What can we do about aging?

One perspective on aging calls for a better approach to government policy. Here are some quotations from the article.

What's the point? "An adequate response to the transition [to older populations] requires a strong emphasis on primary prevention and adequate resource allocation."

What's behind it?

• "…there have been significant increases in life expectancy in almost all regions of the world, resulting in an increasingly older population."
• "…widespread increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases and their sequelae [i.e., consequence of a previous disease or injury]."

Why is this important?

• "The needs of older persons with multiple chronic diseases are not met, leading to increased risk of deteriorating health, as well as increased health-care use and costs."
• "Developed countries are struggling to control the costs of health care while providing for the increasing demands."

What's the solution?

• "…a life-course approach to chronic diseases, which suggests that functional status and age-related chronic diseases are a result of exposure to risk factors throughout one’s lifetime."
• "…targeting interventions for older persons who are already suffering from chronic diseases and/or disability."
• "…urgent need for health-care services adapted to older persons with chronic disease and disability."

What can I do? "…strong family and community involvement, as well as utilization of traditional healing resources, can be combined with the training of the professional workforce in order to more adequately serve the aging population."

In other words, we're in it together. I started training active agers in Nordic walking as a small way to help everyone manage the exercise needed as we age while confronting and managing chronic illnesses.