Health promotion and disease prevention for active aging that preserves quality of life

Abstract

Older adults represent a growing population whose health status depends on many factors, including physical, cognitive, and social factors, as well as family. They also have features including heterogeneity, a high disease burden, and comorbidities that affect the family and social spheres. It is important to offer the older adult population methods to exercise better control over their health and, thus, improve it. The goal is to achieve successful aging, that is, aging without disabilities, with the fewest possible or adequately controlled ailments while helping them maintain their autonomy and quality of life and always respecting their values and preferences. On the other hand, preventive activities in older adults consider the risk of disease; functional alteration causing the disease; and conditions common to the elderly that can damage their health, including frailty, falls, and iatrogenic complications. Preventive activities for the elderly should consider all of these factors. Here we present some guidelines that may be important for promoting active aging as well as preventive activities that can be used according to each person’s individual situation.