A New Approach to Aging: Redefining the Journey

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In the midst of a lively word game, terms like “agriculture,” “animal husbandry,” and “cultivation” are tossed about competitively by people gathered around tables, trying to find words relating to “village”, and not giving each other a turn. This is part of a weekly two-hour gathering for 20 seniors aged 60 and up in a spacious room in the center of Yerevan. They engage in therapeutic games, mind and hand exercises, discussions on healthy living, and forming new social connections. 

The Memory Café program, a project by Alzheimer’s Care Armenia, has been running in Yerevan and Gyumri since 2022. It promotes social interaction and healthy aging for seniors. Ofelya Kamavosyan, the NGO’s Communication and Public Relations Officer, recalls initial skepticism from her colleagues about whether there would be interested participants.

“The first visit is the most challenging. Afterwards, they ask to come,” shares Kamavosyan, noting that queues formed shortly after the program launched. “The simple act of getting dressed,  leaving the house, and having a place to meet others for a few hours is a big deal by itself.”

85-year old Varduhi Charvushyan’s daughter told her about the program. As a senior living alone, these meetings have become very important to her.

Charvushyan, who worked as a teacher for 40 years and has been unemployed for over 20, says, “I don’t like solitude. I just want to socialize, which is very important to me. Our trainers are competent specialists. It is nice to listen to them and, of course, I learn a lot.”

The center has become a hub for interaction, and a platform for Laura Ghazaryan, a 70-year old kindergarten pianist with 47 years of experience, to showcase her skills. Meetings are often accompanied by the sounds of Ghazaryan playing the piano. After contracting coronavirus in 2020, her children discouraged her from continuing to work. Adjusting to this new reality has been challenging for Ghazaryan, who has worked her whole life. 

“I have been attending these meetings for over a year now and I always look forward to this day each week,” says Ghazaryan. “We connect, play games, do hand and mind exercises, and I bring joy to others with my playing. I am happy that I am playing.” 

After many years of work, transitioning to a quieter life as a pensioner, with little work and fewer responsibilities can lead to depression. However, the meetings and their activities aim to keep them engaged. 

“There is a period when the elderly feel lonely. We are trying to reassess their role. We discuss depression and stress, trying to identify their causes, prevent them, and offer motivation for living,” says Mariam Badalyan, a social worker. She emphasizes that the elderly are a significant portion of the population, making healthy aging a necessity for a healthy society. “We do all this not only for them but also for ourselves: we will also age, and we want to be healthy in our old age.” 

A Significant Segment of Society

According to the 2022 census, out of Armenia’s 2,689,438 residents, 460,165 are over 65. This includes 175,286 individuals aged 65-69; 129,318 aged 70-74; 61,567 aged 75-79; 61,398 aged 80-84, and 32,596 aged 85 and up. As a result, more than 12% of the country’s population is elderly.

The UN Standards indicate that a country is considered aging if more than 7% of its population is elderly. As such, 2021-2030 has been declared the Decade of Healthy Ageing. Four crucial areas have been identified to achieve this strategic goal: creating a favorable environment for the elderly, combating age-based discrimination, and providing comprehensive, long-term care.

The Constitution of the Republic of Armenia states that every person has the right to social security in old age and every elderly individual has the right to a dignified existence. 

In 2021, the Armenian government approved the “Program for the Improvement of Care Services provided to the Elderly and the Implementation and Development of Community-Based Services” for the period of 2021-2023. It states that Armenia is directing its main resources towards addressing the primary social and material needs of the elderly. This includes providing pensions through state and non-state organizations, particularly for those in the most difficult conditions. Services offered include 24-hour or daytime care, or home care assistance, and in special cases, temporary housing.

