The Keys To Healthy Aging Start At Any Age
America is rapidly aging as the second largest generation, Baby Boomers, will be at least 65 by 2029. Texas A&M University researchers are developing new ways to help older people tackle challenges that come with aging.
More than 10,000 adults each day are celebrating their birthdays with 65 candles on the cake. Although that may be a cause for alarm for some, it’s never too late to develop healthy aging habits and change mindsets on aging, a Texas A&M University expert says.
Baby Boomers, the second largest generation, are creating a shift in the age composition of the U.S. population. According to the Population Reference Bureau, people ages 65 and older will make up nearly 20% of the U.S. population by 2029. This is a striking difference from the 1900s when the average life expectancy at birth was less than 50 years old.
Growing older is a universal factor that everyone navigates, although many older people battle with ageism, or discrimination against older people due to inaccurate stereotypes. Dr. Marcia Ory, Regents and Distinguished professor in the Center for Community Health and Aging at the Texas A&M School of Public Health, said these negative stereotypes can impact their health and quality of care.
“The worst part is when older people themselves internalize that stigma and believe aging means being sick and frail. When you internalize those stereotypes, research has shown it can become a health hazard,” she said. “We need to stop thinking of aging as a problem, but as a challenge to be solved, and that’s what public health research can do.”
As demographics change in the U.S. and the older population grows, Ory said research is critical to understanding risk factors for healthy longevity and developing strategies that can promote healthy aging across the life-course.
“We need integrated health care that brings the social, mental and physical health care together,” she said. “For example, it’s important for older people to be treated as a whole and not for each body part. We need to treat people instead of organs.”
There are many factors that impact healthy aging, such as staying physically active, eating well and staying socially engaged. Ory said her research can pinpoint what determines healthy aging, but there are often challenges in implementing best practices.
“The most difficult thing is to get communities to do what we know will lead to more healthy aging,” she said. “We know being physically active is one of the best things you can do, but it’s not as easy as just telling people to be more physically active. Older people may need some motivation, like a friend or family member to walk with them to be active. They need to have a place where they can walk safely.”
A key part of creating an aging-friendly community is to help individuals “age-in-place.” This involves creating an environment that can accommodate the new challenges that come with aging, Ory said.
“Most people want to stay in their homes. They don’t want to go to nursing homes or assisted living,” she said. “If you’re not as steady on your feet when you get older, you can have grab bars in the bathroom or have ramps or rails going up and down stairs. For every problem, there is a solution.”
Alongside pre-existing technology, Ory and colleagues are identifying and testing new technologies to assist people to prevent or control age-related conditions such as dementia or diabetes. One new topic of research being looked into is sensors around a home that can detect when someone has fallen and provide emergency response.
“The public health mantra is, ‘let’s make the right thing the easy thing to do and let’s not throw up barriers,’” she said. “In my research, I’ve seen how behavioral programs, social engagement programs, and improving environments and technology can provide the support needed, particularly when there’s not enough healthcare professionals.”
Healthy aging habits can be adopted at any age, but it’s largely up to the individual to make lifestyle changes, families to be supportive, and the community to remove barriers, Ory said.
“Aging doesn’t start when you hit 65, 85 or 100. It starts from the moment you’re born to the moment you die,” she said. “Let’s think about the risk factors and what we can do across one’s whole life to mitigate these factors, not just what we can do when we turn 80 or 100.”
