What it means for each generation to age well has changed over the decades. As societal norms change, so do expectations about how people should feel or behave. The goal of successful ageing is always to age gracefully.
So what does it mean to age well or gracefully? Ageing gracefully means finding an optimal balance between the physical, social (friendships), mental (cognitive), psychological, and spiritual aspects of ageing. Each element of ageing is essential and interacts with the others.
Because of the multi-faceted nature of our being, we need to consciously promote, develop, and nurture these five aspects of ageing. Each element will likely be the focus at different times and seasons. Like a garden, our lives (and especially these five primary attributes for ageing gracefully) go through the necessary seasons and cycles.
At Fleurenville, our primary mission is to help older adults improve their physical abilities, so they can continue to participate in the other aspects of a complete and dignified life. Daily activity and maintaining strength are essential components of ageing well. So take the following tips to heart to stay active and age gracefully.
Walk every day. We all need daily exercise. A daily walking program is critical to healthy ageing. Research has shown that walking after meals is a great way to lower blood sugar levels. This is important to prevent diabetes and maintain the health of your heart.
Exercise your weight. Maintaining strength as you age is a key factor in healthy ageing. All aspects of mobility require adequate muscle strength. The research on strength training is evident. It is safe for anyone at any age, and older muscles respond well to strength training. But it's never too late! This one change may be the most important thing you can do to ensure you maximize your body's physical abilities to age well.
Stay social. The most important thing you can do is to maintain healthy friendships. Whenever possible, combine different aspects of ageing. For example, exercise is more fun in a group. Take a walk with a friend. Go to personal training in a group with friends who also want to stay strong.
Be proactive. I see many people who wait too long to get help for the annoying aches and pains that prevent them from living a healthy, active lifestyle. Most conditions are easier to treat the sooner they can be addressed. If you are suffering from persistent pain that prevents you from doing the activities you love, do not wait to get help! Waiting longer can not only make it harder to treat the condition and lengthen recovery time, but it can also cause additional problems as you try to compensate for the pain and abnormal movement patterns.
Take charge and make yourself strong! Ageing gracefully is possible and different for everyone. You need to be your biggest advocate. You control most aspects of your life that impact your ability to age well and gracefully. So start staying active and ageing gracefully today!
Jan Heystek
CEO
Fleurenville Aged Care
