What if one of the most powerful drivers of longevity isn’t a drug, diet, or medical breakthrough? Instead, it’s healthy social connection with friends, family, and people in our workplace, and others in our communities.
In this episode of 12 Geniuses, Ken Stern, author of Healthy to 100, explores one of the most overlooked factors in living a long, healthy life. Ken acknowledges diet, exercise, stress management, and sleep are important, but too many people neglect how vital vibrant social connection can be to healthy aging.
Ken explains why strong relationships, community, and meaningful social engagement are critical not just to longevity, but to healthspan - the number of years we live in good health. He also looks beyond individual behavior to examine how communities and countries can intentionally create environments that help people stay connected throughout their lives.
Drawing on examples from Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Italy, and Spain, Ken explores how different countries and communities are strengthening social connections and what these efforts can teach the rest of the world. As populations live longer and demographics shift, how we work, where we live, how communities are designed, and how organizations create purpose and belonging will all be transformed.
For anyone interested in longevity, healthy aging, or the future of society, this conversation offers a compelling insight. Living longer may depend on how well we stay connected to one another.
About Ken Stern
Ken Stern is the Founder and Chair of the Longevity Project, which fosters public conversation and research on the impact on longer lives on civil society, and engages a global audience through events, research and newsletters. He is also the host of the award-winning podcast Century Lives, from the Stanford Center on Longevity.
Ken is the author of the recently released book Healthy to 100: How Strong Social Ties Lead To Long Lives. Ken was previously the CEO of National Public Radio.
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