How baby boomers stay resilient
Originally posted June 30, 2014 by Emily Holbrook on www.lifehealthpro.com.
As the youngest group of baby boomers approaches 50, a new study shows how the generation stays resilient in the face of challenges. The Hartford Center for Mature Market Excellence and the MIT AgeLab Resilience in Midlife study found that:
- The most resilient adults have a strong sense of self-efficacy or the belief that they are able to manage through difficult transitions.
- Participating in entertainment activities and hobbies is the most common way that all adults in the study cope with stress. However, the most resilient adults are more likely to participate in physical activity than less resilient adults (70 percent versus 42 percent).
- Social connections and support are also common among the most resilient people. Sixty percent of the most resilient adults talk to or spend time with friends as a way to cope with stress, compared with 35 percent of the less resilient individuals.
- Ninety-four percent of the most resilient people reported that they are very or somewhat happy, compared with only 32 percent of the less resilient people in the survey.
- Thirty-four percent of the most resilient people reported that they are not stressed at all, compared with 6 percent of the less resilient people in the survey.
- Adults in their 60s reported higher levels of resilience, compared with people in their 40s and 50s.
For boomers, the most stressful aspects of their lives revolve around personal finances, according to the study. This type of stress can be relieved, at least in part, by following the advice and guidance of a professional financial advisor. Other ways to boost resilience in boomers include:
- Physical: Be active. Adults in our study who were more resilient reported higher levels of physical activity. Walking was listed as the top activity that resilient people participate in to help cope with stress. Whether it’s taking a walk, exercising, doing yoga or playing sports, being active is associated with resilience.
- Social: Stay connected to your friends and family. The most resilient adults in our study reported higher rates of spending time or talking with friends and family. Are there friends and family you are close to and have important conversations with? Keep those connections strong. Whether it’s talking on the phone, meeting for a meal, or just hanging-out, talk to the people in your network you rely on and who support you.
Personal: Develop the inner qualities that build resilience. Resilience is comprised of 5 key elements: family and social networks, perseverance, coping, focus of control (belief in your ability to control the situation) and self-efficacy (a belief that you are able to manage through difficult situations). In our research, we found that the most resilient adults reported a high level of self-efficacy. They are confident that they can deal with the stressors they face in the midst of life events.
Pedal Power - Wellness Infographic
Originally posted on https://onlinemastersinpublichealth.com/pedal-power/
No big surprise: Riding a bike provides more exercise than driving a car. But with cities embracing cycling by building bike trails and lanes and setting up bike-sharing stations, the general health effects of biking can now be studied en masse.
64%
Percentage increase in bike commuters from 1990 to 2009
54%
Percentage of all bike trips purely for transportation
47%
Percentage of Americans who want more bike facilities in their communities
Riding Healthy
The benefits to regular exercise are myriad and that includes cycling, which can have lifelong advantages.
Women who bike for 30 minutes a day have lower chances of developing breast cancer.
Adolescents who bike regularly are 48% less likely to become overweight as adults.
82%
Percentage of bike commuters who believe their health has improved since they began bicycle commuting
30-60 minutes per day
Length of time cycling takes to improve hypertension rates
We Need the Exercise
Why? Because …
- More than 1/3 of U.S. adults are considered obese.
- 18% of children ages 6-11 are obese.
- Less than 1/3 of Americans are getting 30 minutes of exercise a day, the CDC’s recommended minimum.
- For each hour per day someone spends driving, there is a 6% increase in the chance of obesity.
- Excess body weight is possibly responsible for more than 100,000 new cancer diagnoses in the U.S. each year.
- Exercising regularly helps stave off depression and raises self-esteem.
It’s Cost-Effective, Too.
Biking instead of driving is healthy for your wallet, but it may be even better for the health of cities and towns.
$11.80
Benefits for every dollar invested in bicycling and walking
$115 million
Annual healthcare costs saved in Portland, Oregon thanks to a regional biking trail network
Seeing Results
Let’s take a look at some cities where bike share stations and paths have been implemented and successful.
Midtown Greenway, Minneapolis, MN
Benefits: Home value increase, higher employment rate, number of cyclists increased to 3,500 per day
Jobs created: 700
Wonders Way Path/Ravenel Bridge, Charleston, SC
Benefits: 2/3 of path users get more exercise, connects East coast as part of 3,000-mile East Coast Greenway
Jobs created: 525+
Valencia Street Redesign, San Francisco, CA
Benefits: Bike traffic increased 144%, improved business in city, traffic collisions declined by 20%, motor vehicle traffic declined 10%
Jobs created: 218
Schuylkill River Trail/Wissahickon Park, Philadelphia, PA
Benefits: 58% of population uses the trail for exercise, cycling has prevented 47,450 tons of CO2 emissions each year, invasive plant removal due to trail construction
Jobs created: 745 volunteer jobs
Vera Katz Eastbank Esplanade, Portland, OR
Benefits: 220% increase in biking, bioengineered riverbanks reduce pollution
Jobs created: 1,050
