When You Think About It, Active Aging Should Be the Whole Point of a Senior Living Community
Industry Insight | April 2026
Active aging, a concept defined by the World Health Organization, is at the heart of how Momentum designs life in every one of its communities.
Are you familiar with the concept of "active aging"? It's a term the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted in the late 1990s, and it centers on factors in addition to healthcare that affect how people age, individually and collectively.
If you take a look at how the WHO defines active aging, it's easy to see how Momentum communities offer an ideal living environment for older adults who want to be successful in active aging.
What Is Active Aging?
The overall objective of active aging is to extend healthy life expectancy and quality of life as people age, according to the WHO. The organization defines it as the process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation, and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age.
The WHO says active aging "allows people to realize their potential for physical, social and mental well-being throughout the life course and to participate in society according to their needs, desires and capacities, while providing them with adequate protection, security and care when they require assistance."
"Active" doesn't refer solely to the ability to be physically active, the WHO notes. It also encompasses ongoing participation in social, economic, cultural, spiritual, and civic affairs.
What Does Active Aging Look Like in Practice?
Across Momentum communities, active aging takes shape every day in the choices residents make, from joining a fitness class or art studio session, to gathering with neighbors for a shared meal, to taking part in lectures, lifelong learning, volunteer projects, and resident-led councils.
Many residents tell us they arrived expecting a quieter chapter of life, only to find themselves more engaged than ever. Without the upkeep of a house and with a calendar of programs at their doorstep, their days fill naturally with movement, learning, and connection.
Meals become social occasions. Card games and trivia nights are as much about friendship as competition. Group fitness classes draw residents who once exercised alone, and discover they enjoy it far more in good company.
Steps for Being an Active Ager
Researchers and aging experts consistently point to a handful of habits that support healthier, more vibrant aging:
- Stay positive: Positive attitudes about aging are associated with better health outcomes and lower risk of chronic illness.
- Stay connected: An active social life can lower the risk of depression and is linked to longer life expectancy.
- Stay involved: Participating in meaningful activities promotes wellness and a sense of purpose, regardless of physical or cognitive status.
- Stay healthy: It's never too late to adopt healthier behaviors, better nutrition, more movement, and preventive care all make a difference.
- Stay curious: Learning new skills and engaging the brain in new ways may help delay or prevent cognitive decline.
- Stay calm: Managing stress through movement, mindfulness, sleep, and connection benefits people at every age.
Designed Around Active Aging
Momentum communities are intentionally designed to make active aging the default, not the exception. Thoughtfully programmed fitness centers, studios, dining venues, lounges, and outdoor spaces give residents room to move, create, gather, and grow.
Whether someone joins us in independent living, assisted living, or memory care, our goal is the same: to surround them with opportunities to live fully, physically, socially, intellectually, and emotionally, well into their 80s, 90s, and beyond.
Want to see what active aging looks like at a Momentum community? Contact us and we'd be glad to arrange a visit.