Lifestyle resorts could be the secret to living longer and happier, according to longevity expert and best-selling author Marcus Pearce.
During recent visits to Ingenia Lifestyle Latitude One in Port Stephens and Ingenia Lifestyle Archer’s Run in Morisset, Marcus shared his insights on how community connection, movement, and purpose are the real “superfoods” when it comes to ageing gracefully.
Drawing on more than a decade of research into the world’s healthiest and longest-living communities, known as Blue Zones, he believes lifestyle resorts provide the perfect environment for the over 55s to thrive.
“I’m a firm believer that retirement villages and lifestyle resorts are best placed to provide ageing Australians with quality of life,” he said.
“The way that they do that so well is residents get an instant community. When you’re in a retirement village or lifestyle resort it also nudges you into more physical activity and to have more purpose.
“Longevity by itself is a hollow victory but longevity with quality of life is the name of the game and it’s what everyone wants.”
When it comes to ageing, World Health Organisation (WHO) figures reveal Australia has one of the worst morbidity profiles in the world. The nation is second only to America, with Australian’s clocking up an average of 70.9 great years statistically and 12.1 “less than great years” due to injury and illness.
Over the past decade, Marcus has interviewed and researched more than 200 centenarians, graceful agers and longevity experts from around the world, including the Blue Zones regions of the Greek island of Ikaria and Sardinia in Italy. He also penned the best-seller Your Exceptional Life, which explores how people can improve both the quantity and quality of their lives, and is the host of Australia’s longest-running podcast 100 Not Out.
He said longevity with quality of life was not as hard to achieve as people think.
“It can definitely be done,” he said.
“The three ingredients I’ve found present in all my research into longevity and life design are a compelling reason to get out of bed each day, physical activity and social activity. These are the three real super foods to ageing well.”
Marcus said living longer isn’t just about what’s on your plate but about who you share it with.
“Harvard’s landmark study on more than 7,000 people in California found that those with a rich social life and an average diet lived longer than those with a great diet but poor social connections.
“So, if you have the best diet but you’re too busy to socialise, imagine what that could be doing for premature death. What is really interesting and exciting for me is that people who have great social lives and a great diet actually live the longest.”
Ingenia Communities Executive General Manager, Acquisitions & Development, Michael Rabey said Marcus’s research into longevity resonated with the Ingenia philosophy and its key HOME principles – Health and Wellbeing, Opportunity for Discovery, Meaningful Connections, and Easy Living.
“Our goal at Ingenia is to build communities that inspire residents to live healthier, happier lives for longer, and to create places where people thrive, not just reside,” he said. “By embedding the HOME principles into the fabric of daily life, we’ve created a more intentional, consistent, and thoughtful experience for residents.
“Marcus’s message about connection, purpose and movement aligns perfectly with what we see every day in our communities. The sense of belonging and support that develops among residents has a measurable impact on wellbeing and quality of life.”
To find out more about Ingenia Lifestyle please visit ingenialifestyle.com.au
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