By Andros Karagiannis *
The pandemic of coronavirus has brought about rapid changes in the lifestyle of people, especially the elderly, since their mandatory confinement in homes has shaken their physical, mental and social health. According to the European Statistical Office (Eurostat), in the European Union of half a billion people, 20% are aged 65 and over, while people aged 80 and over account for about 13% of the total population.
The European Commission of the Regions (EEC) has repeatedly discussed the issue of active and healthy aging of European citizens and the participation of the elderly in society without discrimination, which is now more important than ever. Several local authorities have their own Adult Centers or Care Centers, which promote lifelong learning, which aims to extend quality and active life.
Promoting a healthy lifestyle is an important incentive for the elderly not to stay indoors. They are thus given the opportunity to exercise, to practice their cognitive abilities, as well as to become acquainted with a healthy diet, through lectures and workshops. The elderly should also keep up with the modern way of life and for this reason they are offered the opportunity to use modern digital technology to access bank accounts and Automatic Cash Registers.
The EETP also dealt with the aging of the population as well as the low birth rate, which is observed mainly in young couples. In many EU countries, young people find it difficult financially to cope with their daily responsibilities and for many young people starting a family is a very difficult task, as they primarily want their financial security and not family rehabilitation. This means reducing the active population, but also abandoning remote areas, due to the installation of many new couples in urban centers.
However, the elderly who remain in their place should enjoy opportunities for healthy employment, but also be active through organized groups. However, there are those who have health problems and cannot be active. They should be provided with home care and frequent monitoring by social workers, as well as health care services in cooperation with the state's public services.
The daily lives of vulnerable groups are difficult when there are problems with self-service and the absence of family relationships, which leads to despair and social isolation. Incidents of violence against the elderly should also concern us as local authorities, as they should be identified immediately and with the help of citizens for the timely protection of the weak and helpless victims.
In addition, we should be concerned about the lack of specialist doctors or nurses specializing in geriatrics. The EU is facing a huge problem in this scientific field, as there is no similar interest from medical staff to acquire this specific specialty. The prejudice against the profession of geriatrics is quite high among young scientists, ignoring the proposed curricula that need to be improved, such as Erasmus Plus.
Exercise, an active and healthy lifestyle contribute to improving one's physical and mental health. So, if we want to live more and better years, we must include physical exercise and a healthy diet in our daily lives. This, however, depends not only on each individual but also on other social factors, which must be determined by each state in the context of ensuring social welfare.
* Andros G. Karagiannis, Mayor of Deryneia