HEALTH
The Keys to
Healthy Aging
By Victoria Huff-O’Bryan, TheHappyExecutive.com
Staying healthy as we age is challenging.
The good news is that our sometimes fastpaced and technology-driven world offers
many resources literally at our fingertips.
These resources are available to us and
those we love to better empower us to
live longer, healthier and happier lives.
As a nation, our population is living longer.
According to a recent study by Measure of
America, Illinois is ranked 25th in our nation
for longevity of our residents’ lifespans. The
average life span in our state is 81 years old.
to his long and healthy life were being his
own health advocate, staying active, eating
lots of vegetables and infusing his life with
music. This wise man was a self-taught
pianist who developed his life’s plan and
actually worked the plan. He remained
focused and driven to stay true to what he
actually preached. He was a man of great
pride and very humble. I remember our visits
fondly and especially how gracious he was
when I would ask him if he wanted to go play
a few songs on the piano within his place of
residence. I could always count on him to
respond the same way. With a smile on his
face, he would say, “Sure, if there is piano
around here to play.” This sweet man had
Alzheimer’s disease. Although he could not
remember where the piano was or what he
had for breakfast that day, he did remember
many ideas from years passed and rarely,
if ever, hit the wrong key on the piano.
Furthermore, we may speculate that our
nation’s largest group of centenarians,
those living to be 100 years old, is yet to
be in our not so distant future. Over the
last three decades, this elite group offering
much wisdom and an abundance of life
lessons to many, has grown 65.8 percent
according to US News and World Report.
Today, more of us know someone 100 years As the wise centenarian said, one of
or older than ever before in our lifetimes. the most important factors to aging is
being your own health advocate or if
The eldest person I knew just recently needed, to someone you love. From the
passed away at the age of 101 years old. advocate’s vantage point, preventing falls
When I asked him what his secrets were, for those who are 65 years or older is of
he would tell me the most important factors paramount importance.
Hip fractures,