Healthy Ageing:Interventions to Improve the Quality of Life

In recent years, due to significant changes in the demographic characteristics of the older population, researches on Sociology of Aging has provided new insight concerning the problems and challenges associated with aging. Age related Biological, Psychological and Sociological changes that occur with the aging influence the extent to which an individual is able to cope up with the changes. The so far evidences point out to the importance of various interventions to enable old persons to improve the quality of their later life.

The main objectives of the study are-: 1) to identify older people's perceptions and attitude on quality of life and healthy ageing, 2) to identify dietary and lifestyle factors, that contribute to healthy ageing, 3) to study the ethical dimensions of quality of life in aging, and 4) to know about the morbidity profile and interventions to maintain the health status of old persons. This is an empirical study conducted in Belgaum city, of Karnataka State, India. 160 respondents in the age group 60-70 were selected on random basis and data were collected using structured interview schedule. A simple descriptive statistical method is applied to analyze the data.

         The findings of the study suggest strategies in improving the quality of life of elderly. It is concluded that, the social, personal and philosophical interventions on their own habits and activities help elderly in improving the longevity and quality of life. Interventions to slow the aging process could be regarded either as an enhancement of health spans or as preventative therapeutic interventions that reduces risk of illness and disability.