BEPRESEL – INTRODUCTION 1

TEACHERS GUIDLINE:INTRODUCTION 1

TO THE BEPRESEL COURSE

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DRAFT VERSION 4

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BEPRESEL – INTRODUCTION 1

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OVERALL COMMENTS TO THE TEACHER

It is not the intention that you have to use all the slides.

The intention is that you pick out the slides that fit the time frame of your presentation and the specific target group you are going to educate.

In general, it is good to remember that using slides often speed up the presentation which might not be beneficial for the specific audience.

It might be a good idea to memorize some of the slides so you can

write them on the blackboard yourself or on a flip over. make them a part of your own story telling.

Stick to the facts – but create your own story.

BEPRESEL – INTRODUCTION 1

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SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THIS PART.

The purpose of this part is to make seniors understand and acknowledge:

To reflect on what independence and being self-governing means to us as seniors.

To provide the facts of how many elderlies ends up in need of either homecare services or institutional care.

To be aware that we grow older – but we don’t seem to change or reduce the average number of years we are challenged by functional limitations.

Slide 22 and 23 are to start the conversation – that we can do what we train to do – and that it counts for our whole life.

o You will probably meet resistance to the result of the 2 small scenarios because it isn’t what seniors believe and think they know from “their own experiences”

You can respond “that is a good point and we will come back to this issue later.”. But state that you aren’t talking about training for the Olympics – we are talking about the required training to maintain or develop the daily activities that will make us stay independent longer.

The most important slides to reflect on are number 16, 18 and 19

BEPRESEL – INTRODUCTION 1

Welcome all, to this very first senior educational program – named BEPRESEL – strange name – but it stands for BEtter PREparation for

SEnior Life.

This initiative – providing us with the opportunity to be here today – is supported by the EU.

While we meet here, seniors in 4 other countries will meet about the same as us.

HOW CAN WE PREPARE BETTER FOR SENIOR LIFE

PREPARE BETTER FOR THE YEARS TO COME LATER IN SENIORLIFE

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BEPRESEL – INTRODUCTION 1

My name is …………

Before we start, I think it would be good to present ourselves.

We don’t need a long presentation – we will have lot of opportunities to get to know each other during the program.

Let us only have your names and if you want to – your ages. Then we will find out the rest later.

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BEPRESEL – INTRODUCTION 1

The basic objectives of this course are to hopefully make all aged +65 more informed about the great opportunities that senior life present. We will focus on;

the challenges that might occur in senior life. Reduce these issues, because many of us unnecessary day by day, week by week, month by month and year by year lose abilities and competences unnoticed without taking action to avoid this development.

A slowly almost invisible unnecessary process, which in the end will take away our independence and self-governing.

Many of us slide into unnecessary physical weakness and health problems.

Many of us will be unnecessarily dependent on either family, friends or professional caregivers employed at home care or at care homes.

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BEPRESEL – INTRODUCTION 1

We will focus on

How we with very little effort can avoid this future for many of us +65 – so more of us will have the opportunity to use and experience all these opportunities in many years to come.

what decides WHO will slide into dependency and who will stay independent.

A little polemic you may say that we will focus on what determines

Who and why some are able to run in a 100 meter competition when they are +90 or who will not be able to do that – because they are dependent on help.

What we do not want is to become dependent – to lose our independence and self-determination.

Therefore, it is a good idea to ask this question:

What decides who will end up in need of homecare-based support and institutional care at a care home and who will not?

Is it luck? Is it genetic? Is it destiny? NO it is not.

“Is it part of the “NORMAL AGEING” that we become dependent the last years of our life – and more the older we get.” NO it is not.

Most people older than 90 years are still staying fit. Only 3,7 out of 10 are in a condition where they need institutional care.

We will get back to that.

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BEPRESEL – INTRODUCTION 1

Our lives, dreams, hopes and values are very different in our younger years than in our senior years. The remarkable thing is, that no matter our social status or level of income during life, it seems that some fundamental issues become more similar when it comes to:

- What we hope for – what we dream of – what we would like to achieve the older we become. This includes both rich and less rich people. For educated and non-educated people and all other kind of profiles when we reach 60 – 65 years.

1. We would likely want to stay independent for as long as possible.

2. We would like to be able to live on our own conditions for as long as possible.

3. We would like to maintain our right of self-determination for as long as possible.

Research shows, that our ability to walk is what we rank the highest when we become older.

We would like to have good experiences and enjoy the company of our families and friends.

These 3 goals become more important to us.

Do you agree?

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BEPRESEL – INTRODUCTION 1

It might be a good idea to make it clear what we mean when talking about staying independent.

