Article 32: Standards of Health and Mental Health, and the Ten Standards of Healthy Elderly in China
167. Standards of Health
What is health? With the establishment of the modern psycho-physiological-environmental medical model, the understanding of health has become more comprehensive. The World Health Organization (WHO) stated in its founding declaration that "health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." This is the holistic concept of health. Based on this concept, the WHO has proposed standards for physical and mental health, namely the "five quicks" of physical health and the "three goods" of mental health.
The five quick signs are: ① Eating quickly: Having a good appetite and being able to finish a meal quickly without being picky about food. ② Bowel movements quickly: Being able to defecate and urinate quickly when the urge arises, feeling relaxed and comfortable. ③ Falling asleep quickly: Falling asleep quickly after going to bed, sleeping deeply and soundly, and waking up refreshed and clear-headed. This demonstrates that the excitation and inhibition functions of the central nervous system are coordinated and that there is no pathological information interfering with the internal organs. ④ Speaking quickly: Expressing language accurately and speaking fluently, indicating a clear mind and quick thinking. ⑤ Walking quickly: Moving freely and turning nimbly, demonstrating abundant energy.
The three qualities are: ① Good personality: gentle, strong-willed, emotionally rich, and possessing an open mind and optimistic outlook. ② Good problem-solving skills: objective and realistic in viewing problems, possessing strong self-control, adapting to complex social environments, and maintaining a positive attitude towards changes. ③ Good interpersonal relationships: generous and kind in dealing with people, not overly calculating, and willing to help others and be kind to others.
168. Standards of Mental Health
Judging a person's mental health generally follows three principles: the unity of psychology and environment; the overall unity of psychology and behavior; and the stability of personality. Mental health roughly includes the following: ① Normal intellectual development, quick thinking, abundant energy, and focused attention, enabling high work and study efficiency. ② The ability to consciously control and regulate one's emotions, feelings, and thoughts, striving to adapt to new environments. ③ Strong willpower and a certain degree of resilience; the ability to correctly deal with stimuli and setbacks in life, turning difficulties into motivation, and achieving excellent results in adversity. ④ Coordinated behavior, consistency between words and actions, a complete personality, and unity of thought, speech, and action. ⑤ Possessing certain social skills, interacting appropriately and moderately with others, being able to exchange thoughts and feelings with close friends, and correctly handling interpersonal relationships in social life.
Psychological characteristics are age-appropriate; at any stage of life, one's cognition, emotions, speech, and behavior must be consistent with one's age. Achieving and maintaining mental health is a complex issue involving social, medical, and psychological factors. Regularly using mental health standards to measure one's behavior is essential for continuously promoting mental well-being.
169. Ten Standards for Healthy Elderly in China
The Chinese Medical Association's Geriatrics Society has formulated health standards for the elderly in my country, comprising ten aspects: ① No obvious trunk deformities, no obvious kyphosis or poor body shape, and basically normal bone and joint mobility. ② No hemiplegia, senile dementia, or other neurological diseases; neurological examination is basically normal. ③ Basically normal heart; no hypertension, coronary heart disease, or other organic heart diseases. ④ No chronic lung diseases or obvious pulmonary insufficiency. ⑤ No liver or kidney diseases, endocrine and metabolic diseases, malignant tumors, or serious organic diseases affecting daily life. ⑥ Some visual and auditory abilities. ⑦ No mental disorders; sound personality and stable emotions. ⑧ Able to appropriately handle family and social interpersonal relationships. ⑨ Able to adapt to the environment and possess certain communication skills. ⑩ Possess certain learning and memory abilities.
170. Standards for the physical and mental health of the elderly
For modern seniors, physical and mental health is a prerequisite for happiness. It's incorrect to assume that the absence of illness equates to good health. A person's health should be evaluated from the following aspects:
(1) Physical health: Physical health includes appropriate weight and a well-proportioned figure. When standing, the head, arms and hips are in coordinated positions; muscles and skin have a certain degree of elasticity; eyes are bright and the eyelids are not inflamed; there are a considerable number of teeth, without pain or bleeding; and the ability to resist common colds and infectious diseases.
(2) Mental health: refers to the fact that the elderly do not have mental disorders and neurological symptoms, are optimistic and have a positive attitude.
(3) Possesses the ability to take care of daily life: that is, the ability to live independently, including bathing, dressing, eating, etc., without the need for supervision. It would be better if they could do housework. They are good at resting, have generally good sleep, and can adapt to a certain degree of environmental change.
(4) Social health: refers to the quantity and quality of an individual's interpersonal relationships and the degree of their participation in society. An elderly person who lives alone and cannot participate in social life cannot be considered a fully healthy person.
(5) Economic Status: The economic status of the elderly has a significant impact on their material and spiritual lives. Therefore, the new concept of health for the elderly should also include aspects such as children's support, respect for the elderly, and love for the elderly. To understand the health standards of the elderly, the elderly themselves and their family members must make joint efforts, and society should provide more support and assistance to improve the quality of life of the elderly.