Pellau Magazine

Older people do not have to be ill and they should not wait for illness to creep up to address health concerns, advised Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan. He recommended that apart from walking, older people should lift weights to regain muscle strength and volume, which diminishes with age.



He said his ministry had already implemented educational programmes at hospitals and health centres specifically designed to address the concerns of older people. "We are doing all we could to ensure that older people do not have lengthy waits at the hospitals and health centres. When they come in, we want them to be attended to with no hassle and in a speedy manner," Khan added.



On complaints that older people often had to wait for as long as two to three years for knee-replacement surgery, Khan said the people who needed that particular surgery was ".001 per cent" of the population. "Knee-replacement surgery is not in the same category as a life-threatening emergency surgery. "The older people who need knee-replacement surgery have been overweight and did little or no exercise."





Tips for healthy ageing

• Stay sociable, maintain and increase your network of friends and acquaintances

• Keep in contact with old friends and neighbours if you move in with a relative or change address

• Ask friends to visit

• Have your own telephone and e-mail account

• Eat right

• Maintain a sense of independence

•Keep moving and exercising

• Stay in touch with your spirituality

• Laugh and have a sense of humour

• Get legal advice for possible future disability

Source: www.cbsnews.com
from The Trinidad Guardian Newspaper http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2012-05-07/health-minister-encourages-exercise