Introduction
Older people pay great attention to their health and are much more motivated to be healthy and active. The main principle of longevity is a healthy lifestyle and self-care. An increase in the standard of living is possible with a combination of the right lifestyle, work and rest balance, healthy food, engaging activities, and others. There is a need to maintain the older generation excellent quality of life. Firstly, such actions will improve personal well-being and standard of living. Secondly, it will reduce the burden on society if older people can better take care of themselves (Dijkman et al., 2018). These reasons make it necessary to establish a healthy lifestyle training program for the older population.
Target Population
People over 60, concerned about their future health and general wellness.
Goals and Tasks
- The program’s goal is to increase the understanding of the possibilities of maintaining a healthy lifestyle in old age with an orientation towards an active life position.
- Raise the level of social and psychological well-being of older people by meeting their need for development.
- To provide new knowledge and skills that enable older persons to try themselves in new areas of activity.
Classes types
The following forms of educational activities are provided: training, information cycles of lectures, seminars, debates, meetings with healthcare specialists, self-training groups, and excursions.
Setting and Program Application
Preparatory stage
- The program is designed for people aged 50 years living in the same district. Search of students for classes is carried out on an applicant basis; training is free, and the contribution of teachers and other participants is voluntary.
- At the first stage, an information company will be held through the media to notify district residents about the beginning of recruitment for participation in the program.
- In the second stage, everyone will be invited to a conversation to determine the main motives and desire to participate in the program. The main criterion is a sustainable motivation for education through the program – interest in training as a whole, the opportunity to attend classes.
- In the third stage, the selected participants will be invited to the meeting, at which the work schedule, training schedule, and thematic plan will be discussed in detail. Each program participant can complete a questionnaire, thanks to which program managers learn about the person and his or her wishes, the participant’s nutrition, and physical activity.
Main Stage
Methodical module
- Selection and training of teachers, practitioners in the area “Healthy lifestyle”;
- Development of training plan, a search of necessary sources
Organizational-information module
- The search for premises for the implementation of the program. A lecture hall for conducting theoretical blocks, an equipped room for practical exercises is a sports hall are required.
- Posting of information materials in the media on the program launch to inform the society.
- The work of selecting participants in the program is older people aged 60 years, using interviews and questionnaires.
- Presentation of the program for participants and the media.
Educational module
- Conduct six months of training, twice a week for three hours. The first class is 1.5 hours theoretical, and the second 1, 5 hours practical. The duration of classes may change in terms fo the type of classes, and the materials studied.
- Each participant will defend a project on the topic: “The image of my healthy future.”
- At the end of the training, each participant will hold a practical open lesson for those who wish. The lesson can be held in the form of lectures, seminars, going to the pool, yoga classes, and others.
Final module
- Program participants are awarded diplomas upon completion of the educational program.
- Each participant of the program will fill out the program’s evaluation questionnaire, noting the pros and cons, and wishes for the future.
- Summing up the program completion at the general meeting of all contributors.
Expected results
One hundred older people will attend the program. After graduation, all students of the program will develop their project, consisting of lectures and exercises on a healthy lifestyle, and will conduct a practical lesson for those who wish. Thus, additional training in the field of health will be received by the program students themselves and also by those with whom they can conduct the lesson.
After the end of the program, senior citizens will be able to take care of their health better and improve their physical and mental well-being (Mehta & Myrskylä, 2017). The life position of the program participants will become more active, and they will open up new areas for self-realization. As a result of training, we can talk about improving senior citizens’ quality of life by providing new development opportunities. This discovery will allow them to look at life from different points of view and improve not only their physical but also the mental state (Mohammadi et al., 2019). As a consequence of the training, students will have knowledge about factors that benefit health and the life quality. Participants will be able to evaluate critically, review their lifestyle and the lifestyle of loved ones, as well as apply the knowledge gained, master healthy behavior skills, and form a conscious attitude to building a healthy lifestyle.
References
Dijkman B. L., Mikkonen I., & Roodbol, P. F. (Eds). (2018). Older people: Improving health and social care. Springer International Publishing.
Mehta, N., & Myrskylä, M. (2017). The population health benefits of a healthy lifestyle: Life expectancy increased and onset of disability delayed. Health Affairs, 36(8), 1495-1502.
Mohammadi Mehr, M., Zamani-Alavijeh, F., Hasanzadeh, A., & Fasihi, T. (2019). Effect of Healthy Lifestyle Educational Programs on Happiness and Life Satisfaction in the Elderly: A Randomized Controlled Trial Study. Iranian Journal of Ageing, 13(4), 440-451.