Active, Graceful and Purposeful Living
We want to learn what older adults (age 60 and above) and people who take care of them (caregivers) think about the challenges and opportunities related to growing old. We also want to find out what could make Senior Living Communities a viable option for older adults in Nigeria.
Click here to complete our survey.
What is healthy nutrition? Click here to learn about the five food groups and how you can create a personal healthy nutrition plan.
Since we talked about regular exercise too, click here to explore an article we wrote that provides some exercise knowledge and examples of simple exercise routines that make all the difference in your health.
Muscle strengthening activities are activities that make your muscles work harder than usual. Examples include lifting weights, stretching resistance bands, doing exercises that use your body weight for resistance (e.g., push-ups, sit-ups), heavy gardening (e.g., digging, shoveling) and some forms of yoga.
An older adult commonly refers to a person aged 60 years or older, although this number varies among countries. However, this age coincides with the retirement phase of life and potential changes in physical, mental, and social well-being.
The age range designated for older adults varies across different countries. In some regions, individuals are considered old once they celebrate their 60th birthday while other countries may designate age 65 as the threshold. Many African countries recognize the age of 60 as the commencement of old age. This is the reason many government agencies in African nations enforce a retirement age of 60 years (except for professors, who retire at 70) or after 35 years of active service, whichever occurs earlier. Typically, individuals who have accrued 35 years of service are approaching the age of 60 if they have not already reached that milestone.
It’s important to recognize that a person’s actual age in years might not match their biological age, which is shaped by the choices they make in how they live, both in their youth and later in life. The biological age considers a person’s overall physical, mental, and social well-being.
A caregiver is an individual who attends to the needs of another person, specifically older adults. There are two types of caregivers: Informal caregivers, who are usually spouses, family members, relatives or friends, who are not paid to regularly care and assist with day-to-day activities. Formal caregivers are trained professionals such as nurses and personal care assistants who are paid to provide care for older adults. Their duties include managing medications, talking to doctors and nurses on someone’s behalf; helping to bathe or dress someone who cannot; performing household chores, preparing meals, and helping with documentation for someone who cannot do these things alone.