in brief
- New data has shed light on why social factors could be just as important to healthy ageing as a person's diet and exercise.
- While roughly 70 per cent of people surveyed had a health condition, the majority felt it was manageable in their daily lives.
With an ageing population, Australia is facing skyrocketing demand for aged care services, and new research is shedding light on the importance of social connectedness and a sense of purpose for healthy ageing.
Data collected from more than 700 people aged between 65 and 98 from around the country points to seven key factors that contribute to wellbeing later in life, challenging long-held views on longevity.
Dr Chloe Waddell, a psychologist who was the lead author of the research, told SBS News that the data reveals that social factors could be just as important to healthy ageing as a person's diet and exercise.
"As our population lives longer, it's important to understand how to support people in their later years. But there has long been a lack of consensus about what ageing well actually means," she said.
"Past ideas of ageing well were that you had to be in perfect health — but as this research shows, feeling connected, having purpose and retaining control over your own life can be just as, if not more, important."
According to the Treasury, within 40 years, the number of people aged over 65 is expected to double, and the number of people aged over 85 will triple.
Key findings
As part of her research with Federation University, Waddell interviewed and surveyed 722 Australians on what ageing well meant to them.
The surveyed group included people from every state and territory. It included 476 women, 245 men, and one gender non-conforming person.
Waddell identified seven key components in ageing well: autonomy, purpose in life, independence, reasonable and manageable health, positive attitudes, active life involvement and social connectedness and belonging.
"For older Australians, ageing well is much more of a process rather than a destination. And many people can manage and live with illnesses and conditions but still have a positive outlook," she said.
While roughly 70 per cent of respondents had a health condition, the majority felt it was manageable in their daily lives.
"Having a disease or disability might not be ideal, but they were saying that we can age well as long as our health is manageable and especially if they have autonomy and purpose in life," she said.
"Regardless of physical health, having a sense of purpose, whether it's looking after grandchildren or tending a garden, helped people feel fulfilled and that they were thriving in later life."
Waddell also interviewed 13 Holocaust survivors in Australia in the same age group, and noted they largely felt they were ageing well despite "extreme childhood adversity".
"Together these insights remind us that later life can be meaningful, connected and fulfilling — even after a lifetime of adversity — if the right supports are in place."
Genetics vs lifestyle
Professor Luigi Fontana, an expert in health and longevity at the University of Sydney, said that ageing well is an intersection of genetics and lifestyle.
One's genetics, such as being predisposed to an adverse health condition, create the "backdrop" of how your body will age, which is then informed by diet, exercise and social wellbeing.
He told SBS News that social factors like those investigated by Waddell are key to ageing well, but that preserving muscle mass and reducing harmful fats as you grow older are the most important factors.
"Exercise is a daily medicine, so it's not something you do twice a week, it happens even during the day, whether its walking to the bathroom or using stairs," he said.
"And a healthy diet rich in whole grains and beans and vegetables and nuts and seeds and fish is extremely important."
He said the Mediterranean diet is one example of a diet that broadly reduces health risks.
Your built environment and standard of living also play a role.
"For instance, living in a place with poor water or air pollution will increase your risk of developing health conditions, or if you don’t have access to good hospitals or sanitation," he said.
How to increase your longevity?
Lindsay Wu, a Scientia associate professor of sciences at the University of NSW, said there are simple changes people can make to improve their longevity.
He said that frailty, particularly for older women, presents substantial health risks.
"Old people falling over and breaking their hip leads to a pretty strong chance of, unfortunately, death within a short amount of time. So, we really focus on strength training in older people," he told SBS News.
This can involve resistance or weight training at a gym or at home to retain muscle mass.
Along with dieting and sufficient sleep, reducing stress is also shown to increase lifespan.
Other key interventions for people, besides diet and exercise, can include socialising and structured therapy.
Wu would also like to see more research and funding towards improving medical interventions to promote ageing.
"Hopefully, in the not-too-distant future, we'll have enhanced therapies, drugs and supplements that can act as support for diet and exercise to increase longevity."
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