Researchers: Nir Becker¹, Shirra Hantman¹

Background: The increase in life expectancy brings many benefits but also costs originating from increased expenses related to morbidity and prevention. Some of these costs could have been reduced by adopting a healthier lifestyle. This study charts the lifestyle characteristics of older adults in the Upper Galilee with their relatedness to various morbid symptoms. The charting, in addition to the data collected related to costs of health-related symptoms and the cost of saved life years, will form the base for a cost-benefit analysis of various intervention methods.

Objectives: The objective of the study was to quantify the economic value of a variety of activities in which the elderly partake: e.g. cultural, intellectual, physical and nutritional activities. Economic value is estimated based on individual willingness to pay, i.e. the subjective benefit from these activities and the objective assessments of changes in morbidity characteristics resulting from these activities.

Hypothesis: 1. The health of older adults who lead active lifestyles is better than the health of older adults who do not lead an active lifestyle.
2. The benefits of improved health are greater than the costs needed to provide services supporting a healthy lifestyle.

Research method: 300 older adults from the Upper Galilee area, participants and non-participants in the activities of the local senior center filled Preference questionnaires that were followed by a valuation and cost-benefit analysis. In addition
1. Survey of quantitative data related to senior centers and similar services in the Galilee area was taken through Interviews with relevant stakeholders, center directors and welfare workers.
2. Survey of lifestyle, health status, types and preferences of activities was done on a cross-sector sample of older adults in a number of communities in the Galilee.

Results: An association was found between the various activities explored and the objective and subjective perspective of health. Moreover, all older adult activities were found to be relevant to both objectively and subjectively. Nutrition-related activities were found to be the most beneficial. The cultural activity was ranked second objectively and subjectively. The intellectual activity was ranked last objectively and physical activity was ranked last subjectively.

Conclusion: The present study points to the need to provide optimal policy and efficient resource distribution between the various activities.
The efficient policy will lead to better health that will lower public health expenditures.

Research end date: 12/2018