JHSPH Magazine Forum on Aging and Health

Messages

• On 12/5/2007 at 11:02 PM, Natacha Philogene, RN BSN MPH from Montreal, Canada wrote:
  The best ways to improve seniors's cognitive and physical health are: anti-agism, health promotion, quality of life, good housing, good support network, good healthcare providers, easy acces to healthy nutrition, volunteer, active participation in the society, happiness and a smile!!! Dont treat seniors like kids.
• On 12/2/2007 at 6:19 PM, Cristina from Rodrigues wrote:
  Nowadays in Brazil, we are just having to lead with new health probems that are resuts of ageing of population. We don´t have yet a strong primary health care structure, and bacause of this a lot of people are first seen in health services with heart and stroke complications of hypertension and diabetes, for one side, or, on the other side many people dies because of violence and early diagnosis failure in cancer. The only way we certainly have to assure better way ahead is the promoting health strategies and health policies. The most the society understands and is involved, the best results we possibly can have.
• On 11/11/2007 at 2:11 PM, Dorothy E Hobbs from Scottsdale, AZ wrote:
  Challenge yourself. Taking on new projects may be frightening but learning is one of the most satisfactory joys in life. The more you challenge your mind, the better it responds.
• On 10/30/2007 at 11:27 AM, Dr.veena from Tamilnadu India wrote:
  cognitive and physical health is best taken care of with a lifestyle without stimulants like alcohol,tea coffee,and regular practice of yoga.also its imperative that one involves oneself in productive activities socially,mentally,physically.
• On 8/16/2007 at 12:39 PM, Dr. Joyce Felicia Vaghela from St. Stephen's Hospital, Delhi, India wrote:
  The best ways to improve senior’s cognitive, physical and emotional health are: • Interact with elderly: When they become old others are still working and have no or very little time to interact with them. This brings to seniors, a feeling of sudden loss. They start feeling ‘unwanted’. In India this is a major problem as with the change of socio-economic status both husband and wife must work. They are tired by the end of the day and have very little to say to their older parents. I feel this is easy to tackle a problem. Working adult children could sit down for a cup of evening tea with the seniors and ask them as to how they spent their day and then tell something about their own work. We do this at home and I tell you that it is the best time of the day. • Understand seniors’ need: Many seniors do not want to trouble their adult working children, so they don’t tell about their needs - Medical, Physical, Social, Emotional and Economic needs. It becomes the duty of the caretakers to understand their seniors. They do not need big expensive things, they only need little attention. Pet gets so much love & attention; can’t we give half of it to our seniors?! • Keep seniors emotionally fit: Always try to understand the root cause of their being unhappy. Many a times they are remembering and yearning to be with their other children or siblings. This is but natural. May be adult working children who are miles apart could talk on phone to seniors, to lift their spirits. If seniors don’t move around and talk to others, they start feeling lonely and this leads to depression. Emotional unfitness leads to physical sickness. • Seniors should be given a chance to show their talents: All have some innate talents. Seniors must be really good at something when they were young. Exploit their talent. They could draw, paint, sing, knit, do embroidery, make patch-work quilt, prepare mouth-watering snacks and bake cakes etc. • Let seniors help you: When seniors are entrusted to do some part of an important job they feel good. Their self-esteem is lifted as they feel encouraged that they could do something worthwhile. My seventy nine year old father-in-law helped me fill drinking water and iron clothes, before he died of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in 2003.
• On 7/24/2007 at 8:29 AM, Dr. Joyce Felicia Vaghela from St. Stephen's Hospital, Delhi, India wrote:
  To live a good & fulfilling life one could follow either of the following ways: In Vedic times, the normal human life was regarded as eighty-four years, consisting of four sections of twenty-one years each. The first twenty-one years is called the "Brahmacharya ashram", the stage of youth or learning, which requires a certain discipline, guidance and purity for its full flowering. The second twenty-one years, from ages twenty-one to forty-two, is called the "Grihastha ashram" or householder phase. This is the main time for having children and raising a family, as well as for working and fulfilling our duties to society. The third section of twenty-one years, from ages forty-two to sixty-three is the "Vanaprastha" or the hermitage phase. This is a time for return to contemplation and for guiding society in the distance. The fourth and last section from sixty-three to eighty-four is the "Sannyasa" or renunciation phase. The person, now an elder full of wisdom, inwardly aims to renounce all the outer goals of life. He also becomes a teacher of the spiritual knowledge and no longer partakes in social or political concerns. Thus we see that we have to be consciously aware that this life has to end. So by the time we enter into Sannyasa ashram we would have done good for family, society, nation and the world and would be fully prepared to leave the world. What matters is that one should feel the flow, in one’s visions and dreams, in one’s words and actions. What matters is that one learns through the experience of living how to allow the stream of life, the flow of freedom, the river of reason, to direct one in the way one conducts one’s life. Let things come to you and move along in the direction of stream of life, do not try to resist and swim against the current. The stream of life will reach its destination so very quietly…
• On 7/23/2007 at 7:08 PM, Sepia Sharma from From British Columbia, Canada wrote:
  A society/government that encourages more horizontal decision-making where seniors are engaged in making policies around their own health and wellness. Also, it is time for health and other professionals to lead the way and aid seniors to become health promoters by providing them with the skills they require to become leaders and educate their peers on health issues.
• On 7/9/2007 at 10:06 AM, Rose Schneider from Washington DC wrote:
  Recently, as a consultant for the DC Department of Health, I conducted a "Fabulous Fifty" study on exercise, obesity, diet and screening for three age groups of 50+ population. This week I will present the findings to a DC Council member to mobilize action.
• On 7/7/2007 at 6:57 PM, Mabel Segbafah from SHSC Oxford Brookes, UK wrote:
  Social interaction during later years is sure to have tremendous effects on lifestyle and habits of older people. This helps to improve their food habits as they meet for a meal and take their time to eat, take walks at a pace they are comfortable with and make good conversation!
• On 6/23/2007 at 3:29 AM, Preeti Anand, HOSMAC Foundation from India wrote:
  One sure shot way for the older to keep healthy physically is by the regular practice of Yoga, an ancient Indian form of practicing various postures. It not only helps improve physical fitness but also enhances mental and emotional well being. It has gathered tremedous momentum among the senior population in India as they are increasingly becomming aware of its benefits.