HEALTHY AGING

1
HEALTHY AGING

• Dr. VINOD KUMAR
• Emeritus Prof., St Stephens Hospital, Delhi
• Formerly, Prof. of Medicine Chief, Geriatric
  Services, AIIMS, New Delhi
• WHO Advisory Panel on Aging and Health

2
HEALTHY AGINGDEFINITION AND GOALS

• Healthy and active aging is a process to achieve
• physical, mental and social well being throughout
• ones life particularly in the later years
• WHAT IS THE GOAL ?
• Disease disability free life with high physical
  
• cognitive function and active engagement with
  life
• in old age

3
HEALTHY AGING IS A REALITY AND NOT A DREAM

• Functional capacity like ventilator capacity,
  muscle strength cardiovascular output increases
  in childhood peaks in early adulthood,
  eventually followed by a decline resulting in
  disease disability in old age.
• Rate of decline however gets accelerated by
  negative adult life style factors like smoking,
  alcohol, lack of exercise, improper diet as well
  as by environmental external factors Hence
  this decline can be slowed down or even reversed
  at any age through the individual himself or the
  policy makers.

4
DETERMINANTS OF ACTIVE AGING

• Behavioural smoking, alcohol, exercise, diet,
  drugs
• Environmental pollution, home safety,
  rural/urban
• Socioeconomic family,community ,income, literacy
• Personal biology, genetics, coping mechanisms
• Services primary care, health prom. disease
  preven

5
IS PRESENT MINDSET CHANGING ?

• Traditionally, elderly in India have come to
  accept failing health dependency as a part of
  their old age, disengage from material life,
  practice spirituality and live in joint family.
• With increasing life span, greater social
  household involvement of elderly is happening but
  it is a challenge for Indian geriatricians to
  change their mindset so that they begin adopting
  healthy lifestyles environment to eliminate
  risk factors and remain fit and independent.

6
HEALTHY AGING DETERMINANTSWith Impact on Life
Long Development and QOL

• NEGATIVE
• Poverty Abuse
• Illiteracy
• Double Burden
• Insanitation
• Inaccessible Care

• POSITIVE
• Joint Family
• Active Involvement
• Physical Activity
• Vegetarianism
• Spirituality Relax

7
MODIFIABLE DISEASE RISK FACTORS

• Cardiovascular sedentary, obesity, lipids,
  BP, salt, diet, smok, pollut
• Pulmonary smoking, environmental
  pollution
• Neurological BP, smoking, alcohol, diet,
  depress,mental inactivity
• Diabetes diet,sedentary, obesity
• Musculoskeletal sedentary, obesity, hormone
  deficiency
• Gastrointestinal low fibre, alcohol, poor oral
  hygiene
• Urogenital BP, hormone deficiency
• Infections under nutrition, poor
  skin care and no vaccination
• Cancers diet, smoking, chewing
  tobacco
• Spl senses sunlight, noise,
  diabetes, water fluoride, drugs
• Accidents unsafe homes
• 
  K S Sunil. Primer on Geriatric Care. Pp
  12-18, 2002

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SUMMARY OF LIFE STYLE GOALS

• Physical activity
• Healthy diet
• Avoid smoking
• Judicious medication
• Good oral hygiene
• Health screening

• Social involvement
• Mental activity
• Immunizations
• Hormones HRT
• Clean environment
• Home safety

9
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

• Benefits Physiological, psychological and
  social.
• if physical exercise could be dispensed as a
  pill, it could be the most valuable prescription
  to prevent diseases (Edward Staneley)
• Varieties Aerobic, resistance and balance
  exercises.
• yogic, spiritual exercise related to work,
  recreation, household and social interaction
• Duration Brisk walk for 20-60 mts for 3-5 d/week
• morning walk better as he is fresh, walks
  with his whole body in evening he walks only
  with his legs
• 1.WHO. The Heidelberg Guidelines. JAPA 5 2-8,
  1997 2.Vinod Kumar. JAPA 6 205-6, 1998

10
HEALTHY DIET

• Low fat, low salt, adequate liquids, proteins,
  vitamins, calcium, micronutrients and high fibre,
  fruits and vegetables
• Make them relish their food with good flavour,
  smell, colour, utencils and environment
• Frequent small meals, no overeating
• food left on the table does more good than
  what has been taken

11
SMOKING AND EXCESS ALCOHOL

• It is never too late to quit smoking
• Consuming alcohol in excess is different from
  taking in moderation
• Scientific methods are in place to give up these
  addictions and to deal with problems of withdrawl

12
JUDICIOUS MEDICATIONS

• Properly understand directions of their use
• Take with or after food unless told otherwise
• Get ingredients checked to avoid duplication
• Consult doctor to avoid unnecessary medicines
• Never hoard medicines you no longer require
• Do not share medicines with anyone

13
MISCELLANEOUS

• Personal cleanliness and oral hygiene
• Bowel movements and sound sleep
• Avoid dust and pollution
• Home and road safety
• Specific tasks e.g.Screening, HRT, immunization
• Engagement with life is a must A perpetual
  holiday is a good working definition of
  hell-Bernard Shaw
• Have a positive attitude To me old age is always
  15 years older than I am