HEALTH: 4 signs of heathy aging

1. You have no (or few) chronic illnesses

In some respects, developing chronic illnesses as we age is inevitable (over 80 per cent of older adults live with one or more chronic health issues), but many of these conditions are preventable. “A good marker of healthy aging is the absence of chronic health issues later in life,” says Dr. Sinha (Dr. Samir Sinha, a geriatrician at Sinai Health System and the University Health Network in Toronto).

Maintaining a healthy weight and diet, for example, can help stave off hypertension. Avoiding smoking means you’re less likely to develop lung conditions like emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Even if you do encounter chronic illness, having a healthy baseline can have a profound impact on how it affects you.

“If you have high blood pressure, for example, but you can treat it and keep it at bay, then you’re less likely to suffer the consequences of that chronic health issue creating other chronic health issues as well.

2. You can get around easily

One of the biggest overall goals of aging is to stay independent for as long as possible, and that means being able to accomplish basic tasks on your own. Lasting mobility takes the form of everything from bathing and dressing yourself to being able to stand up from a seated position without use of hands on an object for assistance.

“If you’re being challenged with those things, that can really threaten your independence,” says Dr. Sinha. “We want to try to think about what things we can do to help prevent this functional decline.”

Exercise is the number one way to keep your body functional. Even if you suffer from joint pain or arthritis, movement is often the best way to help manage it.

Though it may sound counterintuitive, getting a joint replacement if needed is a highly effective way to promote functional mobility. After all, if you’re struggling to get around because of joint pain, your quality of life is hindered.

3. You regularly see friends and family

Whether you meet up for a weekly coffee with your friends, play regular pickleball games, or host Sunday night dinners with the family, staying interconnected with your community is key to healthy aging. “One of the greatest risk factors that can affect your health and well-being is how socially connected you are,” says Dr. Sinha.

Not only can loneliness impact your mental health and well-being, but feelings of stress and depression can actually exacerbate chronic health conditions. Research has shown that loneliness is as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

Having a social circle boosts your mood, as well as ties back into functional mobility since getting involved in most social situations naturally forces you to get out of the house.

“It’s also a very practical way to foster a network that can help support you to stay healthy and independent as you age,” says Dr. Sinha, pointing to the example of having people in your life who can pick up a prescription for you.

4. You take steps to keep your cognitive function sharp

While some mild forms of memory loss are normal as we age, dementia is not. “It is very much associated with increasing age,” says Dr. Sinha. “But the good news is that there are many things we can do to prevent or delay the onset of dementia.”

Taking small steps—such as mental stimulation, regular eye and hearing tests, and maintaining a healthy weight—can help boost cognitive function and keep dementia at bay by as much as 45 per cent.

Notably, fewer people in Canada are living with dementia today than researchers had previously predicted, says Dr. Sinha. This is largely the result of preventative management. Identifying and treating high blood pressure earlier in life, for example, can lower your risk of dementia later on.