Türkiye to launch ‘healthy aging’ initiative

ANKARA

Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu.

Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu has announced the launch of the “healthy aging” program aimed at enhancing the quality of life for elderly individuals and to facilitate their ability to sustain optimal health throughout the aging process.

Memişoğlu emphasized that Turkish society holds its elderly in high regard, often prioritizing their well-being above their own.

"Therefore, as the Health Ministry, we are initiating a program dedicated to teaching people how to remain healthy as they age and how to achieve healthy aging.

Through this initiative, the elderly people will receive education on both the aging process and strategies for maintaining their health throughout, the minister said.

In 2023, the proportion of the elderly population in Türkiye surpassed 10.2 percent, marking the first time in the country’s history that it has entered double digits.

Memişoğlu also highlighted the ongoing strengthening of home healthcare services, particularly for individuals over 80 years old and bedridden patients.

"We are alleviating the burden on citizens who find it difficult to leave their homes or for whom hospital visits pose risks. We deliver their medications and medical reports directly to their residences," he said.