8.4M+

Gen X adults are caring

for an older parent right now

6,000k+

Women in the U.S. reach menopause each day

10.5M+

Women age 65+ are sole 

householders (living alone) 

89M+

U.S. women are projected to

be postmenopausal by 2060

AVA – ADVOCACY for VITAL AGING Human. Operational. Measurable. Where dignity meets policy grounded in lived experience and accountable outcomes.

At AVA, we help people and organizations make midlife work—literally. Our focus is the day-to-day moments where dignity, policy, and operations intersect: breaks and schedules, uniforms and heat tolerance, privacy and fairness, manager comfort and employee trust. We build on what you already have and align the pieces. Clear policy language, short supervisor modules, and practical tools shaped by lived experience, so support shows up in real decisions, not just in handbooks.

For employers, this is not “one more program,” it’s clarity that holds. We coordinate HR, Legal, and frontline leaders around simple steps you can pilot and scale: talk-tracks for sensitive moments, accommodation routes that are easy to follow, bilingual quick cards employees will actually use, and PHI-minimized reporting by default. Every quarter, you receive a CFO-ready brief with de-identified metrics—training completion, utilization, draft-to-live timing, and a directional cost-avoidance estimate, so progress is visible, defensible, and shareable across hospitals, public agencies, and industry.

Vitality at any Age. Audacity at Every Chapter. The Narrative of Decline Ends Here.

The Four Pillars of Midlife Change

Framework for Women Navigating Middle Chapters.

Identity & Role Transitions

The empty nest, shifting family dynamics, or caregiving roles often lead women to ask: Who am I now that I’m no longer needed in the same ways? This pillar explores rediscovering purpose, boundaries, and self-definition beyond traditional caregiving identities.

Body & Health Evolution

Menopause, hormonal shifts, sleep disruption, and changing metabolism can deeply affect energy, cognition, and confidence. This pillar centers on informed health literacy, body awareness, and using evidence-based approaches to vitality rather than fear or stigma.

Career & Economic Reinvention

Whether through burnout, layoffs, or new ambitions, midlife women often navigate reinvention while balancing financial responsibilities. This pillar focuses on re-skilling, entrepreneurial pivots, and reclaiming professional agency — not as survival, but as strategic evolution.

Meaning & Connection Renewal

With changing friendships, evolving marriages, and greater spiritual awareness, this pillar examines emotional longevity — how women rebuild community, belonging, and meaning in ways that align with their present self.

Menopause Awareness is Not a Trend but a global standard of care, work, and dignity.

AVA Global Declaration for Menopause Equity and Dignity in Health and Work

Menopause is not a niche concern or a private inconvenience. It is a defining health and work reality for millions of people who keep families, hospitals, schools, companies, and communities running.

When systems ignore menopause, they signal that experience is expendable, pain is acceptable, and silence is the cost of staying employed. Recognizing menopause as a core standard of care and workplace design is how modern institutions prove they are serious about equity, safety, and retention.

Join us to help build a world where menopause is recognised, respected, and built into every clinic, workplace, policy, and community.
Sign the declaration as a show of support:

Midlife Women: The Data Employers Can’t Ignore

Behind every resilient organization are experienced women who bring balance, insight, and institutional memory. The data above highlights why supporting women in midlife isn’t just fair — it’s smart business.

• Participation among women aged 55–64 has grown from 56.6% in 2003 to 59.6% in 2023.

• As of 2025, women 55–64 maintain a participation rate of ~61.7%.

• Women now start nearly 49% of all new U.S. businesses — a record high.

• Entrepreneurs aged 45–64 consistently show the highest startup success rates nationwide.

You’re ready to feel aligned, body, mind, and purpose. Whether you’re navigating menopause, a career change, or simply craving clarity. AVA helps you create a version of midlife that feels vital, balanced, and fully your own.

I Represent an Organization

You’re building a culture where women’s health, leadership, and longevity matter. AVA partners with medical centers and employers to design inclusive, menopause-aware wellness strategies that improve retention and morale.

You believe community fuels change. AVA hosts Vital Circles and collaborates with mission-aligned organizations to spark dialogue, education, and growth through workshops, retreats, and advocacy initiatives.

$5.4B+

Loss of productivity: economic cost of symptomatic menopause in U.S. women.

$189K+

Lost in lifetime earnings : Mother with high school diploma and two children.

$26.6B+

per year due to untreated or unaccommodated menopausal symptoms

Menopause Insights That Matter

Menopause isn’t a single story — it’s a spectrum of experiences shaped by biology, culture, and context. These insights rarely make the headlines, but they matter deeply.

