Health+promotion

When you hear health promotion, you often think about younger generations. Individuals preparing to retire or those who have recently retired are an important group that can also benefit from health promotion. Retirement is a change that is expected and may be prepared for financially. Retirement is a time when the changes that are faced become a challenge. Our health, environment and the people within our lives impacts how we react to these changes (Wilson & Palha, 2007). There are four personal characteristics associated with retirement satisfaction: **health**, **income,** **attitudes** and **preparedness** (Sterns, Lax & Chang, 2009).  It is important to include physical activity as well as leisure activity into one's retirement. Lack of physical activity is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the elderly (Scott, et al. 2001). Research has found that personal instability following retirement to be a major contributing factor to ill health for the elderly (Wilson & Palha, 2007). Individuals have been observed to pay little attention to the retirement transition and what they will do once retired (Hewitt, Howie & Feldman, 2010). Health promotion at retirement will assist in maintaing existing health as well as improve health and wellness. Also, health promotion during this stage in life will assist in a more graceful and healthier aging process. One study highlights nutrition, smoking cessation regular exercising and social encounters as important areas beneficial to seniors (Wilson & Palha, 2007). The path to health and well-being is linked to what we do in our daily lives. Occupational therapy professionals emphasize health promotion and disease prevention to improve the life expectancy, health and quality of life for all. Occupational therapy practitioners will promote health and wellness for retirees through health assessments, identifying personal and environmental barriers, providing skills for stress and time management as well as providing education related to incorporating healthy routines and new role identification ([|AOTA, 2011 Health promotion]).