Importance of healthy aging -
She works closely with the children, teaching independence and emotional strength. is to strive. the most educated woman in your community. Respect the old and spend time with the elderly. An Italian man was 60 years old when he founded the company that made him a billionaire at After a full career as an engineer, he used his severance check to begin building probe cards—tools to test the quality of microchips in production—from his kitchen in the Milan region.
This experiment resulted in his company becoming one of the top two probe card manufacturers in the world. This concept of health extending beyond physical attributes resonates with older adults.
A recent MHI survey found that the majority of older adults think all four dimensions of health are important. While respondents over age 65 were more likely to have one or more health conditions, two-thirds reported good or very good perceived overall health.
Another recent MHI survey focused on understanding generational differences found that 70 percent of baby boomers perceived their overall quality of life as high—eight percentage points higher than Gen Z respondents.
The personal and social influencing factors can include how physical and cognitive fitness overlap. For example, numerous studies have shown a link between higher levels of physical activity and better brain health.
When examining social and spiritual engagement, social scientists have identified social isolation and loneliness as an increasing problem, with rates of reported loneliness in older adults reaching 20 to 34 percent across China, Europe, Latin America, and the United States.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, social isolation increases the risk of premature death—a risk that is similar to those seen with smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity.
People living in high-income countries enjoy up to a year difference in healthy life expectancy HLE at birth, compared with people born in low- and medium-income countries.
However, within a country, the HLE can vary widely—for example, in England, people living in the least advantaged areas have a year lower HLE than those in the most advantaged areas.
MHI has identified six shifts that would be needed to see a step change in healthy aging across the four dimensions of health Exhibit 3. A key focus for MHI is improving brain health, which includes strengthening cognitive function, improving mental health, and effectively preventing and treating mental, neurological, and substance-use disorders.
Mental and neurological disorders contribute a substantial portion of disease burden in individuals over The likelihood of individuals requiring improvements in brain health as they age only increases as people live longer lives with more years spent in less-than-optimal health.
To protect brain health as individuals age, we must look across all dimensions of health—mental, physical, social, and spiritual—for both risk and protective factors. Risk factors for cognitive decline include some mental- and physical-health conditions, such as depression, high blood pressure, and diabetes, as well as some medications.
As individuals live longer with these conditions or more years in poor health, the risk of these conditions negatively affecting brain health increases. Addressing inactivity, social isolation, and loneliness may help prevent cognitive decline, and individuals who maintain hobbies, reduce or better manage stress, keep a daily routine, and have sufficient sleep may have improved brain health.
These elements act as pillars for optimal social and spiritual health. To prevent the potential for dramatic increases in disease burden due to less-than-optimal health and aging populations, we must address mental, physical, social, and spiritual factors, with an eye toward preventing and treating brain health.
Mark Gold, Council on Recovery, May 7, Globally, there is underinvestment in prevention of disease or impaired mobility.
For example, European countries invest, on average, 2. While the path to healthy aging begins at adulthood, there is much that can be done for individuals in later years. More prevention efforts should be focused on conditions correlated to age, such as dementia and sensory impairments.
See WHO global report on falls prevention in older age , March 17, Other prevention efforts could focus on how adults manage conditions such as depression throughout their lives, how older adults can continue to find purpose, social connections, and financial security, and strategies to encourage lifelong physical activity, even as mobility changes with age.
Moreover, previous studies have indicated that prevention programs—both clinical for example, hearing technology for those hard of hearing 29 In the United Kingdom, one study found that 30 percent of outpatients tested had an undiagnosed hearing loss that could be addressed.
There is strong evidence that provision of hearing technology to people with hearing loss supports social activity, decreases risk of depression, and may reduce the risk of dementia. See What works: Hearing loss and healthy ageing , NHS England, May See World report on ageing and health , WHO, In the future, pharmacological and dietary interventions may be focused on preventive targeting of the modifiable mechanisms of aging.
Regulators are beginning to recognize aging as an underlying, targetable condition, generating more focus on and funding for aging research and initiatives. One example is the TAME trial Targeting Aging with Metformin , a clinical trial approved by the FDA targeting aging. Ushering a new era of interventions.
