Do you want to know how to stop aging?
Stop living!
Okay, maybe that’s not exactly what you wanted to read.
The best way to slow down aging is of course to LIVE. I think we can all list people we’ve known who chose to “stop living” and, as a result, aged rapidly.
Aging optimally starts by embracing age, on our own terms, and being active through healthy living and continuing to find meaning through activities, social connections and giving back to others regardless of the physical, emotional and social changes that come with age.
John Rowe and Robert Kahn’s Model of Successful Aging from 1987 is a great foundation because it’s simple and still applicable today:
- Minimize risk of disease and disability: in other words, self-manage those areas you can control through healthy living and behaviours, medications, if necessary, managing stress, etc.
- Continue engagement with life: mingle with others, stay connected socially, spiritually and with your community; do things that “feed your soul,” try something new, adapt something that is no longer working for you.
- Maintain physical and cognitive connections: move and groove every day, keep your mind active and engaged, have interesting conversations, or learn something new.
Whether you are 89 or, in my case, 49, you get to choose your own adventure. Whether it’s eating less meat or being fully vegan, practicing yoga, hiking, or swimming, minimizing your risk of disease and disability is at the core of optimal aging.
Staying engaged and having purpose takes many shapes – for some, it may be singing, writing, drawing, volunteering, gardening, and socializing with your community. Keep doing what makes you happy and adapt as required. All this gives life continued meaning and keeps our all-important neurons firing.
I may not move like I did in my 20s or 30s, but I try to push myself a little each day. Whether it’s learning a new technology app, meeting new people, or stretching my fitness goals on my bike, I try to walk the walk of being a Gerontologist.
This also means a shift in seeing aging with a strength lens. Research shows the more we use our strengths daily, the better we handle undesirable emotions (stress, anger, worry, anxiety, frustrations) or pain. All emotions that can sometimes present themselves when we experience losses due to age or life transitions. Focusing on strengths leads to increased feelings of being resilient and purposeful.
Many of us may think we don’t need to worry about aging until we hit our 70s or 80s. I disagree. We are all aging every day. What we do, how we act, and how we think about aging in our 40s, 50s, and 60s plays a crucial role in our more advanced years for remaining independent, connected, engaged and fulfilled.
So, what are you doing today to successfully age on your terms?
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Wendy Johnstone is a Gerontologist and a consultant with Family Caregivers of British Columbia in Victoria, BC.