Vocational School of Justice
HEALTHY AGING
The issue of aging was brought up in the “Importance of Health in Old Age” titled panel organized by IUE Vocational School of Health Services. Funda İfakat Tengiz, Lecturer at IUE Vocational School of Health Services, Psychologist Burçin Çoltu and Physical Therapist Adem Uçar, both from Zübeyde Hanım Nursing Home, attended the panel moderated by Lecturer Huriye Vural. Among the audience was IUE academicians and students, and residents of Zübeyde Hanım Nursing Home.
Psychologist Çoltu stated that aging should be accepted as a period when many improvements and changes continued. She said, “People should adopt some hobbies during healthy aging period. Elderly with interests and hobbies are able to establish better relations with others. They believe they lead a more purposful live by taking more active roles in society. It is important to support them to live an active life in line with their strenghs, tendencies, potentials by keeping them away from dependent,consumer roles during that stage in their lives.
Eating Well As You Age
Lecturer Funda İfakat Tengiz pointed out the importance of maintaining the ideal weight and muscle strength, and she said that health and balanced nutrients were necessary in order to achieve that. Tengiz said, “Vegetable and fruit consumption should be increased. Bread and other grains should be consumed in moderation. Saturated fats should be reduced. It is important to drink 8-10 glasses of water daily and consume food high in calcium. Salt, sodium, and sugar should also be reduced. Of course, alcohol and smoking should be avoided completely.”
Tengiz also said that tasting, smelling, saliva, and stomach functions decreased with age, but balanced eating would increase the life quality in old age.
Exercise for Life
Physical Therapist Adem Uçar indicated that exercising regularly prevented cardiovascular diseases and increased durability. He said, “We need to exercise in all stages of life but it is extremely important to exercise in old age in order to maintain a healthy life. Exercising increases the quality and duration of sleep; it boosts memory, and prevents attention deficiency, and boosts psychology. It also helps reduce triglyceride and cholesterol. Exercising helps increase muscle strength. But people should consult their doctor first and get checked for high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, lung diseases, bronchitis, osteoporosis, calcification, etc. before they start exercising.