16/10/2025
A Universal Answer to Aging Well??
As a member of the Retirement Living Council, I get a host of newsletters with articles of varying interest. They often talk about the health challenges facing older people, cognitive decline, mental health, hearing loss, muscular skeletal issues, cardiovascular issues, and declining vision.
These articles usually quote from recent studies of various quality to support their point of view, and I often find myself going down a rabbit hole searching for the actual study. I want to see if the study was done by someone reputable, that the data set is of reasonable quantity and quality and to ensure the results aren’t “Cherry Picked” just to try and sell us something.
Having done this for several years now it seems to me that most ailments are interconnected. For example, people with hearing and vision loss are more likely to develop dementia and depression. They are also more likely to have muscular skeletal and cardiovascular issues, as well as have falls and other injuries which makes sense.
In reading an article today about Vision loss by the great organisation SeeWay https://www.seeway.com.au/ it occurred to me that the pretty much regardless of the ailment the suggestions on avoiding or mitigating seem very very similar.
For example, the SeeWay article on vison loss suggests you keep doing the things you love, stay active, and stay connected to people, and it offers many ways to do so.
Hearing loss is remarkably similar, get hearing aids early on (and use them!!!), stay connected, stay active, and do the things you enjoy.
A recent study I found from the UK, found that owning a dog reduces the risk of cognitive decline and depression. But the conclusion came down to the fact that a dog causes someone to be more active, meet people, and be connected, to both the dog and to other people.
Muscular Skeletal issues have always come back to the old “move it or lose it” and staying active is the key. The same is true for cardiovascular problems, with the addition of good diet.
Interestingly many studies I have read show that diet also seems to play a significant role in cognitive function.
So, with my noticeable lack of ANY education in the space, (but perhaps, the wisdom to read a few studies by people that do…). It seems to me that the “Universal Answer” to avoiding and mitigating all health issues as you get older is to:
• Get help / seek assistance early!
• Stay active / do the things you love!
• Stay connected with people!
• Eat well!
Doesn’t sound that hard or unpleasant really… and pleasingly I look at the activities in our Renaissance weekly newsletter https://renaissanceliving.com.au/whats-on/ and we seem to have all bases covered.