Qatars NHS prioritizes healthy aging as key aspect of quality of life

National health Strategy (NHS) of Qatar 2018-2022 states that, Quality of life of older adults, in the other word, healthy aging is one of the seven priority populations to focus the efforts on maintaining health and preventing disease in Qatar. Older adults are a treasure to the community and often neglected by societies.

Healthy ageing will enhance the opportunities for good health, so that older people can take an active part in society and enjoy an independent and high quality of life.

Healthy aging is an integral part of healthy living and has a significant impact on population health (NHS, 2018-2022).

This paper is an analysis of an understanding of a healthy and successful aging in depth by incorporating the knowledge, experience from the simulation that I have learned from this course and by interviewing an elderly person who is over the age of 65 years about her lives, views on aging, the challenges of aging and the supports that have been most helpful to her.

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The paper includes the summary of the interview, the perception of aging from my own understanding, from the simulation and in the view of literature. Mrs. X was chosen for an informal interview. The purpose of the interview was explained, and consent obtained for the same. The interview took place in Mrs.X daughter's house at Qatar.

Summary of the interview

Mrs.X is 67 years old, born in Tamilnadu, India. She is the youngest daughter of nine children to her parents. She was privileged to attend high school up to 9th grade.

She got married at the age of 23 years and she has two daughters and six grandchildren.

She was a home maker and her husband died at the age of 40 due to cancer. Mrs.X was burdened to bring up her children where she was a home maker before her husband died. She did a small business in her home town. Her focus was to provide her children with good education.

Mrs.X stated that her both daughter got married and well settled. Now her elder daughter supports for her financial needs. She lives in her home town where her relatives are nearby. She visits her daughter's house once in a while. Her elder daughter is in Qatar and now she came to Qatar as her daughter delivered her 4th child.

Most of her days, she stays alone and manages her daily activities independently. She is known Diabetic and on treatment for the past 22years. She feels depressed some times and added that, "Loneliness is very horrible", but she feels happy to spend her time with her daughters and grandchildren. Mrs.X stated that she could not stay with her daughter for a longer period as it is restricted by customs.

Mrs.X stated that for the past 10 years she feels that she is not able to cope up with her daily activities as she has joint pain, feels weakness and tired. She also added that she has disturbed sleep pattern, which makes her irritable and cannot concentrate.

She tries to overcome her challenges by doing simple exercise like walking, attending church services, watching television and listening to devotional songs. She is proud of her both daughters and her son in laws as they keep in touch with her through phone calls and visits her whenever possible.

Mrs.X stated that she feels pain while lifting her right hand that makes difficulty in washing and combing the hair, wearing blouse, cutting the vegetables, cooking, and washing vessels etc. She uses eye glasses only for reading purposes. Her hearing sense slightly impaired which she noted recently. She need someone to accompany her during travel as she could not climb the stairs and lift her luggage.

About her social and relationship changes she mentioned that, she engages in church activities and attending family gathering and functions. She also said that she has a routine of communicating with her relatives and neighbors either by phone calls or visiting them in person on a daily basis.

She tries to be active by doing small household works such as drying and folding the clothes and feeding the children. She feels that she get irritated quickly in the recent days which she feel getting older is the cause for it. The spiritual changes is that, now a days she enjoys listening to devotional songs and messages.

and Sibai (2015) highlighted that, within the Arab and Middle Eastern context, the family is considered the solid foundation of population growth and has played an important role in human development.

The responsibility of caring elders in the family has traditionally fallen on daughters and daughter in laws in Arab countries and all over the world. However, this cultural pattern necessitates changes in familial roles which carry a set of gendered duties and responsibilities for family members, including the young and old.