Active in old age: health promotion inspires seniors in Dessau!

Active in old age: health promotion inspires seniors in Dessau!

As part of Seniors' Week 2025, the information event “Health Promotion in Old Age” took place at the Dessau-Roßlau Adult Education Center, which was opened by Pawel Strzelczyk, the head physician at the Geriatrics Clinic. With a quote from Hugo von Hofmannsthal, he got the numerous guests in the mood for the afternoon's topics. Among those present were Bernd Wolfram, the city's senior representative, and Traudel Deutrich, chairwoman of the senior citizens' advisory board.

The lectures by Strzelczyk, senior physician Cindy Schödel and Dr. Judith Pannier highlighted various aspects of health promotion in old age. Strzelczyk strongly advocated that health in old age depends heavily on one's own activity. He encouraged those listening to actively take care of their own well-being. Schödel spoke in particular about the importance of exercise and mentioned suitable activities such as walking, Nordic walking, swimming and cycling that contribute to health.

Important recommendations for older adults

Dr. Judith Pannier provided practical recommendations and mentioned the need for vaccinations, especially booster pertussis vaccination for grandparents. This underlines the diverse approaches to health care in old age. Medical progress has led to an increase in the age of the geriatric patient group: from 70-80 years to now 80-90 years. The speakers also pointed out that this progress brings new challenges in the care of older people.

The event in Dessau-Roßlau hits the nerve of the times. Professor Ansgar Thiel, Rector of the German Sport University Cologne, emphasized the need for a rethink in the health promotion of older people at a geriatrics congress. He even states that the WHO's current physical activity recommendations are not sufficient to meet the needs of this heterogeneous age group. Thiel calls for individualized concepts that take into account the living environment of older people, an adaptation that he argues is essential.

The importance of movement

Regular exercise is not only the key to better physical health, but also contributes significantly to mental well-being and quality of life. Physical activity has positive effects on brain function, and as the recommendations from Austria show, targeted training plans can significantly improve the fitness of seniors. A trained 70-year-old can definitely be fitter than an untrained 30-year-old.

• Bewegung hilft, chronischen Erkrankungen vorzubeugen, darunter:
• Adipositas
• Diabetes mellitus Typ 2
• Herz-Kreislauf-Erkrankungen
• Osteoporose
• Arthrose

The risk of falling in old age can be significantly reduced through regular exercise training. Unfortunately, fear of falling often remains the reason why many older people become withdrawn, which in turn can lead to muscle loss and an increased risk of injury.

The information event once again showed that actively shaping the quality of life in old age is not only possible, but also necessary. The impulses from Dessau-Roßlau and the thoughts of experts like Thiel give many people a good idea to actively promote their own health in old age.

For more information about health promotion in old age and exercise options in the region, take a look at the reports from Dessau Hospital, DG Geriatrics and health.gv.at.