“Age is no barrier. It’s a limitation you put on your mind” - Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Most Sri Lankan elders consider their age a barrier to being happy after retirement. What are common health conditions of ageing? What is the impact of physical inactivity? How do sports, physical activities, and exercises help adults? How can an adult use exercise? What is the responsibility of the family for the care of the elderly?
According to the World Health Organization, by 2030, 1 in 6 people will be 60 years or over. The share of the population aged 60 years and over will increase from 1 billion in 2020 to 1.4 billion. By 2050, the world’s population of people aged 60 years and older will double (2.1 billion). The number of persons aged 80 years or older is expected to triple between 2020 and 2050 to reach 426 million.
Ageing results from the impact of the accumulation of a wide variety of molecular and cellular damage over time. This leads to a regular decrease in physical and mental capacity, a growing risk of disease and ultimately, death. Beyond biological changes, ageing is often associated with other life transitions such as retirement, relocation to more appropriate housing and the death of friends and partners.
Common health issues of ageing
According to professionals, common issues in older age include hearing loss (presbycusis), cataracts and refractive errors, back and neck pain and osteoarthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, depression and dementia. Muscle mass and strength also decline to start in the fourth decade of life. By age 85, around 20 percent of people meet criteria for sarcopenia (meaningful loss of muscle mass and strength). There are a wide variety of age-related changes in the immune system. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in older adults.
Physical inactivity
Globally, over a quarter of adults are estimated to be physically inactive, with no notable decreases in the levels of insufficient physical activity from 2001-2016 (Pinidiyapathirage et al., 2021). Physical inactivity in older adults can be defined as a major public health concern. It has been identified as the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality. Physical inactivity is associated with alterations in body composition resulting in an increase in the percentage of body fat and the associated decline in lean body mass.
Physical inactivity is also associated with an increased risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as coronary artery disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer, making it the fourth leading cause of death worldwide.
Scholars suggest that regular physical activity is one of the critical components of a healthy lifestyle; it is associated with better physical and cognitive functioning in older adults and improved life expectancy.
Physical, mental, and social benefits of exercises for ageing
Improves independent living: Exercise improves walking, balance and visual processing and improves the activities of daily living skills, which can provide a more independent life for elderly people.
Improve cardiovascular health: When exercising, the exertion forces help the heart pump more blood around the body to the muscles and lungs. The process relaxes blood vessels over time and makes the heart run more efficiently, keeping your blood pressure low.
Reduces anxiety and depression: Many older adults may face social withdrawal, illness or disability, which can result in mental health issues. Exercise provides a range of cognitive benefits, with studies showing that it reduces anxiety and depression, boasting a significant reduction in relapse compared to other interventions.
Improves strength, flexibility and bone density: Many older adults have osteoporosis, where bones weaken and become more susceptible to fractures. Performing regular resistance training is proven to maintain bone strength in later years.
Prevents falls: Falls are a significant risk when people lose flexibility, strength and coordination. Exercising can help prevent falls by making muscles stronger and more flexible.
According to National Health Services, Adults should aim to: do strengthening activities that work all the major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms) at least 2 days a week. Do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity a week. They can engage with the light activities such as; walking at a slow pace, light housework such as cooking, dusting, ironing, folding laundry, washing dishes, and putting away groceries, moving around your home, getting up to make a cup of tea, making the bed; and moderate-intensity activity such as; walking, riding a bicycle, hiking, aerobics, dancing, gardening; also vigorous intensity activities such as; running, swimming, aerobics, sports. They can also be involved in the muscle strength activities such as yoga, pilates, working with a resistance band, heavy gardening, pushups, and sit-ups.
Ageing cannot be prevented, but we can learn how to deal with arising conditions for the excellent health of our loved ones.
What is the family’s responsibility for the care of the elderly?
Older adults sacrifice their whole life to raise, support and make their children able to live in society. Family support is a critical aspect of elderly care; it is the family’s responsibility to support them with love and care. Like many Asian countries, Sri Lanka has a robust family social support system and takes care of its elders.
I want to recommend these strategies to involve elders to get physically active; Make family fun activities with children, setting a time for the exercises so that you and your loved one can plan their schedule accordingly; whenever your loved one feels like giving up, you must offer words of encouragement to stay active, encourage them to do their daily activities like light housework such as cooking, dusting, ironing, folding laundry, washing dishes, and putting away groceries, encourage them to involve in hobbies such as gardening, cooking, and crafting.
They also need to get encouraged to eat healthily. Instead of eating unhealthy foods such as processed sweets, encourage your loved one to eat vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, which contain fibre, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients essential for overall health. You need to make sure your elderly loved one gets enough sleep so that they can wake up energised in the morning and stay active for the rest of the day.
“If your are healthy; age is just a number” – Hugh Hefner