The Inheritance of Time: Living Well in an Age of Longevity
In our time we are witnessing life expectancy that has stretched beyond what most of history could have ever imagined.
I am in the business of helping adults improve their functional capacity, so that they increase the chances of living their extended years without disability…… catchy job description?
The question of quantity and quality…….
Quantity
The projections for life expectancy continue to grow and the prevalence of older adults (those who are 65 and older) is set to increase world wide. Given this increasing prevalence of older adults, the idea of living well, not just longer, becomes imperative.
In terms of exercise……
As a movement practitioner I can tell you this simple truth, regular physical activity and structured exercise can help counteract declines in physical, cognitive, and psychological health, both extending life span and improving quality of life.
Just like prescriptions that are tailored to individual specific outcomes, exercise can be viewed in the same way and just like any other medical intervention, exercise can be adjusted to suit individual variables and responses. This means that adaptations and adjustments can be made constantly to meet you, and provide for you, the level of movement you need regardless of fitness or frailty.
Promoting physical activity in older adults is a multifaceted mission that involves a collaborative approach between Health practitioners, GP’s, health and fitness trainers, physiotherapists, policy makers, health agencies and urban planners. Everyone involved should be positively facilitating this for you, with the ultimate goal being, improved quality of life.
When an obstacle presents itself then the goal should be to get you back on track, with a suitably tailored approach for your individual circumstances. It’s all about you, front and centre.
Quality
While genetics play a roll in longevity, science shows us that lifestyle choices have a greater impact. Nutrition, movement, deep rest, quality sleep, social connection and stress management form the foundations of a healthy life. Emerging research into the biology of aging is opening new doors, but the simple core truths remain: how we eat, move, rest and relate shapes our health span and our future.
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
Mary Oliver, from The Summer Day
Ultimately……
This opportunity of time is a privilege that perhaps so many of our ancestors didn’t have? Or bodies that were once destined for short fierce lives, are learning how to endure and stretch into decades that our ancestors never touched. They spent their days in urgent work, building healing and surviving. We, on the other hand, will potentially have time to wander, to change paths, to reinvent and to grow new roots in different places. We have the time to develop wisdom gained from greater years of experience. We have second chances, if we choose.
As we step into these longer lives, perhaps the true measure is not how far we go but how deep. Each year, each day offers a chance to choose meaning over momentum, connection over consumption, wisdom over speed.
The gift of time presents us with a chance to do things a bit better. The task of a longer life, if we are blessed to have it, is the quiet work of meaning.