As 90-year-old marathoner Yul Kwan and 102-year-old record-breaking swimmer Betty Brussel represent, living well and staying active is one of the ways people can challenge the aging process.
Kwan started training for races at 60 years old and he’s never stopped.
“I don’t really feel like I’m ninety years old, honestly. And I like to behave younger than 90. But I hope I will succeed. I dream of running a marathon at 100,” shared Kwan.
Meanwhile, Brussel broke three world records in swimming in 2024. And when she’s not swimming, she’s walking or dancing. “I have a lovely room with space for dancing. I put some music on and I dance.”
“The ultimate purpose of a human being is happiness, I strongly believe. So, in order to be happy, I realize that your health is the most vital thing,” said Kwan.
The scientists at Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging at the University of British Columbia are studying and working to understand why some people thrive in their golden years.
“So what we’re trying to do in our center is to understand the biology of aging and what that means and what the drivers are. And then importantly, what are some of the potential preventative intervention measures that we can recommend or implement as either society or as individuals to basically slow that process of biological aging,” shared Dr. Michael Kobor with the Edwin S.H. Leong Centre.
Canada is currently classified as a “super-aged” country, meaning more than 20 per cent of the population is above the age of 65.
That shift comes with challenges as age-related illnesses become more common, affecting not only individuals, but their families and the health care system.
Canada is already feeling the strain with fewer care homes, rising costs and longer periods of illness late in life.
“It’s well known that the last few years of a person’s life are the most expensive from the medical standpoint. So, if we, again, push that health span further towards closer to the lifespan, I think it’s a win-win situation for all involved, ” said Kobor.
“Whether it’s cancer, dementia, heart disease, they’re all obviously increased as we get older and they contribute to that lifespan gap. But the common factor between them is really age.”
But what if aging itself could be changed and healthier outcomes could be understood? That’s the focus at the B.C. research firm, where those involved are studying how we can be healthy in our golden years.
“The goal really that we have is to close the gap up to us so that you’re, for example, being able to live on your own, to stay at home, to be with your family, with your friends as much as possible,” said Kobor.
At the center of the research is a field known as epigenetics.
“[It’s] essentially the idea that our genes are sort of functioning like light bulbs … and as we go through life, these light bulbs kind of change. They specify different tissues in our bodies. And these light bulbs can also potentially change in response to environments, to lifestyles,” explained Dr. Kobor.
“And what sets these light bulbs is really a dimmer just in front of these light bulbs, just like in your house. And we call these dimmers the epigenetics.”
Scientists can now measure those dimmer switches to calculate a person’s biological age, meaning how old your body really is compared to your actual age.
“So, you can take basically a drop of blood or a cheek cell from a 90-year-old and then you pull out the DNA and then we use computation to basically calculate your epigenetic age.”
Epigenetic switches aren’t fixed, according to researchers. They can respond to your environment, your habits, and social connections.
“It’s quite possible that a 90-year-old who is very fit, who doesn’t smoke, who lives a healthy lifestyle, who has good social interactions, they might be 75 epigenetically in their predicted age. However, there could also be a 90-year-old who smokes a pack of cigarettes a day and might be 98 epigenetically,” said Dr. Kobor.
Aging is also a process that may be more flexible than once thought, leading to the ability to take control of how people age.
James McKendry, an Assistant Professor of Nutrition and Healthy Aging at UBC, is among those researching simple and practical ways you can start influencing those biological switches at any age.
He uses technology, including a bioelectrical impedance analyzer, that allows scientists to understand how people’s muscles change over time, made possible by funding from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation.
“We recruit participants from all over the Vancouver area, whether that’s young, sedentary, older individuals or even master athletes. We expose them to exercise or nutrition interventions and we look at how they respond and how aging may change that response,” said McKendry.
McKendry’s focus is on how muscles react to protein.
“We take blood and muscle samples from these individuals, and we look at how the feeding response is different in the circulation in younger and older individuals and the impact on skeletal muscle in those individuals as well,” he explained.
His findings have shown that while the recommended amount of protein for most people is about 0.8 grams per kilogram of body per day, evidence suggests that older individuals need more than that.
“Probably 50 to 100 per cent more, so around 1.2 to 1.6 grams every single day. So, you need to consume it every day to make sure that your body has the sufficient building blocks to help support growth and repair, particularly when it comes to skeletal muscle,” said McKendry.
Because unlike fat or carbohydrates, protein can’t be stored, and ageing makes that process harder, making maintaining muscle even more critical.
