Anziani

[DE PALMA LORENZA]

OLDER PEOPLE IS THE TERM GENERALLY
USED TO REFER TO PEOPLE OVER THE
AGE OF 65. IF THEY ARE IN GOOD HEALTH
THEY USE THEIR SPARE TIME IN VARIOUS
ACTIVITIES AND DOING SO THEY STILL
FEEL PART OF SOCIETY. FAMILY IS VERY
IMPORTANT FOR ELDERLY PEOPLE;
FOR EXAMPLE GRANDCHILDREN CAN
MAKE THEM FEEL ALIVE. HAVING A GOOD
RELATION WITH FAMILY MEMBERS IS
FUNDAMENTAL BECAUSE IT HELPS THEM
NOT TO FEEL THE SOLITUDE. BEING
ALONE IS A CONDITION THAT CAN LEAD
TO LOWER SELF-CARE AND ALSO TO
MELANCHOLY OR DEPRESSION.
MOREOVER SUFFERING FROM SERIOUS
DISEASES MAKES THEM FEEL WEAK
AND POWERLESS.
THE MAIN DISEASES OF THE
ELDERLY ARE: DIABETES, PARKINSON’S
AND ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE, ARTHRITIS,
OSTEOPOROSIS (EXPECIALLY WOMEN),
HYPERTENSION, HEART DISEASES.
WHEN ELDERLY PEOPLE ARE ALONE OR
THEIR FAMILIES CAN’T TAKE CARE OF THEM,
THEY CAN ASK FOR SOCIAL SERVICE
OR GO INTO SPECIAL INSTITUTIONS
(FOR THE ELDERLY). HERE THEY CAN FIND
DIFFERENT PROFESSIONAL CARERS, WHO HELP
THEM IN THEIR DAILY LIFE IN THE BEST WAY.
THEIR COMPETENCES CAN GO FROM PSYCOLOGY
TO HEALTH TO SOCIAL ASSISTANCE.
OTHER ELDERLY PEOPLE, WHO ARE INDEPENDENT
AND IN GOOD HEALTH, WANT TO LOOK
YOUNG AND STRONG.
THEY DEVOTE THEMSELVES TO SPORT,
VOLUNTEERING, MANUAL WORK AND CULTURAL
ACTIVITIES SUCH AS THEATRE, CINEMA AND
TRAVELLING IN ORDER TO FREE THEMSELVES
OF THE IDEA OF BEING OLD OR GETTING OLD.
IN FACT PEOPLE WHO CARRY OUT GRATIFYING
ACTIVITIES, EVEN AT A VERY OLD AGE, STILL
HAVE A GOOD CAPACITY TO ADAPT TO
THE INEVITABLE AGING PROCESS. FOR ALL
ELDERLY PEOPLE IT IS NECESSARY TO HAVE A
BALANCED DIET, TO KEEP PHYSICALLY ACTIVE.
IT IS ALSO CRUCIAL  TO HAVE A PERIODICAL
HEALTH CHECK-UP TO BE ABLE TO DIAGNOSE POSSIBLE PROBLEMS AS SOON AS
THEY APPEAR AND TO ENJOY LIFE.