Medieval housing could be secret to longer life
LOS ANGELES: Living in medieval-style almshouses could be the secret to enjoying a longer life, new U.K.-based research has suggested.
A study published by researchers at Bayes Business School found that less wealthy, older residents living in almshouses in England—some of which were built in the Middle Ages, typically by a charitable organization for poor people to live in—have a longer life expectancy than many richer people living in other areas.
The principle of almshouses remains intact today—typically, a charitable organization owns the buildings and provides housing to elderly people with lower incomes. Those living in the structures are required to pay a “maintenance contribution,” which is a lot less than the average rent paid in other properties in the U.K.
Bayes Business School’s research reinforces the view that the model is still very much alive and well. From analyzing residents at the Royal Hospital Chelsea and Charterhouse, experts determined that those living in those structures have a longevity boost of 2.4 years. This is equivalent to an extra 15 percent of lifetime at the point of joining, the study claimed.
The Royal Hospital Chelsea was built in 1682, specifically for the purpose of housing war veterans. Charterhouse is an older structure, dating back to the 14th century.
Researchers believe the longevity boost could be due to the community spirit that surrounds almshouses, which could contribute to better physical and mental health and that “helps combat the loneliness epidemic amongst older age groups,” the study said.
The findings go against previous research that suggests those with lower income tend not to live as long as wealthier people.
Scientists involved in the study said more research is needed to determine exactly why these facilities increase life expectancy.
An additional benefit of an almshouse community is that it provides the necessary support to enable hospitalized residents to be discharged as soon as they are physically ready. They may also have someone on site to help them quickly if they have any concerns or difficulties.
“Our research has found that this doesn’t have to be the case. We discovered that many almshouse residents receive a longevity boost when compared to their peers of the same socioeconomic status from the wider population,” Ben Rickayzen, professor of Actuarial Science at Bayes Business School, said in a press release. “More research is needed to ascertain exactly what factors cause almshouse residents to have a longer life; however, we postulate that it is the sense of the community that is the most powerful ingredient.
“For example, a common theme within the almshouses included in the study is that they encourage residents to undertake social activities and responsibilities on behalf of their fellow residents. This is likely to increase their sense of belonging and give them a greater sense of purpose in their everyday lives while mitigating against social isolation.”