10 Determinants of Healthy Aging
One of the two specialty focuses of my MS in Kinesiology is “geriatric exercise science” (ugh, what a name for it – sorry).
I continue studying the process of aging on my own time because I am both an aging adult and someone who provides professional services to other aging adults.
I am excited by the amount of research being directed towards the fact that the world’s aging population is increasing at a rate faster than any other age group, how aging is being defined by the scientific community, and what studies are being done to increase our awareness and knowledge base for what is called either “successful aging” or “healthy aging.”
The WHO proposes that by the year 2050, the world’s population of folks 60 years and older will double to 2.1 billion people.
The age group of 80 and over will triple in number over the same time period.
As the world’s population of “older” adults increases it’s probably wise to take a look at how we can better serve our own aging process.
I wanted to share the results of a systematic review I read that compiled information from relevant studies focused on the frameworks of healthy aging published between 2010 – 2020, producing a list of 10 determinants of healthy aging. (review link at end of this post).
The authors of the review write:
“The WHO defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental/cognitive, and social well-being, rather than merely the absence of disease or infirmity” . The WHO established their definition of health in their constitution in 1948 and still stand by the initial definition. It highlights that being healthy is not solely determined by the absence of disease, even though that may be a contributor. The WHO’s definition also highlights the three main domains of health: physical, mental, and social well-being”.
As I studied aging and continue to do my own research, it’s clear to me that “the absence of physical impairment and chronic disease” may be a goal to healthy aging and there is a lot we can do to support this goal, but any definition of healthy aging must also include a social and emotional context.
This is the idea of “biopsychosocial” – biology, psychology, and social are interdependent in determining someone’s health. Great health care practitioners, for instance, don’t just look at your bloodwork numbers, but talk to you about how you’re feeling, what you’re doing, your beliefs, whose in your life.
It’s a whole person approach.
Seems to me that this physical/emotional/social framework is imperative in looking at what determines healthy aging and that it’s going to look a bit different for all of us. We are a varied group, us humans – gender, culture, age, upbringing, education, values.
As you read the list of 10 determinants below, keep in mind that each of the determinants fits nicely into a framework of physical, mental, social or a combination of these three.
- Physical Activity
- Diet
- Self-awareness
- Outlook/attitude
- Life-long learning
- Faith
- Social Support
- Financial Security
- Community Engagement
- Independence
Physical
- Regular exercise and activity
- Physical capacity/function
- Alternative therapies and medication management
Diet
- Diet supports physical health and well being
- No specific recommendations for diet
Self Awareness
- Self-awareness included self-esteem, self-achievement, resilience, body awareness, and sense of purpose
- Resilience really refers to our ability to adapt to change and modify as necessary
Outlook/Attitude
- This really had to do with having future-oriented behavior
- Good outlook towards the future
- Positive attitude of preparing for death and the afterlife
Life Long Learning
- Continuing to pursue learning/engaging in active learning – reading, taking up new hobbies, learning a new skill, learning a new language
- Learning new technology
- Continuous learning shown to impact cognitive function with aging
Faith
- The aspect of beliefs, religion, and spirituality
- Can give a “higher sense of purpose”
Social Support
- Maintaining and establishing relationships with friends, family. & acquaintances
- Effective and accessible healthcare and relationships with medical providers
Financial Security
- The means to maintain a good quality of life/lifestyle
- Not being a financial burden to one’s family
- Ability to afford healthcare and proper care
- The ability to not have to rely on others
Community Engagement
- Volunteering, social groups and gatherings, going to church, feeling acquainted with one’s own community
Independence
- How independence is perceived changes with each person’s circumstances
- One’s physical or mental ability to live without support and be financially independent from friends and family
- Physical independence/physical capability – ability to function independently
- Self-reliance
The authors of this paper discuss how systematic reviews of current literature assessing healthy aging frameworks are lacking. Their findings help to systematically identify key determinants related to healthy aging based on aging frameworks that have already been proposed.
On a personal note, this list gives me a bit of a personal check list. Am I currently checking the boxes on these 10 things? Is there anything I feel I’m doing extremely well? Is there anything I could consider changing in my daily habits that may more positively affect my healthy aging?
Link to the systematic review
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40520-021-02049-w
