He Active aging Is the ability of older people to stay active, with a low risk of becoming ill, Committed to interpersonal relationships and participation in meaningful activities and high level of physical and mental activity.
Currently, the population increase over 60 years is an epidemiological trend worldwide. It is important to bear this in mind because this Generates social challenges in promoting a healthy aging.
Aging is a process of continuous positive adaptation to changes that have taken place over the years. Age alone Indicates very little about the state of health of a person.
According to World Health Organization (WHO), health is the state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not simply the absence of disease. Therefore, healthy aging includes different components such as biological, psychological and social.
The aging process is strongly influenced by the environment, the Lifestyle Or diseases.
Aging actively is to reinforce lifestyles that allow a maximum level of health, that the person lives in a functional way, with Well-being and quality of life And in accordance with its sociocultural context.
The WHO proposes that older people become older without"aging"through the continuous development of physical, social and spiritual activities. Long life.
If you grow up in a healthy way it is because you have health and a good physical adjustment (you have to do it for yourself), you have a good cognitive function, Well-being and also participate and socially implicate you.
Keep in mind that the person is not solely responsible for their aging process. You as an individual are within a society that acts on you Aging process and that it also has to contribute to its development.
However, it is true that the various scientific investigations have shown that aging also depends on oneself; An aging Active and healthy and prevent disease depend, to a certain extent, on the behavior of the person.
Advantages of active aging
Some of the protective activities of the disease and promoters of healthy aging are: cognitive activity, interpersonal relationship, Thinking and positive attitude , The styles of stress management, the Resilience , The perception of control and the self-efficacy to grow old.
All these forms of behavior are predictive conditions of longevity and healthy aging.
Mental activity is a fundamental pillar within active aging, as well as physical exercise. Surely you are clear that these two Aspects are part of a healthy and adequate way to grow old.
However, keep in mind that proper nutrition or social participation are just as important to you.
When we talk about that you must stay active and agile and that you should stimulate your Cognitive abilities , It may seem like you have to do boring tasks To achieve it, but it is not so.
There are different activities, such as those shown below, that will help you achieve physical and mental agility in an aging Healthy and can become really fun.
Keep in mind that aging successfully depends, to a greater extent, on the health promotion and prevention actions you put in place, As I have told you, the concept of old age associated with physical and mental deterioration is, at least in part, under your control.
Some authors therefore assert that successful aging is a matter of individual choice.
Activities for active aging
1. Perform cognitive exercises
Both the cognitive exercises of a Cognitive stimulation Such as the realization of hobbies, are a very beneficial way of Keep the mind active and empower it.
For example, the soup of letters is an ideal activity for Work the attention And language and labyrinths can be useful for working Planning skills or problem solving.
It is necessary to exercise the different mental capacities, through various cognitive exercises that enhance different aspects for a work of Optimal stimulation.
Other exercises can be related to the calculation, for example the sudokus, where you work logic, memory, planning, working memory, patience…
There are also crossword puzzles, where linguistic skills, Semantic memory , Mental flexibility...
Other examples may be to look for differences or pairs of images to work memory.
All these activities increase attention, improve perception and stimulate the senses, as well as help activate memory.
The more active you maintain your cognitive skills and learning ability, the more performance you will have and the longer.
Try to read every day the newspaper, books, magazines... stay informed of what is happening in the world and around you. All this will help you maintain the agile mind.
Here you can find exercises to improve memory.
2. Table games... in company!
Games such as dominoes, cards, bingo... are not only suitable because they have cognitive benefits, but also because they facilitate the Social participation, which as we said at the beginning, is also a fundamental aspect of active aging.
The game should be a fun for you, something that contributes to your exercise of cognitive abilities while helping you to strengthen relationships social.
Some studies, for example carried out by the Institute of Toy Technology , Have shown that table games have many benefits In the physical, social and affective health of the elderly.
For example, through table games, State of mind And self-motivation, perceived self-efficacy and satisfaction, are exercised Cognitive skills, coping with stress is managed, Increases self-esteem and The feeling of loneliness diminishes .
3. Do physical exercise and specific physical exercises
It is appropriate that you do physical exercise. For example, sign up if you can to adapted gymnastics, swimming or yoga, to give some examples, since they are Exercises suitable for this evolutionary stage.
In addition, these group activities close to your home will help you in resistance, postural control, flexibility, posture, rhythm and make friends with Fun and playful way.
Walking is also a good option, from 30 to 40 minutes at a medium pace and better accompanied. All activities related to music also Bring many benefits. For example, ballroom dancing.
Since in the aging there is a physical deterioration of the body, you can perform certain activities aimed at enhancing the system Musculoskeletal, reflexes, balance, muscle strength, coordination, etc.
These are specific exercises to work on specific areas. You can make a weekly or monthly plan where you intend to exercise a group each day Muscle: the face, knees, shoulders... And perform specific activities for it.
