Life expectancy in the UK continues to increase by 2 years per decade. Unfortunately, these extra years do not seem to be spent in better health, with morbidity and dependency increasing over the past 20 years. So what can be done to develop resilience with increasing age? Seize control of your health and be better prepared—physically, mentally, and socially—for our later years. This a recurring theme covering 3 domains: physical, mental and social.
The Lancet reviewed the book Enlightened Aging: Building Resilience for a Long, Active Life, by Eric B Larson and Joan DeClaire. One of the most memorable vignette from the book was of Evangeline Shuler, a centenarian, with a “glass half full” approach to life: as she grew older and her friends died, her attitude was to go out and “make new ones”; an avid reader, as she became blind, she switched to audio books.
Translating scientific facts into practical strategies early in the life course can help us live better for longer. Here is what the science shows:
- Maintain a healthy heart, a healthy brain and healthy social existence to achieve successful ageing.
- Proactively build resilience — the ability to adapt to changing circumstances and bounce back from injury, loss, or setbacks — in 3 areas: physical health, mental wellbeing, and social connectedness, to better enjoy our later years. Developing and strengthen emotional resilience.
- Financial independence. In many UK cities, there is a 10-year discrepancy in healthy life expectancy between more socially deprived and affluent areas.
References:
Eric B Larson and Joan DeClaire's Enlightened Aging: Building Resilience for a Long, Active Life.
Successful ageing - Lancet http://bit.ly/2BMMJla
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