Earlier Onset for Black Women

Black women often enter menopause nearly two years earlier than white women and experience more severe hot flashes and sleep disturbances — patterns linked not only to biology but also to chronic stress and social inequities.

More Than Hormones — It’s Inflammation

Researchers are finding that menopause is also an inflammatory shift. Changes in immunity and stress exposure may explain why joint pain and fatigue rise during this stage, even for active women.

The Brain Leads, Not Just the Body

Fluctuating estrogen temporarily alters brain energy use — leading to “brain fog.” Neuroscientists describe it not as decline, but as the brain’s way of recalibrating to new hormonal rhythms.

Money Stress Mimics Hormone Stress

Studies show that financial and job-related stress predict symptom severity more than body weight or exercise level. Chronic instability raises cortisol, amplifying vasomotor symptoms and anxiety.

Medication Responses Can Change

Hormonal shifts alter liver enzyme activity and fat distribution, changing how some drugs are processed — including antidepressants and anesthesia. Most medication guidelines don’t yet reflect this reality.

Silence Makes Symptoms Worse

Cultures that stigmatize menopause report higher distress and symptom severity. Open dialogue and education help women experience this transition as renewal, not decline.

Let’s change how menopause is understood, supported, and discussed — together.

Join the Conversation

Global Workforce Longevity Snapshot

Countries where older women remain active contributors to the labor force.

🇯🇵Japan

13.6%

Share of total labor force aged 65+ (2022)

Senior participation ranks among the highest globally. Many women continue in part-time and advisory roles.

High senior participation
🇰🇷South Korea

24.5%

Share of people aged 70+ who are working (2024)

Later-life work is common and rising, reflecting longevity and evolving norms around purpose and income.

Later-life work rising
🇸🇪Sweden

77%

Employment rate for women aged 55–64 (OECD 2023)

Flexible work and strong social policy support sustained careers for women in midlife.

Strong midlife employment
🇩🇪Germany

70.3%

Employment rate for women aged 55–64 (OECD 2023)

Continuous upskilling and digital training underpin later-career participation.

Upskilling focus
🇺🇸United States

59.6%

Participation rate for women aged 55–64 (2023)

Midlife women are growing in both employment and entrepreneurship.

Talent strategy shift
🇬🇧United Kingdom

Workforce aged 65+ roughly doubled over two decades (ONS 2024)

Flexible work and cost-of-living dynamics sustain later-life participation.

Growth over time
🇨🇦Canada

65%

Participation rate for women aged 55–64 (2023)

Policies support phased retirement and consulting pathways for seasoned professionals.

Phased retirement
🇮🇸Iceland

77.2%

Employment rate for ages 60–64 (OECD 2024)

Among the very highest later-career employment rates in the OECD.

Global leader
🇳🇿New Zealand

75.3%

Participation rate for women aged 55–64 (2023)

Consistently strong midlife participation supported by flexible work culture.

High participation

Ready to Begin?

Schedule a private 30-minute call to explore how AVA can support your next chapter — personally or organizationally.

Our Mission

Our mission is to make midlife work in everyday practice. We connect dignity, policy, and operations with clear language, manager-ready skills, and privacy-first reporting so support shows up where work happens and results can be measured.

Our Vision

We envision workplaces where experience stays in play. Policies are usable, supervisors are prepared, and leaders can track progress across hospitals, public agencies, and industry.

Our Values

Dignity: People first in every decision.

Coordination: HR, Legal, and Operations in step.

Evidence: Lived experience meets data.

Practicality: Plain language and usable tools.

Accountability: Outcomes you can stand behind.

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ABOUT AVA

AVA | Advocacy for Vital Aging is redefining how midlife is understood and supported. We help women and organizations navigate this pivotal stage with evidence-based insight, empathy, and strategy. From menopause awareness to workplace culture, AVA exists to replace silence with science and stigma with strength.

Founded by Alexandra Maxi, a Midlife Innovation Advisor and advocate for women’s wellbeing, AVA is where vitality meets advocacy — and every chapter is met with audacity.

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Work With AVA

AVA partners with individuals, teams, and organizations ready to lead the change in how midlife is understood and supported. Whether you are navigating personal transition, designing inclusive workplace policy, or seeking expert insight into menopause and vitality at work — our programs are built to meet you where you are.

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Join AVA’s monthly insights on women’s health, workplace well-being, and the future of midlife vitality.

AVA’s Vitality List

Join AVA's monthly insights on women’s health, workplace well-being, and the future of midlife vitality.

No noise, just clear, evidence-based guidance for organizations and those shaping the next chapter.

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.