People are living longer and longer, with the average life expectancy increasing globally. Worldwide, people are expected to live to at least 72 on average, with countries like Japan boasting life expectancies of 85 years.
This leaves plenty of time for travel, making memories, and experiencing everything life offers.
But, as we age, our bodies and minds start to decline. So we must take proactive steps to ensure we remain healthy and active despite the natural ageing process. Keeping up with physical activity, eating a balanced diet, and taking care of our mental health are all essential elements of staying protected as we age.
As technological advances continue offering innovative solutions to help keep us active and protected, there are many other ways to stay as fit as possible for longer.
Stay active by participating in physical activities that you enjoy
Physical activity is essential in maintaining strength, flexibility and balance as we age. Regular exercise not only helps maintain overall health but can play a role in preventing certain types of cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure.
A wide range of activities like walking, jogging, swimming or yoga can benefit both body and mind. Taking part in low-impact aerobic exercises like tai chi or water aerobics is a great way to help us stay active while reducing the risk of injury due to overuse or strain on muscles and joints.
Eat a healthy diet to maintain your energy and health as you age
Maintaining a healthy diet is essential for staying active and protected as we age. Eating nutritious foods with plenty of vitamins and minerals will give us more energy throughout the day so that we can remain active longer.
Fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains and low-fat dairy products should all be included in a balanced diet for optimal benefits. Additionally, drinking enough water will help keep us hydrated so that our muscles and joints function well during exercise activities.
Connect with your community by using technology
Isolation and loneliness continue to be pervasive issues among senior citizens. Staying connected with your community is vital in tackling the potential impacts of loneliness. And technology allows for solutions that tackle isolation and encourage the digital inclusion of older people.
Israeli startup Communi offers one such solution. Founder Eynav Haim-Sayag told us: "Communi connects senior adults and their family members with people from their community for on-demand help with daily tasks, errands, technical assistance and the use of digital space.
“The Communi application is designed to safely connect seniors with members of their community and easily set up visits that are tailored to their specific needs, with people they know and at an affordable cost.”
For Eynav, the startup’s mission is an intensely personal one. With a background in cybersecurity, the entrepreneur wanted to revolutionise digital inclusion for seniors as her own parents grew older and had different needs.
She added: “In our vision for the future, as more and more people prefer to age in place, digital transformation will support community-based healthy ageing. Digital inclusion of seniors is key, and Communi’s face-to-face visits are a first step forward.
“Technology has redefined so many aspects of our lives, but the impact on healthy ageing still awaits. We believe that in order to make progress, a better understanding of this domain combined with the collaboration of experienced multidisciplinary people is key.”
Get enough sleep each night to feel rested and energised during the day
Getting enough sleep each night is crucial for us to stay alert during the day so that we can continue to live an active lifestyle as we age. Sleeping between 7 to 9 hours every night is crucial for better brain and overall physical health.
With the stresses of early wake-ups gone for those of us who are retired, sticking to a consistent bedtime may seem unnecessary. But keeping a consistent bedtime routine will help ensure you are well-rested when you wake up.
Keep your brain healthy with online cognitive therapy solutions
Memory loss and related cognitive decline can prevent us from staying safe and active as we age. Living life to the fullest is hard when we fear forgetting important information. But all sorts of innovative solutions are being developed to prevent cognitive decline among senior citizens.
One such tool is Effectivate, a program designed to strengthen and enhance brain function. Shai Granot, CEO and co-founder of Effectivate, said: “Effectivate was built specifically for older adults using a user-centred approach, and thus has incorporated age-appropriate design and UX principles.
"Furthermore, the workouts use algorithms for optimising personalised training, with special emphasis on the cognitive functions that decline substantially with age, and with a unique feature of continuous monitoring of spatial attention.
"Finally, our innovative web-based cognitive training program is the only one that uses two complementary aspects: restoration of cognitive abilities, and Compensation for cognitive decline."
Staying active and protected as we age
As we age, staying active and protected against the physical and mental effects of ageing is an integral part of maintaining our health. There are various ways to ensure that we remain physically and mentally healthy as we age.
By engaging in regular physical activity, eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep every night, staying engaged with our communities, and exercising our brains with cognitive therapy solutions, we can stay active and protected even as we get older.
