Leaving the house daily may help seniors live longer

We’ve all been there . . . confined to our homes for days, or even weeks at a time, thanks to the dreaded flu or some other ailment. When you’re finally able to go outside, there’s no feeling quite like it. And for older adults, this seemingly simple pleasure could be life-saving. According to an article in Medical News Today by author Honor Whiteman, researchers say that leaving the house daily may help older adults to live longer.
New research finds that older people who leave their homes every day are more likely to live longer than those who remain indoors, regardless of their health status or functional capacity. The study was made in Israel and the findings were reported in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
According to a 2015 study, approximately two million older adults in the United States never or rarely leave their homes, primarily due to functional difficulties.
Not only does this have implications for their physical health—due to lack of exercise, for example—but it can harm their psychological health, too. Research has shown that those who are confined to their homes are more likely to develop depression and anxiety and other mental illnesses.
The study set out to investigate whether or not the frequency with which an older adult leaves their home might be associated with mortality. The research included 3,375 adults between 70 and 90 years old.
As a part of the study, participants completed questionnaires about how often they left their homes each week. They were divided into three groups, based on their answers: daily (six to seven times weekly), often (two to five times weekly), and rarely (less than once per week). Mortality among the participants was assessed from 2010 to 2015.
For more information on aging related issues contact Elderbridge Agency on Aging at www.elderbridge.org, or by calling 800-243-0678. You may also contact LifeLong Links at www.lifelonglinks.org, or by calling 866-468-7887.