Staying healthy and living longer doesn’t just mean eating healthy and staying fit. Dr. Howard Frumkin, the Dean of Public Health at the University of Washington, suggests we should create healthier communities to help people stay as self-sufficient as possible.
Everything from housing and parks to transportation systems can be altered to promote a healthier lifestyle. Frumkin explains that by helping the growing elderly population stay healthy, it will positively affect everyone in the community.
Research in Japan showed that the death rate amongst the elderly was significantly lower in neighborhoods with parks, tree-lined streets and green spaces. Similar research in Indiana found that the greener the neighborhood, the slower the weight gain in children who lived there.
Public transportation systems can also be changed, giving the elderly other alternatives when driving is not an option anymore. Decreasing traffic congestion is an obvious advantage to public transportation as well as the health of the entire community.
These factors need to be applied when planning for our future. Considering that almost one-third of the population will be over the age of 55 by the year 2050 (aarp.com), it is imperative that public health management is put into place in all of our communities.
By Dr. Kathy Johnson
From Home Care Blog
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