May is the month when older adults are the stars. This is not about performing in a dance troupe, symphony, chorus, or drama. It’s about a month set aside to celebrate older Americans for their contribution to society. May is Older Americans Month.
The observance is a time to recognize older Americans’ contributions, highlighting aging trends and reaffirming our commitment to serve older adults. Each year, there is a theme. This year’s theme is “Champion Your Health,” which focuses on the cornerstones of healthy aging. These include prevention, wellness, and taking personal responsibility. It encourages taking an active role in managing your own health, advocating for yourself, accessing preventive care, and making informed decisions that support independence.
Before addressing a few of these important topics, let’s look at some aging trends that focus on the health of older Americans.
Obesity. In 2023-2024, the prevalence of obesity among older adults was between 30 and 40%, depending on the study. Using a different way to determine obesity, up to 80% of older adults would be considered obese.
Diabetes. One in three older adults has this chronic condition.
Physical activity. Roughly only one in three (29%) of older adults get the amount of physical activity recommended by the Centers for Disease Control.
Nutrition. Up to one out of two older adults are at risk for malnutrition, with those age 85 and older at the highest risk.
Living arrangements. For those aged 75 and older, 24% of men live alone; for women, it is 43%.
These are risk factors and obstacles in achieving a healthy and long life, which makes being a “Champion of Your Health” so timely.
So, what can we do?
The most important cornerstone is to take personal responsibility and take preventive measures. There are many excuses to omit them from our lives. For example, we all know cases of an older friend or relative who did everything right and then got struck with a debilitating or life-threatening condition. Then there is the example of the man (or woman) who smoked for decades, drank several whiskeys a day, never exercised, ate fast food frequently, and lived to be 98. These are exceptions rather than norms.
Prevention includes getting adequate sleep, seven to nine hours, according to the National Institute on Aging. It means getting 150 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity a week. Then there are annual screenings for high blood pressure and cholesterol, cancer screenings for colorectal cancer, mammograms, and prostate exams. Check with your doctor regarding frequency based on age and risk. Add to that list vaccines for shingles, pneumonia, and influenza, and dental, eye, and hearing exams. This sounds like a full-time job. Sometimes, it can be.
Lifestyle also counts as a prevention of disease and disability. For example, having a positive outlook on aging is known to affect longevity as well as health, according to Becca Levy, professor of Epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health. Her research found that those with a positive attitude towards aging lived on average 7.5 years longer than those who did not. Social connections can help avoid loneliness and isolation, considered a national epidemic with serious health outcomes. And of course, smoking is a clear health risk.
It’s easy to take for granted access to health services. There are deterrents. Medical care in rural areas often is sparse. Cost and lack of insurance deter many older adults from seeking preventive care.
It’s also important to be our own advocate when it comes to health care. Speaking up and asking questions of medical professionals may be the antithesis of how many of us were raised. Yet today, it’s appropriate while acknowledging the expertise and professional experience of health care providers.
Older Americans Month reminds us to acknowledge and value our older adults. We know 2.1 million grandparents are primary caregivers for their grandchildren. Older Americans contribute $8.3 trillion to the American economy, which would make it the world’s third-largest economy. One in four older adults volunteer their time each year. They contribute roughly half of all recorded volunteer hours, adding over $92 billion to the U.S. economy. And older adults are formal mentors in the workplace and significant contributors to informal mentoring.
I rest my case!
Let’s all be champions of our own health. There is much we can do. And as a reminder, never lose the chance to say a kind word.
Helen Dennis is a nationally recognized leader on issues of aging and the new retirement with academic, corporate, and nonprofit experience. Contact Helen with your questions and comments at Helendenn@gmail.com. Visit Helen at HelenMdennis.com and follow her on facebook.com/SuccessfulAgingCommunity.