HEPA S - Health and Fitness Assessment for Seniors, Erasmus+
Association Sport for All Belgrade has joined EU project HEPA-Health and Fitness Assessment for Seniors, co funded Erasmus+ program of the European Union.
OVERALL OBJECTIVE of this project is to encourage participation in recreational physical activity for seniors (persons age 65+) in project partner countries by developing new recreational sport programmes suited for 3 types of most common health conditions (back pain, cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis) thereby supporting the implementation of the EU Physical Activity Guidelines.
The health benefits of physical activity (PA) for older adults have been well established in the scientific literature. Numerous outcomes have been studied to document associations with PA, including reduced prevalence of common chronic conditions (eg, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension), improved mental health (eg, depression, stress), quality of life, increased physical function, decreased cognitive decline (eg, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease) and reduced mortality rates.
Physical activity is at the core of health and well-being. The benefits of physical activity – including reduced risk of no communicable diseases and lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression – are well known. The social benefits of physical activity participation are often particularly important to older people. However, health promotion messages often target children and young people, with less focus on the importance of physical activity for people aged 60 years and over.
With this project we want to stimulate the physical activity of elderly to remain vital and healthy in mature years. Special attention will be aimed to older people in retirement homes, retired (pensioners’) associations, and elderly people who are at home.
THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES of this project are:
- Raising awareness regarding benefits of participation in recreational PA for seniors (persons age 65+) in terms of social inclusion and health-enhancing;
- Analysing current HEPA guidelines in project countries and developing new Recommendations for implementing HEPA for seniors with emphasis on new developed exercises aimed at resolving back pain and on exercises adapted to persons with cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis using multi-sectoral approach;
- Strengthening the capacity of kinesiologists and trainers through non-formal education on new methodology for conducting recreational sport activities for seniors in project countries;
- Strengthening the capacity of general practitioners on benefits of participation of seniors in recreational sport activities
- Creating a network of main stakeholders (project partner organizations, kinesiologists and general practitioners), national and local sports committees, units of local (self) government and health institutions to exchange examples of good practice regarding the inclusion of seniors in recreational sport activities.
Target group of this project are sport for all coaches and fitness professionals (kinesiologists, trainers), general practitioners as well as older adults (65+). Training for seniors proposes new dimension in context of innovative exercises for seniors respecting their physical condition, limitations per age and physical ability (illness, health problems, disability etc.).
THE FINAL RESULT of this project will be development of a new Educational modules Manual for fitness professionals (kinesiologists, trainers) and general practitioners as well as Recommendations for future activities to promote recreational sport activities for seniors.
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