What Does Healthy Ageing Actually Mean?
Updated: Sep 7
Be confident in getting older!
September is Healthy Ageing Month, a time to pause and reflect on what it really means to age well.
For many people, the phrase “healthy ageing” can bring up images of exercise plans, medical appointments, or trying to stay as young as possible - which, of course, can feel like an impossible and exhausting thought! But healthy ageing is much broader, and much kinder, than that.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) describes healthy ageing as:
"the process of developing and maintaining the functional ability that enables wellbeing in older age".
This includes:
Being able to meet everyday needs
Making choices
Moving around
Staying connected to who you are and others
Building relationships
Taking part in the things that feel meaningful
In other words, healthy ageing is not about avoiding ageing. It is about supporting people to live well as life changes.
This matters because ageing is often surrounded by unhelpful myths. These myths can shape how we view ourselves, our abilities, and what we believe is actually possible in later life.
So, let’s look at three common myths about ageing, what the research says, and how we might reframe them in a more hopeful and realistic way.
Three Myths About Healthy Ageing
Older adulthood is often mistakenly associated with negative stereotypes, such as inevitable decline, loneliness, or a lack of purpose. Although later life can present genuine changes and challenges, it can also be a period of growth, adaptation, confidence, learning, and connection.
Research Spotlight: Cognitive Reserves
Cognitive reserve is a helpful reminder that the ageing brain is not simply "getting worse". It refers to the brain's ability to adapt and maintain functioning, even when age-related or neurological changes are present. Research suggests it may be supported by lifelong experiences such as education, work, hobbies, social connection and mentally stimulating activities (Tucker & Stern, 2011).
This does not mean every difficulty can be prevented, but it does show that staying curious, connected and engaged can continue to matter in later life - something we will explore further in Week 4, when we look more closely at brain health and cognitive wellbeing.
Healthy ageing is not about trying to stop ageing. It is about noticing what supports wellbeing, independence, and quality of life as life changes.
How Do I Start My Healthy Ageing Journey?
The first step is not to change everything at once. It is to begin with confidence, curiosity and a willingness to see ageing as something we can support, rather than something we have to fear.
Research suggests that the way we think about ageing can shape how we experience it. In one long-term study, older adults with more positive self-perceptions of ageing lived 7.5 years longer than those with more negative views (Levy et al., 2002a). Positive age beliefs have also been linked with better functional health, recovery from disability and lower dementia risk in later life (Levy et al., 2002b, 2012, 2018).
This does not mean a positive mindset magically removes challenges, or that people should ignore difficulties. Instead, it reminds us that the stories we tell ourselves about ageing matter. When we see later life as a time where growth, connection and change are still possible, we may feel more confident to try new habits, seek support and stay involved in the things that matter to us.
Start Small, And Stay Honest About What Works
And one more thing: make sure these goals are small and realistic! Healthy ageing does not come from one dramatic lifestyle change, but from the gentle accumulation of everyday choices. Research and public health guidance increasingly point to modifiable factors such as sleep, movement, nutrition, social connection, and cognitive stimulation as important parts of ageing well.
For many people, the most helpful starting point is to choose one small, realistic action such as:
A short walk
A regular bedtime routine
A phone call with an old friend
A nourishing meal
Or a few minutes spent learning something new
Over time, these small actions can build confidence and make wellbeing feel more achievable.
A gentle reflection
What is one small thing that already supports your wellbeing - and how could you make space for it this week?
Throughout Healthy Ageing Month, we will be exploring some of these areas in more detail. Each week, we will look at a different part of healthy ageing and offer gentle, practical ideas that you could adapt to your own life.
The most important thing is to stay honest about what works for you. Healthy ageing is not about doing everything perfectly. It is about keeping your mind open, listening to your body, staying connected to what matters, and finding small ways to support your wellbeing as life changes.
Research
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Benefits of quitting smoking. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/about/benefits-of-quitting.html
Gómez-Soria, I., Peralta-Marrupe, P., Plo, F., & Rodríguez-Roca, B. (2023). Cognitive stimulation and cognitive results in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 104, 104807.
Graham, E. K., Mroczek, D. K., Elleman, L. G., Yoneda, T. B., Bastarache, E. D., Estabrook, R., Katz, M. J., Sliwinski, M. J., Lipton, R. B., Lindenberger, U., Smith, J., Wagner, G. G., Gerstorf, D., Ram, N., Reynolds, C. A., Pedersen, N. L., & Hofer, S. M. (2024). Do we become more lonely with age? A coordinated data analysis of nine longitudinal studies. Psychology and Aging, 39(6), 579–596. https://doi.org/10.1037/pag0000818
Levy, B. R., Slade, M. D., Kunkel, S. R., & Kasl, S. V. (2002a). Longevity increased by positive self-perceptions of aging. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 83(2), 261–270. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.83.2.261
Levy, B. R., Slade, M. D., & Kasl, S. V. (2002b). Longitudinal benefit of positive self-perceptions of aging on functional health. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 57(5), P409–P417. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/57.5.P409
Levy, B. R., Slade, M. D., Pietrzak, R. H., & Ferrucci, L. (2018). Positive age beliefs protect against dementia even among elders with high-risk gene. PLOS ONE, 13(2), e0191004. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0191004
Levy, B. R., Slade, M. D., Murphy, T. E., & Gill, T. M. (2012). Association between positive age stereotypes and recovery from disability in older persons. JAMA, 308(19), 1972–1973. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2012.14541
Stenlund, S., et al. (2026). The bright side of life: Optimism and risk of dementia. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 74(4), 1–10. https://agsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jgs.70392
Tucker, A. M., & Stern, Y. (2011). Cognitive reserve in aging. Current Alzheimer Research, 8(4), 354-360. https://doi.org/10.2174/156720511795745320
Pew Research Center. (2023). What does friendship look like in America? https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/10/12/what-does-friendship-look-like-in-america/
World Health Organization. (2020). Healthy ageing and functional ability. https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/healthy-ageing-and-functional-ability
World Health Organization. (2020). WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240015128
Tucker, A. M., & Stern, Y. (2011). Cognitive reserve in aging. Current Alzheimer Research, 8(4), 354–360. https://doi.org/10.2174/156720511795745320
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