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The 40th annual reception to which the Sparkasse Fulda invited people to the Orangery turned out to be a well-rounded affair: medical ethicist Prof. Dr. Alina Buyx highlighted social relationships as the main factor for a good, long life.
Fulda – Chairman of the Board Uwe Marohn emphasized the continued great interest in the event, which was fully booked within a few days. Thanks to this popularity and the lack of “big pomp,” Fulda is one of the few savings banks that stuck to the tradition of the annual reception.
Dr. Alina Buyx at the Sparkasse Fulda's 40th annual reception
Maroh led into the lecture with the question of whether we want to give more years to life or more life to years. “Both,” replied the medical ethicist Buyx and put it: “What makes a long life a good life?” The renowned scientist from the Technical University of Munich, who was chairwoman of the German Ethics Council from 2020 to 2024, highlighted medical aspects as well as social and economic ones. The expert, who is known from television as the presenter of the science discussion Nano Talk, spoke in a conversational tone, always involving the audience.
She asked what the listeners thought had contributed most to increasing life expectancy in Germany. Surprisingly, this was not due to medicine, but primarily to the supply of clean drinking water, safe food and hygienic living conditions. Vaccinations and antibiotics have had the most significant impact on medical progress.
The aging society also brings with it challenges. She would like to see demographic change taken seriously and consciously accepted. This means that the younger generation is protected and valued by the older generation, to whom political power is increasingly shifting. “This appreciation should be reflected in the political objectives,” said Buyx. At the same time, the healthcare system in an older society must focus more on the care of chronic diseases, but also on prevention.
Buyx reveals: This is how you can live a long and happy life
“Everyone can do so much for themselves!” she appealed and listed the main factors that ensure an increase in healthy years of life: exercise, nutrition, social relationships, sleep, stress management, avoiding smoking and alcohol, purpose (curiosity, learning and meaning). Volunteering contributes positively to the latter.
“A good life is built on a long life,” stated Buyx and said that everyone has it in their own hands to develop a long life that makes them happy. People in the Scandinavian countries are happiest, followed by Costa Rica. This shows that happiness is neither linked to a high gross domestic product nor to an expensive healthcare system.
Although material security is also one of the determinants of a good life, social integration comes first. Freedom, autonomy and control over one's own life also played a role. This is why autocratic states only appear very far back in the happiness atlas, the speaker concluded. (By Sandra Limpert)
Recently The Sparkasse branch on Georg-Stieler-Straße in Künzell also shines in new splendor. It not only became more digital and brighter, but also larger. It is also now barrier-free.
