Research

A must-read book


When I'm 64
This comprehensive study on aging published in 2006 is free to read online.

While there is much bio-medical research currently going on, looking for ways to slow physical aging and to reverse some of the almost inevitable declines, a large research effort is also looking at other dimensions. Sociologists are exploring factors that contribute to positive aging — the value of social networks, the protective role of continued meaningful involvement and contributory activities. Within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) this sociological research might be very helpful as congregation-based support for positive aging becomes more prevalent.

Nutrition

One of the latest research studies — one done at Tufts University — looked nutritional and dietary needs for adults over age 70. Faculty in the school of Nutrition Science began with the MyPyramid©, developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2005, and modified it for older adults. Tufts researchers added a graphic representation of activities, as the foundation of the pyramid — accenting the need for daily activity as a part of an overall picture of nutrition and erexcise.

See larger version of image.

Important elements of the modified MyPyramind for Older Adults include:

• Whole, enriched and fortified grains and cereals such as brown rice and 100 percent whole wheat bread.
• Brightly colored vegetables such as carrots, broccoli and sweet potatoes.
• Deeply colored fruit such as berries and melon.
• Low- and non-fat dairy products such as yogurt and low-lactose milk.
• Dry beans and nuts, fish, poultry, lean meat and eggs.
• Olive oil and liquid vegetable oils and soft spreads low in saturated and trans fat.
• Adequate fluid intake.
• Fiber-rich foods in all food groups.
• Increasing calcium and vitamins B-12 and D.
• Adequate physical activity such as walking, housework and yard work.
• Decreasing sodium (most commonly found in salt and in preservatives in foods).

For further information about this exciting new research, read a complete article by Dina Aronson in the new “Aging Well” magazine. Stay tuned for more information on this topic.

U.S. and Presbyterian demographics

People over age 100 are the fastest growing age group in the United States. People between the ages of 85 and 100 are part of a group experiencing the second greatest growth rate.  Over 75 million baby boomers will reach 65 in the next 25 years (U.S. Census Bureau).  General population projections indicate that by 2030 the number of people age 65 and older will double, increasing from 36 million (12 percent) to 72 million (20 percent) of the total population.  The oldest-old population, age 85 and over, is also expected to double to almost 10 million by 2030. If this projected doubling occurs within the membership of Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the numbers will be startling. With an approximate membership of 2.5 million, Presbyterians are already an older church. While the median age of people currently living in the United States is 37 the median age for Presbyterians is 60. (2, 3)
         
Looking at what is termed the “Boomer” cohort in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), those who were born between 1946 and 1964, by 2030, as many as 1.7 million Presbyterians will be between the ages of 65 and 80. 

People who reach age 65 can expect to live an average of 18-20 more years. Of the people who survive to age 85 today, women can expect to live 7-9 additional years, and men an additional 6-8 years. (4) 

Boomer cohort Presbyterians are also likely to be proportionally more female, with women making up 62 percent of the membership, higher than the general population rate of 49 percent male/51 percent female. By age 80 and over, male-female ratio in the church and the general population is 1:2.  

Contemplating and making retirement decisions

Gerontologists report that as one ages and nears retirement, decisions about how the next portion of life will be spent become very real. For many, complete retirement from all paid work will not be a viable option — either because of financial concerns, the need to be productively engaged in worthwhile activities or a host of nuances and combinations of these primary reasons. There are also transitions — key shifts in what is crucial to one’s life.  According to Boomers in Transition: The Future of Aging and Health, (2003) three key shifts impact one’s future and retirement planning. (5) These shifts are helpful in understanding the needs and in planning programs to address the aging and older demographic group. In the key transitions displayed below, it is clear that through involvement and engagement with their congregations and the wider church, people in transition can easily find ways to develop wider networks of support, a structure for engaging the systems of the greater society and healthy ways to enhance spiritual, physical and mental growth.

Psychological health and stress-free transition from full-time work to the next phase of life is an important aspect of healthy aging. The National Institute on Aging contends, “working not just for income, but for meaning and purpose is good for people. Seventy percent of sustained physical and mental health in later life can be attributed to lifestyle and environment.”

