A Community Wellness Program for Seniors “Sixty Over Sixty”
Overview: Kerala has an over 60 population of almost 15 percent. This is twice the national average and projected to grow to over 20 percent by 2025.The Healthy Neighborhood Alliance therefore calls upon all community and political organizations to collaborate so that local initiatives to monitor and develop preventative health programs for seniors.
Health expenditure for seniors is being spent too late: Some studies indicate that most seniors spend 90 percent of their lifetime healthcare expenditure in the last few years of of their lives. By this time, it is often too late to improve quality of life and funds are spent on critical hospital and home nursing care without much hope of restoring the patient to a happy, wholesome life.
Community Care is the need of the hour: A community that pays attention to the health of its members can avoid the health disasters that plague those who do not adequately provide for their preventative health. A series of simple adjustments can make all the difference. These changes can include: Elder care visits, nutritional counselling and access to healthier foods, wellness education to motivate more activity, better community engagement, etc.
Community engagement will also help keep people healthy: Seniors have a lot to offer their communities. They can help children with their homework, participate in community health focused initiatives such as Yoga, Meditation and Tai Chi groups
etc. They can also just get together and have fun!
The “Sixty over Sixty” Pilot Plan for Panampilly Nagar, Ernakulam: Healthy Neighborhood seeks to engage with community leaders and develop preventative health plans for residential communities. A pilot plan for Panampilly Nagar will help us fine tune the program before extending it to other communities.
You can start screening people in your community who may need help by using or adapting the following form.