There are not many better predictors of healthy aging and a long life than the number of stairs (height of the hills) you climb in a day. If you can make that climb without relying on a railing the benefits are even better because of the balance required. We spend too much time and effort trying to make our physical life easier as we age (like eliminating stairs in homes for the elderly and making elevators/escalators the only real choice in many public spaces for example). The more we learn about aging well the more apparent it becomes that continuing to challenge ourselves physically as we age is critical to achieving that goal.
That said, there is a significant and growing percentage of the population that relies on aides like stair rails to be able to meaningfully participate in our society so we should be doing what we can reasonably do to make sure they can continue to do so. That requires money and the private sector has little motivation to step up absent a profit motive, regulation or insurance risk so if we want it to happen we should all stop voting in politicians who’s only promise is to lower our taxes while gutting the public service sector.
The streets in Portugal are definitely not for the week-kneed. And we've also stayed in some otherwise quite swanky Airbnbs and rentals in Greece, Portugal and Malta with deathtrap staircases, usually made of shiny tiles, curving in multiple directions, with varying step sizes and, of course, absolutely no handrails. One awkward step could definitely ruin a vacation.
There are not many better predictors of healthy aging and a long life than the number of stairs (height of the hills) you climb in a day. If you can make that climb without relying on a railing the benefits are even better because of the balance required. We spend too much time and effort trying to make our physical life easier as we age (like eliminating stairs in homes for the elderly and making elevators/escalators the only real choice in many public spaces for example). The more we learn about aging well the more apparent it becomes that continuing to challenge ourselves physically as we age is critical to achieving that goal.
That said, there is a significant and growing percentage of the population that relies on aides like stair rails to be able to meaningfully participate in our society so we should be doing what we can reasonably do to make sure they can continue to do so. That requires money and the private sector has little motivation to step up absent a profit motive, regulation or insurance risk so if we want it to happen we should all stop voting in politicians who’s only promise is to lower our taxes while gutting the public service sector.
Pay good attention to Kelly, Lloyd.
The streets in Portugal are definitely not for the week-kneed. And we've also stayed in some otherwise quite swanky Airbnbs and rentals in Greece, Portugal and Malta with deathtrap staircases, usually made of shiny tiles, curving in multiple directions, with varying step sizes and, of course, absolutely no handrails. One awkward step could definitely ruin a vacation.
Great column, Lloyd!
In my observations the oldest people in the world live in mountainous regions.