SURGEON GENERAL’S
WORKSHOP
Health Promotion and Aging

cai

Proceedings

Mayflower Hotel
Washington, D.C.

March 20-23, 1988

 
SURGEON GENERAL’S
WORKSHOP

Health Promotion and Aging

Proceedings

Edited by: DEP SG Faye G. Abdellah
SR PHARM Steven R. Moore

Note: All opinions contained in these contents represent the

. viewpoint solely of the authors and participants and do not

necessarily represent the viewpoint of the Office of the

Surgeon General, the Public Health Service and its
constituent Agencies, or the Editors.

Sponsors for this Workshop are Administration on Aging, Health Resources and Services
Administration, Food and Drug Administration, National Institute on Aging, the Office of Minority
Health, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control, National
Institute of Mental Health, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the Brookdale
Foundation, and the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.

Support for the printing of this publication is provided by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
of Menlo Park, California.
PREFACE

As with any effort that seeks to take a somewhat disparate body of
knowledge and attempt to create uniformity and concensus, the final
product may not be exactly what was expected. In this instance of trying
to assimilate all of the scientific knowledge and experience about health
promotion activities in aging populations into a coherent body or recom-
mendations and policy options, the product is more than expected! In addi-
tion to the insight that the 180 invited guests for this Surgeon General’s
Workshop on Health Promotion and Aging were able to provide individu-
ally, the cohesive and often synergistic results of their deliberations have
given the Public Health Service and the much larger aging audience a view
of what is possible. ;

Instead of individual agendas, the larger picture has been shaped before
us and the vision is clear. That vision is the ability to provide research,
support and services that will allow the years in later life to remain as full
and fruitful as those in the earlier years. Although the prospect of death
is certainly inevitable to all of us, that period prior to death may well afford
some of the truly golden years of life. In addition to these years being
golden for the individuals, the ability to use their wealth of personal
knowledge and experience to enrich society and the extented family units
and communities is immense.

The seed of ideas and potential areas of activity are presented in this
final report with its recommendations. The participants at the Workshop
present to the much larger audience of interested parties our blueprint for
the nation in health promotion and aging. I join with you in seeking now
to implement these ideas and options so that our aging society is provided
with the maximum impact of our corporate knowledge for the benefit of
the health of all senior members.

C. Everett Koop, M.D., Sc.D.
Surgeon General
CONTENTS

Opening Plenary Session

Keynote Address
- Surgeon General C. Everett Koop ...- eee cece cece tere ener es
United States Public Health Service

Address
Carol Fraser Fisk, Commissioner . See eeeeeceneeees eee eevee

Administration on Aging

Address
Assistant Surgeon General T. Franklin Williams .........---+>

Director, National Institute on Aging

Plenary Session

“Health Promotion and Surgeon General’s Workshop” ....---
Assistant Surgeon General David Sundwall, Administrator
Health Resources and Services Administration

“Year 2000 Health Objectives for the Nation” ........-+++++++
Assistant Surgeon General J. Michael McGinnis, Director
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

‘Legislative and Administration Interests in
Geriatric Health Promotion’”’..........+-++eeree reer ee eeenes
Roger Herdman, M.D.,
Assistant Director for Health and Life Sciences,
Office of Technology Assessment
U.S. Congress

“Setting the Pace in Geriatric Health Promotion’’

“Healthy Older People” .....------ +++ sree reeer er eerrteees
Susan Maloney
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

“Project Age Well” ....--.0-eeee eer eee eeee ene e nents
Anthony Vuturo, M.D.
School of Medicine, University of Arizona

“International Geriatric Health Promotion Study/Activities’” ....
David Macfayden, M.D., former Manager
WHO Global Programme for Health for the Elderly

14

20

26

41

49
Charge to Participants ;
Surgeon General C. Everett Koop ..............------++5 54
United States Public Health Service

Plenary Session

Recommendations of Working Groups:
Alcohol ..........00ce cece ees eee een ence teense enenes 37
Dental (Oral) Health ......... cece cece e eee ee eeeennes 60
Physical Fitness and Exercise ..........-0. 00-02 eeeeeee eee 63
Injury Prevention .............00.0 cece cece nner eee es 67
Medications ........ 0... e cece eee cece eee eee nnes 70
Mental Health .......... 0... cece eee eae eke eee eee eee 74
— Nutrition 2.0.00... eee ven e eee ee eees 80
Preventive Health Services ............. 0 cee eeee eter neces 84
Smoking Cessation ............0:0ececce ence eee eeees 88
Response to Recommendations .............. 0.00 sees e eee 94

Surgeon General C. Everett Koop.
United States Public Health Service

List of Participants ........ 0... ccc eee eee eee e eens 103