Exploring these components of successful ageing with older persons who have aged successfully, and health professionals was the basis of my research.

My formula for successful ageing begins with Rowe and Kahn, extends through my research and concludes with the results from interviews with Elders and Health Professionals as part of my PhD.

The analysis of these results allowed me to develop a formula that may be of benefit in helping to understand some of the risk factors to avoid in our daily lives. My research stands on the shoulders of Rowe and Kahn and others, moves through to the additional lifestyle factors.

The concept or model for successful ageing which evolved from the interviews, is shown in the following diagram and described later.

The components identified by the elders was similar to those identified by the longest lived people on our planet.

The areas where they lived are described by Beutner(2008) as Blue Zones. These areas included Okinawa, Sardinia, and two locations in USA. Other research by leaf et al, identified the Abkhasians, Vilcambambans, and the Hunzans of the Hunza Valley, as the longest-lived people that have been studied. We can learn much from study the lifestyle habits of these people.