Maximizing Longevity and Successful Aging: Insights from Yale School of Medicine

Doctors and scientists from the Yale School of Medicine are implementing health strategies that are aimed at maximizing both the quality and quantity of human longevity.
Pictured: Dr. Clemens Scherzer

How important is your functional independence? Most older adults would say that being able to comfortably and freely go about their daily lives is one of their most cherished values. During a recent presentation at Moorings Park, Doctors Thomas M. Gill, Lauren E. Ferrante, Clemens Scherzer, and Vishwa Deep Diuit of The Yale School of Medicine shared how they are studying, researching, and implementing health strategies that are aimed at maximizing both the quality and quantity of human longevity. The overarching theme of these efforts is that physical activity is the best form of medicine, and the active lifestyle that Moorings Park Communities supports and promotes aligns with Yale’s principles, observations, and findings.

Physical Activity is the Best Form of Medicine

Did you know that serious injuries occur in 10% of falls, and after a fall, 25-40% of older adults reduce their physical and social activity? The frequency and morbidity of fall injuries are staggeringly high, but the findings of Dr. Thomas M. Gill, Professor of Medicine, Epidemiology, and Investigative Medicine at Yale University, and Dr. Vishwa Deep Diuit, Director of the Center for Research on Aging, are hopeful and provide the key to avoiding this life-altering circumstance: prevention. Focusing on researching and preventing the cause rather than treating the symptoms can not only significantly improve the quality of life for many individuals, but it can also save America over four trillion dollars annually.

“There is an economic value of targeting aging,” said Dr. Diuit. “If you can lower inflammation, for example, can we slow the process of aging so loss of resilience as we age does not happen.”

Dr. Gill has expressed that the development of chronic disease, functional decline, and loss of independence are actually not inevitable consequences of aging. Through the study of individual and population health strategies across the lifespan, or preventive gerontology, it has been shown that the onset of major mobility disabilities, falls, and injuries can be prevented with physical activity and intervention.

The LIFE Study (Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders) demonstrated that a structured, moderate intensity physical activity program, compared with a health education program, decreases the onset of major mobility disabilities. A key component to this was walking or aerobics. The STRIDE Study (Strategies To Reduce Injuries and Develop Confidence in Elders) also demonstrated that a multifactorial intervention compared to enhanced usual care modestly reduces the likelihood of falls and fall injuries.

The underlying premise here is that since aging is a major risk factor for most chronic disease, the only way significant gains in the health span can be achieved is through an intervention on the fundamental mechanisms of aging. Yale researchers, like Dr. Gill, want to increase health span based on the knowledge gained from biological research which serves to improve prevention strategies like diet and exercise. Physical activity not only improves strength and balance, but also improves mood, self-esteem, and sleep, all aspects of mental health that should not be underestimated when considering factors that impact functional independence.

Precision Medicine and Therapeutics: Creating Slow Progressors

While physical activity is the best form of medicine, medical intervention is a necessary reality for many patients. However, according to Dr. Clemens Scherzer, Director of the Stephen and Denise Adams Center for Parkinson Disease Research at the Yale School of Medicine, many of the 7 million patients in the U.S. are being treated the same, focusing on symptoms rather than prevention. When diseases cannot be treated with prevention alone, precision medicine and therapeutics use data to develop medicines at a faster rate by finding disease drivers and using medicine already created and approved in hopes of turning every unique patient into a “slow progressor.”

“We take a look at the drugs approved already and if any of them can be repurposed for Parkinson’s disease, for example. If we already know the drug is safe, we can cut out several years of the development process and bring this medicine to patients faster and safer,” said Dr Scherzer.

Through this approach, several things have been discovered that are worth considering for healthy aging against Parkinson’s, including training the brain reserve, aerobic exercise, caffeinated drinks like green tea, cerebrovascular risk factor control, adopting the Mediterranean diet, asthma drugs, and health supplements like COQ10.

Social Connection is a Cornerstone to Good Health

“Social connectedness is really important to your health, and remaining socially connected can actually improve outcomes after serious or critical illness,” said Dr. Lauren E. Ferrante, pulmonary and critical care specialist at Yale New Haven Hospital.

Dr. Ferrante’s work, which focuses on understanding and improving functional outcomes and maintaining independence for older adults during and after time in the hospital, demonstrates that mobilization and other preventative measures are crucial in order to preserve independence during and after an intensive care unit (ICU) stay. Impairments in physical and cognitive function and mental health are more likely to occur in the ICU, according to Dr. Ferrante’s research, and can lead to socioeconomic disadvantages and social isolation.

“Social isolation is an objective lack of social connections to your family, friends, and community. [Concerning isolation], we look at key indicator areas: for example, does the older adult have someone to talk about important things with, do they visit with family or friends, and do they participate in clubs,” said Dr. Ferrante. “We evaluate these and the association with function after older adults had been in the ICU, and what we found was that greater social isolation is associated with an increased burden of disability or functional dependence and an increased risk of [mortality] in the year after hospitalization.”

Successful Aging Means Prevention Takes Precedent

Through Dr. Ferrante and Dr. Gill’s work, it’s evident that physical health, mental health, and functional independence do not operate in a silo. While there are many ways to improve both your physical and mental health, occasionally efforts will overlap: physical exercise keeps your body fit but is also proven to increase self-esteem, which can give you the confidence to join a social club, all of which can lead to greater functional independence and a happier, more fulfilling life.

“I have heard about some of the great clubs here at [Moorings Park Communities],” said Dr. Ferrante, which is not surprising considering how many each community hosts, in addition to many other wellness opportunities. A wellness-first lifestyle is seamlessly integrated across everything Moorings Park Communities offers to its residents. From a wide array of socially stimulating activities, life-enriching programs, and educational seminars to physical, cognitive, and mental health-boosting opportunities in the state-of-the-art Center for Healthy Living, Moorings Park Communities is designed around a Successful Aging initiative that aims to change the way America ages.

To some, aging successfully means lifelong learning, giving back, and social connectedness, while to others it may mean staying fit and healthy, spiritual growth, and investing in new hobbies. At Moorings Park Communities, all of these aspects of wellness are integrated, encouraged, and supported at every level across the community, and while higher levels of care are available, prevention, or proactive approaches to care, always takes precedent. This aligns with the principles, observations, and findings from the at the Yale School of Medicine and confirms that Moorings Park Communities at the forefront of innovation when it comes to manifesting these health strategies in support of residents’ well-being. 

The Number One Wellness-Based Community

There is an art and science to maintaining independence as we age. It is demonstrated across the studies coming out of the Yale School of Medicine, but also through the lifestyle Moorings Park Communities has curated for residents.

Recognized as the number one wellness-based community in North America by the International Council on Active Aging, Moorings Park Communities promotes a revolutionary approach to healthcare through concierge physicians and personalized healthcare that prioritizes proactive care. When your physician, fitness instructors, and dieticians are all under the same roof, a holistic, prevention-focused wellness plan can be implemented and practiced across everything offered at each Naples-based community: Moorings Park, Moorings Park at Grey Oaks, and Moorings Park Grande Lake.

To learn more about, go to www.MooringsPark.org, visit the Moorings Park Communities Facebook page, or call 239-451-5509.