Live Long And Prosper!

Living a long, healthy life does not happen by chance; it depends on how well you care for your body, mind, and relationships. 

According to Dr. Parul Goyal, a geriatrician at Vanderbilt Health in Nashville, aging well consists of three components: physical health, emotional connection, and mental support. And within these areas are practical, encouraging signs that indicate whether older adults are on the right track toward a healthier future.

HuffPost talked with health professionals about five signs and adjustments seniors can make when necessary:

1. Learning new things

It’s a good sign if you’re exercising your brain every day to stay sharp. Dr. Steve Fallek, a physician and medical adviser for Maskad and Revivv, says it could be something as simple as reading a book or newspaper, or trying to remember anything.

“Whatever challenges your brain and your memory is a good thing,” Dr. Fallek said.

Dr. Goyal said she encourages her patients to learn something new, such as a game, an exercise, another language, or a musical instrument.

“That will help form new pathways in the brain so that they can continue to stay cognitively strong,” Dr. Goyal explained.

2. You Share Your Needs and Feelings

Sharing your needs and feelings is a good sign, especially when you’re having a tough time. Ageism (discrimination based on age) can make older adults feel like they are a burden or feel invisible, according to Robyn Golden, the associate vice president of social work and community health at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

However, older adults should set those feelings aside and let family, friends, and their doctor know how they feel and what they need.

“So often, people don’t age well because they’re not upfront about what their needs are,” Golden said. “How do we make it OK for people to say, ‘This is what I need, I’m feeling lonely, I need someone to go out with on a Tuesday night.’”

It’s also important to speak to your doctor if you are dealing with depression or anxiety. What’s more, getting help shows you haven’t accepted the mistaken belief that depression and anxiety are a normal part of aging.

“Depression can be treated at any age, and not just with medication, with counseling, with group interventions, you name it,” Golden said. “So, I think that’s part of how you age well, being open to being able to say, ‘This is who I am, this is what I need.’”

3. Staying Social

Many older adults face loneliness and isolation, and health professionals say a lack of social interaction can impact their mental health. Dr. Faisal Tai, a board-certified psychiatrist and founder of PsychPlus, states that seniors tend to socialize less mainly because of physical limitations. However, older adults can find creative ways to connect with others.

“Seniors should undertake at least one positive social interaction every day,” Dr. Tai said. “Whether it’s a visit from a kind neighbor, a chat with the cashier at your grocery store, or enjoying a phone or video call with a grandchild or friend.”

Socializing can help your brain health, too, according to Dr. Lee Linquist, the chief of geriatrics at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago.

“We think of the brain as a muscle, so if you sit in a room with four walls all day and not talk to anybody, you’re almost living in a nursing home…your brain is going to go to sludge because it’s not getting any stimulation,” Lindquist explained.

4. You Have a Community

By remaining socially active, older adults can build their own community to rely on when they need assistance.

Golden said it’s important for seniors to grow their social connections, whether it’s with family, friends, a church group, or people in their community. There isn’t just one correct way to build connections. According to Golden, this could look like anything from volunteering at a local food bank to helping a child in the neighborhood learn to read.

5. You Prioritize Your Physical Health

Eating nutritious foods and exercising are important all throughout your life, but especially as you get older.

Goyal said she advises her patients to follow a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, combining foods from the Mediterranean diet with the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet. The Mediterranean diet is a heart-healthy meal plan consisting of whole grains, healthy fats, plant-based foods, and lean meat. Goyal describes the DASH diet as “a low-sodium diet that is recommended for people that have high blood pressure.” Drinking plenty of water is also included in the plan, Goyal added.

Besides what you eat and drink, it’s also important to stay physically fit.

“I want people to keep moving, exercising,” Lindquist said. “If you haven’t moved in a long time, or you’ve been sitting down for a long time, it’s sometimes useful to ask your doctors for a physical therapy order to help you with your gait and balance.”

Staying Motivated

While you may have a goal of living well as you age, achieving it requires motivation. There are various types of motivation, and psychologists say that intrinsic motivation will help you stay committed and push through the process to achieve your goal.

“Intrinsic motivation is enhanced when we feel a significance or purpose to our behaviour,” says Dr. Avigail Lev, a clinical psychologist and author of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Couples. “When we feel that our goal is deeply meaningful to us, we’re more likely to achieve it.”

Lev encourages people to identify their core values and specify actions and behaviors that align with their values. For example, if you don’t want to go to the gym to work out, it might help to find a core value that gives you a reason to exercise. In this case, you may value being a healthy grandparent who can take your grandchildren to the park because exercising has helped you gain energy and stamina.

To further encourage positive behaviors and actions, Dr. Amy Reichelt, a neuroscientist and researcher at Adelaide University’s School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences in Australia, recommends setting small, achievable goals.

“When you set achievable goals and experience small wins along the way, your dopamine system is able to positively reinforce those behaviours, making you more likely to perform those behaviours again to get the same sense of intrinsic achievement,” Dr. Reichelt told BBC’s Science Focus.

Dr. Emma Seppälä, a psychologist and lecturer at Yale University, recommends connecting your goals to a bigger purpose.

“The biggest mistake people make is assuming that the pleasure they receive from hitting their end goal will last,” Dr. Seppälä told BBC’s Science Focus. “Unfortunately, that’s just not the case because the dopamine high [a state of elevated pleasure] is only momentary, and you’re left craving more. This is the brain’s way of ensuring we keep reproducing, eating, seeking recognition, and so on.”

According to Seppälä, one form of pleasure that lasts longer is the pleasure we get from helping others and connecting with something greater than ourselves.

Source Links:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/habits-older-adults-longevity-goog_l_6984dad5e4b0befe37559303
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/older-patients-aging-geriatricians-goog_l_6984d80be4b04d5037ef2e76
https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/level-up-your-motivation