The summer is coming to an end and this is the right time to take a good look at our habits and to prepare ourselves, in a calm and orderly way, for the colder seasons.
For the elderly in particular, the end of the summer is a good time to reconsider their health and lifestyle and to plan a genuine ‘health review’.
The return from a holiday is the right time to make an appointment with the GP. This could be to reassess the current treatments, to review and check the medicine cabinet and to focus on prevention.
The importance of prevention and adopting a healthy lifestyle is even greater now, if we consider several statistics.
According to the data in Italy today, out of a population of 60 million people, a full 13 million (22%) are over 65 five years of age.
This percentage is expected to increase from now until 2050, when Italians between 60 and 79 years of age will account for around 27%, the over-80s for 14% and those under 20 for just 20%.
So, what is the best way to deal with an ageing population? Keeping the elderly healthy and ensuring they are a resource, not a burden, for society.
This concept of “health” can be divided into four basic points:
- stay physically and mentally active
- focus on nutrition, a basic “ingredient” to maintaining our immune defences
- keep firmly in touch with the outside world, not only through information but, first and foremost, through an active social life
- cultivate personal relationships as much as possible
A keyword that must be added to this list is “prevention”. Prevention is only possible if we check our state of health on a regular basis, through medical check-ups and care and attention, both inside and outside the home.
A useful help in all this is a kit of medical devices and equipment for supporting our health and well-being. Sphygmomanometers, heating pads, thermometers, armchairs or cushions, to be chosen according to your own needs and following the advice of your usual orthopaedics or medical supply store.
