Ageing and Disabilities

Introductions

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there were 600 million persons aged 60 and more in the year 2000, with that number expected to rise to 1.2 billion by 2025 and 2 billion by 2050. Aging can be viewed as a societal accomplishment, but it also poses a challenge in terms of health care and continuing healthy functioning for this rapidly growing population. As a result, it's critical to ensure that these extra years are not only free of chronic disease or disability, but also that mental and physical functionality is maintained. This will lessen the population's massive economic and social responsibilities. Nearly half of all health-care spending occurs after the age of 65, according to estimates.

One of the most often used expressions to describe a healthy old age is "successful aging," which was coined in the 1960s by R. J. Havighurst and defined as "adding life to the years." Throughout the decades, there was a growing recognition among biomedical experts that the quality of life may be just as significant as the number of years added to life. While a specific definition of successful aging has yet to be agreed upon, it is widely agreed that it comprises the freedom from chronic disease and the ability to operate well in old age, both physically and cognitively.

Behavioral risk factors

Physical and social exposures, including behaviors, during the life period have a significant impact on disabilities that appear later in life. resulting in an accumulation of risks as one gets older. The four main behavioral risk factors includes: smoking, excessive consumption of alcohol, poor diet and low levels of physical activity. Behavioral risk factors in midlife have been linked to good ageing and the primary prevention or delay of disability, according to research.