Increasing life expectancy offers exciting prospects but also poses significant challenges. Currently, according to Santé Publique France, a quarter of the population is over 60 years old, A proportion that could rise to a third by 2050! Although life expectancy in France after age 50 is the highest in the EU for women, the number of years lived in good health remains lower than in other countries. MEDADOM therefore gives you 10 tips for aging happily and in good health.
10 tips for aging well
The continued increase in life expectancy in France, one of the highest in the world, reveals marked disparities across regions, professions, and lifestyles. Beyond individual cultural or genetic factors and life’s ups and downs, multiple modifiable factors can influence longevity, both individually and collectively. Here are 10 tips to keep in mind every day for healthy aging:
1. Maintain your brain
There are a multitude of activities available to you to maintain and stimulate your brain! The good news is that they are often sources of pleasure in their own right. Several activities can help maintain your brain ondailywithout it being a chore:
- Games, whether solitary, in groups or associative, encourage the development of strategies, the mobilization of memory and reflection, just like reading, which strengthens concentration and stimulates imagination and creativity.
- Various outdoor and indoor outings, whether shows, concerts, or visits, especially when shared with friends.
- Travel,whether for weekends or longer, more distant getaways, fuels curiosity, allows you to discover new places, nd stimulates your adaptability. It’s also a good way to get back into learning a foreign language when you’re away from home!
2. Maintain physical activity to live longer
To age in good health, various physical activities are recommended, divided into different categories and frequencies:
- Endurance physical activities ( at least 30 minutes five days a week): brisk or Nordic walking, jogging, cycling.
- Muscle strengthening activities (two to three times a week): going up and down stairs, DIY or gardening.
- Flexibility activities (at least twice a week): tai chi, yoga, dance.
- Balance activities to prevent falls, more common after age 65 (at least two days a week): walking on tiptoes or heels, posture and balance exercises.
Before starting any physical activity, especially after a long period of illness, it is recommended to consult a doctor for monitoring adapted to your physical condition.
3. Eat well
A balanced diet plays an important role in maintaining optimal health over the years. As we age, with the decline in physical activity, we often mistakenly believe that we should eat less. However, energy intake must always be sufficient and balanced. The National Nutrition and Health Program (PNNS) makes the following recommendations regarding food categories to include in meal planning:
- Meat, eggs, fish: rich in protein , these foods preserve muscle mass and strength . It is recommended to eat them once or twice a day, avoiding fried or breaded foods.
- Fruits and vegetables: Sources of essential vitamins and minerals, aim for five portions of fruits and vegetables a day, in all their forms.
- Starchy foods: energy providers, starchy foods should be included in every meal, favoring whole-grain versions
- Dairy products: 3 to 4 times a day. Dairy products are rich in calcium and, therefor, essential for bone strength.
- Sugar, salt, fat: consume in moderation to avoid weight gain, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease!
4. Limit alcohol and tobacco consumption to age healthily
Quitting smoking, any age, sinificantly reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and lung cancer. Quitting after the age of 60 reduces this risk by 25%, thus increasing life expectancy.
As for alcohol, even moderate consumption increases the risk of various diseases such ascirrhosis, certain cancers, cardiovascular, digestive, neurological, and psychological diseases.
Healthy again,g therefore involves getting help if you are a smoker and respecting tthe official recommendations regardingalcohol consumption after the age of 65:
- No more than two drinks per drinking occasion.
- At least two days without consumption during the week.
- No more than seven glasses in total in one week.
5. Take care of yourself during hot weather
With heat wavess becoming more frequent and prolonged, there are several tips to keep in mind when they occur to avoid dehydration :
- Protect the interior by closing shutters, curtains, or blinds on windows exposed to the sun.
- Create air currents at night to cool the home.
- Visit air-conditioned places to escape the heat.
- Avoid going out during the hottest hours (between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.). If going out is necessary, wear loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing and a hat.
- Take cool showers or baths regular y w t out drying off immediately.
- Ensure adequate hydration by drinking between one and a half and two liters of water per day, avand avoidlcohol and caffeinated or highly sugary drinks.
- Maintain a regular diet even if you have a reduced appetite.
- Limit physical activities.
6. Strengthen social ties
With the cessation of professional activity, social connections can erode and become less frequent as we age, especially after the loss of a spouse. Several telephone initiatives and social visits have been implemented by the authorities to combat loneliness:
- Solitud’écoute (0 800 47 47 88): telephone support open every day from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., which offers a space for discussion for people over 50 who feel isolated or unwell.
- Red Cross at home (09 70 28 30 00): a system that provides different services depending on needs: listening, psychological support, friendly calls and visits, solidarity deliveries, etc.
- At the end of the line: volunteers call elderly people who request it every week.
- Senior Solidarity Civic Service: mobilization of young people aged 16 to 25 to support the elderly, whether in care homes or at home.
How to age well at work?
Aging at work can pose specific challenges related to work-related conditions, particularly for those facing vision or hearing impairments. Hearing loss or vision problems can impact productivity and well-being at work.
It is therefore essential to implement adaptation measures to support workers facing these physiological changes. Similarly, respecting working hours and maintaining a work-life balance is an important element in limiting stress and its physical repercussions.
7. Maintain your mental health
Mental disorders in older adults affect approximately 14% of those aged 60 and over. Among these conditions, depression and anxiety remain the most prevalent. Global statistics from 2019 reported by the World Health Organization icate that nearly a quarter of suicide deaths occur among people aged 60 and over.
To preserve the mental health of older adults, various strategies are recommended. On the one hand, reducing financial insecurity and income inequality. On the other, ensuring the safety and accessibility of housing, public buildings, and transportation. Finally, social support , both for older adults and their caregivers, also plays a major role in prevention.
8. Prevent common diseases
As we age, it is important to closely monitor our visual, hearing, and oral health:
- CCataracts,s AMD, and glaucoma are common age-related eye conditions. Regular eye checkups are recommended to detect these conditions and adjust vision corrections or plan surgery if necessary.
- Signs of hearing loss, such as increased volume or requests for repetition, require a consultation with an ENT specialist. This professional can suggest suitable hearing aids or speech therapy sessions.
- Maintaining rigorous oral hygiene is also recommended. Brushing your teeth thoroughly at least twice a day, eating a balanced diet, and visiting a dentist once a year to monitor for possible lesions are basic tips to follow.
Alongside these tips, vaccination is also a pillar of prevention for seniors:
- Booster shots for diphtheria, tetanus , and polio are recommended every 10 years from the age of 65. The annual flu vaccine is also recommended, as is the COVID-19 vaccine to prevent severe forms of the disease. In addition, vaccination against pneumococcus and whooping cough is also recommended for certain risk groups, as is the shingles vaccine .
9. Make sure you get enough sleep
As we age, sleep undergoes significant changes, largely due to the changing functioning of the biological clock. Older adults tend to fall asleep earlier and wake up earlier in the morning, while sleep quality can be affected by frequent awakenings .
This lshallowand often interrupted sleep can affect physical recovery and memory capacity. However, studies have shown that regular exposure to natural light and regular exercise appropriate to the level and age can help maintain better quality sleep as well as increased alertness during the day. In general, although it can vary by individual, experts recommend that older adults aim for between seven and eight hours of sleep each night.
10. Develop your hobbies
As we age, leisure activities offer a variety of benefits, engaging both the mind and body. They delay the onset of diseases such as Alzheimer’s , reduce chronic illnesses, and promote good physical health. These activities also help break the isolation often felt by older adults. The variety of leisure activities stimulates both cognition and motor skills, but their accessibility depends on each individual’s level of autonomy .
