Queen’s greatest hit, Who Wants to Live Forever, tunes into our desire to live a full ‘young’ life, but it seems less appealing when old age pops round to visit with its interminably long list of ailments.
As we live longer than previous generations, we are also getting sicker earlier and for many, the final phase of life is often marked by a longer period of suffering from some chronic disease that robs us of our independence and mobility.
But while ageing is inevitable, there are steps each one of us can take to minimise its impact on our health, starting from regular exercise and social interactions; something a group of men in their 60s and 70s showed us can be done to keep our hearts beating.
Our recent spotlight on Malta’s oldest football team featured the determination of these men – some with pacemakers, others with support bandages – who show up twice a week to play, come rain or shine.
They knowingly or unknowingly stumbled on the key to unlock their individual healthspan – the period during which a person is healthy within his or her lifespan – to delay the onset of chronic diseases brought about by old age.
Cutting-edge scientific research shows that Homo sapiens have evolved to need one another, and social interactions are as beneficial as diet and exercise for our overall well-being.
Not only that, it has been scientifically proven that loneliness triggers chronic inflammation according to Rose Anne Kenny, a world-leading geriatrician at Trinity College Dublin and author of the bestseller Age Proof: The New Science of Living a Longer and Healthier Life.
In a recent interview, she said studies showed that if you isolated a monkey and did a biopsy of their lymph nodes you would find the genes which regulated inflammation in the isolated monkey were active, while those fighting against infection were down – and all this within just 48 hours.
The important takeaway message from these young-spirited footballers is that old age should not define us and that while we cannot do much about our genetics or our gender, there is plenty we can do to avoid the early onset of chronic disease and extend our longevity.
Research clearly shows that at least 70 to 80 per cent of what influences our healthspan is under our control.
Which is why it is crucial for the government to safeguard our overall well-being and take active action to stop the green lungs in our villages being savagely replaced by unimaginative blocks that rob citizens of the light, air and space that nurture a sense of community.
Clouds of dust often billowing from building sites, never-ending roadworks and traffic congestion do little to encourage people to go for a stroll or a jog, or for older people to get out and be active.
Latest data emerging from Malta’s Well-being INDEX Project – Indicators Networking Data Exploration eXchange – an initiative analysing the quality of life and well-being of different segments of society do not paint a rosy picture.
Those living in the island’s most urbanised north harbour region and individuals aged over 65 had the lowest overall life satisfaction, according to the project, a collaboration between the Malta Foundation for Well-being of Society and the University of Malta.
It is vital for authorities to wipe away the dust particles of self-interest from their eyes to clearly see that tailoring policies that foster our overall well-being and encourage us to remain independent and dynamic members of society is a matter of urgency.