{"id":288649,"date":"2026-04-27T21:08:12","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T21:08:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/288649\/"},"modified":"2026-04-27T21:08:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-27T21:08:12","slug":"this-is-what-aging-well-looks-like-today","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/288649\/","title":{"rendered":"This Is What Aging Well Looks Like Today"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a><\/p>\n

This story is part of our April 2026 issue. To read the print version, click here.<\/a><\/p>\n


\n
\n <\/p>\n

\n For 71-year-old Patty Vander Dussen, aging well required
\n resilience she never expected to need.\n<\/p>\n

\n A lifelong athlete, she took up running in her late 50s and
\n completed marathons, ultra-distance races and trail runs before
\n discovering she had serious heart issues. In her 60s, she
\n underwent cryoablation for atrial fibrillation, and at 70, open
\n heart surgery to correct severe aortic stenosis.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cThat was the hardest and most painful thing I have ever been
\n through,\u201d she says. \u201cI went from running every day to barely
\n walking five minutes around my house.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n Her recovery included monitored cardiac rehab, mental health
\n support and peer connection at Marshall Medical\u2019s Pritikin
\n Intensive Cardiac Rehab in Placerville, where a small cohort of
\n fellow heart patients trained beside her on treadmills and shared
\n the same fears about returning to the lives they loved. The
\n structured routine and camaraderie helped restore her stamina and
\n her confidence. \u201cIt saved me mentally, emotionally and
\n physically,\u201d she says.\n<\/p>\n

Related:\u00a0The New Age of
\n Aging: Developers in the Capital Region are building new models
\n of senior housing \u2014 in preparation for the \u2018silver tsunami\u2019 to
\n come<\/a><\/p>\n

\n Six months later, Vander Dussen completed the Gold Country Run in
\n El Dorado Hills. Today, she is back on her local trails alongside
\n familiar faces, motivated by her children and grandchildren. \u201cAs
\n you get older, I tell people, use it or lose it,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s
\n important to keep moving and keep pushing to get stronger \u2014 for
\n me and for my family.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n Patty\u2019s journey reflects a shift in how we define healthy aging.
\n Longevity is no longer measured solely by medical and numerical
\n milestones, but by resilience, purposeful movement and meaningful
\n connections. Decades of research reinforce this insight, showing
\n that the strongest predictors of aging well often have less to do
\n with medical interventions and more to do with staying active,
\n maintaining autonomy and nurturing social connections.\n<\/p>\n

\n One of the longest-running studies in American history \u2014 the
\n Harvard Study of Adult Development \u2014 has followed participants
\n for more than 80 years and found that strong, supportive
\n relationships lead to longer, better lives. Social ties to
\n family, friends and community outperform wealth, fame and even
\n genetics when it comes to long-term health and fulfillment.\n<\/p>\n

\n That insight reflects a broader reframing in the science and
\n culture of aging. The question is no longer simply how long we
\n live, but how well.\n<\/p>\n

The brain-body connection<\/p>\n

\n Rachel Whitmer, professor of public health sciences and neurology
\n at UC Davis and co-director of its Alzheimer\u2019s Disease Research
\n Center, has spent her career studying brain aging, Alzheimer\u2019s
\n risk and what she calls exceptional aging.\n<\/p>\n

\n Since 2018, she has co-led the LifeAfter90 Study with Paola
\n Gilsanz at Kaiser Permanente, following more than 1,300 adults in
\n their 90s and beyond from diverse backgrounds. The participants
\n offer striking glimpses of exceptional aging: among them are
\n 92-year-old Lucie Smith, who still teaches online, and Tony
\n Francis, now 98, who celebrated his 97th birthday surrounded by
\n nearly 100 family and friends.\n<\/p>\n

\n Whitmer distinguishes between length of life and quality of life.
\n \u201cWhat\u2019s the point of living longer if the quality of life is so
\n poor?\u201d she asks. \u201cWe think not just about lifespan, but
\n healthspan, where you\u2019re not just alive, but active, connected
\n and cognitively sharp.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

Related:\u00a0What
\n Is Senior Cohousing, and Why Is It So Popular? | Opinion<\/a><\/p>\n

