The Franklin Positive Aging Expo is getting set to run again in Pukekohe, the initiative of a small charitable group, the Franklin Integration Project Group.
Activities such as line dancing and Tai
Chi, exercise to help keep you healthy and happy are showcased along with a
range of hobbies, crafts, sports, and social activities to keep the mind and
body active.
And its all free with complimentary
refreshments throughout the day.
It is no coincidence that the event is
being held on the first day of October. On December 14th 1990, the United
Nations General Assembly voted to establish October 1st as the
International Day of Older Persons. The day aims to raise awareness of the
impacts of an aging population and the need to ensure people can grow old with
dignity and to raise the consciousness about points which are affecting the
aged.
Aging can be very frustrating, especially when you can’t do something you have enjoyed any more due to the process and difficulties of aging. In communities all around the world, people are living and thriving into their golden years. In places where longevity reigns, locals tend to eat balanced diets, are involved in daily low impact activities, focus on family and spirituality and carve out plenty of time to enjoy the simple things in life, and believe it or not there are two other prevalent ingredients, wine and sunny weather!
Using findings such as the World Economic
Forum Global Competitiveness Report and
the Blue Zones Project, countries where people have the highest life expectancy
have been identified and in most of those destinations there are high
concentrations of centenarians.
One of those is the the Caribbean Island
of Barbados. Bhajans who reach 100 years of age are honoured with portraits
printed on postage stamps. In Barbados, people spend their days with purpose by
putting faith and family first. According to the Blue Zones Project, knowing your sense of purpose is worth up to 7 years of
extra life expectancy.
In the Netherlands, one of the oldest people in the world died at age 115. She and others in the country have thrived thanks to a national focus on supporting healthy aging. Austrian citizens enjoy long life spans because the socioeconomics of the country positively affects the populations access to reliable healthcare and nutritious foods. Austrian culture focuses on healthy work-life balance, with a more laid back approach to working hours and a priority on spending leisure time outdoors.
In Jersey there may be mystic explanations for
the longevity of people. Locals think that their ancestors were fairies. There
is also a custom of building a stone seat on the exteriors of their homes so
witches can rest and won’t cast evil spells on their households. The good news
for me is, I am already officially a ‘fairie’ and there is plenty of seating
outside on the veranda.
Spell or no spell, the message is clear about what contributes to reaching a grand old age, nutritious foods, purpose, family, exercise, community support, healthy work-life balance, a glass of wine and perhaps having a fairie in the family history! What then is the worst enemy of older people?
It is loneliness!
Among the many health concerns that can
befall seniors, loneliness is one of the most common and least discussed. Research
shows that chronic loneliness can have a significant impact on your overall
health, including brain health. Some studies even suggest that there may be a
link between loneliness and an increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer's.
Age Concern reports that about half of
older New Zealanders experience some level of loneliness, and 8-9% feel
severely lonely all or most of the time, and 44% moderately lonely. This is
important because having inadequate social relationships has shown to be as bad
as smoking.
While loneliness can be incredibly detrimental to health, it can also be successfully alleviated through a number of activities and treatments. For many seniors, the increased presence of people is all that is needed to alleviate loneliness.
This can be achieved a number of ways,
including scheduling regular outings, visits with friends and family, attending
senior activities in the community, volunteering. Exercise is another excellent
activity both for health and greater wellbeing.
The Franklin Positive Aging Expo is an excellent resource not just for older people but also their families and others
who have older friends.
This oldie looks forward to seeing you there.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=10164336343975652
#agedloneliness #agingexpo #retirement #loneliness
