Call to Action: Promoting healthy behaviors among older adults

The current gap between life expectancy and healthy life, reflected in quality of life and the ability to carry out desired daily activities, can be narrowed. Research shows that simple behavioral changes can improve the health condition of older adults.(1) These improvements in health can be achieved through a combination of practicing healthful behaviors, effectively identifying disease and health risks early and getting them treated, and managing chronic conditions. An important way to promote healthy behaviors among older adults is to improve patient-provider communication and to provide time for counseling and referral regarding lifestyle modifications, so that older adults can adopt or maintain these behaviors. To reach these goals, providers need time to provide counseling and readily access to community resources from the public health and aging services networks on lifestyle interventions. In particular, older adults with disabilities such as vision problems and literacy difficulties require special attention. Many of these challenges could be addressed through general systems improvement recommended for primary care, improved communications and identification of community resources.(2)

References:

1. Fries JF. Measuring and monitoring success in compressing morbidity. Annals of Internal Medicine 2003;139:455–459. 
   
2. Stone EG, Morton SC, Hulscher ME, et al. Interventions that increase use of adult immunization and cancer screening services: a meta-analysis. Annals of Internal Medicine 2002;136:641–651.