Physical Activity and Learning in Elderly Populations

Question 1

Key Terms Related to Age-Friendly Environments

Answer 1

• Accessibility
• Age-friendly environment
• Active aging
• Healthy aging
• Quality of life
• Supportive environments
• Universal design

Question 2

Accessibility

Answer 2

How accessible a service/product/environment is for as many people as possible. Be able to provide alternatives for activities to make them more accessible.

Question 3

Age-Friendly Environment

Answer 3

How much an environment supports healthy and active ageing and is dedicated to build and maintain intrinsic capacity across the life-course. Is patient able to do activity (e.g. going for a walk) in the environment they live in.

Question 4

Active Ageing (Key Terms)

Answer 4

How well-structured are the opportunities for health, security and participation.

Question 5

Healthy Ageing

Answer 5

Developing and maintaining function that enables well-being.

Question 6

Quality of Life

Answer 6

Physical health + psychological state + level of independence + personal beliefs.
Nutrition, mental health, social interaction, money (does patient have money to participate in activities/society), shelter/protection.

Question 7

Supportive Environment

Answer 7

Protection from threats + enabling of capabilities and development.
Provides access to things the patient needs. Easier for the patient to do things he struggles with.

Question 8

Universal Design

Answer 8

Design of products + environments + services without the need of adaption.
Should be applicable for everybody (difficult because of the age difference and different needs).

Question 9

Main Difficulties Faced by those aged 75+

Answer 9

Cognitive function will be different. Usually the attention span is shorter, they work more in context rather than actual processing because of their experience.

• Psychological
• Health
• Cognition
• Bio-behavioral
• Social relations
• Personality

Question 10

Psychological Difficulties

Answer 10

• Psychological distress
• Happiness
• Optimism
• Neuroticism
• Quality of life
• Loneliness

Question 11

Health Difficulties

Answer 11

• Subjective health
• Subjective physical condition
• Activities of daily living
• Illness

Question 12

Cognition Difficulties

Answer 12

• Cognitive impairment
• Income
• Education level

Question 13

Bio-Behavioral Difficulties

Answer 13

• Peak flow

- Handgrip

Question 14

Social Relation Difficulties

Answer 14

• Social relationship - family
• Social relationship - friends
• Social relationship - Confidence

Question 15

Personality Difficulties

Answer 15

• Extraversion

- Openness to experiences

Question 16

Active Ageing

Answer 16

• Learning plays an important role
• Continuous learning improves self-resilience, independence, and coping strategies in mental health and interpersonal relationship.
• Improvements of cognitive processes that are usually affected by aging:
  
  • Processing speed
  • Memory
  • Attention
  • Inhibitory Control
  • Resilience to stress
  • Cognitive flexibility (being able to relate, adapt to new concepts).

Question 17

Motivation in Elderly

Answer 17

1. Continue giving something back to the community.
2. Keep the mind active and developing.
3. Understand the body better, to be able to take responsibility for self and others.
4. Focus on positive aspects of life, instead of negative. (Do this activity to be able to… NOT: to avoid…)
5. Create and maintain new relationships (it’s not only about exercise, it’s about social interaction).
   Tips: Explain benefits of activity. Allow patient to see the improvement on paper (sometimes they don’t realize).

Question 18

Organizing Activities

Answer 18

• Know particular needs of each patient
• Limit the message to the necessary
• Relate the activities with prior experiences
• Use stories, develop the context of the activity
• Be coherent
• Summarize information
• Offer a visual schedule, when possible (provide visualization on paper. It is more clearer when you see it in front of you than just in your head).