Medical specialists say that society is moving towards a concept of "successful aging." The concept reflects the idea that getting older doesn't mean the inevitable loss of health or strength, and that many ailments once thought to come naturally with old age are, in fact, avoidable.
At a recent international conference on aging in Venice, Italy, Dr. R. Knight Steele of New Jersey's University of Medicine and Dentistry said medical science is finding that many problems "that have always been attributed to aging, such as senility or brittle bones or heart failure, are not inevitable." And an Australian aging expert, Dr. Gary Andrews, said research successes over the past few years suggest added possibilities of reducing health risks that accompany advancing years.
Studies of people who managed to remain relatively healthy well into their nineth decade have led to some of these promising discoveries. progressive decline in age has been proven no to be normal, says Dr. John Rowe of New York's Mount Sinai Medical Center. Research has shown that the aging process can be modified, and "elements of it can be delayed, or in fact, reversed."
On an individual level, successful aging means, among other things, keeping yourself informed on personal health issues, which can play a major role in prolonging an active, satisfying life.
Rowe says education is a major factor in being long-lived. Studies of 1200 people more than 75 years of age, whose health has been tracked for eight years, have shown that one in five now enjoy better health. The reason: The individuals paid attention to healthy lifestyle suggestions, Rowe says.
While genetics plays an important part in longevity, Rowe says individual efforts to remain healthy outweighed other factors such as long-lived parents and general health conditions.