The private sector also is continuing to double down on aging research: venture capital VC has been raising their investment in anti-aging research. Companies such as BioAge Labs are amassing longitudinal data of centenarians to understand, on a molecular biological level, the factors underpinning a long and healthy life.
This involves the multiomic study of high-quality longitudinal data sets, with proteomic, metabolomic, and transcriptomic analysis of thousands of proteins and RNA transcripts.
Unraveling the biological process of aging requires comparisons both within the same person understanding how the pathways change with age and among different people identifying the differences responsible for longevity. Medicine right now is targeting diseases as if they were independent occurrences, and granted, they have their own risk factors, but they also have a common trunk, and the biggest common trunk is aging.
As a risk factor, your age is seven times more important than your cholesterol level concerning your risk of a heart attack. Aging used to be considered unmodifiable, but now we have identified several pathways that control the aging rate.
Dialing these pathways up or down can change not only life expectancy but also health span, the healthy years of life. Investing in these preventative measures—across all four dimensions of health—can enable older people to enjoy a higher quality of life, increase social and economic contribution, and potentially reduce long-term healthcare costs.
Although technologies to capture the various data exists, gaining access to and integrating and linking these data sets remain a major challenge. The first step may be to define a standardized data catalog and measurements leveraging several existing examples.
See World report on ageing and health , WHO, and Active ageing index analytical report , United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, October Governments may also consider sharing and integrating data sources across public institutions, healthcare, academia, businesses, and individuals to create high-quality, integrated longitudinal data spanning all four dimensions of health.
Achieving this requires establishing a collaborative exchange of data that protects patient privacy, including strict data privacy measures and intellectual-property rights.
This richness in data could enable a better understanding of the widely varying needs of older adults and passively track conditions specific to older adults for example, cognitive performance over time , providing a solid evidence base for policies or personalized interventions.
The long-term goal is to create data-driven measurements of holistic health, supported by standardized, integrated data.
DALYs could be reduced by almost 30 percent, solely by applying proven interventions. These could include following a healthy diet; participating in physical activity; addressing social behaviors such as smoking cessation ; and ensuring access to vaccines, medicines for heart disease, diabetes and stroke prevention, and mental-health therapy.
Innovation should include, but also exceed far beyond, the traditional focus on life sciences. To drive innovation across the four dimensions of health as a society, society needs to foster and fund collaborations at the intersection of life sciences, digital, technology, and services.
There is already substantial venture capital entering the field of aging, and some companies are starting to tailor their product and service to the older population for example, remote assistance and fast medical consultation services.
Here are some ways to relieve stress. There is some research that links spiritual wellness with physical well-being. footnote 1 Spiritual wellness can bring comfort and lend strength for handling life's challenges. Some people find that tending to the spirit seems to be as healing as medicine itself.
Besides physical changes, cultural and psychological factors can affect sexuality in later years. For example, in today's culture, sexuality is often tied to youthful looks and vigour. But there is no age limit for enjoying sex. Physical and emotional needs change with time and circumstance.
Intimacy and sexuality may or may not be important to you. You can live a fulfilling life with or without sex. Most physical changes are the result of decreasing testosterone levels. These changes affect energy, strength, muscle and fat mass, and bone density.
They can also affect sexual function. Most physical changes take place after menopause. They're the result of decreased estrogen levels. Taking hormone therapy can reduce these changes. Not everyone has these problems. If you do have problems and they bother you, talk with your doctor about treatment options.
Try these tips to keep sexual activity a part of your life as you get older. Try setting the mood with candlelight or soft music. Fantasy and imagination may help arouse some people. Lubricants can be water-, silicone-, or oil-based.
Ask your doctor about what kind may be a better option for you. Do not use petroleum jelly. A doctor can also prescribe a vaginal cream containing estrogen, which will help reverse the changes in the vaginal tissues.
Good nutrition is important at any age. But it is especially important for older adults. Eating a healthy diet helps keep your body strong.
And it can help lower your risk for disease. As you get older, your nutrition needs change. Your body needs more of certain nutrients. These include vitamin B12, calcium, and vitamin D. But it may be harder for you to get these and other important nutrients. This could be for many reasons.
