Active Ageing

WHO (2002) defines active ageing as “the process of optimising opportunities for health, participation, and security in order to enhance the quality of life as people age”. This framework applies to individuals and larger population groups and has the aim to optimise wellbeing on three levels: physical, social, and mental (both affective and cognitive). 

Active ageing involves:

✔️ Experiencing high quality of life and active participation.

✔️ Gathering new information and knowledge.

✔️ Investing time in meaningful activities.

✔️ Living independently at home.

✔️ Building and maintaining social relationships.

✔️ Performing adequate physical activity.

Disease prevention and health promotion

Disease prevention and health promotion share many goals, and there is considerable overlap between functions. Disease prevention is understood as specific, population-based and individual-based interventions for primary and secondary (early detection) prevention, aiming to minimise the burden of diseases and associated risk factors. 

Health promotion is the process of empowering people to increase control over their health and its determinants through health literacy efforts and multisectoral action to increase healthy behaviours. 

Source: World Health Organization. Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, 2022

The distinction between prevention and health promotion is however very important. Prevention has a pathogenetic perspective and health promotion has a salutogenic perspective. With the Ottawa Charter on Health Promotion of the WHO (1986), there has been a paradigm shift from a pathogenetic to a salutogenic perspective, which has also given much more importance to the promotion of physical activity. All modern approaches to public health promotion follow the paradigms of health promotion. 

Elderly

The elderly are the large group of over-60s. This group is admittedly very heterogeneous and a further classification is desirable.

Fall Prevention

Falls are the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related deaths worldwide. And the risk of falling increases with age. The good news is that many falls are avoidable. This is where fall prevention comes in. Fall prevention includes any action taken to help reduce the number of accidental falls suffered by susceptible individuals, such as the elderly and people with neurological or orthopedic indications.

Fundamental movement skills

Fundamental movement skills are movement patterns that involve various body parts and provide the basis for complex skills used in physical activity and sport.

Health

“The general condition of the body.”

Source: Merriam-Webster dictionary

“A state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

Source: World Health Organisation

Health Enhancing Physical Activity – HEPA

“Any form of physical activity that benefits health and functional capacity without undue harm or risk.”

Source: Physical activity and health in Europe: Evidence for action, World Health Organization; 2006

Healthy Ageing

The WHO continued to add insights to this framework and in 2020 defined healthy ageing as “the process of developing and maintaining the functional ability that enables wellbeing in older age”. The concept is broader than being free of disease and emphasises the importance of functional ability and environments. Functional ability is determined by the intrinsic capacity of the individual (that is, the combination of all the individual’s physical and mental capacities), the environments he or she inhabits (understood in the broadest sense and including physical, social and policy environments), and the interaction between these.

Healthy lifestyle

“A healthy lifestyle can be defined as a health-promoting behaviour pattern based on available personal choices. […] they might be any habit associated with positive health outcomes as well as the lack of health-harming practices.”

Simply put, you build a healthy lifestyle based on the choices you make about your daily habits. The purpose of choosing a healthy lifestyle is to leave you fit, energetic, and at reduced risk for disease.

Source: Berkeley Well-Being Institute

Inclusive organisation

For the purpose of this course, an inclusive organisation is defined as an organisation which values, involves and respects all its stakeholders, enabling them to their reach their full potential.

In an inclusive organisation, the culture is such that it inculcates a climate in which respect, equity, and the positive impacts of differences are all cultivated.

Echoing the saying “nothing about them without them”, an inclusive organisation also incorporates the needs, assets and perspectives of its target groups into the design and implementation of its activities. In short, inclusion does not just happen. It requires proper integration, support and care for those diverse groups. One of the key elements to be provided in an inclusive organisation is a safeguarding environment.

Mental wellbeing

Does not have a single universal definition, but it does encompass factors such as:

• The sense of feeling good about ourselves and being able to function well individually or in relationships
• The ability to deal with the ups and downs of life, such as coping with challenges and making the most of opportunities
• The feeling of connection to our community and surroundings
• Having control and freedom over our lives
• Having a sense of purpose and feeling valued

Of course, mental wellbeing does not mean being happy all the time, and it does not mean that you won’t experience negative or painful emotions, such as grief, loss, or failure, which are a part of normal life. However, whatever your age, being physically active can help you to lead a mentally healthier life and can improve your wellbeing.

Migrant

A migrant is any person who is moving or has moved across an international border or within a State away from his/her habitual place of residence, regardless of (1) the person’s legal status; (2) whether the movement is voluntary or involuntary; (3) what the causes for the movement are; or (4) what the length of the stay is. IOM concerns itself with migrants and migration‐related issues and, in agreement with relevant States, with migrants who are in need of international migration services.”

