The Balanced Care Method™ (BCM) is based on a study of centenarians from Okinawa, Japan. It incorporates specific lifestyle findings in its home care philosophy.
The Okinawa Centenarian Study found that Okinawans experience long life spans as well as enjoy good health well into advanced age.
Their average life expectancy is just over 82 years. This is almost 4.5 years over the average U.S. lifespan. Okinawans are three to seven times more likely to live to 100 than Americans. Of equal, if not more interest, is that heart disease, cancer, dementia, diabetes are rare in Okinawan elders.
One of the major factors in the extraordinary health enjoyed by Okinawan elders is their diet, which includes plenty of rice, a variety of vegetables, fruits, seaweed and soy products. Of the animal-based calories they do consume, most of it is cold-water fish or stewed meats. They indulge in alcohol and sweets only moderately and drink green tea frequently. Another factor is their routine of physical activity. They walk, do housework, gardening, and work well past the age of “retirement,” and practice Tai chi. These are all low-impact, weight-bearing, moderate forms of physical activity. Another factor is their low stress, socially rich, purposeful, and spiritual lifestyle. Most practice a spirituality that sees all people as good and emphasizes the importance of responsibility. This offers them stress relief, a sense of social connection and purpose and a respected role in their community.
The goal of BCM is to implement the principles of the Okinawan lifestyle within a Western framework. First, it encourages a diet that mimics that of the Okinawan elders: high fiber, low-fat proteins, plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, calcium-rich and omega-3 rich foods along with limited sweets and alcohol and plenty of water and tea. Next, it seeks to help its clients stay as active as possible. Seniors are encouraged to take walks, engage in gardening or light housework, with help as needed. It facilitates the continued pursuit of hobbies, social visits and attending places of worship, which echoes the social and connecting practices of the Okinawan elders. Finally, it strives to foster a sense of calmness and purpose with stress-relieving activities for seniors.
The Balanced Care Method™ is a way of viewing aging as a rich and meaningful part of life, a lesson learned from the elders of Okinawa.
Roy Melin is the president of Home Care Assistance of Santa Clarita. For more information about the Balanced Care Method™, visit www.HomeCareAssistanceSantaClarita.com or call Home Care Assistance of Santa Clarita at 661-259-9914.