By staying independent we mean to keep our ability to:

Get out of bed – to decide for ourselves when we want to get out of bed and not be dependent on when the care services have the time to help

To take a bath – when I want a bath and not when the care services have time for me

To get dressed – when I want to get dressed and not when the care services have time for me

To make fresh coffee when I want to have coffee and not have to drink what the care service people made 5 hours ago and put in the thermos.

To go shopping when I need to shop – because I will like to choose my own groceries and not have what the care service have chosen.

To cut my hedge (if I have one) when I think it needs to be cut and not when my children have time to do it

To travel when I want to To see people when I want to see people To take part in activities I like to take part in – not to only take part in

activities because they are the only options

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BEPRESEL – INTRODUCTION 1

Ask the participants what they connect with– staying independent.

Let’s start with something very positive – we grow older.

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BEPRESEL – INTRODUCTION 1

On average we live longer. Much longer

Look at this picture of men having a good time at a bar.

They look young – they were young, but most of the males in the photo from 1900 were in fact close to the end of their life.

They would be our great-great-grandparents if we are 60 years old today

They would be our grandparents if we are 80 years old today.

IN THE BEGINNING OF 1900, DANISH, NORWEGIAN AND SWEDISH MALES HAD THE LONGEST AVERAGE LIFETIME IN EUROPE AT APPROXIMATELY 50 YEARS.

ENGLISH AND FRENCH MALES WERE AT A LEVEL OF 45 YEARS

The average lifetime has expanded with almost 30 years during the last 4 generations – that’s only 120 years.

Or 6 – 7,5 years per generation in the participating countries in this project.

Poland, Italy, Slovenia and Denmark.

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BEPRESEL – INTRODUCTION 1

If we look at the partner countries in the BEPRESEL project it is clear that the 3 of us have to look at Italy, who do it best.

Females

Italy no. 4 in the world Slovenia no. 12 Denmark no. 20 Poland no. 24

Males

Italy no. 5 in the world Denmark no. 14 Slovenia no. 21 Poland no. 27

We all need to improve to reach Spain or Switzerland’s level.

Perhaps we can take a shortcut and arrange that all females to move to Spain and all males to Switzerland.

It might surprise some – that all the European countries are beaten by a number of countries – if we look on the world ranking list.

A number of Asian countries – about who we can say much – we can mention that they eat more fish than we do.

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In the presentations to come there will be references to scientific results from many countries, because research relating to ageing has become more up-scaled and important. However, there will be a lot of references to Danish figures, because Denmark is one of the countries who have had scientifically focus on the ageing process for the longest and has had a focus on preventive measures and initiatives targeting health issues in senior life.

Denmark has a number of Longitudinal researches. What is it?

Longitudinal examination can be a cross-sectional investigation. It is a survey method, based on repeated measurements of the same investigative object. It is assumed that the investigated properties, states or events are measured in the same way.

An example is the Østerbro study - which included 24,000 people, all older than 20 when it started. They have been continuously examined in the same areas 5 times since the start in 1974 - 76.It means those who were 20 years old when the study started in 1974 -76 is 65 years old in 2019. Those who were 40 years old when it started are now 85 years old.

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Let’s look at some facts about how the future might look if nothing changes and our situation will end up in the same way as it did to our predecessors.

To some of you it might be a surprise to see how it looks. In the public focus and discussion about elderly issues there is a focus on the “care of the elderly”. So much that it could lead someone to believe that we all end up in need of care.

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Let us establish some shared knowledge and understandings of how it looks.

How many seniors stay independent throughout life. How many might become dependent on personal and practical

support – either as homecare service or at a care home.

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We use Danish figures because all levels and kinds of eldercare is free in Denmark – its paid by the municipalities.

The fact that care in later life is free in Denmark, makes us believe that there are no “dark figures” in Denmark.

It means that there isn’t any elderly in Denmark in need of personal or practical support who doesn’t ask for it and receive support, because they don’t have to pay for the relevant care services.

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The table show/tell.

Presently, Denmark has approximately 1.095.172 senior citizens (+65).

If we divided them into 2 age groups

58.590 senior citizens or 6,9% of the entire age group 65 to 79 are in a life position where they need practical support or personal care – or both.

CONCLUSION: It is not “NORMAL” to be in a state of dependency for a huge majority (more than 9 out of 10) of seniors up to 79 years old.

The percentage of senior citizens ending up in a life situation where they need personal practical support in age group 80 to 90 rise to 35%.

CONCLUSION: Still 2:3 do not receive support and stay independent even entering the life period from 80 years old and to the end.

Question to the seniors: Are you surprised that the number of elderlies up to age 80 who receive home care services is only 6,9% and that 2 out of 3 still live on their own conditions in age group 80 to 90 year.?

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When it comes to senior citizens in need for institutinal care, 51.709 senior citizens out of the total of 1.095.172 or 4,72 % need institutinal care.

