Healthy to 100: How Strong Social Ties Lead to Long Lives

Longevity Project founder Stern (Republican Like Me) extols the importance of meaningful relationships in this insightful examination of healthy living. Citing scientific studies and interviews with older adults around the world, Stern argues that the key to a long and healthy life isn’t diet or income but strong social connections, such as a wide network of friends or coworkers, close family ties, or volunteer work that offers a sense of purpose. Stern travels to countries with high life expectancy rates—Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Italy, and Spain—to examine how these societies keep older people connected to their communities and maximize their chances of living longer. For example, he learns how urban planners in Singapore built restaurants and stores around a retirement village to promote intergenerational intermingling; how government-funded programs in Italy encourage retired people to volunteer and attend cultural events; and how cities in Spain close streets to traffic to create public space for people to gather. Throughout, Stern provides practical takeaways readers can incorporate into their own lives, encouraging adults to sign up for in-person activities like learning courses, seek out volunteer opportunities, and invest in intergenerational relationships. This is a hopeful blueprint for anyone seeking to make the most of their later years. (Oct.)