By the year 2030, America will have more
Americans over 65 than children under 18.
Thanks in large part to medical
advances, "Americans can now expect to spend up to one third of their
lives beyond retirement, with many of those years in good health," says
researcher Dr. Phyllis Moen. As a result, we are focusing more attention on
how to age successfully.
What are the essential ingredients of
successful aging?
A group of 16 scientists, led by Dr.
John Rowe, President of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and Dr. Robert
Kahn of the University of Michigan, have spent 10 years seeking to answer this
question. The three essential ingredients they have identified are: good
health, functional capacity, and an active engagement with life.
Taking them one by one, how do we
achieve them?
For good health, most professionals
recommend a regimen that includes aerobic exercise, adequate sleep and good
nutrition as appropriate ways to maintain our physical health and avoid
disease. According to the Surgeon General’s Report on Nutrition and Health,
"If you are among the two out of three Americans who do not drink or
smoke excessively, your choice of diet can influence your long-term health
prospects more than any other action you may take."
Of course, some of us are genetically
prone to disability and disease, but there is still much we can do to maintain
good physical health even in these situations.
What about functional capacity? The key
to maintaining our functional capacity is a high level of physical and mental
activity. According to George Sheehan, cardiologist and author, "If you
could bottle everything you get from physical activity and sell it at the
pharmacy, it would go for a hefty price." Research studies show that
regular physical activity helps keep bones dense and strong and helps maintain
mobility in the joints; improves blood circulation and keeps muscles supple
and strong; assists in weight control; helps maintain balance, coordination,
and agility, reduces the likelihood of falls; reduces tension and fatigue,
provides extra energy and leads to better sleep.
Keys to maintaining physical activity
include doing things you enjoy, having a routine and rewarding yourself for
goals accomplished.
Mental functioning also tends to follow
a "use it or lose it" track. Those who want to maintain their mental
capabilities will give their minds frequent workouts. They realize that the
phrase "you can’t teach an old dog new tricks" is true neither for
dogs or people.
My mother had always loved to paint, but
the only painting she did while I was growing up was "by the
numbers."
At age 64, she decided to risk taking a
toll painting class. She painted a lovely flower on my letter box. Toll
painting was only the beginning. Mom learned to paint natural settings. I have
two of these paintings displayed in my front room, which I show during my
"Myths of Aging" workshops. They are worthy of gallery pieces.
From natural settings Mom moved to
portraits. To date, she has painted every one of her five children, their
spouses, her 11 grandchildren, her parents’ engagement picture, one dog and
herself. Now, at age 75, she has osteoporosis, diabetes and heart trouble. But
she continues to paint. She also has attended college, reads avidly and
actively continues to impart her sage advise to her offspring!
The third ingredient for successful
aging is an active engagement with life. According to Rowe and Kahn,
"Successful aging is more than the absence of disease and more than the
maintenance of functional capabilities." Important as they are, they have
to be combined with an active engagement with life to ensure a truly
successful aging.
Engagement with life, they added, has
two major elements: maintenance of social ties and continued involvement in
productive activities. Socializing with friends and family, having a close
confidant and someone who you can rely on in times of need are great ways to
stay connected with others and avoid isolation. Informally helping, giving to
friends and relatives, unpaid volunteer work and using opportunities to share
your accumulated knowledge and skills are great ways to stay active in
meaningful pursuits.
As we near the end of the 20th Century,
our view of old age is rapidly changing from "preoccupation with disease
and disability to a more robust view that includes successful aging," say
Rowe and Kahn. Following the ingredients for successful aging may help ensure
that we will "die young, at a very old age."