Aging boomers fully expect to join the ranks of older adults for a good long retirement and many enjoyable and productive years after they leave full-time work. According to National Council on Aging Survey, Myths and Realities, 2000, “Fifty-eight percent of those surveyed think they will live until at least 80 while 26 percent expect to live to age 90 or older.” (6) 

All adults define retirement uniquely, and so do Presbyterians. For some, retirement means the cessation of all paid work. For others, retirement means ending their major career, but continuing to work part-time in the same field or in a new field, possibly realizing goals that had been put aside at an earlier phase in life. Still others plan to volunteer substantial hours each week, or in an extended volunteer commitment. Still others decide to return to school to study in new fields or to learn skills that can be used for hobbies or leisure pursuits, or in their volunteer activities.

Health status

A recent report indicates that many people over 60 feel approximately two decades younger than their chronological age. However, though chronic disease is not symptomatic of the aging process, it can negatively impact one’s quality of life and chronic disease is more prevalent among older adults, with approximately 80 percent of older adults reporting one chronic disease and 50 percent reporting two or more (CDC, 2002).  (7)

Large percentages of older adults are impacted by cardiovascular issues and arthritis — each of which can be mobility limiting, can require ongoing care and, importantly, are reducible health risks. It is also important to note that for hypertension and arthritis, larger percentages of women are affected. Both occurrence of chronic illness and risk for chronic illness are higher for people of color (National Academy on Aging in Society, 2000) (8), a group that would include approximately 7 percent of all today’s Presbyterians, but a larger group in the future.

Looking more specifically at the role the church can play in teaching about healthy aging, Djupe and Westberg define the “Church as a Health Place.” (9) Contrasted to places to which people go when they are ill — clinics, hospital, etc. — they envision a church as the place where people can be taught to become healthy.  “The church and the home have concern for people throughout their lives. They are in a prime position to influence and motivate people toward healthy living.” 

Writing to other physicians, Daaleman et al. (2004) (10), suggests that religious affiliation may be a spiritual shield, that “spirituality might act to potentiate a common belief of older adults that they are exceptions to the aging process and that their health is superior to their age peers.” Does this sound Presbyterian?

References Cited

1. Morrow-Howell, N. (2006) "Civic Engagement in Later Life," Generations. Winter 06-07, Vol. XXX, No. 4.
2. Census Bureau Public Information Office, National Population Estimates – Characteristics, Retrieved on  8/3/2006. 
3. Presbyterian Research Services, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), "Characteristics of Presbyterians," 2005, Retrieved on 8/6/2006  
4. Older Americans 2004: "Key Indicators of Well-Being" from the Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics, Census data from 2000.
5. Kirsch, S. and Jeffey, L. (2003) Boomers in Transition: The Future of Aging and Health.
6. National Council on the Aging. (2000). Myths and Realities of Aging 2000. International Longevity   Center - USA, Ltd., Jewish Home and Hospital. Washington, D.C.
7. National Center for Age Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved on  8/5/2006.
8. National Academy On An Aging Society, "At Risk: Developing Chronic Conditions Later in Life." Challenges for the 21st Century: Chronic and Disabling Conditions. Number 4, February 2000.
9. Djupe, Anna Marie and Westberg, Granger (1995) Congregation-Based Health Programs in Later Life, Aging Spirituality and Religion.  Minneapolis, Augsburg Fortress Press.
10. Daaleman, Timothy P; Perera, Subashan; Studenski, Stephanie. (2004) "Religion, Spirituality, and Health Status in Geriatric Outpatients," Annals of Family Medicine 2(1):49-53.
11. Aronson, D (Spring, 2008).  Nutrition for Health and Longevity, Aging Well. Vol. 1 No. 2 P. 20.
12. Lichtenstein, A; Rasmussen, H; Yu, W; Epstein, S; Russel, R.  (2008) Modified MyPyramid for Older Adults.  American Society for Nutrition,  J. Nutr. 138:5-11, January 2008