Long life, challenges and recommendations
In support of the scientific findings of the Specchio study, Prof. Idris Guessous, head of the Department of Primary Care Medicine at the HUG and co-investigator of Specchio, took part in the3rd edition of the Meetings on Long Life in Geneva organised by the Department of Social Cohesion and Solidarity of the City of Geneva. The aim of these meetings is to identify practical ways of tackling the isolation of senior citizens.
Professor Guessous presented an overview of social support, isolation and mental health among the elderly, in comparison with the general population and younger people. Growing old in good health is one of the indicators monitored in the Specchio study, which uses thematic questionnaires for people aged questionnaires to people aged 65 and overThe aim is to gain a better understanding of these issues, their social, economic and other determinants, and the state of health in general.
The results show, as Pr Guessous points out in a recent Tribune de Genève report recent Tribune de Genève report that " in recent years, senior citizens in Geneva have been in good health " and that " access to a long life is now extending to middle-income earners. In the past, it was more affluent people who lived the longest. On the subject of physical activity, Professor Guessous points out that " keeping fit reduces the risk of falls. A fracture of the neck of the femur can lead to deconditioning. As we get older, we get closer to death by stair step, which is why it's so important to keep fit!
Seniors in good health
In the city of Geneva, free outdoor exercise sessions for the elderly are becoming increasingly popular. Every Monday to Thursday, twenty to sixty people gather in different parks around the city to work on their balance and coordination. But that's not all! The report highlights the physical benefits of " Restons Dynamiques! "activities for seniors, but also the capacity of such collective initiatives to combat isolation by creating social links.
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