Aging In America: Belonging isn’t just acceptance. It’s revelation.

Malcolm Brooks, Senior Insight Manager at Olson Zaltman, published a piece in Aging in America News exploring what belonging actually means to older adults. Drawing on ZMET research conducted at the American Society on Aging's On Aging 2026 conference, Malcolm unpacks why attendees' images of belonging pointed to hidden structure and quiet vulnerability rather than the usual language of inclusion and what that means for organizations serving aging populations.