Healthy aging
Old age is a stage of life, and aging is a lifelong process that involves a decline in our abilities. Both are inherent to our biopsychosocial reality.
Old age is a stage of human development that begins at age 60 and ends when a person dies. It is a period of great biological and functional changes in all areas of our body. Aging is a universal process, inherent to all living beings, and begins from the moment of conception. It includes three components: biological, social, and psychological aging.
This process is characterized by the decrease in the individual's adaptive capacity towards their environment, becoming increasingly sensitive, vulnerable and fragile to the environment that surrounds them.
In the Darwinian concept of the fittest theory, the individual presents a physical decline that he himself recognizes with changes in his habits and routines with replacement to less demanding activities with a tendency towards isolation, loss of self-esteem and autonomy.
Social rejection is generated in the environment when they are not suitable for activities that require better physical conditions with changes in their status quo that lead to processes of self-devaluation, demotivation, social isolation and depression that affects the cognitive domain with a decrease in the ability to concentrate, coordination, memory and reaction to circumstances.
The approach to this period of life depends on cultural concepts, historical moment, socioeconomic class, the individual's psychological attitudes and family attitude, all of which could lead to a sublimated gerontophobia that accelerates neuropsychological deterioration.
Cognitive stimulation should be applied to slow down or improve the deterioration of abilities such as memory, attention, language, reasoning, or planning.
Positive and active aging should include a framework of adequate physical, mental and social conditions, resulting in the least possible deterioration of cognitive abilities.
In this sense, cognitive stimulation through activities and exercises will promote the mental health and emotional and physical independence of older adults. Fun activities such as workshops, group or individual tasks, and reinforcement of healthy habits will have a positive impact on their ability to perform daily activities. The important thing is to avoid isolation, which is the greatest threat to older adults; they need to feel supported throughout this process. These activities should be carried out by caregivers, family members, or therapists, either in person or virtually, as is currently happening with telemedicine.
Dr. Lucia M. Gonçalves Jardim
Internal Medicine Physician.
Specialist in Endocrinology and Metabolism
Email: luciamgoncalvesj@gmail.com
Telephone: +351 939 056 458