Former Gov. Steve Beshear of the Commonwealth of Kentucky with his son, Gov. Andy Beshear | Photo courtesy of Harvard School of Public Health
Part III of “Searching for Super Agers Among Filipinos and North Americans” Series
Several readers informed this author that the data in Part II, sourced from search engines like Google and Wikipedia, regarding “Super Agers” and senior citizens in Japan, was incomplete. Japan is also facing challenges in providing safety nets, pensions, and housing to its growing aging population.
All countries, including Japan, face challenges — big and small — in coping with an aging population, as advances in medicine and healthcare systems continue to increase the number of elderly beneficiaries of safety nets every year. Here was my reply to said readers: Japanese government surveys indicate a relatively low number of homeless people in the country compared to other developed countries.
For example, a January 2025 survey found 2,591 homeless people across all the Japanese islands. The number of homeless people in Japan has been decreasing over time, with a noticeable drop since 2021. Japan leads the developed countries in having the fewest number of homeless citizens. Finland comes in a close second. Ergo, senior citizens, especially “Super Agers” in Japan, are well cared for, allowing them to remain healthy, both mentally and physically.
This columnist’s reports on “Super Agers” and other senior citizens in Japan were based on observations made during his four visits to Japan in 1970, 1977, 1978, and 1982. And from his interaction with Japanese and Japanese-American acquaintances and contacts, some of whom this journalist meets in Southern California and the Philippines. Suppose the public and private sectors of the United States can duplicate the safety nets, social security benefits, and the healthcare system of Japan. In that case, the United States will become truly a leading country insofar as social security and healthcare are concerned — “from sea to shining sea”. And without two of its metropolitan areas, New York and Los Angeles, are listed in the Top Five of homeless cities in the world.
The primary purpose of this series is to motivate the “Super Agers” of North America, starting with the United States and the Philippines, to take a more active role in educating younger generations on maintaining their health. Initiating reforms in Social Security, Medicare, and the Affordable Care Act (ACA), in addition to advancing the arts and sciences.
This column proposes that a nationally-known retiree from the Commonwealth of Kentucky be invited to chair this budding “Super-Agers Movement” (SAM) for want of a better name. Perhaps the best choice is former Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear, who is a “Super Ager” too. When he celebrates his next birthday on September 21st of this year, he will turn 81. It appears that the former Commonwealth chief executive is in good health, both physically and mentally, and he can become the American national-political figure who can speak with authority about what a “super-agers” advocacy may contribute to making Americans healthier as they age. And help indirectly in saving Social Security, Medicare, and the ACA, or at least make them more sustainable.
“The primary purpose of this series is to motivate the “Super Agers” of North America, starting with the United States and the Philippines, to take a more active role in educating younger generations on maintaining their health. Initiating reforms in Social Security, Medicare, and the Affordable Care Act (ACA), in addition to advancing the arts and sciences.”
According to recent news reports and public appearances, former Gov. Steve Beshear appears to be in reasonably good physical and mental health. It is public knowledge that Mr. Beshear recovered fully from a single-car accident in August 2024. He continues to be one of the best advisers to his son, the current Governor Andy Beshear.
Despite being an octogenarian, Mr. Beshear remains actively involved in public life, including promoting his memoir, teaching a leadership course, and advocating for the ACA. He continues to participate in public discussions and deliver speeches, demonstrating strong communication skills and a deep engagement with complex issues. And the people of the Bluegrass Commonwealth appreciate his continued public presence and participation in community and national events.
To know more about Steve Beshear, his track record, and political successes in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, please read his response to the first State of the Union (SOTU) Address of President Donald J. Trump in February 2017. This journalist thinks Mr. Beshear delivered one of the best responses from the Democratic Party to a SOTU. If not the best to date.
And here is another reason why the Commonwealth of Kentucky should be selected as the center of a SAM.. According to a January 2024 report based on HUD data, the Commonwealth of Kentucky ranked 26th in the United States for its rate of homelessness per 10,000 people. Another report for 2023 indicated a rate of 10.5 per 10,000 people, placing Kentucky at 30th among the states with the most homeless people. Kentucky’s homelessness rate increased by 2.3% from 2019 to 2024, a moderate rise compared to the rates in other states.
Will former Governor Steve Beshear like to be the “Uncle SAM? We will also ask his son, Governor Andy Beshear, if Kentucky or its private sector would like to host the headquarters of a national SAM advocacy.
