How might you encourage older adults to age more successfully?
I would encourage any older adults, who seek to age successfully, three very important rules of thumb; nutrify, socialize and exercise.
Mental and physical adaptability are the keys to being continued contributors to your healthy life. Health and wellness is one of the greatest influences on quality of life, that is, well-being and life satisfaction (Cavanaugh, 2015). Particularly since successful aging is quite the subjective term, and quality-of-life covers many areas of human activity, to further elaborate for the sake of discussion, codified, we are addressing interpersonal relationships and social support, physical and mental health, environmental comfort, psychological constructs that include emotions, usefulness, personality, and meaning in life (Cavanaugh, 2015). When asked, most people describe successful aging as a life free of disease and disability, continued cognitive function, physical agility, neural plasticity, and self-rated life satisfaction in eight domains: marriage, income-producing work, children, friendships and social contacts, hobbies, community service activities, religion, and recreation (Cavanaugh, 2015).
These areas cover the delineation of healthful lifespan and dignified aging processes. Having clear and thoughtful plans that cover each of these areas will maximize the opportunity for success throughout the lifespan but particularly the later adult life.
It is imperative that adults in their second half of life work to set up these areas as favorably as possible because as the aged population continues to grow, it is very possible that health care, long and short term, will become cost prohibitive for a large segment of society. These principles will help to offset those increases in rates because there will be a shift in the need for healthcare because of healthier, active aged adults. They will be able to age-in-place and continue to contribute to the society in which they reside. These positive factors will make aging in our society a welcome change instead of a dreaded one.
References
Cavanaugh, J. C. (2015). Adult Development and Aging, 7th Edition. [Vitalsource]. Retrieved from https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781305176683/
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@JolivetteListens
Thanks for this informative post. I believe too that health care costs are a growing issue in our society and that we have to do what we can to keep us as healthy as possible. I find just forwarding information in casual chats when appropriate, spreading information in daily papers or papers for seniors like aarp helps a lot already, so do community invitations for fitness exercises. These are only some points.Family and community work can be very effective.
To me successful aging means contentment and hopefully reasonable health and mental fitness.
i have read in several reliable sources that about 80% of the baby boomer generation's medical dollars will be spent in the last 6 months of life,, fighting to stay alive at any cost. personally, i eschew (put aside) that choice. i hope to die naturally, in my home, with a minimum of fuss and cost. it is the least i can do for those who are facing the challenges of the future; those who are supporting us who are already retired or unable to work... i know that when push comes to shove, many people would rather do anything than 'just lay down and die'... but honestly, don't we owe it to our children's children to let them have some quality of life, too?
this has been a great time to be alive: so many advances in technology and science, and medicine. travel to another planet, the deep sea, every nook and cranny of this wonderful planet~! it is our generation that has led the way forward, and at the same time put so much in jeapardy: ecological and biological crisis, threat of terrorism... etc. i hope others will join with me and decide with great determination to let the last 6 months take care of themselves, and we can be set free as we set others free.
I Read this Feed... I go to Coffee Groups invited and Uninvited, Do yoga, I think Flexibility is more important than anything, and leads to other activities...It is Key.... And I keep a small group of friends as happy as possible. 3 friends is all I ever try to keep.
@PeterJC
Peter, I find too that taking care of keeping flexible in age serves us a lot and prevents injuries. Having 3 good friends is like having a treasure nowadays.