Healthy Ageing: What Is It and How to Describe It?

BACKGROUND The constant progression in number and share of the ageing population will likely have deep effects in most of the industrialized countries. The Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm can play a key role in facilitating independent living of the ageing population thus trying to reduce the burden on the society. Considering that ageing is a multi-factorial physiological process, the development of novel IoT systems, tools and devices, specifically targeted to older people, must be based on a holistic framework built on robust scientific knowledge in different scientific domains. OBJECTIVE A novel semantic formalization was developed, based on a multidomain healthy ageing model, to support structuring and standardizing heterogeneous scientific knowledge about ageing. The main aim of the paper is to present the new NESTORE ontology, with the purpose thus extending the available ontologies provided by universAAL-IoT (uAAL-IoT). METHODS Well-assessed scientific knowledge, specifically selected to target older adults aged between 65 and 75, was formalized into a holistic model using a multi-domain approach including three main different dimensions related to well-being: (i) Physiological Status and Physical Activity Behaviour, (ii) Nutrition, and (iii) Cognitive and Mental Status and Social Behaviour. Based on this model, within the NESTORE H2020 project, a new ontology was developed in the uAAL-IoT framework, which provides modelling tools and a set of core ontologies. RESULTS The NESTORE ontologies cover all the needed concepts to represent 5 significant domains of ageing. In total, 12 sub-ontologies were modelled with more than 60 classes and sub-classes referenced among them by using more than 100 relations and around 20 enumerations. NESTORE increases the uAAL ontologies collection by 40% and expand the uAAL domain usage for Physiological Status and Physical Activity Behaviour (8 ontologies), Nutrition (3 ontologies) and Cognitive and Mental Status and Social Behaviour (4 ontologies). CONCLUSIONS NESTORE ontology provides innovation both in terms of semantic content and technological approach. The thoroughly use of this ontology can support the development of a decision support system, to promote healthy ageing, with the capacity to do dynamic multi-scale modelling of user-specific data based on the semantic annotations of users’ profile.

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The pharmaceuticalisation of ‘healthy’ ageing: Testosterone enhancement for longevity

International Journal of Drug Policy ◽

10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103159 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 103159

Author(s):

Matthew Dunn ◽

Kyle JD Mulrooney ◽

Cynthia Forlini ◽

Katinka van de Ven ◽

Mair Underwood

Keyword(s):

Healthy Ageing

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Older people living at home: experiences of healthy ageing

Primary Health Care Research & Development ◽

10.1017/s1463423621000049 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 ◽

Author(s):

Astrid Fjell ◽

Kristin Ådnøy Eriksen ◽

Monica Hermann ◽

Anne-Marie Boström ◽

Seiger Berit Cronfalk

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Older People ◽

Older Persons ◽

Health Care Services ◽

Healthy Ageing ◽

Group Discussions ◽

Care Services ◽

Manifest Content ◽

Professional Perspective ◽

At Home

Abstract Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate how old persons perceived their life to be, how they viewed the ageing process and their need of health care and societal support. Background: The purpose of WHO’s Healthy Ageing strategy and development of age-friendly environments is to support physiological and psychosocial changes in old persons by facilitating basic needs. Interventions to operationalize these needs in older people living at home are often developed from a professional perspective and to a small extent involves the perceptions, experience and expectations of the older persons. Method: This qualitative study has an explorative design using focus group discussions to collect data. In all, 34 persons between 69 and 93 years of age participated in seven group discussions. The interviews were analyzed using inductive manifest content analysis. Findings: The main results suggest that most old persons enjoyed life and wished it to continue for as long as possible. Important was to sustain networks and to feel useful. Unexpected changes were described as threats and the need to use health care services was associated with illness and being dependent. The result is presented in three categories with sub-categories: ‘Embracing life’, ‘Dealing with challenges’ and ‘Considering the future’.

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Designing Age-Friendly Communities: Exploring Qualitative Perspectives on Urban Green Spaces and Ageing in Two Indian Megacities

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18041491 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 1491

Author(s):

Deepti Adlakha ◽

Mina Chandra ◽

Murali Krishna ◽

Lee Smith ◽

Mark A. Tully

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Low Income ◽

Later Life ◽

Healthy Ageing ◽

World Health ◽

Social Resilience ◽

Snowball Sampling ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Urban Green ◽

Activity Promotion

The World Health Organization and the United Nations have increasingly acknowledged the importance of urban green space (UGS) for healthy ageing. However, low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) like India with exponential ageing populations have inadequate UGS. This qualitative study examined the relationships between UGS and healthy ageing in two megacities in India. Participants were recruited using snowball sampling in New Delhi and Chennai and semi-structured interviews were conducted with consenting participants (N = 60, female = 51%; age > 60 years; fluent in English, Hindi, or Tamil). Interviews were recorded, transcribed, translated, and analysed using inductive and thematic analysis. Benefits of UGS included community building and social capital, improved health and social resilience, physical activity promotion, reduced exposure to noise, air pollution, and heat. Poorly maintained UGS and lack of safe, age-friendly pedestrian infrastructure were identified as barriers to health promotion in later life. Neighbourhood disorder and crime constrained older adults’ use of UGS in low-income neighbourhoods. This study underscores the role of UGS in the design of age-friendly communities in India. The findings highlight the benefits of UGS for older adults, particularly those living in socially disadvantaged or underserved communities, which often have least access to high-quality parks and green areas.

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