September is Healthy Aging Month. While we tend to attribute “aging” to those citizens who are seen as seniors, elders, or “old people”, the reality is, we are all aging continually—you are now a few moments older than you were when you clicked the link to read this blog post. However, the World Health Organization defines healthy aging as “the process of developing and maintaining the functional ability that enables wellbeing in older age,” [1] specifically 60 years and older. [2]

Functional ability is a person’s ability to meet their basic needs (ie. self care), learn, grow and make decisions for themselves, to be mobile, to have and maintain relationships that they value and create new ones, and to contribute to society. [1]

Essentially, healthy aging is the ability to maintain as much as possible the skills and abilities we may have gained in previous years of our lives—whichever of those may be most of value to us as individuals!

We may be able to prolong our independence and abilities by living in “Age friendly environments”, ones that are least restrictive to the common concerns we may have when we age. These include health care, transportation, social protection, having places to live, and family and friends to enjoy. [3] As well, this can more simply include changes in living environments, such as having housing accessible with mobility aids, storage solutions that don’t involve climbing ladders, including grab bars for balance in the bathroom, and removing area rugs and mats that may pose tripping hazards.

Of course, we can prepare for aging at any age. By maintaining good physical fitness, we can prevent certain types of decline that occur as we age—by maintaining strong social relationships, we can similarly help avoid many types of cognitive decline associated with aging, but also ensure that we have a support network available for if we do develop health problems as we age such as Alzheimer disease, osteoporosis and bone fracture, and so on. As well, establishing a relationship with a physician and ensuring you receive care regularly can prompt early treatment of diseases and help prevent any health problems from becoming worse from neglecting care.

And of course, as mentioned, family and friends can help us stay healthy. Having a network of family and friends also helps us stay active, engaged in our communities, and “out and about”. And the more we do, the better conditioned our bodies and minds remain!

For health problems, including those associated with aging, medical ID jewelry can be important in staying healthy and independent. Our medical ID is custom engraved and can help provide a sense of security if you or a loved one are living with Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and other conditions that affect older adults. Our many styles of medical ID bracelets and necklaces can be found on our shop—custom engraved items can also include an In Case of Emergency or ICE number so that a family member or next-of-kin can be called to provide comfort and support in an emergency.