Find Your Own Blue Zone at an SLR Assisted Living Community

We all want to crack the code to healthy aging so that we can live our lives to the fullest and pass on our legacies to our loved ones. But what if the secret to living longer isn’t a secret at all? In fact, the Earth’s Blue Zones may hold the answers. And, you may not have to move to Greece, Japan or Costa Rica to benefit from the Blue Zones philosophy. 

Blue Zone Lifestyle Habits for Longevity: Synergy with Assisted Living

Although these blue zones are spread throughout the world, researchers have found nine pillars of health and wellbeing that they all share, sometimes referred to as the Power 9®. Across our Senior Living Residences (SLR) communities, we’ve been preaching about some of the core tenets of Blue Zones for years. From incorporating components of the Mediterranean diet, to spending time outdoors, to maintaining social connections and prioritizing physical activity, there are several ways residents can follow a Blue Zones lifestyle without moving across the globe. 

1. Plant Slant

When it comes to eating habits, people in Blue Zones honor the land around them. They lean toward plant-forward diets focused on local vegetables, fruits, and legumes and eat lighter meals to aid digestion and gut health. The Ikarians enjoy a nutritious Mediterranean diet with an abundance of olive oil and whole grains, and people in Okinawa center their meals around vegetables, sweet potatoes and tofu. 

At SLR, we’ve been well aware of the Mediterranean diet for years, and have adapted it to fit our senior population. SLR’s award-winning Brain Healthy Cooking program, inspired by the Mediterranean diet, centers around fruits, vegetables, whole grains and leafy greens to boost cognitive health. Our dining rooms are always abuzz with great conversation and great company, making for a lively dining and social experience that rivals life in the Blue Zones. 

2. Move Naturally

At the top of the list are habits such as “mindless movement,” or living in environments that encourage movement without thinking about it. In Sardinia, centenarians regularly hunt, fish, and harvest their food while doing plenty of walking. In Nicoya, older adults find joy in helping out with everyday chores such as cooking and laundry. Those in Okinawa practice excellent posture by sitting on the floor during meals. 

While the walkable cities of Blue Zones set the perfect scene for mindless movement, towns in the United States are rarely walkable and accessible for older populations. When living alone, seniors have limited opportunities to get outside and exercise or go for a walk. That’s why many choose to make the move to an SLR community. 

In our communities, residents enjoy a variety of programming focused on physical fitness and mindless movement, including dance, tai chi, walking groups, and exercise classes. The “mindless movement” mentality is widespread amongst residents, who make getting fresh air and moving around part of their daily routine.

3. Purpose

Having a sense of purpose, or a plan de vida as they say in Nicoya, is an essential part of life in the Blue Zones. This positive outlook means that these centenarians contribute to the greater good of their communities. In this region of Costa Rica, older adults go through each day with a feeling of being needed by their friends and families while imparting wisdom and embracing their shared history. 

At SLR, we wanted to find ways to bring out residents’ sense of purpose while they live in our communities. Whether it’s offering wisdom and guidance to younger generations through intergenerational programming or expressing themselves with art and music, SLR’s EnrichedLIFE programming encourages residents to pursue their passions and expand their knowledge. Our Lifetime Achievement program also celebrates residents’ personal and professional accomplishments, instilling a sense of pride as they are publicly acknowledged by friends, families, and peers for their contributions to their local communities and society as a whole. 

4. Downshift

Stress is a major part of life, and it can lead to chronic inflammation and other diseases that come with aging. But people in Blue Zones have unlocked the power of “downshift,” practicing various methods of relieving stress that increase wellbeing. Residents at SLR communities are also in the know when it comes to taking a deep breath and slowing down. With mindfulness and yoga-related programming, access to relaxing natural landscapes in the surrounding areas, and fulfilling social relationships that are vital for destressing, they have ample opportunities to take a moment and reflect. If residents need someone to talk to, our communities partner with mental health providers to support them through stressful situations.

