Live a Longer More Fulfilling Life

Taking Care of our Elders - Harvard study shows how we caan love longer and more fulfilling lives

We all have elders in our life, whether its our parents, grandparents or our friends and neighbors.  We all try to do everything we can to make their lives as worry free as possible!  At Emcura Medical, our Medicare Annual Physicals tend to focus on medical issues and many areas of concern.  We address social factors but it is difficult to determine what factors would have the greatest impact in our patient population.   

Now, the researchers at Massachusetts General Hosptial and UCSF have been able to demonstrate that 8 non-medical factors play a significant role in determining what helps our family members live longer, more fulfiling lives.Social Frailty Index: Development and validation of an index of social attributes predictive of mortality in older adults

Over 8000 aged 65 and older were surveyed at baseline and 4 years later.  These social predictors were found to predict early death within 4 years.  The link to the online Social Frailty Index is included below.

1. Poor neighborhood cleanliness. 
2. Low percieved control over financial situation.
3. Meeting with children less than yearly.
4. Not active with children.
5. Not working for pay.
6. Not volunteering.
7. Feeling isolated.
8. Being treated with less courtesy or respect.

Social Frailty Index

Now this sounds morbid, but we have to look at this positively!  Addressing these areas would help our friends and familiy live longer and more fulfilling lives.  Delivering clean neighborhoods, regular familiy contact, community and family activities and informed financial planning would lead to lead to longer and more fulfilling lives.  The importance of family and positive relationships was recently validated by one on the longest Harvard studies. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-secret-to-happiness-heres-some-advice-from-the-longest-running-study-on-happiness-2017100512543

Your Health. Simple. 

Dr. Manish Kesliker MS MD