Interesting Facts About Aging

Heritage Creek Assisted Living works to dispel many myths about the aging population. There are many thing that are revealed to us each day while we work with our residents. They show us some surprising stuff and we love to see it.

That's why we've compiled this list to help address some of these preconceptions. Our residents are just as vital and vigorous as you. They work hard and play even harder. Take a look at some of these facts and let yourself be influenced.

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One in eight American adults are older than 65

What's more, one in three Americans are older than 50. The 2010 Census shows that the rate of seniors is growing faster than the rate of young people. This has had the effect of raising the median age of the country from about 35 to 37. The number of people 65 and older is expected to reach 1 in 5 by the year 2030.

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Your brain is still growing

Contrary to popular belief, the brain still creates new neurons even in later age. A study found in The Journal of Neuroscience showed the progress of a group of 60-year-olds. These 60-year-olds were taught to juggle. When the study finished, the results were astounding. Research showed that the part of the brain that controlled visual perception had grown in most of the patients. This may seem like a disparate connection. However, this shows that the brain changes so it can take in information differently as we get older.

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Sex gets much, much better

The University of California conducted a study with almost 800 women older than 40. The study found that most of the women were either satisfied or very satisfied with their sex lives. Also, that number in the majority increased with age. However, the amount of sexually active participants went down with age. The decline was not due to the amount available, but due to their own self-drive. Their enjoyment went up as the need to have sex leveled out.

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Health conditions can be an effect of environment

Many of the lasting effects that appear in the elderly are because of habits started in childhood. Those from lower socioeconomic classes are prone to poor diets, living conditions, and more. Poor diet and a poor lifestyle cause maladies such as heart disease and bad eyesight along with other conditions. There may be little to do when dealing with these conditions later in life. You can prepare by addressing diet, exercise, and nutrient intake before it becomes a problem.

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Negative thinking can make you fall

Falling is one of the largest culprits of injury for older generations. A negative mindset has been shown to make people fall. The University of New South Wales conducted a study showing that those who were physically unable to fall, but were just anxious about falling, were far more likely to fall. This is compared to a group of people prone to falling, but were not necessarily worried about it. The anxiety compounds on itself and produces the results that are "desired."

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Do you have any interesting facts about aging?

Send them our way. We'd love to read them and write a little bit about them on our blog.