Healthy Aging
Healthy Aging
- Many factors influence the aging process including healthy behaviours, income, housing, education, environment, and social connectedness.
- Evidence suggests that investments into healthy aging can reduce healthcare and related costs (Chief Public Heath Officer’s Report on the State of Public Health in Canada, 2010).
- Older adults live longer, healthier lives by staying socially connected, increasing their physical activity levels, eating in a healthy way, taking steps to reduce their risks for falls and not smoking.
Social Connectedness:
- Social connectedness and healthy behaviours have particular benefits for older adults.
- When older people participate in their communities, everyone benefits.
- Social connections and healthy behaviours have been shown to benefit
- overall well-being
- the ability to cope with stress and life changes; and
- healthy aging
Consider volunteer opportunities, education and lifelong learning opportunities, employment opportunities, and making intergenerational connections to develop and keep social connections. For opportunities for social connections, please see Community Resources section, Volunteer Manitoba’s website, and the Manitoba Seniors Guide.
Volunteer Manitoba supports groups and individuals in the voluntary sector to develop and enhance their capacity to anticipate, understand, celebrate, and meet community needs in Manitoba.
Injury from Falls:
- Falls are the most common cause of injury and hospital admissions among older adults.
- Falls can have significant lasting consequences, including increasing the probability of admission into a personal care home.
- Every year an estimated one in three older adults experiences an injury-causing fall.
Smoking Cessation: It's Never Too Late to Quit
According to Census Canada 2011, more and more Canadians are living to their 90s and even 100s. As life expectancy continues to grow, healthy, active aging becomes a priority. Healthy eating and regular exercise are important to healthy aging and longevity, but quitting smoking may have the greatest effect on the quality of your life as you age.
Resources for Healthy Aging:
To help you make informed decisions that meet your needs, please review the following resources for Healthy Aging.
- The Active Living Coalition of Older Adults for Manitoba (ALCOA-MB is a key partner in delivering healthy living services to Manitoba seniors as part of Manitoba’s Healthy Aging work. ALCOA-MB co-ordinates provincial efforts to promote healthy lifestyles for older adults through its peer leaders speaker program. For more information, please contact ALCOA-MB at: www.alcoamb.org/
- Visit the following web pages for more information using the following links:
Publications on Healthy Aging:
- Chief Provincial Public Health Officer’s Report on the Health Status of Manitobans 2015: Healthy Environments, Healthy People
- The Chief Public Health Officer’s Report on the State of Public Health in Canada, 2010: Growing Older - Adding Life to Years
- World Health Organization (2002). Active Ageing: A Policy Framework
- Healthy Aging in Canada: A New Vision, A Vital Investment From Evidence to Action (2006)
