by Anne Ring

It’ll come as no surprise that an organisation such as the Australian Heart Research Institute (HRI) would have useful advice on what it takes to live a healthier and longer life. And that that advice would include useful practical tips on what we can do for our bodies, including a nutritious diet, regular exercise, and not smoking.

What might, however, come as a surprise is its emphasis on the equal importance of prioritising social connections because of their positive effects on the body. It points to research showing the alternative, where being socially isolated seems to have a direct physiological effect on the body, resulting in a much higher risk of dying early and with a greater likelihood of heart disease, stroke, dementia, anxiety and depression.

HRI’s conclusion? “If you want to be healthier and live longer, build and maintain your connections to others”.

And just this year, the US Longevity Project founder Ken Stern has published a book stressing the importance of that, with useful suggestions about how to go about living such a life. In “Healthy to 100: How strong ties lead to long lives”, he provides practical suggestions that readers can incorporate into their own lives. 

These are based on a combination of scientific research, interviews with older adults, and an examination of societies with high life expectancy rates, to discover how they keep older people connected to their communities and - thereby - maximising their chances of living longer.

Stern writes about the importance of strong social connections, such as a wide network of friends or coworkers, close family ties, or volunteer work that offers a sense of purpose. And he encourages adults to sign up for in-person activities, like learning courses, and to invest in intergenerational relationships.

Essentially, he considers that we should regard social connections as a health engine, and schedule people like workouts: “treat social plans as non-negotiable health appointments. Get your calendar out and make sure that it is full of social plans”.

On a personal note, I am enjoying living in a small block of apartments in which one of the apartments was bought a few years ago by a couple with a talent for building social connections within our block. Through them, there has been a radical shift from polite greetings to a genuine sense of community, to the benefit of all, as a result of their organising enjoyable all-in get-togethers (of owners and renters) to celebrate anything and everything, from Christmas to a new baby. To be a part of this evolution has been both inspiring and educational, through seeing how people living close to each other can take the simple step of reaching out to others in their neighbourhood, to create their own local and supportive intergenerational communities.

Anne Ring copyright 2025