Success factors for healthy ageing

What factors in someone’s sixties can influence who still lives and feels well after 80? This is the focus of a new doctoral thesis in nursing at Luleå University of Technology, which contains four studies on healthy aging and well-being among elderly.

“The results indicates both how an individual can actually influence their own healthy aging and well-being, and what society can do,” says Albin Dahlin Almevall, who recently defended his doctoratal thesis in nursing, on healthy aging and well-being among the elderly based on further studies of a 20-year-old, recognized research project.

In 1999, 1,500 people participated in a health survey as part of the large research project MONICA External link., initiated by the World Health Organization, WHO, and started as an international survey of cardiovascular diseases. Two decades later, Albin Dahlin Almevall is doing a follow-up to see which factors from the age of 60 can be linked to whether the participants are still alive, and the status of their current health. Around 250 people around Norrbotten and Västerbotten have received home visits as Albin Dahlin Almevall has interviewed, taken blood samples, measured bone strength and done psychological tests.

Most important predictor of survival and health

His study shows that the most important factor for survival and healthy aging in the group was not smoking, many of the smokers were no longer alive. Second most important was a marker for heart problems that can be measured in blood tests and following to that the factors waist measurement and physical activity.

When it came to the health of those still alive, physical activity in their 60s was the number one success factor for a healthy life in their 80s. In second place came long-term blood sugar, which can be measured in a blood sample and is linked to diabetes.

“We cannot know that there is a causal link between these factors and health in old age, of course there are more things in life that influences, but we can see certain factors that correlates to healthy aging. It is interesting that many of them are ones you can influence yourself,” says Albin Dahlin Almevall.

Home of importance

Through in-depth interviews with 52 of the participants, Albin Dahlin Almevall also investigated what in their everyday life that gave the participants well-being, now beeing over 80 years of age. Several areas were recurring in the interviews as important for well-being, including having a social context, good health and level of functioning in everyday life, commitment, feeling of freedom and feeling at home.

“The home is a very big part of life. Paradoxically, home becomes increasingly central with age, but at the same time it becomes more difficult for many to manage at home without support. Those who feel that the support makes them a burden feel worse. The well-being is better if the support is part of a social context,” says Albin Dahlin Almevall.

When someone needs support at home, or need to move, it is according to Albin Dahlin Almevall studies important that the person has control over the decision.

“That the elderly themselves are allowed to make decisions concerning such an important part of life as the home is of utter importance for their well-being. Those who were forced to move or felt pressured to do so feel worse.”

Take into accont whey planning interventions

The last study in the thesis examines the role of physical activity level. 77 people wore an activity monitor around the clock for a week. The results show, in short, that the more you move, the better you feel. Even standing up just a bit more is linked to well-being.

“This means that it is important to promote physical activity and make it possible when planning interventions for the elderly. It is also important to support the elderly in finding a way to deal with their limitations. Those who accept their situation in a constructive way feel better. The group of people over 80 is large and will become even larger in the future. Together we can promote healthy ageing,” says Albin Dahlin Almevall.

The doctoral thesis Healthy Ageing and Well-Being in Old Age External link, opens in new window.