Senior Fitness
The Aging Population
The 55+ population is the fastest-growing segment in society all over the world. According to the World Population Prospects 2022, Between 2015 and 2050, the proportion of people over 60 years old will increase from 12% to 22% to reach 1.5 billion people. Projections show a clear doubling of this proportion between 2000 and 2050. The number of oldest-old persons (more than 80 years old) will reach 395 million in 2050.
The United States ranks 3rd in countries with the Largest Number of Older Adults, with approximately 53 million people aged 65+, approximately 6% of the population. In the year 2030, all Baby Boomers, the second largest demographic group in the US, will be over 65. This will expand the size of the older population so that one in every five Americans is projected to be at retirement age. Later that decade, by 2034, it is projected that older adults will outnumber children for the first time in U.S. history
Healthy Aging
WHO defines healthy aging as “the process of developing and maintaining the functional ability that enables well-being in older age.”4 Functional ability is about having the capabilities that enable all people to be and do what they have reason to value. This includes a person’s ability to:
- meet their basic needs
- learn, grow, and make decisions
- be mobile
- build and maintain relationships
- contribute to society
Healthy Aging concentrates on maximizing the positive effects of those factors under our control. It is a continuous process of optimizing opportunities to maintain and improve physical and mental health, independence, and quality of life throughout the life course.
Functional Aging
Functional ability consists of the intrinsic capacity of the individual, relevant environmental characteristics, and the interaction between them. As we age, it becomes more difficult to carry out the ordinary tasks of everyday living due to a decline in physical and cognitive abilities that can occur with aging, Slowing the rate of functional decline in older adults through a carefully and specifically designed Functional Aging Program, preserves autonomy, promotes well-being, cuts down on medical expenses, and reduces the risk of institutionalization.
Functional Aging addresses the physical, cognitive, and social aspects of the individual. It includes the ability of the individual to perform everyday tasks, such as walking, thinking, hearing, and personal interactions.
Healthy aging is now considered “the process of developing and maintaining functional ability which enables well-being in older age.”