Hsiu-Mei Tsai
National Chung Cheng University
For the first time in the history of humankind, people can expect to live a long life beyond the life expectancy of their grandparents. However, somehow the issue of an aging society seems to be more terrifying than something blessed, especially issues from medical, social, economic and intergenerational aspects. Are we prepared for the coming of an aged society, both at personal or society levels? What are the new knowledge, attitudes and lifestyles that bring about healthy and happy longevity? How can people learn the way to healthy longevity? These are important questions that need to be addressed.
In this paper, I will propose the idea of “healthy longevity” by exploring knowledge, attitudes and behavior that accompany the idea of “active aging”. First, we should recognize the trend of population aging globally and locally. Second, some challenges of an aged society will be discussed. Third, I will address the idea of active aging and present the knowledge, attitudes and lifestyles related to health longevity. Novel knowledge and suggested lifestyles may come from research across medical, psychological, sociological and gerontological fields. Finally, I will add some thoughts on longevity under influences from Eastern and Western culture and make some conclusions.
(Presented in the 2018 Chulalongkorn Asian Heritage Forum : Culture of Longevity, 15-16 August 2018, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Bangkok, organized by Institute of Thai Studies, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Population Studies, Chulalongkorn University)