Every year, World Health Day is celebrated on 7 April to mark the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1948. World Health Day is a global campaign, It calls everyone – from global leaders to the public in all countries to focus on a single health challenge with global impact. World Health Day provides an opportunity to start collective action to protect people’s health and well-being. It is an opportunity to engage in finding solutions that benefit us all.

1. ADDING LIFE TO
YEARS!
Happy, Healthy, Active Seniors
Dr.Sujnanendra Mishra

2. World Health Day 2012
- Ageing and health -
• Every year, World Health Day is celebrated on 7 April to
mark the anniversary of the founding of the World
Health Organization (WHO) in 1948. World Health Day is
a global campaign,
• It calls everyone – from global leaders to the public in all
countries –
• to focus on a single health challenge with global impact.
• World Health Day provides an opportunity to start
collective action to protect people’s health and well-
being.
• It is an opportunity to engage in finding solutions that
benefit us all.

5. India’s population pyramid,
1950,

6. India’s population pyramid,
1970,

7. India’s population pyramid
1990

8. India’s population pyramid
2010

9. India’s population pyramid
2030

10. India’s population pyramid
2050

13. • “At work, older workers bring experience,
stability and quiet deliberation to their
workplaces.”
• Someone once said that “age doesn’t matter
unless you’re a cheese”. We hope that this
book has shown you

14. Proportions Aged 65+ and Under Five: 1950-2050
14

15. Oldest and Youngest Countries:
(median age)
Nation 2005 2050
Japan 43 55
Italy 42 51
Germany 42 49
WORLD 28 38
Mali 16 25
Niger 16 21
Uganda 15 23
USA 36 41
China 33 45
India 24 39
15

16. Percent 65 Years or Older for
World and Italy:
1950, 2000 and 2050
40
36
35
Percent 65 years or older
30
25
20 18
16
15
10 8 7
5
5
0
1950 2000 2050 World
Year Italy
16

17. Percent 80 Years or Older for
World and Italy:
1950, 2000 and 2050
16.0 15
14.0
Percent 80 years or older
12.0
10.0
8.0
6.0 5
4
4.0
2.0 1
0.5 0.5
0.0
1950 2000 2050 World
Year Italy
17

18. Potential Support Ratio (PSR) for World and Italy:
1950-2050
(persons 15-64 per person 65 14
11.6
12
Potential support ratio
10 9.1
or older)
7.9
8
6
4.1
3.7
4
2 1.5
World
Italy
0
1950 2000 2050
Year
18

19. Ratio of Workers to Pensioner and
Pensioners in China: 1980-2005
19

20. National Population Decline: 2006-2030
(millions)
20

21. From pyramid to mushroom

23. Population Ageing is first and foremost a
success story for public health policies as
well as social and economic
development…
Gro Harlem Brundtland, WHO Director General

24. Elderly Dependency Ratio
• The number of persons aged 65 and over per 1,000
persons aged between 15 and 64
• People in the age group of 15 to 64 years old
support persons aged 65 or over
• Assumption: as population ages, fewer workers to
support more older persons

25. But the question is:
Are societal wealth and productivity only
generated by persons in the age group of 15
to 64?

26. Research shows:
• older workers are usually willing and enthusiastic
about learning new skills
• older workers can learn, although training
techniques may need to be adapted
• lower absenteeism and staff turnover among older
workers

27. Research shows:
• initial cognitive functioning of most
individuals is higher than that needed for
most ordinary tasks
• older persons are still fit to work at 75 years
of age with their IQ and EQ intact
• while some older workers may be less
flexible and adaptable, they are more
reliable, conscientious, and loyal

28. Employment of older people can be a
very positive socio-economic factor.
Older workers:
• continue to pay taxes
• contribute to retirement fund schemes
• generate wealth for themselves and society
Being employed enhance personal dignity and
keep people out of poverty.

29. The fact is, older persons are going to be:
• more healthy
• better educated
and will aspire to play a different role in society

30. Need of the hour

31. HEALTHY AGING
DEFINITION AND GOALS
Healthy and active aging is a process to achieve
physical, mental and social well being throughout
one’s 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

32. 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.

33. 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

34. 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.

35. HEALTHY AGING DETERMINANTS
With Impact on Life Long Development
and QOL
POSITIVE NEGATIVE
 Joint Family • Poverty & Abuse
 Active Involvement • Illiteracy
 Physical Activity • Double Burden
 Vegetarianism • Insanitation
 Spirituality & Relax • Inaccessible Care
35

36. 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

37. SUMMARY OF LIFE STYLE GOALS
• Physical activity • Social involvement
• Healthy diet • Mental activity
• Avoid smoking • Immunizations
• Judicious medication • Hormones – HRT
• Good oral hygiene • Clean environment
• Health screening • Home safety

38. 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

39. 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

40. 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

41. 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

42. 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

49. Reinvest in Ageing
• compartmentalized life course:
- education when young
- work in adulthood
- leisure after retirement

50. Reinvest in Ageing
• integrated life course-
lifelong learning interspersed with periods of
work and leisure and self-reflection
• promotion of lifelong learning among elders-
joint process of individuals, families,
communities and Government

51. Initiatives to be considered
• rethinking retirement and human
resources practices
• review volunteering activities for older
persons and explore new
opportunities

52. Initiatives to be considered
• demonstration projects in cultural, arts and
sports arena to highlight the abilities of
active, healthy and creative older persons
• encourage lifelong learning programmes and
promote intersectoral collaboration in the
provision of lifelong learning opportunities for
older persons

53. The challenge:
–to socially evolve in a forward-looking,
sustainable manner
–add life to years after adding years to
life
–transition into a satisfying retirement
in old age
–a win-win situation for older persons
and the rest of society

54. Good health in older age can be
achieved by:
• Promoting health across the life-
course.
• Creating age-friendly environments that foster
the health and participation of older people.
• Providing access to basic primary healthcare,
long-term care and palliative care.
• Acknowledging the value of older people and
help them participate fully in family and
community life.

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