Harry used to be a hairdresser for men and women. Next to a hairdresser he is a comedian. He can perform pain and laughter. Here he performs laughter. Deventer. Holland. (...)
Rafał Milach Mevrouw Sjaan Brok born on 1928. Folding loundry. Vitalis dementia centre. Eindhoven. Holland. March 29, 2019. © Rafał Milach | Magnum Photos
Rafał Milach Gymnastics activities. Humanitas dementia centre. Deventer. Holland. March 25, 2019. © Rafał Milach | Magnum Photos
Rafał Milach Resident Maria Munter (84) playing accordion. Vitalis dementia centre. Eindhoven. Holland. March 29, 2019. © Rafał Milach | Magnum Photos
Rafał Milach Mariendal dementia centre. Resident Elly van de Kamp (75). Arnhem. Holland. March 27-28, 2019. © Rafał Milach | Magnum Photos

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