The definition of aging well

Dr. Anjali Joseph, director of research at the Center for Health Design, defines aging well as having three components:

1. A low risk of disease and disease-related disability

2. High mental and physical engagement

3. An active engagement with life

Dr. Joseph’s talk was part of a panel discussion concerning New Ways of Thinking—The Future of Senior Living at the Environments for Aging.10 conference in Coronado, California. Also on the panel was Dr. Kerm Henriksen who said the future challenges for the long-term care field will be the human factor, or ergonomics, designing environments to fit humans. With greater longevity, shorter hospital stays, and having 88 million people over the age of 65 by 2050, a fundamental design principle will be overriding, “Know thy user,” Henriksen said. “New technology combined with time-tested ways of doing things will be the wave of the future. There will be a migration of medical devices and technology into the home.”

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