Seniors' lifestyles contribute to poor health outcomes

5/04/06
Western Australian seniors have been warned that they are jeopardising their long-term health and well-being by failing to incorporate minimum requirements for diet and exercise in their daily lives.
Seniors' Minister David Templeman has urged seniors to increase their intake of fruit and vegetables and to get at least 150 minutes of exercise a week to ward off potentially fatal illnesses and enhance their quality of life.
This week, Mr Templeman launched 'WA Seniors - Active Ageing Benchmark Indicators', which concluded that while the majority of seniors considered themselves to be in good health - despite 76 per cent having a long-term health condition - there were significant areas for improvement.
"Fewer than one in five seniors eat sufficient vegetables and about 50 per cent do not get enough exercise," the Minister said.
"Dietary improvements alone can lead to a reduction in hypertension and high cholesterol levels, the risk of stroke, obesity and some types of cancer, as well as maintaining normal blood glucose levels and managing diabetes.
"Senior females are less likely than males to get enough exercise, whereas senior males are less likely than females to eat five or more servings of fruit and vegetables per day, or to be socially active."
These are just some of the indicators which will be used to measure the current and future well-being of WA seniors as part of the State Government's commitment under Generations Together: the Western Australian Active Ageing Strategy.
The strategy's vision is that, in 10 years' time, an increasing number of older Western Australians will be measurably healthier, more physically active and valued participants in the workforce and community life.
Mr Templeman said the benchmark indicators were an Australian first and had been developed in consultation with the World Health Organisation, Council on the Ageing and other State Government departments.
"The indicators are our community gauge, enabling us to measure our progress over time against the strategy's vision and identify areas for improvement," he said.
"The first of our 557,000 plus baby boomers are turning 60 this year and this seniors' boom makes it imperative that we act now to ensure that future seniors have the ability to enjoy the best possible quality of life.
"While the indicators show the majority of seniors have a healthy attitude towards ageing, are involved in their communities, feel safe from crime, and find it easy to get around their local areas, there are areas where we can do much better."
Mr Templeman said realising the vision of Generations Together would require an individual and whole-of-community response and he looked forward to a marked improvement when WA's active ageing status was reviewed in three years' time.
Copies of 'Western Australian Seniors: Active Ageing Benchmark Indicators' are available online at http://www.osi.wa.gov.au
Minister's office: 9220 5050