\n Her research points to several predictors of healthy aging:
\n lifelong cardiovascular health and physical activity, along with
\n social engagement, which repeatedly shows up as a key correlate
\n of better brain health. She notes that connection is a biological
\n necessity. \u201cBeing socially engaged draws on so many aspects of
\n brain and body functioning \u2014 movement, communication and
\n emotional regulation \u2014 that it functions like a whole-body
\n intervention.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n She also emphasizes that it\u2019s never too late to benefit from
\n healthy behaviors. \u201cPeople sometimes think if they haven\u2019t done
\n everything right earlier in life, it\u2019s too late. That\u2019s a myth,\u201d
\n she says. \u201cYou can improve your brain health at any age.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

Rethinking aging in everyday life<\/p>\n

\n Julie Bates, a social gerontologist and assistant director of the
\n Agency on Aging Area 4 in Sacramento, says fear-based narratives
\n about aging are deeply embedded in American culture.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cAging does not automatically mean decrepit,\u201d she says. \u201cDementia
\n is not a normal part of aging, and most older adults never end up
\n in a nursing facility. Yet culturally, we\u2019ve been conditioned to
\n equate aging with decline.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n That perception is slowly shifting. Today\u2019s workforce spans five
\n generations, and retirement can stretch for several decades. \u201cWe
\n now celebrate people living 30 to 40 years after retirement. And
\n most are doing it well with hobbies, travel, learning,
\n volunteering and community engagement. We don\u2019t all have to be
\n marathon runners,\u201d she says. \u201cFind what brings you joy and do it
\n with others.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n Not all lessons in healthy aging come from labs and clinics.
\n Sometimes they come from lived experience.\n<\/p>\n

\n For Jim Bohon, a 74-year-old Navy veteran and longtime community
\n volunteer, aging well has been intentional.\n<\/p>\n

\n \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\n Jim Bohon used to think 60 was \u201cancient,\u201d but now the 74-year-old
\n Navy veteran serves on aging councils and advocates for seniors.
\n He enjoys traveling with his wife Edna. (Photo by Tyrel Tesch)\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cWhen I was younger, 60 seemed ancient,\u201d he says. \u201cNow I\u2019m in my
\n mid-70s, and I realize life doesn\u2019t end. It transforms.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n After retiring from government service and running small
\n businesses, Bohon has stayed engaged. He serves on the Advisory
\n Council for the Agency on Aging Area 4 and helps lead legislative
\n efforts through the California Senior Legislature, advocating for
\n housing, caregiving support and financial stability for older
\n adults.\n<\/p>\n

\n Family history has also shaped his vigilance about his
\n cardiovascular health. Several male relatives died of heart
\n attacks in their 60s, so when Bohon experienced shortness of
\n breath, he sought care and began cholesterol treatment.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cMy thoughts on aging well today are completely different than
\n they were when I was younger,\u201d he says. For Bohon it means doing
\n the things he loves, like traveling with his wife, Edna, engaging
\n in civic work and maintaining close connections with family and
\n colleagues. He believes the key is to stay active, engaged and
\n curious.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cIf you isolate, it affects every part of your life. But when you
\n stay involved and are physically active and mentally engaged, it
\n motivates you to keep going,\u201d he says.\n<\/p>\n

Insights from the clinic<\/p>\n

\n In the clinical world, healthy aging is becoming more intentional
\n as well. Nicole Lamm, executive director of specialty nursing
\n services at Marshall Medical in El Dorado County, oversees the
\n implementation of the Age-Friendly Health Systems initiative, a
\n national effort built around four evidence-based priorities known
\n as the 4Ms: What Matters, Medications, Mentation and Mobility.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cIt started because people are living longer,\u201d she explains. \u201cBut
\n as you age, health care becomes more complex, not just inside
\n hospitals, but in everyday life, from grocery stores to
\n transportation. By 2030, nearly a quarter of our population will
\n be 65 or older, increasing the complexity of the services we
\n provide.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n The 4M framework gives patients more autonomy to direct their
\n personal health care. Instead of defaulting to aggressive
\n intervention, clinicians are encouraged to align care with
\n individual goals.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cIf we focus on what matters for each individual, we provide the
\n right care to the right person,\u201d Lamm says. \u201cIt\u2019s not just about
\n living longer, it\u2019s about maintaining a higher level of function
\n and quality of life.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cAs we live longer, the real challenge and opportunity is not
\n just adding years to your life, but adding life to your years.
\n That\u2019s the future of aging well.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\u2014Nicole Lamm, executive director of specialty nursing
\n services, Marshall Medical<\/p>\n

