Tag: longevity

Longevity isn’t just measured in years, it’s measured in independence. The emerging science of aging shows that emotional health, resilience, and social connection are just as powerful as blood pressure or cholesterol when it comes to predicting how long and how well we live. 

These “soft measures” may sound intangible, but they can reveal early signs of decline long before traditional medical tests do. giving individuals and communities the chance to intervene early and preserve independence. 

That insight was at the center of Dr. Kathleen Potempa’s conversation on Varsity’s weekly Roundtable. As founder of HealthyLifetime, Dr. Potempa and her team are redefining how we measure and maintain wellness in later life through tools like the Independent Living Index, which tracks the factors that most influence long-term vitality.  Below are a few Fresh Perspectives from her discussion.

SOFT MEASURES REVEAL HIDDEN RISK 

Self-reported well-being factors like purpose, resilience, and life satisfaction can uncover “insidious risks” that traditional medical tests miss—allowing communities to intervene before decline begins.

WELL-BEING IS THE NEW LONGEVITY STRATEGY 

Decades of research show that emotional health, social connection, and resilience aren’t just feel-good factors, they’re strong predictors of longevity, independence, and reduced mortality.

RESILIENCE BUILDS REAL STRENGTH 

Mental and emotional resilience create both psychological and physical benefits, helping older adults think clearly, make healthier choices, and stay “heartier” over time.

CONNECTION IS MEDICINE 

Social engagement literally strengthens the body. Meaningful relationships help regulate stress, boost immunity, and protect against decline, proving that community is a biological need, not a luxury.

TRACKING WELL-BEING DRIVES ACTION 

HealthyLifetime’s Independent Living Index turns soft data into actionable insight. It helps communities measure risk, track improvement, and show tangible outcomes that resonate with residents and families.

REVENTION IS THE FUTURE OF AGING 

The shift from treating illness to preventing decline is underway. HealthyLifetime’s expansion as an independent company signals a new era where aging well means living longer, healthier, and more independently.

Varsity’s Roundtable is a weekly virtual gathering of senior living marketers and leaders from across the nation. For updates about future weekly Roundtable gatherings, submit your name and email address here.

This week on Varsity’s Roundtable, we welcomed Ryan Frederick, founder of Here and a leading voice on the link between place and healthy aging. Ryan shared how the environments we choose—our homes, neighborhoods and communities—deeply influence our health, happiness and longevity, and why understanding this connection is critical for older adults and those who serve them.

Through his four-dimension model of place, Ryan offered a fresh framework for senior living providers, healthcare organizations and community leaders to support well-being at every life stage. He also introduced the Here Place Planning Assessment, a quick yet powerful tool that not only brings these dimensions to life but also helps guide consumers from passive interest to confident, values-based decision-making.

PLACE = WELL-BEING

Where we live profoundly shapes our health—physically, socially, emotionally, and financially. Place planning brings this truth into focus and helps people make smarter decisions about their future.

FROM PLAN TO ACTION

A spot on a waiting list isn’t a plan. Tools like assessments, courses, and place plans help people move from passive intent to active preparation—long before crisis forces their hand.

SELLING LESS, EMPOWERING MORE

Today’s consumer doesn’t want a sales pitch. They want trusted tools to guide their own thinking. Place planning shifts the role of senior living from seller to partner in self-discovery.

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE

Life isn’t one-size-fits-all—and neither is where we live. Workshops inspired by this mindset help prospects assess their lives across four key areas and explore what comes next—on their terms.

CONTENT THAT CONNECTS

From blogs to assessments, rich, research-based content turns curiosity into clarity. Thousands have used these tools globally to reflect, recalibrate, and reimagine where they belong.

THE FOUR-DIMENSION DECISION

Home isn’t just square footage. Place planning breaks it down into four dimensions—environment, health, community, and finances—so people can see the full picture before making a move.

GROWING DEMAND, STRATEGIC RESPONSE

With consumers craving purpose and personalization, life plan communities have an opportunity to shift from reactive selling to proactive engagement—building deeper trust and fuller waitlists.

Varsity’s Roundtable is a weekly virtual gathering of senior living marketers and leaders from across the nation. For updates about future weekly Roundtable gatherings, submit your name and email address here.

