[Healthy aging in Geneva : the innovative approach of the VieSA project]. / Vieillir en santé à Genève : l'approche novatrice du projet VieSA.

With Switzerland's population ageing, promoting healthy ageing remains a public health issue. This represents a challenge for the healthcare system, which is still mainly focused on curative or palliative care. It has been clearly established that it is possible to maintain the functional capacity of older people by taking early action on health-related behaviors. The VieSA (Vieillissement en Santé) project in the canton of Geneva, inspired by the WHO's ICOPE programme, offers innovative ways of promoting healthy ageing for and by seniors, by focusing on maintaining seniors' resources rather than targeting any deficits.

Face au vieillissement de la population en Suisse, la promotion du vieillissement en santé reste un enjeu de santé publique. Cela représente un défi pour le système de soins encore principalement orienté vers les soins curatifs ou palliatifs. Il est clairement établi qu'il est possible de maintenir les capacités fonctionnelles des seniors en agissant précocement sur les comportements liés à la santé. Le projet VieSA (Vieillissement en santé), mené dans le canton de Genève, s'inspire du programme ICOPE de l'OMS et offre des perspectives novatrices pour promouvoir le vieillissement en santé pour et par les seniors, en s'appuyant sur le maintien des ressources des seniors plutôt qu'en ciblant les déficits éventuels.

Intrinsic Capacities, Functional Ability, Physiological Systems, and Caregiver Support: A Targeted Synthesis of Effective Interventions and International Recommendations for Older Adults.

The ageing population calls for interventions that can assist older people to age healthily. This study aimed to provide a targeted synthesis of high-level research and current evidence-based recommendations on effective interventions for maintaining or preventing the decline in intrinsic capacity, functional ability, and physiological systems, or for caregiver support. Nestled within the healthy ageing framework by the World Health Organization, available evidence was selected in a targeted manner, with the purpose of providing a synthesis that would allow the application of this knowledge in real life. As such, the outcome variables were examined through an Evidence and Gap Map of interventions for functional ability and through guidelines from leading institutions. Systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and guidelines on community-dwelling older adults with or without minor health limitations were considered. Thirty-eight documents were included and over fifty interventions identified. Physical activity interventions were consistently effective across several domains. Recommendations point to screening, whilst highlighting the importance of behavioural factors in the endeavour to age healthily. There is a wide range of activities which are likely to foster healthy ageing. To encourage their uptake, it is important for communities to offer suitable promotion and support, and to make these accessible to the public.