Having a purpose in life has a protective effect.
“Purpose reflects a commitment to broader life goals that helps organize your day to day activities.”
Patrick Hill, psychologist at Carleton University in Ottawa.
This definition is the criteria used in a recent study done on older Americans (with an average age of 80). Purpose can mean vastly different things to different people. But the common thread is that to have purpose means to have more satisfaction, more happiness, better physical functioning, and even better sleep. 
For older people this can mean having a sense of contributing to something greater than themselves. Although the specific thing that provides that sense of purpose varies from one person to the next, those seniors who have a sense of their role in the community or the broader world, are the ones who gain the benefits of living a life of purpose.
Looking at the physical benefits of purposeful living, one study found that those people with high “purpose scores” were almost 2-1/2 times more likely to remain free of Alzheimer’s Disease, and also less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment. Those with high purpose scores were less likely to develop disabilities, and they were less likely to die. Those with high purpose had about half the mortality rate of those with low purpose scores.
If you’re wondering how you can develop or maintain a sense of purpose as you age, one obvious way is to adapt the things you’ve always valued in your life, and find a way to continue to serve a cause you have long supported. Mentoring is another way to foster a sense of purpose in one’s life. Passing on your expertise and experience to a younger generation brings with it these benefits. Taking up a social or political cause is yet another way you can contribute to society and to your own well-being.
Life in our Adult Family Homes is a life full of purpose, happiness and satisfaction. Come visit one of our Harmony Senior Homes and discover how enjoyable life can be.