\n Working alongside Lamm is Lacey Neufeld, a doctor of nursing
\n practice and family nurse practitioner whose career spans
\n critical care and end-of-life planning. Her doctoral research
\n explored what patients wish they had known before undergoing
\n aggressive treatments, such as dialysis or prolonged ICU care.\n<\/p>\n

\n In practice, that conversation often begins with questions.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cOne of the most important things we can do is provide education
\n first and choices second,\u201d Neufeld explains. \u201cEvery intervention
\n comes with risk. Most medications have side effects. So, we ask:
\n What is your goal? Do you live alone? Are you active? How often
\n do you engage with other people? Where are you going each week,
\n and how are you getting there?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

Related: When the
\n Sun Sets on the Golden Years: The hardship and high cost of
\n caring for a loved one in decline<\/a><\/p>\n

\n These questions reflect mounting evidence that connection can
\n rival cutting-edge interventions. Neufeld describes the
\n physiology behind it: chronic stress elevates cortisol,
\n increasing blood pressure, blood sugar and heart rate, all of
\n which contribute to long-term disease risk. Strong relationships
\n and a positive mindset help blunt that stress response.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cWe see this across cultures,\u201d she says. \u201cThere are different
\n diets and routines, but the one constant is community and
\n engagement.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n She also points to identity as one of the most overlooked aspects
\n of aging. Many people define themselves by roles like provider,
\n athlete, caregiver and professional that can be abruptly stripped
\n away by illness. When a stroke or heart attack disrupts that
\n role, the psychological fallout can accelerate decline.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cHow can you identify yourself in a way that can\u2019t be taken
\n away?\u201d she asks. \u201cI\u2019m generous. I\u2019m curious. I\u2019m resilient. Those
\n are qualities you can carry into any stage of life.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

A tech-enabled approach<\/p>\n

\n While clinicians like Lamm and Neufeld focus on aligning care
\n with individual goals and fostering connection, some innovators
\n are taking a data-driven approach to make healthy aging
\n actionable every day.\n<\/p>\n

\n Tyler Smith, founder and CEO of Hundred Health, believes the
\n future of healthy aging lies in connected, personalized and
\n actionable data.\n<\/p>\n

\n His interest in longevity became personal after a biological age
\n test revealed his body was older than his chronological years, a
\n concern given the impending arrival of his first child and his
\n father\u2019s early heart attack.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cI thought I was healthy,\u201d he says. \u201cBut I realized I didn\u2019t
\n fully understand my own data.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n When he couldn\u2019t find what he was looking for, he built a
\n platform that integrates medical records, wearable data, lab
\n results and evidence-based recommendations into a personalized
\n 100-day action plan. Rather than dumps of confusing data, the app
\n translates complex biomarkers into simple, daily actions like
\n what to eat, how to move and how to track progress. Healthy
\n aging, he argues, is less about longevity alone than about
\n performance over time.\n<\/p>\n

Related:\u00a0Take Care: Proper
\n planning makes all the difference for caregivers<\/a><\/p>\n

\n \u201cIt\u2019s about extending the years you can function at your best
\n with energy, clarity, recovery and resilience. We call it
\n achieving your personal GHOAT \u2014 greatest health of all time \u2014 and
\n that\u2019s different for everyone.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n The platform emphasizes that while genetics sets a baseline,
\n habits determine the expression. Through personalized protocols,
\n members adjust behaviors around nutrition, sleep, stress and
\n exercise. As milestones are reached, new goals are introduced.
\n \u201cWe take cutting-edge data and translate it into daily action
\n that people can actually follow,\u201d he says. Launched in December
\n 2025, Hundred now serves more than 5,000 members.\n<\/p>\n

\n Across science, medicine and daily life, a consistent message
\n emerges: Healthy aging is not a condition to treat, but a way of
\n life.\n<\/p>\n

\n Lamm reflects this sentiment best: \u201cIn the end, we\u2019re humans
\n taking care of other humans. It\u2019s about the joy that comes
\n through connection. As we live longer, the real challenge and
\n opportunity is not just adding years to your life, but adding
\n life to your years. That\u2019s the future of aging well.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n \u2013\n<\/p>\n

\n Stay up to date on business in the Capital Region:
\n Subscribe to the Comstock\u2019s newsletter
\n today.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"This story is part of our April 2026 issue. To read the print version, click here. …\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":288650,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[121,123,122],"class_list":["post-288649","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sacramento","tag-sacramento","tag-sacramento-headlines","tag-sacramento-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/288649","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=288649"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/288649\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/288650"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=288649"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=288649"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=288649"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}