News & Events

4/14/2008
Wellness Expert Tells Seniors to Never Act Their Age

Seniors Learn How to Age Successfully at Recent Seminars

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (April 14, 2008) - When it comes to aging, renowned speaker and national senior wellness advocate Dr. Roger Landry tells seniors to never act their age.

Dr. Landry recently shared the results of his 10-year study with nearly 300 seniors at three free seminars held at University Village Thousand Oaks, the continuing care retirement community in Thousand Oaks, Calif.

"Your friends should keep you young," Landry said. "Friendships stimulate us to do new activities. We all tend to fall into boring patterns when we stay at home and isolate ourselves. When we keep active and stay socially connected with friends, family and the community, we act in a more positive, spontaneous way, which makes us seem younger. Seniors who have a wide network of friends tend to forget how old they are and get more out of life."

According to Landry's study, seniors who stay socially connected are two to five times less likely to die prematurely of heart disease, cancer, stroke and dementia-related illnesses as a result of chemical substances released into the body. Women recovering from breast cancer heal faster depending on the number of friends in their lives. Men are four times more likely to have a second heart attack if they come home to an empty house.

Landry also shared some practical recommendations for establishing new friendships and maintaining longtime relationships.

"First, reach out to others every day," Landry said. "Learn something new each day so your mind will stay actively engaged and you have new interests to discuss.

"Develop friendships through volunteerism. Giving back is one of the best morale boosters around. We gain substantially from the positive feelings we get from helping other human beings.

"If you have a hard time starting up new friendships, take baby steps," he added. "Smile, ask the person their name. It may take a while with some people, but don't give up trying. The rewards exceed any effort you put into it.

"And finally, laugh. Laughter stimulates the immune system, protects us from disease and definitely makes the journey more fun."

Dr. Landry focuses on healthy aging in older adults and is the president of Masterpiece Alliance Foundation Inc., a not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping older adults age successfully. He is the former Chief of Aerospace, Occupational and Preventive Medicine for the United States Air Force. While at the Air Force, he helped maintain the health of test and fighter pilots, including Chuck Yeager, and provided support for the NASA astronauts during the first seven shuttle missions.

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