QUOTES

“The whole concept of anti-aging is somewhat misguided because aging is a biological process. It’s a bit like anti-breathing where we suddenly decided that it’s inconvenient to have to take 20 breaths a minute.” (Dr. Katz)

“Longevity is a laudable goal. A bounty of years and life. Vitality is perhaps an even more laudable goal. A bounty of life and years.” (Dr. Katz) 

“If we buy into the value proposition of anti-aging, it sort of invites a morbid fear of our own mortality.” (Dr. Katz) 

“There comes a day when you’re on the other side of the summit and starting to descend and you’ll never be better than you ever were before by some physical measure. But you know things that you didn’t know back then. You’ve experienced things.” (Dr. Katz)

“Experience comes with the passage of time, as does aging.” (Dr. Katz)

“I’m not going to be anti-aging. I want to embrace aging because it is imparting gifts on me. It exacts a toll, but it also imparts gifts. That give and take reorients us.” (Dr. Katz) 

“Imagine if our society had a whole slew of periodicals and magazines that are all about the reflections, storytelling, wisdom and life experience of older people. And we celebrate that the same way that we do the beauty of young actors and actresses.” (Dr. Katz) 

“Diet quality, measured objectively, is the single leading predictor in the United States today from all causes. In other words, if you could fix just one thing to decrease the likelihood that you’re going to die prematurely, it would be your diet quality.” (Dr. Katz) 

“The simple reality is, we’re not a very healthy nation. We have systematically neglected the fundamentals of health. Diet quality in the U.S. is poor – it’s the single leading predictor of death from all causes – we’re nearly as physically active as we should be. We have too much exposure to toxic substances. We don’t get enough sleep. We’re stressed out and we’re not good at mitigating stress and the internet and social media have interfered with our social connections with other people.” (Dr. Katz) 

“We can control ship and sail. We can be masterful captains of the ship of our medical destiny but we’ll never control wind and wave.” (Dr. Katz) 

“If we hope to deemphasize the role of big pharma in what gets marketed to elders, we need healthier elders. And in order to have healthier elders we need a healthier us. All of us. Because health begins early in life.” (Dr. Katz) 

NOTES

Dr. David Katz is a globally recognized expert in nutrition, wellness, and longevity. As the Founding Director of the Yale Prevention Research Center, he has dedicated his career to advancing lifestyle medicine and disease prevention. 

The Yale Prevention Research Center is dedicated to advancing disease prevention and public health through innovative research and community-based interventions. 

A prolific author and passionate advocate for public health, Dr. Katz has written extensively on how diet and lifestyle impact long-term well-being—including his thought-provoking article, “Rage at Aging.”

Dr. Katz’s work challenges conventional thinking about aging, urging people to prioritize health span over life span. With deep expertise and bold insights, Dr. Katz continues to shape the conversation on living better, longer. 

Dr. Katz discussed the challenge of getting older as it pertains to technology and other advancements, saying “Instead of being venerated in old age for our wisdom and experience, we’ll look around and say ‘What the hell is going on here?’”

Varsity, is taking its industry-leading expertise to digital audiences with the launch of a new video podcast called Roundtable Talk. 

Roundtable Talk is a podcast about longevity and aging and will explore what it means to age well and endeavoring to reframe perceptions on aging. Each episode features a discussion with an industry expert or thought leader about how to solve the many mature market challenges facing brands today. 

The podcast is hosted by Varsity President Derek Dunham and kicks off with a line-up of high profile guests. 

The premiere episode features an interview with humorist, author and radio legend Garrison Keillor, who discusses his book “Serenity at 70, Gaiety at 80” and his 23 rules for aging. Future guests include Goodwin Living CEO and StrongerMemory program founder Rob Liebreich (November 7) and longevity expert and founding director of the Yale Prevention Research Center, Dr. David Katz.   

Also on the calendar is an interview with humorist, journalist and actor Mo Rocca, who will join the Varsity team for a discussion about people who achieve success and greatness later in life and his book “Roctogenarians.” Dr. Sara Zeff Geber –  the nation’s leading expert on solo aging – and award-winning journalist and New York Times contributor Diane Harris are also on the Roundtable Talk schedule. 

“Fresh perspectives about aging are all around us. Our goal with Roundtable Talk is to shine a spotlight on as many of those perspectives as possible and bring them to life one interview at a time,” said Varsity president and Roundtable Talk host, Derek Dunham. “Along the way, we hope to educate people, dispel a few myths and tell some really engaging and inspiring stories.” 

Roundtable Talk episodes and details about the podcast can be found on the Varsity website at VarsityBranding.com. The podcast is available on various podcast streaming services, including Apple podcasts, Spotify, and I Heart Radio.