‘Think’ yourself young

Ask British BBC’s Dr Michael Mosley if you can ‘turn back time’ and his answer would be ‘yes’.

Dr Mosley (pictured), known for his numerous experiments into ageing, conducted an insightful workshop at the Aged & Community Services Australia (ACSA) National Community Care conference in Adelaide yesterday (Tuesday, 22 May 2012), which left DPS News and many conference delegates inspired.

A lively Dr Mosley shared his thoughts on the ageing process and insisted old age was something to be “thankful” for.

His main message was the power of positive thinking and the role ‘thinking yourself young’ plays in graceful ageing.

During his interactive workshop, Dr Mosley spoke about many factors contributing to positive ageing; such as the importance of memory and physical and mental stimulation, giving the elderly freedom in decision-making and the power of laughter therapy (although he admitted he was once sceptical about the theory).

To prove his point and reasoning behind his many experiments tested on elderly people in the UK, delegates were made to ‘laugh out loud’ and hop around on one foot with their eyes closed. Although unusual to some, Dr Mosley’s unique approach to teaching the art of ageing well did not go unnoticed among delegates.

Through his infectious enthusiasm, Dr Mosley encouraged people to cherish memories by remaining active – both physically and mentally.

“Memory is probably one of the most important things we have. It binds us together as human beings. It’s the ability to remember our loved ones and what happened to us yesterday and the time before. Probably one of the most devastating things in the world is Alzheimer’s,” he said.

Perhaps one of Dr Mosley’s most important messages to aged care providers was to acknowledge the people they are caring for.

“Praise your aged residents. Praise needs to be immediate, specific, descriptive and sincere. Praise – practice it; it is one of the most important tools we have,” he says.

And his message to older Australians? “Keep contacts and friendships going. Keep them close to you because they will protect you against the ravages of old age,” he said.

“Make choices in your day-to-day lives and don’t let someone hold you back because of your age. Take control of your own life.”

Dr Michael Mosley oversaw the UK experiment, ‘The Young Ones’, which brought six celebrities aged in their 70s and 80s together to spend one week living in a redecorated house as though it were 1975. The project reportedly saw phenomenal results in regard to memory, agility and positive thinking.