Aging population, obesity, diabetes: Without education, nothing can be done

The crisis that Poland is facing today did not appear suddenly. It is the result of years of neglect, the postponement of difficult decisions and the lack of a consistent health and social policy. As Senator Dr. Agnieszka Gorgoń-Komor emphasized during the Third Senior Citizens' Health Congress, despite the scale of the problems, one cannot speak of a situation without a way out. She pointed out that the health care system works not only in moments of spectacular crises, but above all in the daily, quiet saving of health and life.

As she pointed out, such a state of emergency today is also the country's demographics, combined with the increasing multi-disease nature of the aging population. Therefore, in her opinion, taking care of health must not only concern seniors, but must start much earlier. - We should care even more about the elderly and young adults, so that the middle and end of life are as abundant in quality of life as possible, she stressed.

Demography, women's security and the role of the state

Dr. Gorgoń-Komor spoke about low fertility rates and social changes. In her opinion, the demographic crisis is largely the result of civilization's comfort, but also the lack of systemic support for parenthood. - If we already want to have children, it is often too late. There are problems with fertility, overweight, obesity, which are also related to fertility, she pointed out. She stressed that it is crucial for women to feel safe, especially during pregnancy, and for the state to provide real care in emergency situations.

"We cannot agree to leave a woman alone for nine months in the case of serious fetal defects. And I'm not talking about the abortion-not-abortion argument, but about a huge trauma. Science has moved forward, and based on new technologies we should build a system that will improve these demographics."

Obesity and diabetes - still underestimated risks

The second important thread of the conversation was the epidemic of obesity and diabetes, which, as the senator noted, had also been downplayed by the medical community for years. - As a doctor myself, I made mistakes because we passed over it: an overweight, obese patient - "that's just the way it is." She pointed to sedentary lifestyles, easy access to highly processed foods and lack of lasting lifestyle changes. As she stressed, single spurts of activity are not enough - healthy habits must become a daily routine. In her view, obesity is "the mother of many diseases," and without causal treatment, health complications cannot be effectively reduced. In this context, she also pointed to the need for systemic changes in the treatment of diabetes. - The big challenge is for people over 26 to have access to modern technology, such as insulin pumps. You can't treat diabetes well and then suddenly revert patients to old solutions," she pointed out.

Education across the divide

As summarized by Senator Dr. Agnieszka Gorgoń-Komor, the key to improving the health and demographic situation is consistent, long-term education - of children, adolescents, adults and seniors. - Education, education and more education. Here, across political divides, all medics agree: without it, nothing can be done," she stressed.