‘We know that muscle is really, really important for healthy aging and by increasing or at least maintaining muscle with advancing age we can protect the health span of these aging individuals,” said McKendry.
He’s interested in all age ranges, particularly the young versus old comparison using the bioelectrical impedance analyzer.
“Most of the time we put people through strength testing or if it’s a chronic exercise study, we have them come in several times a week and we’ll exercise train them, trying to build them as much muscle in combination with the protein feeding interventions.” said McKendry.
It’s cutting-edge research and while the work is still evolving, one conclusion is already clear.
“It’s never too late to start exercising and the biggest benefits are going from doing nothing to doing something. As long as you enjoy it, consistently engage and it feels somewhat difficult, you’re going to improve in health and fitness,” shared McKendry.
Staying connected important to health
Another aspect of aging that is becoming more prominent is social connection.
New research has shown that loneliness, which can become more common as people age with the loss of loved ones, isn’t just emotional; it can be dangerous to your health.
“We know that with social isolation and loneliness, we actually have a 50 per cent increase in chance of earlier death, almost 50 per cent increased risk of developing dementia, increased risk for falls, other diseases like cardiovascular disease, cancers even so we know that loneliness is really bad for our health,” said Dr. Grace Park, a family physician.
And the challenge is that loneliness often hides in plain sight. And that silence can come at a cost. Unidentified seniors rely more on the health care system to help them with assisted living and long-term care.
“There are a lot of people living at risk that are mildly frail and getting to the point where they might need some help and that group is not well served by the health system currently,” said Dr. Park.
That is how social prescribing, connecting seniors to the community and each other, began.
One program, in particular, is taking place at the Semiahmoo Arts Society in Surrey, B.C.
“The social prescribing program began to support some of the isolated seniors, some of the seniors that were having difficulty maintaining their independence and living at home,” said Dr. Park.
“As a family physician, you come across a lot of situations where you know that this person has problems with their finances, their ability to navigate the system, ability to even exercise because they don’t know where they can go or if they have financial difficulties. But we were really limited in what we were able to offer them. And family physicians don’t really know about the resources in the community,” explained Dr. Park.
That’s where people like Leila Reshid, the program coordinator at Community Connector, step in.
“You start with understanding that what we’re trying to do is mitigate isolation. How to connect seniors to social programs. How to reach them and meet them where they are. Find out what matters to them,” said Leila Reshid, Community Connector Program Coordinator.
One of her clients, Maria McNeice, said Reshid helped her rebuild her life.
“I’m so grateful you’re in my life and I’m so grateful that you’re on my journey,” said McNeice.
She knows isolation all too well. “I’ve struggled with alcohol for many years of my life and I also struggle with severe post stress disorder, and domestic violence is a big part of my background. I jumped shelter-to-shelter on the downtown eastside and eventually ended up in a shelter out here in Chilliwack and had a bad fall and ended up in hospital and that’s when Leila and reached out to me.”
“When I was talking to Maria immediately, I knew she was coming out of the hospital. There was a laceration that she needed to take the stitches out. So that’s where we first started working on that. Her discharge from the hospital and then connecting her to the transportation, talking to the health care system, allowing her to book that appointment, get the stitches done,” said Reshid.
Reshid didn’t just help McNeice with hospital visits. “She introduced me to compassionate neighbors, and they hold luncheons once a week at Connect Cafe, and there’s cooking classes … transportation was another issue for me. It kept me isolated for a long time. And she introduced me to the STARS program, and it’s a program for seniors, assisted rides,” said McNeice.
From rides to meals to cooking classes, Reshid helps connect seniors to life again.
“And that’s the gift that Liela has, is she treats every person connected to this program as an individual. She creates the program around the individual,” said McNeice.
And the program is continuing to identify new ways to improve the health of BC’s aging population.
“Lately we’re seeing more and more evidence that the arts and creativity, cultural and leisure activities are so helpful in aging well as well,” said Dr. Park.
Eventually, Dr. Park would like to see a connection part of healthcare itself.
“I would like to see social prescribing completely embedded in healthcare as a way of doing business so that when we take vital signs, we also take social signs and social status of individuals,” shared Dr. Park.
Because for seniors like McNeice, it makes all the difference.
“And so, my world started to open up once I met Leila. And she has moved heaven and earth to make me feel comfortable, safe, respected, and seen. Most important, seen,” said Maria.
Loneliness may be invisible, but connection can be lifesaving. And sometimes the most powerful prescription is simply being seen.
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