You may not feel as hungry as you used to. Or you could have problems with your teeth or mouth that make it hard to chew. Or you may not enjoy planning and preparing meals, especially if you live alone. Now that you need to get all your nutrients from less food, it is important to plan what you eat.
The suggestions below can help you get the nutrition you need. If you still need help, talk with your doctor. He or she may recommend that you work with a dietitian. A dietitian can help you plan meals.
As you get older, your nutritional needs change. For example:. People who are underweight or frail have low reserves for bouncing back after an illness or injury. In the later years, this can lead to permanent ill health or disability.
If you have trouble keeping your weight up, you'll need to take special measures to build your weight, energy, and resilience. Every day, follow your doctor's advice and the steps below. For example, choose whole milk instead of skim milk.
But try to limit your overall saturated fat intake. High cholesterol can affect anyone. If you are having trouble getting the food you need because of transportation, financial, or health problems, ask your doctor about local meal programs.
Most communities have Meals on Wheels programs that can deliver food to your door. And there are meals at churches and community centres that can nourish your needs for both food and social time.
Good health care doesn't just happen. You have to do your part. Taking an active role in your health care is the best way to make sure you get great care. Adaptation Reviewed By: Alberta Health Services. Adapted with permission from copyrighted materials from Healthwise, Incorporated Healthwise.
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Important Phone Numbers. Topic Contents Overview Health Tools Normal Aging Physical Activity Emotional and Mental Wellness Sexual Wellness Getting the Nutrition You Need Getting the Medical Care You Need Related Information References Credits.
Top of the page. Overview What is healthy aging? What kinds of changes should you expect as you get older? What do you need to do to feel your best as you age?
Other good health habits can help you stay at your best: Eat healthy foods. Choose vegetables and fruits, whole grain foods, and protein foods. Avoid salty foods and foods with a lot of fat in them.
If you smoke, try to quit. Health Tools Health Tools help you make wise health decisions or take action to improve your health. Decision Points focus on key medical care decisions that are important to many health problems. Healthy Aging: Is It Time to Stop Driving? Actionsets are designed to help people take an active role in managing a health condition.
Grief: Helping Older Adults With Grief. Normal Aging As your body ages, you can expect gradual changes, at your body's own pace. Metabolism and body composition. Brain and nervous system. Heart and blood circulation.
Urinary incontinence. Sexual function. Learn more Coping With Changing Sleep Patterns as You Get Older Frailty in Older Adults Healthy Aging: Is It Time to Stop Driving?
Menopause and Perimenopause Osteoporosis Preventing Falls in Older Adults Who Take High-Risk Medicines. Physical Activity Physical activity keeps your body strong, and it helps with how you feel. Kinds of activity that can help you stay healthy Being more active will make your daily activities easier.
There are four types of activity: Aerobic. Doing aerobic activity makes your heart and lungs strong. Includes walking, dancing, and gardening. Aim for at least 2½ hours spread throughout the week.
It improves your energy and can help you sleep better. This type of activity can help maintain muscle and strengthen bones. Includes climbing stairs, using resistance bands, and lifting or carrying heavy loads.
Aim for at least twice a week. It can help protect the knees and other joints. Stretching gives you better range of motion in joints and muscles. Includes upper arm stretches, calf stretches, and gentle yoga. Aim for at least twice a week, preferably after your muscles are warmed up from other activities.
It can help you function better in daily life. This helps you stay coordinated and have good posture. Includes heel-to-toe walking, tai chi, and certain types of yoga.
Aim for at least 3 days a week. It can reduce your risk of falling. Getting started with being active It's never too late to start getting active. Talk with your doctor if you're worried about how exercise might affect your health.
Start slow. Try to improve only a little bit at a time. Don't overdo it! Some minor soreness or stiffness is to be expected at first. But pain is a warning sign to stop.
Learn more Being Active When You Have Health Problems Fitness: Getting and Staying Active Get Regular Exercise for Mental Health Physical Activity as You Get Older Physical Activity Helps Prevent a Heart Attack and Stroke Preventing Falls in Older Adults Quick Tips: Having Enough Energy to Stay Active.
