Growing old is a fact of life.

But thanks to improved health care and innovative technology, more of us are living longer and healthier lives.

However, ageing isn’t always easy. That’s because your body and mind decline as you get older, and become more vulnerable to various diseases such as diabetes, dementia and some cancers.

In our new study, we followed more than 12,000 older Australians to find out if staying socially and mentally active could help people stay physically fit in older age.

Here’s what we discovered.

As we age, the tissues and organs in your body start to work less effectively. This is due to a process known as biological ageing, which scientists track by measuring how well the cells in your body function.

This process affects every person differently. That’s why some people may stay healthy well into their twilight years, while others age prematurely and become physically frail.

Frailty is a common condition among older people, which affects your ability to recover from illness or injury.

It’s a sign your body is deteriorating, and may increase your risk of falling and being hospitalised. It may also leave you more vulnerable to various diseases such as heart disease, dementia and depression, and even early death.

Read more: What is your real ‘biological age’, and what does this mean for your health?

In our recent study, we investigated whether certain social and........

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