The Department of Physiotherapy at the University of Malta in collaboration with St Vincent de Paul Long Term Care Facility and the Ministry for Active Ageing (Malta) held a conference at the Aula Magna Valletta Campus on Thursday 30 November titled: Promoting Physical Activity in the Retirement Transition (PPAiR) to showcase their current research in this space.
Distinguished international keynote speakers were Professor Dawn Skelton from Glasgow Caledonian University who presented a lecture titled: Upstream approaches to prevent frailty and/or falls; and Professor David Broom from Coventry University who presented a lecture titled: The importance of physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviour for successful ageing. Both Prof. Skelton and Prof. Broom are world class leading experts, and authors of many publications on the topic of ageing, health, and physical activity.
The conference was facilitated by Dr John Xerri de Caro from the UM Physiotherapy Department who presented a proposed intervention for the promotion of physical activity in the retirement transition. Dr Karl Spiteri presented the key findings from his PhD thesis in a keynote titled: Retirement from the Maltese Civil Service with a view towards Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour.
Dr Stephen Lungaro Mifsud as Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences opened the conference. In his address he had these words to say:’ Our unique cultural context, demographic makeup, and societal structure demand a thoughtful and targeted approach to ensure that our citizens continue to lead healthy, active, and fulfilling lives. As we consider the challenges and opportunities associated with an ageing population in Malta, it becomes increasingly clear that a proactive national focus on physical activity as part of the retirement process is essential. I am pleased that the Department of Physiotherapy at the Faculty of Health Sciences is involved in the drive to take decisive action based on research and evidence.’
The closing speech was delivered by Prof. Ing. Simon Fabri, the Pro-Rector for Research and Knowledge Transfer at the University of Malta. He had these words to say: 'Increased longevity is a positive development in modern society, but it also brings with it challenges that need to be addressed, including novel healthcare demands and lifestyle adaptations. The promotion of appropriate physical activity during the retirement process, which is the underlying objective behind this ambitious research programme, is a case in point. The University encourages and supports such initiatives because they consolidate our vision of an institution that promotes world-class teaching and research having a strong practical significance for our communities.’
Mr Jo Etienne Abela, Minister for Active Ageing closed the conference.
This conference was organised within the collaboration agreement between UM and MFAA previously published in Newspoint, and enabled with the support of the Foundation for Senior Citizen ¸£ÀûÔÚÏßÃâ·Ñ, as much as the Operations and Events Department of the University of Malta (Valletta Campus).
