IS SENIOR LIVING THE NEW BEST MEDICINE?
With loneliness now known to be dangerous to health, new research indicates community living could be just what the doctor ordered
BY SARA WILDBERGER
Last year, we heard the bad news—loneliness is as bad for your health as smoking (Cigna); loneliness could increase risk of dementia by 40 percent (Florida State University). Now it’s time for the good news: Senior living com-
munities appear to be good for your health. The first-year results of the Mather LifeWays Age
Well Study shows “Life Plan Community residents re- port more healthy behaviors and have greater emotional, social, physical, intellectual, and vocational wellness than those living in the community at large.” The Age Well Study is “the most extensive longitudi-
nal research to date” comparing Life Plan Community residents to those living in the community at large. The Year One’s big takeaway: “Nearly 70 percent of older adults surveyed reported that moving to a Life Plan Community has somewhat or greatly improved their social wellness.” “To finally have research that measures self-reported
health and wellness, and see these positive metrics—rela- tive to social wellness in particular—says something very important about the value and benefit that living in a Life Plan Community provides for older adults,” said Mary Leary, CEO and president at Mather LifeWays Institute on Aging, a resource for research and informa- tion, in an email interview. “The results also show overall that these kinds of communities foster a sense of community and social
6 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE MAY/JUNE 2019
engagement which is gratifying not only for our indus- try, but for anyone considering a Life Plan Community for their future.”
Social support and health The study uses the National Investment Center for Se- niors Housing & Care (NIC) definition of a Life Plan Community, which like a CCRC may offer a full con- tinuum of care and supportive services on one campus. While the Age Well Study is unique in focus and ex-
tent, another study reported similar results: A Univer- sity of California San Diego study in the May American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry looked at independent living residents at a CCRC and found social support was asso- ciated with physical health, and cognitive function with satisfaction with life. “Continuing care senior housing communities are im- portant sites for promoting healthy lifestyles,” it stated. A different recent study shows the flip side: Living
alone was highly associated with feeling lonely; 60 per- cent of those who lived alone reported feeling a lack of companionship, and 41 percent felt isolated, according to the National Poll on Healthy Aging, conducted by the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation.
Is senior living the new health supplement?
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