‘You’re never too old to exercise’

PERSUADING people to change their lifestyles to include more exercise and improve their diet will help them live healthier for longer.

That was the message from expert speakers at a special healthy ageing event held at the Life Sciences Hub Wales in Cardiff last month.

Professionals from across Wales said the ability to age healthily is in everyone’s hands, and the biggest challenge is overcoming the barriers that prevent us doing so.

Dr Joanne Hudson, associate professor at the Centre for Ageing and Dementia Research Cymru, based at Swansea University, told delegates that being physically active was important at any age, as studies showed activity reduced the effective age of mortality in both men and women.

Dr Hudson said there are serious “psychological barriers” stopping older people from being more active. These include social awkwardness, a fear of falling, the idea that it is “irrelevant” or has no benefit, a lack of motivation or apathy and a lack of confidence.

Dr Hudson said these barriers are tied up with the “Western narrative” of ageing, which focuses on “decline and decay”.

“It is important to challenge these stereotypes of ageing and establish positive counternarratives,” she said.

These could include depicting positive views of ageing, providing realistic role models for older people and giving specific advice and direction.

“I hear comments from older people that ‘I’m too old for exercise’,” she said.

“The important message from me is that you’re never too old to exercise.”

Ayela Spiro, senior nutrition scientist at the British Nutrition Foundation, told delegates that good nutrition is key to healthy ageing, as people who adopt healthy eating habits tend to be lower in weight, drink less alcohol and are less likely to smoke.

She said there is also some evidence that the so-called Mediterranean diet, which typically includes high consumption of plant foods, moderate consumption of fish and wine and low consumption of dairy and meat, could reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.

But, she warned, it is not a case of one size fits all.

Ms Spiro said that although the link can be made between healthy eating and healthy ageing, the challenge is getting people to adopt good habits.

Professor Antony Bayer, professor of geriatric medicine at Cardiff University, told delegates everyone could influence their personal risk of developing dementia and maintaining good mental function into old age.

“If we can all enter old age with better developed, healthier brains we are likely to live longer, happier and more independent lives – with a much reduced chance of developing dementia,” he said.

“A lot of the lifestyle factors promoted for heart disease and stroke also apply to the brain. “We need to widen the message that what’s good for the heart is good for the brain.”

All of the speakers agreed that a more joined-up approach was needed between authorities to make healthy ageing a reality in Wales.

Steve Huxton, network coordinator for the Ageing Well in Wales programme, run by the Older Peoples Commissioner for Wales, said the programme was starting to achieve that aim.

But, he said: “We need a greater range of expertise and knowledge working with us on this, which is why we want all of you involved.

“We know we are going to have an increasingly ageing population, but it’s amazing how poor in society we’ve been at adapting for what we know is coming up.”