In late 2023, a documentary series called Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones appeared on Netflix.[i] It took a close look at five remarkable communities—Okinawa in Japan, Sardinia in Italy, Ikaria in Greece, Nicoya in Costa Rica and Loma Linda in California—where people are more likely to live, in good health, to the age of 100 than anywhere else in the world.
Unsurprisingly, the documentary was a hit, with people all over the world hoping to find out the secrets to a long and healthy life. And the five Blue Zones do share some similar factors—a mostly plant-based diet, retaining natural movement (as opposed to becoming sedentary), and strong relationships with family, friends and community. There’s now a small industry in Blue Zone cookbooks and products, promising to help people live better and longer.
But one factor that hasn’t been commodified, and that we know makes a huge difference to our quality of life as we age, is community—the human-to-human connection of daily life. The documentary showed maintaining close-knit communities, including lifelong friendships, provided invaluable support, purpose and a sense of belonging. It also found strong family connections, including living in multigenerational households, was common among Blue Zone communities.
The difference human connection makes
This finding comes as no surprise to Advocare. Research shows 17 per cent of men and 21 per cent of women aged over 65 report feeling very lonely.[ii] Around 1 in 5 older Australians experience social isolation. The situation is worse in rural and remote Western Australia.[iii] Research shows that loneliness and social isolation can have serious health and wellbeing impacts, and older people are particularly vulnerable.
Studies[iv] have linked loneliness and social isolation to:
- Premature death
- Poor physical and mental health
- Greater psychological distress
- A general dissatisfaction with life.
This is why Advocare works so hard to connect volunteers with older people who are lonely or socially isolated, to improve their quality of life through positive engagement.
A healthier model for older Australians
Erin Timu, Interim Chief Executive Officer of Advocare, said Blue Zones highlighted the grave error our society has made in institutionalising the natural process of ageing.
“Assuming healthy older people are best served living in an aged care home is an outdated approach and the model is expensive and unsustainable,” she said.
“These Blue Zones embody the importance of human connection, a sense of purpose, meaningful activity and movement, and a healthier diet for a healthier body—all the things older people risk losing when moving into our large-scale, institutional aged care homes.
“If it takes a village to raise a child, surely the village plays an ongoing role in supporting our older citizens, too.”
Erin says that caring as a community, as they do in Blue Zones, is a more sustainable option for all generations because it:
- Allows older people to maintain their independence for as long as possible
- Supports older people to remain in their homes and communities for as long as possible
- Forms cross-generational relationships where all residents are invested in the welfare of everyone
- Repositions the value of an older person as knowledgeable and wise, which encourages their community involvement
- Creates a sense of purpose for the older person.
Creating opportunities for communities
The recent attention on Blue Zones has shone a spotlight on the fact there is an alternative to the institutionalised approach to ageing, sparking interest in a range of innovative initiatives that encourage intergenerational interaction.
Pinakarri[v] in Hamilton Hill, for example, is a cohousing community of around two dozen people who live in 12 fully self-contained houses but also share a common house with a kitchen and dining area, meeting rooms and a laundry. This encourages community interaction. They cook and share meals together several times a week, often eating around a communal fire.
Some families are also finding their own solutions to intergenerational living arrangements. It was recently reported[vi] that four generations of the Hadley family of Brisbane had bought into the same master-planned housing development, called Greenbank. The family’s new-build homes are connected by parks and pathways, allowing the family members to live separately but closely.
“It’s likely more innovative solutions for intergenerational living will emerge in Australian communities, so we’re going to have to adapt and get more creative to suit the growing trend of intergenerational living to suit different family needs and preferences,” adds Erin.
Policy leadership can drive change
A wide range of factors can lead to someone becoming socially isolated, including:[vii]
- Location
- Major life events, like the death of a partner, retirement, disability or becoming a carer
- Physical or mental health issues
- A loss of mobility, like losing a driver’s licence or poor public transport access
- Poor availability of social support networks, like activity groups
- Communication barriers or cognitive decline
- Dependence on care workers and a lack of autonomy
Policy solutions can go a long way to reducing the impacts of social isolation. In WA the Cook Government’s WA Seniors Strategy 2023-2033 is a great step forward. It prioritises four key pillars for healthy ageing: thriving physically and mentally, safe and friendly communities, staying connected and engaged, and having a voice that’s heard.
Advocare anticipates this strategy will benefit not only older people but communities more widely in becoming more inclusive and engaging. It won’t, in itself, turn WA into the sixth Blue Zone, but it is a step in the right direction.
References:
[i] https://www.bluezones.com/documentary/
[ii] https://bcec.edu.au/assets/2021/11/139532_BCEC-Stronger-Together-report_WEB.pdf page 16
[iii] https://www.ariia.org.au/Knowledge-implementation-hub/social-isolation/about-social-isolation
[iv] https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/c47cb232-4f6f-4eb0-853e-d6018f6ee01c/aihw-aus-246_chapter_2.pdf
[v] https://www.pinakarri.org.au/
[vi] https://www.mirvac.com/about/news-and-media/brisbane-family-builds-four-homes-in-master-planned-greenbank-community#
[vii] https://www.ariia.org.au/Knowledge-implementation-hub/social-isolation/about-social-isolation