Pfizer Reveals Secrets to Healthy Aging
Professor David Demko, PhD
AgeVenture News Service
For some time now, the keys to how long and how well one lives has been, well, common knowledge. Seventy-five percent of the factors that control how one will fare in later life are determined by lifestyle factors (diet and nutrition, mental and physical exercise, and a meaningful existence). That means that living a long and productive life is within most people's grasp, ... if they have the knowledge of what to do, and the motivation to do it. I've always said that, "The secret to longevity is really no secret at all. If you don't long to live, then you don't live too long". Now, a new study of senior athletes by Pfizer Inc confirms that notion.
The senior athletes studied were those who competed in the 1999 National Senior Games - Senior Olympics. The "Pfizer Pulse Survey" sheds light on specific tactics aimed at winning the battle to live longer and healthier lives. “Our involvement in the National Senior Games - The Senior Olympics has allowed us get close to a cross section of seniors who have mastered healthy aging,” says Mike Magee, M.D. Pfizer's Senior Medical Advisor.
“Our study aims to reveal seniors' best-kept-secrets and provide them to people who are looking to improve both their mental and physical health.” The top three tips from the survey and Dr. Magee include: make time for regular activity, keep in touch with family and friends and see your doctor for regular check-ups.
The first graphic (top, left) illustrates the wellness regimen that enables senior athletes to have an active lifestyle. The second graphic (below, left) illustrates the activity preferences of those same senior athletes.
Sure, you might say, they are more active because they are free of chronic conditions that otherwise limit the activities of most older adults. Not so. These senior athletes continue to be active despite the existence of chronic conditions. In fact, one of the more fascinating findings of the survey is that their chronic conditions are not necessarily life-limiting conditions. As a case in point, 64 percent of the senior athletes said they take some sort of prescription medication. Even so, 90 percent of the senior Olympians say they believe they are in “much better” or “somewhat better” health than other people their own age. Dr. Magee says that this statistic proves that, "most prescription medications don't interfere with active lifestyles; in fact, many seniors would agree that their medications have improved their quality of life."
The findings also show that the majority of seniors surveyed are taking active roles in researching health topics that are of interest to them-- of the 69 percent of senior athletes that are on-line, 55 percent use the Internet to access health-related information. Knowing how important health information is to seniors Pfizer offers the Pfizer Health Library where seniors can order customized health-related information on a variety of topics. A complete list of tips for healthy aging is available on line at the Pfizer's web site located at www.pfizer.com.
Pfizer is a sponsor of the National Senior Games which attract more than 12,000 senior athletes from across the nation during the Summer and Winter games. The National Senior Games Association (NSGA) is the leading organization representing the sports, fitness, and health interests for today's seniors. NSGA's mission is to be the leader in promoting healthy lifestyles for seniors through education, fitness, sports and research. For more information about the National Senior Games, reader an log on to the National Senior Games Association website located at www.nsga.com.
In the meantime, here's a few tips on healthy aging that Dr. Mike Magee, Pfizer's Senior Medical Advisor, learned from the "Pfizer Pulse Survey" of senior athletes who competed in the 1999 Senior Olympics.
- Exercise your mind
senior athletes don’t just focus on the body, they keep their minds engaged.
- Winning is not everything
senior athletes compete for health and for personal pride, not just to win.
- You have to love it
sixty-six percent of senior athletes have played 20 years just for the love it.
- Keep constantly current
sixty-nine percent of senior athletes are online, 54 percent read 3-14 hours weekly.
- Maintain family and friendship ties
fifty-four percent of senior athletes rate these ties as essential to emotional well-being
- Measure success by personal achievement
most senior athletes do not consider “expensive things” as a measure of success
- Medical conditions don’t mean you’re not healthy
sixty-four percent of senior athletes said they take prescription medication
- Be proactive on Health
eighty-eight percent say they see their doctor for regular check-ups
- Make time for regular activity
the majority (50 percent) practice between three and seven hours per week
Okay, so now you're knowledgeable about wellness. Now get motivated to act on that knowledge. Who knows, you just might find yourself competing in next year's senior games. That's something for you to look forward to, and for your grandkids to look forward to being proud spectators of your new active lifestyle.
Photo credit: Jacobs & Prosek, Stratford, CT.
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David Demko reports on lifestyle issues and trends in Aging America.
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