Sign Up For More InfoHow we think about aging has profoundly changed over the last few decades—for that we can thank John W. Rowe, MD, and colleagues. On March 11, NYAM’s second lecture as part of the Changing Perspectives on Healthy Aging series, “The Development of the Concept of Successful Aging” was presented by Dr. Rowe who discussed the landmark MacArthur Foundation’s Research Network on Successful Aging study, funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and its profound revisions to our understanding of the social process of aging.
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| John W. Rowe, MD, Jo Ivey Boufford,MD, and Jeremiah Barondess, MD were at the Changing Perspective on Healthy Aging series. |
20 years ago, the MacArthur Study of Successful Aging began following approximately 1,200 "highly functional" Americans between the ages of 70 and 79, tracking their health and activities as they aged. The results of the study shed light on the positives of aging, and suggested that older Americans in fact could control their aging process. "Our idea was that the focus of aging research in geriatric medicine had too much been on the negative aspects of aging. It was about disease and it was about disability and likelihood of getting hospitalized or institutionalized or having a hip fracture or losing your memory," said Dr. Rowe. "What had been neglected was any consideration of the possibility that things actually might get better as you got older or at least stay the same. What had particularly been neglected was what the factors might be that would promote healthy successful aging."
The study showed factors of successful aging to include physical activity and emotional support, for example letting elders go to the store, “send your mother to Gristedes, don’t go for her,” said Dr. Rowe. The most important, yet surprising factor for success is self-esteem, “having the feeling that you can influence what is going to happen to you in your life is critically important. If you feel like you are just a cork floating on the wave, that you are just going to get tossed one way or another and it just a program that is playing out then you are in trouble.” Dr. Rowe and colleagues wanted to understand what aspects determined the factors of successful aging. Is it in the genes, hereditary? Does our how our parents age determine how we’ll age? The answer is no. Seventy percent of aging is not inheritable, “you are responsible for your own age and how you do . . . that was probably the landmark finding,” said Dr. Rowe.
In its time the MacArthur Study revolutionized the thinking on aging. It inspired everyone in the field to look at aging through a positive lens. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation took it a step further and asked that the study be turned into a book for general consumption. Successful Aging by Dr. Rowe and Robert L. Kahn became an instant, international bestseller and today remains a classic on the topic. In the post MacArthur Study years the question isn’t so much about the possibility of a positive aging experience, but more about resources that can enable this.
Aging is one of NYAM’s current high priority agenda items. In September 2008, NYAM released the Age-Friendly NYC findings report—a culmination of roundtables and focus groups conducted across New York City with multiple stakeholders— that captures, for the first time, the voices of 1500+ older New Yorkers. Currently, with the use of the NYAM Age-Friendly NYC findings report, The City Council, and Mayor’s Office are working with leaders and community members from all facets of city life on how they intend to make their business, services, institutions, programs, and neighborhoods meet the needs of older citizens and all New Yorkers. Just last week, the Pan American Health Organization has designated NYAM as the World Health Organization Collaborating Center on Aging, Globalization and Urbanization. Under the leadership of Dr. Ruth Finkelstein, Vice-president for Health Policy, the Center will provide the WHO and its partners with technical assistance and help implement WHO programs throughout the U. S.
Posted on 03/12/2009
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