Source: International Organization for Migration – IOM, 2018

Non Communicable Diseases-NCDs

The term “non-communicable diseases” (NCDs) is used to describe a group of conditions that includes cardiovascular disease, cancer, mental health problems, diabetes mellitus, chronic respiratory disease, and musculoskeletal disorders. This broad group accounts for the majority of the disease burden and is linked by common risk factors, underlying determinants and opportunities for intervention.

Source: Gaining health: the European Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases. World Health Organization. Regional Office for Europe, 2006

Physical Activity

“Any body movement that is produced by the contraction of skeletal muscles and that produces substantial increases in the body’s energy consumption compared to being at rest.”

So any movement of the body made during our day-to-day activity is a physical activity. 

Physical development

Physical development is the development of a child’s control over their body, including control over muscles (gross and fine motor movements), and coordination of these movements.

Physical Exercise

“A type of planned and structured physical activity, with previous preparation. It is a subset of Physical Activity and consists of repeating certain movements with the aim of improving or maintaining some of the components of physical fitness.” 

Source: Spanish Heart Foundation FEC

Physical literacy

Physical literacy embraces skills and attributes – the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge, and understanding – to value and take responsibility for engagement in physical activities and movement across the life course. It can be understood as a process and as an outcome that individuals pursue through an interaction of their physical, emotional, social, and cognitive learning.

Refugee

A refugee is someone who fled his or her home and country owing to “a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion”, according to the United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention. Many refugees are in exile to escape the effects of natural or human-made disasters.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding refers to the measures implemented to protect the health, wellbeing and human rights of individuals, which allow people to live free from abuse, harm and neglect. Just like Dr Donna de Haan, known as The Diversity Doctor, we believe “every space we enter should be a safe space for everyone”.

“A condition in which someone or something is thriving or doing well.”

Source: Merriam-Webster dictionary

Sedentary behaviour

“Any waking behaviour characterised by an energy expenditure of 1.5 METS or lower while sitting, reclining, or lying. Most desk-based office work, driving a car, and watching television are examples of sedentary behaviours.”

Source: WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. World Health Organization; 2020

Socially disadvantaged groups

The definition of socially disadvantaged groups is still subject to controversy and can encompass a lot of different realities. There is one thing, however, that features in every definition of the concept: social disadvantage stems from circumstances beyond their control.

As per the WHO Regional Office for Europe definition from 2011, “Social disadvantage relates to socioeconomic aspects such as income, employment, education and socioeconomic status; to socio-cultural aspects such as gender, ethnicity, religion, culture, migrant status and social capital; socio-geographical aspects such as living in a deprived neighbourhood; and to age.”

For the purpose of this course, we will define “socially disadvantaged groups” as people who are in a difficult situation and are in a disadvantaged social position due to the low state of nature, economy, society and culture, and without regard to their individual qualities. In practical terms, socially disadvantaged individuals have less access to opportunities, activities, or roles that others take for granted. It is also important to keep in mind that the same person may belong to several groups at the same time.

Migrants and refugees, homeless people and street children, prostitutes, and non-income earning people low-income earners are among these socially disadvantaged groups. In some contexts, so, too, are women and girls.

Sport

“A form of physical activity subject to specific rules or regulations. It will generally require training or a specific physical exercise programme”. 

Source: Spanish Heart Foundation FEC

Stigma

“Stigma has been described as a sign of disgrace which distinguishes the person from others. In the context of mental health, it usually involves the use of negative labels to identify people as different.”

Source: See Change

It is important to become aware of stigma as a form of discrimination experienced by people because of their mental health problems. It can act as a barrier to seeking help, speaking out and recovery.

Wellbeing

“Wellbeing is a positive state experienced by individuals and societies. Similar to health, it is a resource for daily life and is determined by social, economic and environmental conditions. Wellbeing encompasses quality of life and the ability of people and societies to contribute to the world with a sense of meaning and purpose.”

Source: World Health Organisation

Wellbeing is ‘a positive physical, social and mental state’. The World Health Organisation defines wellbeing as a positive state experienced by individuals and societies. Similar to health, it is a resource for daily life and is determined by social, economic, and environmental conditions. Wellbeing encompasses quality of life and the ability of people and societies to contribute to the world with a sense of meaning and purpose. Focusing on wellbeing supports the tracking of the equitable distribution of resources, overall thriving, and sustainability. A society’s wellbeing can be determined “by the extent to which they are resilient, build capacity for action, and are prepared to transcend challenges”.

WHO Glossary of Terms, 2021