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"Old age is like a minefield;
if you see footprints leading to the other side, step in them.”

George Vaillant, MD, ‘Aging Well’

Nuala Woodham

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RECIPES FOR AGING WELL

There is no substitute for reading George Vaillant’s brilliant, provocative and entertaining book, Aging Well, but these short recipes, extracted directly from his book, will give you a taste of what you can do now to increase your chances of being happy and well in old age.

THREE DOMAINS
According to Vaillant the three essential domains of positive aging are the social, the emotional and the physical. They are deeply interconnected and each makes a unique contribution to our health and well being. Surprisingly, Vaillant’s prospective studies (spanning 65 years of adult development in 824 American men and women) found that the fourth domain - “the presence or absence of either spirituality or religious adherence” - has little association with successful aging. The virtues that truly nourish old age are love, hope and gratitude.

EIGHT PROTECTIVE FACTORS:
In order to age well we need to stay alive and so physical health plays a vital role. Vaillant describes eight protective factors that, if they are present at age 50, allow us to predict health 30 years in the future.

#1 No heavy smoking (‘heavy’ = one pack per day)
Not being a heavy smoker before the age of 50 is the single most important protective factor for healthy physical aging. Encouragingly, if a heavy smoker quits by age 45 (and survives middle age) the effects can no longer be discerned by age 70-80.

#2 Mature defenses
The five mature defenses describe the way we cope with everyday stress; they are the second most important protective factor. An individual with mature defenses has internalized a variety of strategies for turning life’s lemons into lemonade and not turning molehills into mountains.

#3 Widening social radius
A widening social radius at age 50 is just as important as emotional maturity, especially if it embraces younger people or grandchildren. In the studies, such individuals tripled their chances of ending up among the ‘happy-well’.

#4 No alcohol abuse
This is the only protective factor that powerfully predicts both psychosocial and physical health. Alcohol abuse is defined by evidence of alcohol dependence and multiple alcohol-related problems – with spouse, family, employer, police etc. – not by reported consumption.

#5 Stable marriage
Marriage can be good for both physical and psychosocial health. In the studies, a warm marriage was six times more common among the ‘happy-well’ than among the ‘sad-sick’. Marriage provides a ready-made social support in later years.

#6 & #7 Some exercise / not overweight (BMI >21 and <29)
Obesity, like smoking, is bad only for physical health. Regular exercise, like a stable marriage, is good for both physical and psychosocial health. The study’s criteria for ‘exercise’ included the ability to climb two flights of stairs or walk two miles without resting, carry a light suitcase through an airport, fish or do yard work.

#8 12+ years of education
Education contributes significantly to healthy aging when it is used to improve self-care and perseverance. Education increases our capacity to take the long view, helps us to connect personal behaviours with consequences and enables us to control the course of our lives.

The good news is that we have control over the majority of these factors and can choose to dramatically improve our odds of entering old age happy and well. At the same time we need to keep it all in perspective, being brave enough to change the things we can, serene enough to accept the things we cannot, and wise enough to know the difference. Please share these recipes for healthy aging with everyone you care about, young and old.

“Whether we live to a vigorous old age
lies not so much in our stars or our genes as in ourselves.”
George Vaillant

Source
George E Vaillant, M.D., Aging Well, Little Brown and Company, 2002.
(See Appendix K: Graceful Aging Scale, p346, for a self-assessment.)

POSITIVE AGING PROGRAM
This program gives you and your loved ones the tools to age well.  It benefits men and women who are anticipating or experiencing retirement.  It informs adult children who want the best for their aging parents.  And it satisfies the young and curious.  Positive Aging is available either as an individual program or for small groups. Contact Nuala via the email link below  her photo.

©2008 Nuala Woodham. All rights reserved.

Nuala Woodham

Consultant + Coach + Catalyst