New survey shows dreams have no age limit, and older adults need strength to achieve

Mrs. Luu Thi Bich Thuy, 61 years old shared, only in retirement that she had time to follow her lifelong dream of travelling around the country

Balanced nutrition: A critical part of being healthy and energetic for the elderly

People can achieve more through the power of health, especially when they age. The survey results point out the fact that retirement often coincides with a drop in everyday activity, as well as a decrease in stamina. Dr.Luu Ngan Tam, PhD. MD., President of the Ho Chi Minh Society of Parenteral Enteral Nutrition (HoSPEN) explained how the body starts to physiologically change after people turn 50 years old: "A key action to maintaining good strength in the elderly and enabling them to pursue their dreams is to ensure the body gets all the nutrients it needs. For elderly people, however, nutrients and protein intake from regular diet may not be enough, and they may need to incorporate an oral nutritional supplement to get the extra nutrients they need."

In the aging process, decrease in immune function and muscle mass – strength are common signs of nutritional deficiencies, which can hardly be improved only by regular diet. Nutritional supplements are scientifically designed to provide complete and balanced nutrition, including essential nutrients such as protein to maintain physical strength; ingredients like choline and oleic acid to support memory and activity of the nervous system; as well dietary fibers and Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) to maintain a healthy digestive tract.

Ensure® oral nutrition supplement includes three major nutrients (protein, fat, and carbohydrates), as well as 28 vitamins and minerals. Research shows that drinking Ensure twice a day for 90 days or more helps maintain long-lasting strength.

With enough stamina, the elderly can still fulfill their dreams

Despite the changes that happen with age, the new survey shows that elderly people want an exciting and busy life in retirement, butoften do not speak about their desires or they are held back by lack of strength. However, with the support from their adult children as well as proper nutrition, they are likely to obtain enough spiritual and physical energy to pursue their dream and live a healthier, fuller life at any age.

Mrs. Luu Thi Bich Thuy, 61 years old shared that after spending a majority of her younger life dedicated to her children, it was only in retirement that she had time to follow her lifelong dream of travelling around the country. She started travelling on motorbike with her friends and helping people in the community along the way.Travelling long distances on a motorbike requires physical strength and stamina; moreover, the lack of resources on the way made finding nutritious meals more difficult. Regular exercise and a healthy diet, including nutrition supplements, have helped to boost her stamina when travelling.For the past five years, her strong and youthful spirit has inspired many young and other people at her age as she visits various destinations and helps the community.

Singer Doan Trang also shared her personal story of how she and her siblings are supporting her mom’s dream to dance. "I used to think that my mom’s dream was to stay strong and healthy to spend time with her family and take care for her grandchildren. Only recently, we discovered that she still has an unfulfilled dream: dancing. When we first tried to help her achieve this dream, she was lacking the stamina to give it a try. With some encouragement, she started to move a little every day and had more balanced nutrition to help improve her strength. Now she is able to move on the dance floor with the applause from her little granddaughter."

Douglas Kuo, General Manager of Abbott Vietnam shared: "As a global healthcare company, Abbott’s mission is to help people all over the world live their best possible life through the power of health. Having dreams gives people motivation and inspiration to reach their utmost potentials, and that shouldn’t have an age limit. With the help of good nutrition, families can support each other in fulfilling their dreams.”

Anh Ngoc