Science and Religion Today » Purpose

Sense of Purpose Reduces the Risk of Alzheimer’s

Heather Wax — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:35:40 +0000

Seniors who say they have a greater sense of purpose and direction in their lives seem to also have a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study from researchers at the Rush University Medical Center.
The researchers used a questionnaire to measure the seniors’ sense of purpose and then followed up with them a number of years later. They found that those who scored in the top 10 percent on the measurement were about 2.4 times more likely to stay Alzheimer’s-free than were those who scored in the bottom ten percent. In other words, seniors who agreed most with statements like “I feel good when I think of what I have done in the past and what I hope to do in the future” were much less likely to develop Alzheimer’s than were those who disagreed with the statements. They also showed a slower rate of cognitive decline.
While the mechanism behind the link isn’t yet known, the researchers suggest it may have something to do with the fact that purpose in life has also been linked to positive effects on the immune system and blood vessels. And a sense of purpose, they point out, is something that can be instilled:

In particular, these findings may provide a new treatment target for interventions aimed at enhancing health and well-being in older adults. Purpose in life is a potentially modifiable factor that may be increased via specific behavioral strategies that help older persons identify personally meaningful activities and engage in goal-directed behaviors. Even small behavioral modifications ultimately may translate into an increased sense of intentionality, usefulness, and relevance.

Before I Die I Want to …

Heather Wax — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:35:29 +0000

Check out this Polaroid project by artists Nicole Kenney and ks rives, who are asking hundreds of people in America and India to share what they want to do before they die—to compare our values and views of death, explore our ability to dream, and find out what motivates us to take action.
Participate in the project by sending them your photo, a handwritten statement explaining what you want in your life before you die, and your email address.

Do You Know Someone (60+) Changing the World?

Heather Wax — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:50:14 +0000

If you do, nominate that person for the 2010 Purpose Prize, which awards cash prizes to Americans over 60 who are putting their passion and experience to use for the greater good. Winners receive up to 100,000 dollars to help them create new ways of solving our toughest social problems.
The nomination deadline is March 5.

Congratulations, 2009 Purpose Prize Winners

Heather Wax — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:52:50 +0000

And thanks for using your passion, skills, and experience to help solve some of the world’s biggest problems.
The 11 winners, all social entrepreneurs older than 60, are using their “encore careers” to innovate. As Marc Freedman, co-founder of the prizes, notes:

More than ever, the problems facing our communities, our country and our world call out for creative solutions. Fortunately, we don’t run out of ideas as we age. Like so many others in this new stage of life between the end of midlife careers and the beginning of true old age, The Purpose Prize winners combine creativity, experience and passion with a desire to do something bigger than themselves.

You can already nominate someone for the 2010 Purpose Prize. The deadline is March 5.

Older People With a Purpose Live Longer

Heather Wax — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:44:00 +0000

A greater purpose in life is linked to longer life for the elderly, according to a new study by neuropsychologist Patricia Boyle and her colleagues at Rush University Medical Center. They studied more than 1,200 older adults at two separate times five years apart. During the period in between, 151 participants died, but the researchers found that a senior with a high purpose in life was about half as likely to die than was a senior with a low purpose. (Boyle defines purpose as the tendency to find meaning in life’s experiences and to be focused and intentional).
“The finding that purpose in life is related to longevity in older persons suggests that aspects of human flourishing—particularly the tendency to derive meaning from life’s experiences and possess a sense of intentionality and goal-directedness—contribute to successful aging,” says Boyle.
“Although we think that having a sense of purpose in life is important across the lifespan,” she adds, “measurement of purpose in life in older persons in particular may reveal an enduring sense of meaningfulness and intentionality in life that somehow provides a buffer against negative health outcomes.”

Calling All Social Innovators (Older Than 60)

Heather Wax — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 15:27:00 +0000

Nominations are now open for the 2009 Purpose Prize, a Civic Ventures initiative that awards cash prizes to Americans over 60 who are finding new ways to solve our most significant social problems by combining innovation, creativity, and their experience. Winners will each receive up to 100,000 dollars. The nomination period ends March 5.

Let the Nominations Begin

Heather Wax — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 17:01:00 +0000

Nominations opened today for the 2008 Purpose Prize, a Civic Ventures initiative that awards five 100,000 dollar prizes and ten 10,000 dollar prizes to Americans over 60 who are working to solve significant social problems by combining innovation, creativity, and their experience. Nominations close March 1.

Character Development

Heather Wax — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 15:32:00 +0000

Congratulations to the 2007 Purpose Prize winners. Chosen from more than 1,100 nominations from 48 states, these five social entrepreneurs, all over the age of 60, have used their life experience to improve their communities and to innovate. It’s time to redefine how we think of retirement, believes Civic Ventures President Marc Freedman, who helped initiate the prizes. “It’s the intersection of the longevity revolution and the demographic revolution and either one of those alone would be a significant social development,” he says, “but the combination brings things to a magnitude that we’re only beginning to grasp.” —Heather Wax