The presentation will begin with an introduction to my background and how I came to study aging and ageism. I will then provide an overview of my research on community singing groups-particularly the “Golden Oldies”-and intergenerational programs that demonstrate the “power of music” and the “power of being and learning together.” This power will be illustrated through a community “sing along” with the audience and videos of intergenerational interactions. I will then introduce the Actively Aging framework, which I developed with my co-author, to guide social work practice with older adults. The framework emphasizes autonomy, choice, and active engagement in life, and illustrates the “power of choice” that has shaped my research on how older adults define and pursue “active aging” and goal setting in later life. I will then explore research on having a “purpose in life,” particularly within the context of current local and global challenges that heighten collective anxiety and uncertainty. The presentation will conclude with practical strategies for addressing the here and now, and for leaning into gratitude and generativity as grounding forces for meaning, connection, and hope across the lifespan.