5. 80% Rule

A common practice throughout the Blue Zones is eating until you are 80% full, as the 20% gap between not being hungry and feeling full is important for preventing overeating and weight gain. SLR’s dining rooms serve a healthy and nourishing balance of vegetables, dark leafy greens, fruits, and lean proteins that keep residents energized throughout the day. Most senior communities are also designed to accommodate earlier meal times to support older adults’ routines and healthy digestion. 

6. Wine at 5

The key to having a drink or two in Blue Zones is to enjoy wine with great food and even better friends. When paired with laughter and the incredible flavors of the Mediterranean, one or two glasses of wine a day enhances longevity, with moderate drinkers even outliving even non-drinkers. We’re all about having a healthy balance in SLR dining rooms, and wine in particular is shown to have nourishing antioxidants that can help boost brain health. Also, weekly Happy Hour is always a hit with residents, providing an opportunity to connect with friends over a glass of wine. 

7. Belong

The vast majority of centenarians across Blue Zones belong to some sort of faith-based community. Whatever the denomination, having a source of togetherness and shared values greatly enhances wellbeing and longevity for older adults. There is evidence that when people in Blue Zones attend religious services at least four times a month, they gain 4-14 years of life expectancy. 

The Seventh-day Adventist church was founded in Loma Linda, California in the 1840s, and to this day, its members view health as central to their faith. In the only Blue Zone in the U.S., Adventists have an immensely strong bond and find well-being simply by sharing their values and supporting each other’s good habits including vegetarianism, exercise, stress relief, and giving back to their community.

When they move into an SLR community, residents are encouraged to maintain their connection to their faith, no matter the denomination. One of our communities has even unveiled a nondenominational chapel, creating a safe space for all types of worship and encouraging seniors to come together over a shared sense of religiosity. Our relationships with pastors, rabbis, and other religious officials allow residents to celebrate traditions important to them and cultivate the sense of faith, spirituality and belonging that truly enhances their quality of life.  

8. Right Tribe

Perhaps one of the most important aspects of the Blue Zone lifestyle is engaging in a strong social circle– Okinawans have moais, or groups of five friends that stay together for life. But for seniors in the US who live at home alone, it can be difficult to maintain social connections with friends and family, especially if they are living with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia. Without strong social support, seniors often experience loneliness and isolation, withdrawing from loved ones and damaging their mental and physical health. The vibrant, social atmosphere at SLR communities allows older adults to build happy, meaningful friendships and engage in the environment around them, ultimately combating this social isolation and loneliness to help slow cognitive decline.

9. Loved Ones First

Close ties to friends and family, spending time laughing and talking, and participating in cultural traditions are the touchstones of a high quality of life. Older adults in Blue Zones are often part of multigenerational households, where the younger generations care for their elders. These meaningful social relationships ease stress and help centenarians stay focused, grounded, and joyful. But for some families, it can be overwhelming to be the primary caregivers for aging loved ones when also juggling childcare and full-time jobs. 

Assisted living communities promote these same values of socialization and connection, allowing seniors to stay close to their families without the stress that caregiving can bring. We hear time and time again from adult children about the peace of mind that comes from getting to step back into their role as “son” or “daughter” again.

Also, studies show that residents of senior living communities experience greater longevity than their peers living at home. At SLR communities, residents engage in stimulating conversations with neighbors, form close ties with associates who care for them as though they were family, and participate in intergenerational programming that connects them with youth groups, students and the community at large.

Blue Zones offer us lessons in longevity from a variety of cultures, traditions, and ways of life. But the 9 Pillars for longevity may not come as easily to seniors who don’t live in walkable cities or have large families with the capacity to act as their caregivers. In the dynamic, engaging and home-like atmospheres of Senior Living Residences’ communities, residents enjoy many of the same lifestyle habits as those across the world in Blue Zones. While Blue Zones plant the seeds for longevity, building lasting friendships and having access to wellness services in an Assisted Living environment is what truly allows seniors to put these lessons into practice and live longer, fuller lives.