You can even do it in a group with your friends, so that you can boost socialization at the same time.
Some of these exercises may be relaxation , Facial (to improve circulation and coordination and strengthen the muscles of the face), for the Head and neck (improve balance, prevent dizziness and falls), hands and feet (preventing joint rigidities and favoring coordination) Or knees (favoring muscle independence and mobility).
Physical exercise is one of the lifestyles in old age that helps to reach the maximum level of health and well-being, reducing the comorbidity of Chronic and degenerative diseases and increasing the quality of life.
4. Take care!
Given that before indicated that to stay active and grow healthy in a healthy way you must develop different aspects of your life, productivity Occupational, leisure or occupational are adequate to promote a healthy aging.
Try to find some Occupation of time And being helpful to others can be very beneficial to your self-esteem.
There are people who find it attractive to take care of their grandchildren, while others prefer to enroll in music, drawing and painting, Confectionery, theater...
Today there are also the so-called"University for the Elderly", where you can attend as a listener to university classes of the subjects that one The more you like.
You can also join an animation club for reading, cinema-forum, gardening, stimulation of memory... In some homes of the Retirees there are specific classes. Ask about the ones near your house.
Research shows the benefits of leisure activities in contributing to the Psychological well-being Of the elderly and life satisfaction.
5. Cultivate Your Social Relationships
Although throughout the article I have shown you the importance of cultivating social relations, it is interesting to emphasize it at an individual point.
The personal growth of each one, their adaptation and integration in society gives rise to the concept of well-being that we indicated before that also forms Part of healthy aging.
It is necessary to have stable social relationships, to have friends, to go out with them, to have conversations...
Social isolation, loss of support and lack of social relationships are related to illness and shorten life.
6. Be autonomous
It is important that you develop your autonomy as much as possible. The concept of well-being referred to above includes acceptance of oneself, The mastery of the environment, personal growth... and autonomy!
Try to maintain your independence, your own authority and resist social pressure.
Being independent and autonomous prevents disability and dependency. Try to satisfy your own desires and Mark your own goals And come to they. It's never too late!
7. Think positive!
Self-acceptance is one of the central components of well-being. Accepting yourself, your abilities and your limitations is essential.
Sometimes, when we grow older, we have to stop doing things we were used to and this causes us discomfort and thoughts Negative towards ourselves.
Positive attitudes towards oneself is a fundamental characteristic of the Positive psychological functioning .
It has been shown that feelings of sadness and depression increase in old age, especially when there are situations of social lack.
It is also important that you be able to prevent and detect early mental health problems as a depressive state, since it is associated with Cognitive impairment and in initial states has easier solution.
Depression is a psycho-affective disorder that results in a decrease in mood and has repercussions at various levels in life and in the Health of the person.
The depression Has high rates during old age, reducing the person's ability to take control over his life (alcohol abuse, misuse of Medicines, etc.), so it is necessary to stop it in time.
You can spend at least 5 minutes a day to relax. Start in meditation Or instruction in relaxation techniques can help you a lot. Sit down Comfortable way, learn to breathe and relax and let yourself be carried away by positive thoughts.
Personality variables such as optimism, sense of humor and positive thinking are associated with greater satisfaction in life during this stage. It is a protector against physical and functional decline.
8. Participate socially
Many older people, within the occupation of their free time and in search of helping others, find as a form of social participation the volunteering.
It is an altruistic and social experience, perceiving it as commitment and help to other people. This also encourages self-esteem, promotes Commitment and help to make the person feel useful and necessary.
Aging models agree that aging in a healthy way involves maintaining a high social competence expressed through the Participation and social productivity.
In this sense, volunteering is offered for many older people as a useful activity that fulfills many of the characteristics to promote the Healthy aging.
9. Do enjoyable activities that provide you with wellness
In addition to all this, the importance of well-being also lies in performing activities that produce pleasure and enjoyment.
It is important to train the body and mind but also our inner. But pleasant activities, whatever they may be, But that they produce positive feelings and are meaningful to us.
In this sense, it is also appropriate to know how to properly handle stress and anxiety to enjoy life. As I told you before, you can Find relaxation techniques or start meditation.
Coping styles in the stress management Or adversity allow to prevent psychopathological conditions during old age.
The intense spiritual life has been related as a protective factor of adaptation during the old age.
Different studies have related leisure activities and subjective well-being. In fact, many authors place leisure activities Best predictors of life satisfaction in older people.
Those who make them feel more competent, with Greater self-confidence . It has been linked to a decrease in the feeling of loneliness, Mood and the ability to cope with the changes of aging.
In short, the third age should be a stage where the individual is open to everything new, to relate to their environment (friends, family, community), Start life projects, continue with others already started, get involved in learning skills and activities...
For all that I have said so far, healthy aging requires good physical, functional, cognitive and social health.
And you, what do you do to stay active?
References
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