TALKING POINTS
Age Is Just
a Frame of Mind
Chronological age has almost no role in accounting for differences in older adults’ health and well-being, according to a new Univeristy of Chicago study.
Researchers applied a
“comprehensive model” of health and aging showing that sensory function, mental health, mobility and health behaviors are key parts of an overall health profile the better predicts mortality than traditional biomedical markets like blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
“The new comprehensive model of health identifies constellations of health completely hidden by the medical model and reclassifies about half of the people seen as healthy as having significant vulnerabilities that affect the chances they may die or become incapacitated within five years,” said lead researcher Martha McClintock in the report An Empirical Redefinition of Comprehensive Health and Well-being in the Older Adults of the U.S. “At the same time, some people with chronic disease are revealed as having many strengths that lead to their reclassification as quite healthy,” co-author Linda Waite said.
Study: Aging Population Will Have Profound Effects on Housing Demand
Growth in the nation’s adult population will drive significant household growth over the next decade and beyond, according to State of the Nation’s Housing: 2016 from Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. Demographic changes will drive the addition of more than 13 million households from 2015 to 2025. “Much of the growth will occur among retirement-aged population with the number of households age 70 and over projected to rise by more than 8 million, or more than 40 percent. The increases will push up the share of older households from 16 percent in 2015 to about 21 percent in 2025.
Meaningful Relationships Key to Weathering the Storm
Hurricane season is here. After a disaster, it’s common for families and individuals to feel stress and anxiety over their health and safety – and this affects people in different ways. So how can older adults make it more likely that they will be able to bounce back? A recent study shows that maintaining meaningful relationships and connecting with your friends, family and community before a disaster strikes can help you weather the storm. The study, which was funded by HHS’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, examined 2,205 New Jersey residents between the ages of 54 and 80 who lived through Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Participants were asked about the severity of their exposure to the hurricane and how close-knit their community was and what PTSD-type symptoms they suffered from eight to 33 months after the storm hit. The study found that the impact of the storm on PTSD symptoms was far less for people who had social support than those who did not. Essentially, having people in your life who will listen, give you advice, care and be there for you if you need
them matters. ---Dr. Dan Dodgen, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in a blog post “Older Adults: Include Connectedness in Your Hurricane Plan”
58 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE / JULY/AUGUST 2016
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