Why is Healthy Ageing Important

Introductory Comments
• The proportion of older persons in population is
increasing rapidly across the globe but in this century it is
more in the low and middle income countries
encompassing many Asian nations with certain
prominent features – rising life expectancies,
feminization of ageing and setting in of chronic diseases
besides still garbling with acute health problems with
limited socioeconomic resources.
• Thus Demographics and epidemiological transitions
demand healthy ageing approach across the life course.
• It is extremely pertinent that in the coming decades focus
is on improving and maintaining adult population’s
wellbeing through healthy ageing initiatives.
 The concept of healthy ageing
• The World Health Organization defines healthy or
active ageing as 'the process of developing and
maintaining the functional ability that enables well-
being in older age'. It incorporates physical, mental
and social health dimensions – as a holistic aspect.
• This is an extremely important concept in ageing
societies as it emphasizes on life course approach, a
right based perspective and life long provisions for
wellbeing comprising of both social and health care
empowering facilities. It is a universal and all
inclusive perspective.
• Healthy Ageing is an individual lived experience, it is
dynamic. The intent to age well should be fostered
early in life by families, communities and societies.
 Misconceptions need to be removed
• Often healthy ageing is viewed as the absence of
disease or infirmity. This is a narrow
understanding.
• Ageing does over a period of time bring certain
changes in circumstances. Managing these
challenges well is about adopting healthy ageing
practice which also involves understanding
heterogeneity in ageing and each older adult
adopting their own path towards healthy ageing.
• It is a process to attain and maximize functional
ability, use of assistive technologies and other
measures to achieve it are all relevant tools.
 What is key to healthy ageing
• Main focus should be to keep older adults safe
within the broader scope of healthy ageing.
• It thus entails possession of multiple abilities
which allow to: meet basic needs; learn, grow
and make decisions; be mobile; build and
maintain relationships; and contribute to society
in socioeconomic sense as a personal and
societal resource.
• We need to have proactive approach for healthy
ageing only then quality of life in later years can
be sustained and improved.
 There is compelling need to understand
benefits of healthy ageing
• It increases wellbeing and participation, aids in
recovering from illness more quickly, reduces the
risk of getting chronic disease, improves flexibility
and agility, thus prevents falls which is a growing
necessity in ageing societies across the globe.
• By adopting the concept of healthy ageing, societies
commit towards improving the lives of older
people, their families and the communities.
• Various healthy ageing initiatives add quality of life
by reducing age related vulnerabilities.
 It is imperative to understand that
• Many factors influence healthy aging. Some of
these are not in our control, such as genetics, but
many environmental factors can be controlled.
• Taking care of physiological and mental health are
adaptable conditions whose negative and positive
impacts can be determined and regulated.
• Achieving healthy ageing is within a person’s reach.
Research done in the past and present supports and
identifies actions that contribute towards
maintaining healthy ageing which contributes
towards maintaining quality of life for dignified
living in later years as a person ages.
 Important aspects to remember
• For compression of morbidity which is pertinent
part of healthy ageing concept – taking care of
physiological and cognitive health by staying
physically and mentally active, eating healthy,
making smart choices in diet, staying socially
engaged, pursuing tasks that bring healthy
outcomes.
• Healthy ageing is the present and future agenda of
all societies and it is crucial that governments
support this be having age related policies and
programs for its people.
• THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENT LISTENING.