Less than 5:100 live at a care home – it is NOT NORMAL to end up in a lifesituation where a carehome is needed

In agegroup 65 to 74 years (10 year group), 12.083 senior citizens or 1,87% live at a care home.

In age group 75 to 79 (5 year group), 2,27 % or 4.550 senior citizens live at a care home.

In age group 80 to 89 (10 year group) only 8,99 % or 18.470 senior citizens live at a care home.

Among the eldest seniors over 90 years old only 37,42% = 1:3 or 16.606 senior citizens live at a care home.

Question to the seniors: Are you surprised:

That the number of elderly older than 90 in need of the service and security at a care home is only 3,7 out of 10?

That the statistics show that it is “normal” for a person older than 90 to live in their own house or flat?

(In Denmark it is not normal for old parents to live with their children)

Put most attention to what is marked with red.

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BEPRESEL – INTRODUCTION 1

If we combine numbers with tables, it shows that only 8,9% in the age group of 65 – 79 years either receive homecare service or live at a care home.

9:10 live independently and on their own conditions.

Even in the oldest age group

it is just as common to have a daily life without support (51%)

as having a daily life depending on support (49%).

There are many reasons

to end up in need of home care or as resident at a carehome

– but age is not one of them.

Today, we know a lot about what leads to a need of care and there are many reasons – but age is not one of them. It is not more normal to be in a life situation when we enter agegroup 80 that require help and support.

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BEPRESEL – INTRODUCTION 1

Another way of looking at the challenges of becoming and staying independent is to look at how many years on average we are independent – after we have reached the age of 65.

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What is important about these figures.

In Denmark the number of years with and without functional limitation are regular meusured among citizens. When reaching the age of 60 it is meausured every 5 year. We only bring the result of 1987 and 2010 – to keep the overview.

1987The females who celebrated their 60th birthday in 1987 could look forward to another 21,7 year on average. But out of these 21,7 year the females would have 8,4 years with functional limitation. It means that more than 1:3 of the years on average would be with functional limitations.

2010 - One generation later.The females who celebrated their 60th birthday in 2010 could look forward to another 23,7 year on average. 2 more years than 23 years earlier. But still out of these 23,7 year the females would have 7,4 years with functional limitation. It means that more than 1:3 of the years on average was still with functional limitations.

2015.It was measured again in 2015 – but we don’t have the final result.

Some females on average will have to expect more years with functional limitations.

We know it is unnessecary for females to live with the impact of functional limitations such a big part of their last years.

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When if comes to males it looks a little better. Males have reduced the years with functional limitations from almost 5 years out of 17,4 years to 4,3 out of 20,6 years.

Females have the biggest challenge – but there is room for improvement among both females and males.

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Having these numbers of years with functional limitations in mind and knowing the total number of seniors receiving different kind of care services.

ONCE AGAIN the big relevant questions are:

What decides who ends up:

as the 1 out of 10 who need support and help during the period of 65 to 79 year.

as the 9 out of 10 who stay independent and do not need support and help during the period of 65 to 79 year.

What decides who ends up:

as 1 of the 49 who need suport and help during the periode after 80 years

as 1 of the 51 who stay independent and do not need support and help after 80 year.

Is it pure luck – destiny – or what decides?

Who will end up in need of care or not –and

at what time in life it will start?

It is obviously not the age?

As more seniors don’t end up in need of care than seniors that do.

It is the aim of this course –to try to give you some answers to these questions.

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We know a big factor is our mindset.

Partly decided by our individual understanding of the ageing process ahead of us at any time.

Partly caused by have many wrong myths and believes, we base our own ageing process on.

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Read the story for the learners.

Ask “what is your answers and explanations to why some of the young people are not able to run 10 km”

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BEPRESEL – INTRODUCTION 1

Read the story for the learners.

And ask “what is your answers and explanations to why some of the seniors at age 75 are not able to run 10 km”

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BEPRESEL – INTRODUCTION 1FINAL STORY TELLING.

A man was going to celebrate his 85th birthday. The children and grandchildren had decided that they wanted to give their grandfather a very special present.

They realized that if they themselves gave him this present, he would immediately go to the shop for reimbursement of the money for the gift the next day. Therefore, they decided that the present should be handed over by the great grandchildren.

When the man opened his present, he found a pair of running shoes.

He was not that satisfied, but also understood that he had to put them on later – to make them a little dirty – because he knew that the next time he saw his great grandchildren they would ask him with big expecting eyes – “Great Granddaddy – are you happy about the shoes we gave you?”.

So shortly after his birthday, he put them on – and went for a walk in the rain to make them dirty. He found out that it was in fact nice to wear this kind of shoes.

Just before turning 87 the man ran his first marathon.

He has never been able to run a marathon before in his life.

Questions to the seniors: What is the learning outcome of this story?

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