New Study Reveals the Benefits of Social Participation for Optimal Aging
A recent three-year study conducted in Canada followed more than 7,000 middle-aged and older individuals, shedding light on the profound impact of social participation on successful aging. The research focused on activities like volunteering and recreational pursuits and found that individuals who engaged in such endeavors experienced improved overall health and well-being. Successful aging, as defined by the study, encompassed freedom from major physical, cognitive, mental, or emotional conditions, as well as self-reported happiness and good health. While the study was observational, the results suggest that maintaining an active social life can enhance mental health, reduce feelings of loneliness, and promote better overall well-being, leading some medical professionals to advocate for the incorporation of “social prescribing” into the lives of older adults.
These findings underscore the significance of volunteer work and leisure activities for the elderly population. The study monitored the lifestyles of over 7,000 middle-aged and elderly Canadians for approximately three years, aiming to examine the relationship between increased social involvement and successful aging later in life.
The findings revealed that individuals who actively volunteered or participated in leisure activities consistently demonstrated better health over the course of the study. Moreover, these individuals were less likely to experience physical, cognitive, mental, or emotional health issues.
Successful aging was defined by the researchers as the absence of significant physical, cognitive, mental, or emotional conditions that hinder daily activities, accompanied by high levels of self-reported happiness, good physical health, and mental well-being.
The study exclusively included participants who were already aging successfully at the beginning, with the goal of investigating whether social participation was associated with maintaining excellent health.
Approximately 72% of respondents who engaged in volunteer or recreational activities at the study’s outset continued to age successfully three years later. In contrast, only two-thirds of those who did not participate in these activities experienced successful aging by the end of the study.
After considering various sociodemographic factors, the findings indicated that respondents who engaged in recreational activities and volunteered or performed charitable work were 15% and 17% more likely, respectively, to maintain excellent health throughout the study.
“While the observational nature of the study prevents definitive conclusions regarding causality, it is intuitively logical that social activity is associated with successful aging,” said Mabel Ho, the study’s lead author and a doctoral candidate at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work (FIFSW) and the Institute of Life Course and Aging. “Remaining socially active is important regardless of our age. Feeling connected and engaged can enhance our mood, reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation, and improve both our mental and overall health.”
Some medical professionals now prescribe social activities for their patients, a practice known as “social prescribing.” This non-pharmacological intervention integrates primary care with community services and can be employed to encourage older adults to engage in volunteering and recreational activities.
“It is encouraging to know that there are ways to support our physical, cognitive, mental, and emotional well-being as we age. This is excellent news for older adults and their families, who may have believed that a rapid decline was inevitable with age,” said Esme Fuller-Thomson, the senior author of the study. Fuller-Thomson is the Director of the Institute for Life Course & Aging and a Professor at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. “It is crucial for older adults, families, practitioners, policymakers, and researchers to collaborate in creating an environment that fosters a vibrant and healthy later life.”
This study introduces a modified concept of successful aging that is more comprehensive than previous research, incorporating both objective and subjective measures of optimal aging. Earlier studies typically classified individuals with any chronic health conditions as not “aging successfully.”
In this study, respondents could still be deemed “aging successfully” even if they had a chronic illness, as long as they could engage in daily activities and were free from debilitating chronic pain. The revised definition also accounts for older adults’ subjective perceptions of their aging process, physical health, mental health, as well as self-reported emotional well-being, such as happiness and life satisfaction. Previous studies often overlooked the subjective experiences of older adults regarding aging.
The study, utilizing longitudinal data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), was recently published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. It analyzed data from the baseline wave (2011-2015) and the first follow-up wave (2015-2018) to investigate factors associated with optimal aging.
The CLSA encompassed 7,651 respondents aged 60 years or older during wave 2, who were in optimal health during the baseline data collection. The sample was limited to those who were in excellent health at the outset, accounting for only 45% of the respondents.
Reference: “Is Social Participation Associated with Successful Aging among Older Canadians? Findings from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA)” by Mabel Ho, Eleanor Pullenayegum and Esme Fuller-Thomson, 6 June 2023, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20126058
Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Social participation and optimal aging
What was the objective of the study?
The objective of the study was to explore the relationship between social participation and successful aging among middle-aged and older Canadians.
How was successful aging defined in the study?
Successful aging was defined as freedom from major physical, cognitive, mental, or emotional conditions that hinder daily activities, along with self-reported happiness and good health.
What activities were considered as social participation?
Social participation in the study included volunteer work and recreational activities.
What were the findings of the study?
The findings revealed that high rates of social participation were associated with successful aging. Individuals who engaged in volunteer work and recreational activities experienced better overall health and were less likely to develop physical, cognitive, mental, or emotional health issues.
Were there any recommendations made based on the study findings?
Yes, some medical professionals are advocating for “social prescribing,” which involves encouraging older adults to engage in volunteer work and recreational activities as a non-pharmacological intervention to improve their mental health and overall well-being.
How were the participants selected for the study?
The study included over 7,000 middle-aged and older Canadians who were already aging successfully at the start of the study. The goal was to determine if social participation was associated with maintaining excellent health.
What is the significance of the revised definition of successful aging in this study?
Unlike earlier studies, the revised definition of successful aging in this study considered subjective measures of optimal aging, including individuals’ perceptions of their aging process, physical health, mental health, and emotional well-being.
What was the sample size and data source for the study?
The study utilized longitudinal data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) and included 7,651 respondents aged 60 years or older who were in excellent health during the baseline data collection.
More about Social participation and optimal aging
- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health: Link
- Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA): Link
- University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work: Link
- Institute for Life Course & Aging: Link
1 comment
wow this study is super cool. it shows that being social and doing stuff like volunteering and fun activities is good for aging! i think it makes sense, being happy and connected is important at any age. great job researchers!