Research finds older people less anxious, more active and less likely to fall in retirement communities

Findings from the independent study into healthy ageing carried out by Aston and Lancaster Universities showed that residents living within a charity’s retirement communities:

• are more physically active (75% increase in exercise)
• benefit from a reduced risk of falls (18%)
• are less anxious (23%)
• have an increased walking speed
• were ‘never or hardly ever’ lonely (86.5%)
• have improved autobiographical (24%) and memory (17%) recall
• can delay or reverse the onset of frailty

The study was commissioned by the ExtraCare Charitable Trust, a registered charity that exists to create better lives for older people and operates 19 midlands and southern-based retirement villages and housing schemes.

Shirley Hall, Head of Innovation and Well-being at The ExtraCare Charitable Trust said: 

We’re excited by the results of our study, we know older people who exercise tend to be happier and are likely to live longer healthier lives, so it’s great to see that residents within our communities are more physically active.