VAN works to provide good health messaging for older adults
VAN has received support to help get the word out to older adults that it’s important to participate in preventative health care strategies like getting regular health checks, managing chronic health issues, staying current on shots and vaccines, and participating in other strategies—like eating well and being active.
Why? In a 2018 report focusing on fitness for older adults in rural Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Health said, “Strategies for healthy aging improve health outcomes of older adults and enhance economic outcomes for Minnesota communities. Staying healthy improves the ability of older adults to age in their own homes, have less reliance on home care and nursing facilities, and ultimately have higher quality of life with less public cost.”
In the coming months, watch for messages from VAN (via this newsletter, the VAN website, social media, and print communication) focusing on preventative care strategies that have the benefit of helping older adults maintain quality of life, get illness diagnosis and treatment early for better outcomes, and manage medical costs.
Aging with Gusto and Physical Health
By Aging with Gusto Facilitator Donna Comer
Aging with Gusto strives to ignite more positive views of aging. Research shows that people with a more positive view of aging live an average of seven and a half years longer than those with less positive views. How do you develop and maintain a positive attitude as you age? We believe that there are eight contributors to aging with gusto and creating a more positive view of aging. We should strive to include activities in all eight areas, though we understand that some activities come easier than others.
The Key Contributors to Aging with Gusto:
- Doing things that you find satisfying or fulfilling.
- Striving to maximize physical health.
- Striving to maximize mental health.
- Striving to maximize emotional health.
- Continuing to learn new things and challenge yourself.
- Having choice and control over decisions that affect your life.
- Being connected with family, friends, and a broader community.
- Having a sense of purpose, doing meaningful things, and contributing to something greater than yourself.
Today we highlight striving to maximize physical health. For many, this is the best understood and sometimes the hardest to address. We know we should exercise and eat right but struggle to break habits we have developed over time. To maximize physical health, there are things you shouldn’t do, such as smoke. There are other things that you should limit, such as alcohol and sun exposure, and some things that you should do, like eat healthily and physical activity. In this article we will focus on both healthy eating and physical activity.