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Brought to you by Liz Hilton Segel, chief client officer and managing partner, global industry practices, & Homayoun Hatami, managing partner, global client capabilities
New and old friends. Although the bank teller, dog sitter, or restaurant server you interact with might not seem important, chatting with acquaintances can promote emotional health. Weak-tie connections, characterized by low-stakes conversations with people you don’t know well, increase positive feelings and decrease negative ones. A study of about 800 older adults in a US metropolis has found that over a period of 23 years, the number of people’s weak-tie relationships predicted well-being even more strongly than close-tie relationships did. [NYT]
Aging well. “Active aging” refers to the opportunities that older people have to participate in activities that enhance mental, physical, and spiritual health, according to the WHO. Choosing a healthy lifestyle and partnering with healthcare providers can improve quality of life and prevent decline. Research has shown that adopting a positive attitude may increase longevity. Older people who viewed aging more optimistically lived an additional 7.5 years compared with those with more pessimistic views, per a study by Miami University and Yale University researchers. [Fortune]
Perceptions of health. How do older adults view healthy aging? A new McKinsey Health Institute (MHI) survey of more than 21,000 adults aged 55 and older in 21 countries finds that respondents largely agree about the importance of having purpose, managing stress, enjoying meaningful connections, and preserving independence, McKinsey senior partner Hemant Ahlawat and coauthors share. On other topics, responses vary widely. For instance, respondents in high-income economies aren’t necessarily thriving more than their counterparts elsewhere.
Power of participation. Isolation is a widespread problem for many older adults. What may help is participating in society. Survey respondents who work, volunteer, further their education, and join in community activities report being in better overall health than those who don’t, MHI analysis reveals. In fact, volunteering boosts perceived health by an average of eight percentage points. Consider what factors matter most to overall health for older adults and how every stakeholder can become a part of transforming how people age.
— Edited by Belinda Yu, editor, Atlanta
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