Here is an excerpt from a Brief about the experience of aging by Dr. Roger Landry, MD MPH:

“Where we live does matter. As individuals all sharing the experience of aging, we must attend to the cultural environment of our Place, and how we interact with it, for it plays a major role in influencing our lifestyle. And our lifestyle plays the major role in how we will age: how satisfied, functional and healthy we are, and remain, until our time is up.

The qualities of our cultural environment change with time. What was once stimulating and healthy can become a threat to our optimal aging. It is an absolute requirement that each of us look at our cultural environment through the lens of the new knowledge of aging research and the lifestyle needed to age successfully. In our current home, how positive are we? How much do we move? How open are we to learning and trying new things? How connected are we to others of all generations? Do we feel a strong sense of purpose and meaning in our daily lives?

And when we see that our environment and lifestyle have indeed changed, it is time to seek out a new Place where, no matter what our age or what challenges we are facing, we will flourish…

There is mounting evidence that indeed, where we live has a substantial effect on not only the quality of our lives, but also our health and our aging experience. This Brief addresses why that is and the implications for each of us and for the communities where we live and work.”

For the entire Brief, please visit: Where You Live Matters