Although the health problems of the elderly are very similar in all EU countries, the initiatives to solve these problems differ from country to country due to different levels of economic development and different degrees of cultural and social change. The project envisaged the exchange of knowledge, experience, skills and competences between groups of leaders working for the elderly in Italy, Hungary and Poland, especially in terms of health, physical and psychological well-being and social activity. The main objective of the project was to educate leaders working in older communities to promote healthy lifestyles and to transfer the acquired knowledge and experience to the final recipients. -The project mainly focused on the exchange of experiences on the following topics: -Active ageing, according to the definition of the World Health Organization (WHO); -The importance of physical activity and social engagement for healthy ageing; -Healthy and balanced diet for the elderly; -Prevention and management of chronic diseases and common health problems in the elderly; -The role of mental and emotional well-being in healthy ageing; -The importance of intergenerational integration for the well-being of the elderly and the community
The project "Active Aging, Active Learning" was proposed and implemented to improve the knowledge and skills of leaders in elderly health education, in order to promote healthy lifestyles. This was necessary due to the increase in life expectancy in Europe, which has required greater attention to the psycho-physical conditions of the elderly and their participation in social and economic life. In the last five decades, life expectancy at birth has increased by about ten years for both men and women. The demographic profiles of EU regions vary considerably, particularly between urban and rural areas, with some places experiencing a significant increase in the percentage of aging populations and others seeing a considerable increase in the working-age population. This trend has a considerable impact on people's daily lives. The project involved the exchange of knowledge and education for leaders of elderly communities in Italy, Hungary, and Poland. The pandemic emergency has made education on healthy behaviors even more important to avoid the risk of chronic diseases related to sedentary lifestyles, in order to promote active aging of the population throughout Europe.