EXPERTS SAY IF OLDER PEOPLE SPEND THEIR TIME WITH OTHER PEOPLE AND EXERCISE DAILY THEIR LIVES WILL BE HAPPIER AND HEALTHIER. HOWEVER MANY ELDERLY ARE SUFFERING FROM LACK OF FITNESS. DISCUSS CAUSE AND SOLUTION.

With the progression of

age

,

health

and happiness start declining. According to a WHO

health

survey done in the year 2010, it was found that a majority of elderly suffered from

health

issues both mental and physical. Medical geriatric experts have come to a conclusion that social engagement and regular exercise can have good outcomes on the

health

of elderly people. Let us analyse the causes in

this

regard and discuss the solutions. To commence, lack of fitness is demonstrated over a time-period. Sedentary lifestyle, improper food intake and careless habits contribute to ill

health

.With time, these bad habits along with a genetic predisposition result in the manifestation of diseases like Diabetes mellitus, Cardiovascular diseases, Atherosclerosis, Hypertension and bone mineral diseases. A solution to 90 percent of the old

age

acquired diseases can be achieved by maintaining a balanced diet with low salt, sugar and fat intake, and a regular exercise. Along with these precautions, a regular medical checkup after 45 years of

age

should be compulsory and parameters of the healthy body (body weight, blood pressure, blood sugar level, etc.) Should be kept in check.

In addition

, mental

health

also

takes a toll on the elderly. Old aged people mingle less and are ignored by their family most of the times. Other family members have a busy lifestyle and their interaction with the elders of the house is non-existent. On many occasions, the elderly are sent to old

age

homes and proper follow up is not kept.

This

leads to a depletion of self worth and result in deteriorating mental

health

which manifests as depression, anxiety and other psychological disorders. Several researches prove that the use of brain capacity in old

age

improves the neuronal circuits and brain games prevent the development of dementia.

Similarly

, psychiatrists propose that having familiar people around, talking to loved ones, engaging in conversations and participating in social endeavours enhances the perception of one's self worth which promotes a general mental well being.

For example

, a model regarding

this

theory was presented a few years ago, where old

age

homes were combined with day care centres. A promising improvement in the happiness of the elderly was observed when they interacted with the youngsters. On a government level,

such

initiatives can be started. Awareness programs and elderly classes for yoga and low intensity workouts can be conducted on a small or large scale by social centres.

However

, it is pivotal to understand that these changes must be initiated on an individual level

first

among families and added support should be provided to the elderly people to maintain their

health

and fitness. To recapitulate, the above given ideas prove that

health

and fitness is paramount, especially for the elderly and it can be achieved by a plethora of ways. Though these changes can be achieved over time, these are essential for a fit body and a peaceful mind.