Living Well, Aging Well: What the Latest Research Tells Us

By Christine Hall

The Mather Institute, in partnership with Northwestern University, recently completed a five-year landmark study examining how life in a Life Plan Community impacts older adults. Known as the Age Well Study, it followed more than 8,000 residents across 122 communities nationwide between 2018 and 2022, comparing their experiences with those of older adults living independently in the greater community.

The Results Are Eye-Opening and Encouraging with Higher Wellness Across the Board

Residents of Life Plan Communities (CCRCs) consistently reported higher wellness levels than their peers living in the community-at-large. That includes:

• Physical wellness: Staying active and healthy
• Emotional wellness: Feeling positive and supported
• Intellectual wellness: Engaging in learning and creativity
• Social wellness: Building strong, meaningful connections
• Vocational wellness: Finding purpose through volunteerism, mentoring or personal projects

The only area where differences were less pronounced was spiritual wellness, where community-dwelling older adults sometimes scored as high or higher.

Gains Over Time

Even as everyone ages, Life Plan Community residents showed unique strengths:

• Social contact increased steadily over the five years, while it declined in the general older adult population.
• Intellectual engagement rose, with more residents attending educational events and pursuing hobbies, while it decreased for their peers.
• Emotional wellness, including life satisfaction and optimism, declined somewhat, but at similar or slower rates than in the broader community.

Resilience Through COVID-19

The study’s timeline spanned the pandemic, offering a rare window into how community living supports resilience. Despite the challenges of isolation and uncertainty, residents reported low stress and high resilience overall. Key factors included:

• Close relationships with family, especially adult children
• Smaller community settings
• Coping strategies like meditation and creative outlets

What It Means for the Future

The Age Well Study highlights the positive impact of community living on aging. Social opportunities, intellectual stimulation and a sense of belonging are not just “nice to have,” they are proven to support healthier, happier aging. For those considering their future, the findings underscore the value of choosing a community designed to foster connection, engagement and well-being.

If you would like to experience the living well possibilities at Franke Tobey Jones, please call us for a tour at 253-752-6621 or schedule a tour here https://www.franketobeyjones.com/contact/schedule-a-tour/