Fitness: Moving More Getting Started With Flexibility and Stretching Older Adults: Be Inspired to Get Active Older Adults: Getting Active After a Health Scare Older Adults: Making Physical Activity a Routine Older Adults: Overcoming Barriers to Fitness.
Emotional and Mental Wellness As you get older, there are some things you can do to protect or improve your memory and keep your mind sharp. Keep your brain active and challenged.
Make it easy to remember. Write down dates, names, and other important information that you easily forget. Use routine and repetition. For example, keep daily items such as keys and eyeglasses in a specific place. And when you meet someone new, picture that person while you repeat his or her name out loud to others or to yourself several times to commit it to memory.
No matter what your age, having too much on your mind can keep you from remembering new information. And as you age, it's normal to take longer to retrieve new information from your memory bank. Prevent depression.
To help keep from getting depressed: Be active. While physical activity produces chemicals in the body that promote emotional well-being, being inactive can make depression, anxiety, and stress worse.
Avoid the depressant effect of alcohol and sedative use. Eat healthy meals and snacks. Include meaningful activity in your daily life, such as learning, creating, working, and volunteering.
Be social. Stay in touch with friends, family, and your community. Whether healthy or ill, people who feel connected to others are more likely to thrive than those who are socially isolated.
Don't smoke. Cigarette smoking may speed mental decline. Managing stress Here are some ways to relieve stress. Be active. Exercise and activity can help reduce stress.
Walking is a great way to get started. Do something you enjoy, like a favourite hobby or listening to music. This can help you relax by focusing more on the present moment. Do guided imagery. Imagine yourself in any setting that helps you feel calm. You can use online videos, books, or a teacher to guide you.
Express your feelings. Talk with supportive friends or family, a counsellor, or a faith leader about your feelings.
Avoid discussing your feelings with people who make you feel worse. Try writing about how you feel. It may help you to see what's causing stress so you can find ways to cope. Spiritual wellness There is some research that links spiritual wellness with physical well-being.
Learn more Depression in Older Adults Grief: Helping Older Adults With Grief How You Can Help Older Adults Stay Connected Quitting Smoking Sharing Memories With Older Adults Simple Ways to Connect With Others and Reduce Loneliness Spirituality and Your Health Stop Negative Thoughts: Choosing a Healthier Way of Thinking Stress Management.
How to Do Guided Imagery How to Do Mindfulness Meditation How to Do Progressive Muscle Relaxation Moving More For Mental Wellness Preventing Falls in Older Adults Your Thoughts Affect What You Feel and Do.
Sexual Wellness Besides physical changes, cultural and psychological factors can affect sexuality in later years. Normal sexual changes in males Most physical changes are the result of decreasing testosterone levels.
Your sexual response starts to slow down after age But your sex drive is more likely to be affected by your health and attitude about sex and intimacy than by your age. It may take longer to get an erection. Also, more time needs to pass between erections. Erections will be less firm.
But if you have good blood flow to your penis, you should be able to have erections that are firm enough for sexual intercourse throughout your life. As you age, you may be able to delay ejaculation for a longer time.
Normal sexual changes in females Most physical changes take place after menopause. It may take longer to become sexually excited. The walls of the vagina get thinner and drier. They're more easily irritated during sexual intercourse. Orgasms may be somewhat shorter than they used to be.
The contractions felt during orgasm can be less intense. Staying sexually active as you get older Try these tips to keep sexual activity a part of your life as you get older. Use more foreplay and direct contact with sexual organs. This can enhance sexual response.
Set the mood. Use a lubricant to reduce vaginal dryness or irritation. Drink alcohol only in moderation. Larger amounts of alcohol may decrease your sexual performance.
Today, the vast majority of adults across the world can Prediabetes statistics to Ipmortance decades Importace retirement Importajce. Nutritional support for digestive disorders more than double to an Importance of healthy aging 1. marking one of the most profound demographic shifts in human history. it has not been as successful in extending the span of healthy life. A person on average will live ten more years in medium or poor health, impacting the ability to live life fully and leading to increases in care and dependency.
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