An ancient Japanese tradition points a way to healthier aging

Every week, a small group of older women gathers in a little room next to the courtyard of a senior living center in Northern California to practice the centuries-old Japanese craft of arranging flowers.

The ikebana stylists, ranging from 75 to 95 years old, have been meeting for years. They come together for an hour on Tuesdays to work with yellow daffodils and flowering purple veronica, creating beautiful, delicate, and impermanent arrangements they will enjoy in their homes until the next week comes.

Ikebana follows strict rules that dictate style and form. Flower stems must be a precise length and lean at a precise angle. The second stem should be three-quarters the length of the first stem; the third, half the length of the second. The result is a colorful tapestry of flowers that are mathematically identical to one another, but completely unique in style.

“Before I retired, I was a CPA,” said Alice Huang, the group’s instructor. “But every day I wanted to look at flowers.”

Huang grew up in Taiwan and studied ikebana for over a decade. But many of the women in her class, who are also her neighbors, are novices, joining the class not to begin their journey toward master craftsmanship, but rather to bond over a shared activity.

“It’s hard to be upset when you’re around flowers,” said Irene Tang, the group’s founder.

The class, an hour a week, is a small ritual. But as the Bay Area works to implement a plan for an aging population, informal groups like this one are filling the gaps. According to experts, it’s exactly the type of life-affirming activity that can help seniors age actively, and healthily.

“These seemingly simple things are so meaningful,” said Ashwin Kotwal, an assistant professor of geriatrics at the University of California San Francisco. “Having that weekly opportunity to get together and discuss a very specific skill is just incredibly valuable.”

As the senior demographic grows rapidly, there’s a burgeoning awareness of the challenges that older Americans face.

In 2015, Alameda County released a report on these demographic changes, stating they represent “a profound shift in community, a shift requiring acknowledgment, thoughtful reflection and changes in public policy.” Those shifts also represent a rapidly growing, vulnerable population. Half of single older adults living in the county can’t cover basic living expenses. One in six older Californians lack access to affordable, healthy food.

Over the past decade, Alameda County has established a laundry list of efforts to support older adults, including expanded services for seniors and their families, increased housing and resources for healthier aging, and improved infrastructure to support senior services. Those efforts mirror a statewide program, California’s Master Plan for Aging, that aims to “build a California for all ages.”

The state’s plan outlines a five-goal program that would seek to add 1 million caregiving jobs, increase life expectancy, and bolster inclusion and equity for older Californians. According to the state’s indicator progress dashboard, the state has succeeded in enrolling seniors in CalFresh (a financial assistance program for purchasing food), adding more subsidized housing and lowering the suicide rate since launching the plan.

Although some progress has been made, many of the recommendations face entrenched societal barriers. California cannot rebuild mixed-use communities or rework the social support available to older adults overnight.

Nor will an ikebana club redefine the course of society. But experts say these sorts of groups do address one of the root causes of the challenges facing older Americans: social isolation.

As adults age, they often become disconnected from friends and family members. Disabilities or memory loss can make them feel anxious about spending time with others. They are also more likely to live alone and to experience chronic illness.

This, in turn, creates a negative feedback loop. Studies have shown that loneliness and isolation lead to a higher risk of diabetes, heart disease, dementia and substance abuse.

“Basically every negative health outcome you can think of, loneliness is connected with it,” Kotwal said. “And yet our whole system relies on these informal caregivers to support you.”

According to experts, social isolation is inextricably linked to economic insecurity that many older adults. Without a support system, older adults are forced to reckon with the challenges of losing a job or facing a health crisis on their own. They can be left in precarious circumstances.

Experts say community, ultimately, is an effective solution. Whether it’s ikebana, a book club, or a gardening program, spending time around people regularly creates the types of connection that breed wellness and build a network of support.

“It’s just so important,” said Joan Buchanan, another resident of Stoneridge Creek, where the ikebana group creates their colorful arrangements. “We just never get tired of being around people.”

Beyond the joy of arranging flowers, ikebana is a way of connecting to a centuries-old tradition; it requires patience, study and thought. The craft has its roots in 8th century Japan, embracing imperfection, and combining nature and humanity. The name ikebana derives from the Japanese words “to arrange,” “have life” and “be living.”

A Rutgers University behavioral survey showed that spending time with flowers can decrease depression, refresh recent memory and encourage companionship.

To the women gathering in the ikebana class, the pleasure of the group is much more straightforward. There is reverence for the craft, but there is little pressure or competition. For Huang, who devoted over a decade of her life to studying ikebana, it’s still the feeling of watching someone dote over their creation that is the most satisfying.

“Each time, seeing my neighbors walking out with flowers, their happy faces,” Huang said. “That’s the purpose for me.”