healthy and active ageing - EuroHealthNet's Healthy Ageing Website

12. Delicious Life
Improving knowledge and skills on nutrition and physical activity through frequent
social activities
The goal of this Czech project (2003-2005) was to improve the knowledge and cooking skills of older
people to encourage a healthier diet, to enhance their physical activity and increase their motivation to
maintain a healthy lifestyle. The project was based on findings that the dietary habits of older people
are often inappropriate and their improvement requires not only a nutritional but also a social impact.
“Delicious Wednesdays” were held, comprising a short physical warm-up, educational lectures on
healthy diets from cuisines around the world (Greek, Italian, and Asian, etc.) and practical lessons
on their preparation with tasting sessions. The lectures were given by dietary experts, or by older
people themselves. Participating centres organised “Delicious Wednesday” sessions using a common
methodical approach, but always with variation in certain specific elements. The interaction and
participation of older people increased their activity. Participants selected recipes, prepared food and
ate together. Participants in “Delicious Wednesdays” were involved in the development of a desk
calendar, which contained the most successful recipes, advice and other health promotion ideas.
More information is available at:
http://www.healthproelderly.com/database/plists/singleview/39
13. VINTAGE
Best practices for prevention of alcohol-related harm in the
elderly in the EU
Alcohol use disorders are common in older people and, with an ageing
European population, will increase in absolute numbers. The objectives
of this project, co-funded by the EU (DG SANCO, 2009-2010) is to
build capacity at the European, country and local levels by providing
the evidence base and collecting best practices to prevent the harmful
use of alcohol amongst older people, including the transition from work to retirement, and to invest in
older people’s health and well-being. The project undertakes systematic reviews and collect examples
of best practice on the harm done by alcohol to the health and well-being of older people, and on
effective policies and programmes to reduce such harm, from all countries of Europe. Reports on
guidance for action and a database and inventory of examples of good practice are available at:
http://www.epicentro.iss.it/vintage/relevant.asp
The first project report titled “Alcohol and older people” has just been published. The report clarifies
the dynamics between alcohol, ageing and health through an analysis of scientific evidence on the
impact of alcohol on older people.
More information is available at:
http://www.epicentro.iss.it/vintage/pdf
14. SAǦLIK project
Promoting physical activity, nutrition and social participation in urban districts
The SAǦLIK projects is going to develop, implement and evaluate community based health promotion
intereventions for members of the elderly Turkish migrant community in Hamburg with the aim to
adapt local health promotion structures and to reduce health inequalities. The interventions will focus
on improving nutrition, physical activity and social participation. The project takes a mulit stakeholder
approach and includes expertise from the public health, health psychology, nutrition sciences, social
sciences and social work professions.
More information is available at:
http://www.haw-hamburg.de/fakultaeten-und-departments/ls/ls-forschung0/fsp-public-health/aktuelleprojekte/saglik.html
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