Wednesday, September 5, 2018

Studying Aging
As we all know, demographics are never static. Today, we are all aware that populations are getting older and that fewer babies are being born. As a result the percentage of older individuals in North America is now about 18% and it is predicted that by the year 2030 one in five of us will be 65 or older.
            And there are other interesting statistics. The results of a large Canadian study on aging show that aging is changing. For one thing, the boomer generation is the first one where most women work most of their lives outside the home. Also, they are more active. That means that the future of aging is different than what their parents experienced.. 
            Due in part to advances in health care humans now live longer than ever before. And because of on-going research and the many channels of communication available to present those results, humans know how to take better care of themselves at mid-life and beyond with diet, exercise, intellectual stimulation and stress avoidance. In short, they aspire to increase the meaning of longer.
            Of course, with people living longer the need for financial security in later years is an important concern. As a result the trend toward early retirement is reversing and will jump ahead by at least a few years according to researchers.
How health is affected over time as we age is different for everyone. There is certainly an interplay of various aspects of our lives, from the simply genetic to the social and the psychological.
However, I am convinced that personal fulfillment through pleasurable activities and a positive outlook in early part of retirement can only mean a better overall health outcome.