Survey: Health and Longevity in Seniors

Here at Bay Alarm Medical, we strongly believe in helping seniors age in place and remain independent. In an effort to understand how people are making healthy lifestyle choices throughout adulthood, we surveyed 5,000 customers.

74% of Customers Are 65+, and 74% of Those 80+ Have History of Longevity

Our customers understand what it feels like to experience longevity. To achieve longevity, most people believe they must maintain a healthful diet, active way of life and mental stability. But how can we find longevity in those little moments of our everyday lives? Next Avenue offers simple ways to destress, stop worrying and be mindful of your happiness. Find longevity by seeking joy – “Try to make a point to fill your day with little things that remind you of joy.”

 70% of Customers Read Regularly and 62% Are Socially Active

To stay mentally active, our customers read regularly and participate in social interaction. How do offline and online social interaction compare? According to Senior Care Corner, social media for seniors is important for a few reasons. Social media keeps families close through photo and video sharing, birthday reminders and chat platforms. It also offers community engagement and belonging – where online social interaction meets offline social interaction. There’s an abundance of senior group activities in every community, from gardening clubs to Humane Society trips. We encourage seniors to embrace socialization in their community.

 70% of Customers Walk Regularly

What a wonderful learning from our survey! To stay active, other customers take fitness classes, exercise at a gym, swim, perform gentle or restorative yoga, and take martial arts classes. According to AARP’s Personal Health and Well-being writer, Candy Sagon, nearly 37 million people in the U.S. practice yoga – 10 million men and 14 million adults over age 50, up from 4 million men and 4 million age 55-plus in 2012. Why? Yoga improves flexibility and balance, protects joints, strengthens bones and can even minimize hypertension. It can also be practiced anywhere! We encourage our customers to try yoga – in a park on a beautiful day, in a traditional studio, or in the comfort of your own home. Consult with your physician before trying new forms of exercise, such as yoga.

Only 9% of Customers Believe Their Diets Are Extremely Healthy

On a scale of “Needs Improvement” to “Extremely Healthy,” most customers believe their diet is somewhere in between. This helps provoke a larger conversation around health and nutrition for seniors. Resources such as Healthy Aging Magazine and A Place For Mom provide daily recipes, exercise tips and general wellness advice. Adequate hydration is another important health issue for seniors. Last summer, we partnered with Clean Bottle and shared tips on our blog such as Top 5 Ways to Infuse Water. Let’s help move the needle towards “Extremely Healthy” – stay hydrated, prepare healthy meals and take appropriate vitamins and supplements. Consult with your physician before trying new vitamins and/or supplements.

Only 4% of Customers Forego Preventive Health Screens and Vaccines

HealthyWomen.org breaks down preventative health screenings for women and men. Certain screenings and immunizations become especially important past the age of 50 such as colonoscopies, reproductive health screenings, a herpes zoster (for shingles prevention), and the pneumonia vaccine. We are preaching to the choir of the 86% who responded that they do take preventative measures, however, we encourage the remaining 14% to ensure long-lasting health and longevity by considering the benefits of recommended screenings and immunizations.

Customers Relieve Stress With Faith, Exercise, Family and Friends

In a recent blog post, Stress Management For Seniors, we investigated causes of stress, tips to overcome stress, and provided a checklist to walk seniors through the process of stress management. Our customer survey helped us glean insights on the most common ways to relieve stress – exercise, meditation, prayer, and time with family and friends. We encourage seniors to think about ways to manage stress and how to live a more stress free life.

“In times of stress, the best thing we can do for each other is to listen with our ears and our hearts and to be assured that our questions are just as important as our answers.” – Fred Rogers

Learn more about positive aging and longevity in our inspirational video, “Fresh Perspectives from Aging Faces.” Join us to discuss aging on Facebook and Twitter.

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