Population aging is a global trend that requires systemic solutions at the level of cities and entire countries. Ways of arranging the comfortable environment for people of silver age in Russian and Belarusian cities, following the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), was discussed at the Panel Session «Active Longevity. Preserving Traditional Family Values» held as part of the 13th St. Petersburg International Health Forum.

As Batyr Berdyklychev, the WHO representative in the Russian Federation, said, «the supportive environment for the elderly benefits all members of society by removing physical and social barriers and contributing to inclusivity». He reminded of the movement «Cities friendly to the elderly», which is part of the WHO network. Currently, this initiative has been supported by 1,739 cities from 57 countries, including Russia. Last year, St. Petersburg joined this network. The point is adapting the urban infrastructure – from transport and housing to social integration and medical care. According to the expert, this approach is an effective way of creating the optimal living environment for all residents.

Domestic experience

In St. Petersburg, this philosophy is being embodied via the regional project «Silver Age». «The general goal of the project is involving as many senior-generation Petersburgers as possible in the active longevity program», explained Sergey Kuzin, Head of the Sector for Supporting the Government Program «Social Support for Citizens in St. Petersburg». Overseen by 27 city authorities, the project includes constructing four new «Silver Centres» and renovating 18 existing ones. Here you can quickly check your health status, sign up for various programs, and much more. The entire project «Silver Age» integrates 5 key tracks: medicine, sports, education, culture and leisure. In Belarus, they intend to follow a similar course, as said Snezhana Kavrigo, Head of the Minsk City Health Centre at the State Institution «Minsk City Centre for Hygiene and Epidemiology».

In Russian cities, prevention and promotion of a healthy lifestyle comes to the fore. A striking example is the Izhevsk project «Health Ship» to have been awarded by the Association «Healthy Cities». Since 2019, «Health Ship» has been sailing twice a month through the waters of Izhevsk Pond every summer from the end of May to the beginning of September. «We made the water trip healthy», said Anastasia Andreeva, a doctor-methodologist at the Republican Centre for Public Health and Medical Prevention of the Udmurt Republic. During the trip, residents can undergo free diagnostics, get medical advice and master wellness practices.

However, as doctors emphasize, medicine alone is not enough. «The contribution of healthcare to active longevity is only 10%. The rest depends on where and how we live», said Vadim Samorodov, Head of the Department of Public Projects at the Separate Structural Unit «Russian Gerontological Research and Clinical Centre» of Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University of the Russian Ministry of Healthcare. He pointed out that poor health and loneliness are directly related, «A day of loneliness is like smoking a pack of cigarettes». Therefore, in his opinion, building centres for active longevity and social work is not just a «pleasant bonus», but a vital necessity from the medical viewpoint.

Family as a resource

Family and social ties became one of the core themes at the Session. «Investments in the family’s psychological health mean investments in future generations’ health and happiness», stated Natalia Semenova, Doctor of Medicine, Deputy Director for Scientific, Organizational and Methodological Work at Bekhterev National Research Medical Centre of the Russian Ministry of Healthcare. She spoke in detail about the importance of psychoprophylaxis at all stages of family life: from conscious parenting to supporting families with special children.

Natalia Konyaeva, Head of the Moscow Regional Charity Organization «League of Young Mothers of the Moscow Region», is confident that strong families are a guarantee that elderly persons will not remain lonely, but their life will be meaningful. The most important pill we could prescribe is to find the meaning of life. In conditions when the state system of long-term care is not able to cover all those in need, it is the family that takes on the main burden of caring for elderly relatives. The project «Family Talisman» from Stupino near Moscow, represented by Natalia Konyaeva, is designed for supporting these families in times of severe crises.

Another effective tool is involving silver-age citizens themselves in volunteer and mentoring activities. Lela Krush, Head of the Social Development Department of the Khabarovsk City Administration, said that in her city, municipal centres have become points of attraction, where silver-age volunteers conduct master classes and share their experiences with young people.

«Our centres are public spaces where residents of Khabarovsk can find activities they like», she noted. The same peer-to-peer principle is successfully applied in Minsk, where the psychological support groups for the elderly are run by their peers who have received special training.

Tatiana Shestakova, Executive Director of the Association «Healthy Cities, Districts and Settlements», member of the Public Council under the Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation and moderator of the Session, summed up the two-hour discussion. Her words allowed concluding that the accumulated experience presented by the speakers demonstrated a clear trend: the problem of active longevity is not solved by isolated actions, but comprehensively, through transforming the urban environment, developing social ties, supporting families, and introducing innovative formats of health care. Therefore, the professional community needs to continue sharing best practices so that every city, whether it’s a megacity with millions of its residents or a small town, can become truly friendly to people of any age.