INIA worked with the Middle East Academy for Medicine on Ageing (MEAMA), and the Faculty of Health Sciences, Beirut Arab University in organising a day programme on ‘Insights into Geriatric Care and Active Ageing’, which was held on Saturday 20 April at Tripoli Campus, Lebanon.
This programme featured a series of keynote speeches, sessions, and discussions led by esteemed experts in the fields of Ageing and healthcare. The first session held by Dr. Abdul Razzak Abyad and Dr. Nabil Kronfol addressed the medical and social transformation of ageing, the major challenges faced by older people and proposed a comprehensive program to improve the health and well-being of older people. A session entitled “Update on Geriatric Medicine” reflected a comprehensive approach to understanding and managing common health challenges associated with Ageing and offered the latest medical protocols and treatment to
improve patient outcomes. The topics included the management of Metabolic Syndrome and Parkinson’s Disease, clinical presentation and management of depression in older adults, prevention and control of urinary tract infections in older persons, medication management to prevent polypharmacy, in addition to bone healthcare to
prevent osteoporosis and fracture. A session specified for dementia and delirium covered the latest update on diagnosis and management of dementia, the progress in the process of using genetic markers for diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease, and nursing care tools used in the screening of delirium. Another session focused on
prevention, assessment, and nursing care management protocols of pressure injuries in addition to surgical treatment.
The concept of “healthy ageing” and the maintenance of physical health was highlighted during the conference through a talk about frailty prevention and management, which extensively covered the different types of exercise recommended in older age, their benefits, and the conditions of each. In addition, another talk linked
the different dietary patterns to the risk of frailty and cognitive decline in older adults according to a Lebanese national study.
The last session of the conference was dedicated to policies and programs of healthcare for older persons. Dr. Samar El Feky, Regional Focal Person for Health of Older People from the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office of the World Health Organization, introduced the WHO guidelines for integrated care for older people (ICOPE) program implemented in several countries in the region. On the other hand, Dr. Saadallah Sabouneh presented the elderly care policies and programs in Lebanon, on behalf of the Minister of Health, Dr. Firas Abyad. The president of the order of nurses, Dr. Rima Sassine Kazan, presented the challenges of Nursing care for older persons in Lebanon. The conference was concluded by the organizers who emphasized the significance of “healthy ageing”, the process of maintaining functional ability as people grow older to enable their continued participation in society.
To view the programme click here