With advances in medicine and lifestyle, the majority of elderly adults are remaining active longer. Biologically, some things naturally decline, including our vision and our hearing, which may limit activities, like driving. But our ability to love and be loved doesn’t decline, and our capacity for happiness remains full. With age comes maturity, and hopefully we become more patient, joyful, and understanding versus bitter and unforgiving. Studies suggest that as people age, they tend to accentuate the positive. That’s good news! What are some other ways to sustain successful aging?
Having a sense of purpose in life reduces the odds of suffering a stroke and decreases the risk of age-related dementia and disability. It is protective against multiple adverse health outcomes in older life, including a decline in physical function and disability.
Another predictor of successful aging is having an extended family network. Social connection strengthens our immune system, improves physical health and maintains psychological well-being. It is one of the main traits of folks who live a full and satisfying life into their 90’s and 100’s. We require human connection for better long-term physical, emotional and spiritual health.
Exercise your body and your mind! Memory loss is a common concern with aging. To stay sharp, continue to learn new things and challenge your mind. Physical activity also boosts brain function, so exercise not only keeps our bodies moving as we age, it keeps our minds functioning too! The benefits of exercise are endless. It reverses some of the bad effects of stress, increases growth factors and blood flow to the brain, provides an overall sense of well-being, prevents falls, improves balance, and keeps us strong among other things.
As we age, our bodies will change, but we can do our best to proactively meet life’s challenges to age well.