Members of the College of Family Physicians of Canada may claim one non-certified credit per hour for this non-certified educational program.
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Dr. Marina Abdel Malak is a Family Physician in Mississauga, Ontario. She has served on several committees and groups, including The Primary Care Network and Collaborative Mental Health Network. She has a passion for medical education, patient empowerment, and increasing awareness about the relationship between mental, emotional, and physical health. Dr. Abdel Malak is highly involved in quality improvement initiatives, and her research interests include strategies to support physician wellness, patient self-management, and optimizing physician education.
Abstract
The Canadian population continues to age, and therefore, promoting healthy aging is essential. Physicians play an important role in counselling patients on how they can optimize their health. Despite the range of societal myths and fads, the 4 pillars of health are the strategies that have been shown by evidence to promote healthy aging. In the clinical setting, it is critical for physicians to advise patients on these 4 pillars: a balanced diet, a range of physical activities, maintaining relationships, and utilizing the brain’s cognitive capacities all promote physical, mental, social, and emotional wellness. Although aging itself is unavoidable, these lifestyle behaviours can support patients in experiencing aging as a positive, fulfilling, and meaningful part of their lives.
Key Words: Health promotion, aging, nutrition, exercise, cognition, social engagement.
The Canadian population continues to age, and by 2030, nearly 1 in 4 Canadians will be over 65 years old.1 As a result, there is an increasing need to address common issues seen in the elderly. It is well-known that aging alone increases one's risks for a variety of illnesses, including cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, infections, dementia, pain, and more.2 When these illnesses occur in the elderly, they are also more likely to be prolonged and serious, and can even be fatal. While there are no strategies that can effectively 'prevent' the population from aging, there are numerous interventions that can optimize health as patients age. In a society where fads and marketing have made it difficult to determine 'what really works and what does not', physicians play a major role in counseling patients about the lifestyle interventions that have been proven (i.e. are evidence-based) to promote healthy aging.3