The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs announced that in 2024, more than 3.3 billion AMD have been allocated to provide round-the-clock care for 1,335 beneficiaries. This includes 321 million AMD for 210 beneficiaries of NGOs receiving grants. The government has allocated around 250 million drams for home care services, benefiting an estimated 1,300 individuals. Additionally, accommodation services will be provided to 50 beneficiaries, through a state non-commercial organization with a budget of 22 million AMD. The remaining funds will be distributed to NGOs through competitive grants. NGOs that provide day care for the elderly and disabled or food services for socially disadvantaged people operate solely with these competitive grants. A total of 170 million AMD is designated for this purpose, benefiting 1,300 individuals. 

Meanwhile, the socio-psychological, socio-cultural, educational, and legal needs of the elderly are largely unmet. Additionally, there is a delay in implementing practical steps for geriatric services. Given these gaps, it was decided to view the demands of the elderly in the adopted program as more “multi-layered and diverse”.

The program rationale states: “In this process, a broad range of community-based services for the elderly should be introduced and developed to allow self-realization for the elderly, participation in different areas and at different levels, inclusion in public life, and the continued development of social, physical, mental abilities.” This highlights the two main areas organizing care through community-based measures and promoting active and healthy aging.  

The timeline and extent to which this program will become reality remains unclear. However, the provisions outlined give us reason to believe that state attention will extend beyond the financial and social problems of the elderly.

The Ministry of Health, in cooperation with NGOs, has developed a national prevention and action plan for dementia. The introduction of this plan will enable family members and caregivers of individuals with dementia to receive training. Additionally, health care services will be coordinated across various levels to ensure that those affected receive high-quality services and care.

Kristine Galstyan of the Public Health Department of the Ministry of Health, says that they are implementing numerous programs in cooperation with various NGOs. These programs aim to create new opportunities for the well-being and quality of life for the elderly. In 2023, they launched an experimental program in 60 schools named “The Physical Activity Group for Seniors”. Based on this initiative, from April 2024, physical activity groups will run twice a week for free all year round in 10 schools in Yerevan. Additionally, memory-stimulating groups will be established in four schools.

The program to improve the lives of the elderly includes physical and mental exercises, discussions about healthy diet, proper breathing, and prevention and management of common diseases. The ultimate goal is to effect positive changes in the health sector. 

“There are organizations that provide support to the socially vulnerable. However, our groups aim to reach everyone, ensuring they also have a place to go,” Galstyan says, noting that the public is showing interest in the program. She’s optimistic that based on this year’s successful results, they can broaden their activities, extend their reach to the regions, and effect significant cultural changes in the next three to five years.

Galstyan notes that their visitors represent two extremes: “Some attend because their families urge them to, understanding the benefits and wanting their elderly relatives to be happy and healthy. On the other hand, some families prohibit their elderly from attending, fearing embarrassment. The opportunity exists, but cultural attitudes limit its acceptance. This is our challenge.”

Cooperation with schools is not random, Galstyan says, stressing that it takes social stereotypes into account and strengthens inter-generational bonds. The Ministry of Health is implementing the program gradually to allow cultural changes to take hold, and to prevent wasting resources. 

Lilit Frangyan, a psychologist at Alzheimer’s Care Armenia, observes that attention to elderly issues such as memory loss, depression, Parkinson’s disease has only recently started to take hold in Armenia. Previously, families with elderly relatives often attributed their behavior to age. Now, they are trying to understand the reasons behind these behaviors, identify possible causes, and prevent negative consequences. The psychologist’s role in the organization includes home visits to beneficiaries and direct work with them.

“Many find the approach of professional home visits innovative and revealing, but they are crucial. They facilitate contact with the elderly and their families, explaining potential issues their elderly family members may have and how to address them,” says the psychologist, noting that after several visits, communication becomes easier and new abilities emerge with each visit. “I assign tasks and review them at the next visit. These tasks might involve drawing or arithmetic. We practice finger exercises to become quicker and more flexible for the next visit. This helps to stimulate the corresponding brain centers, enabling them to solve many everyday problems independently.” 

Having a Purpose

According to Frangyan, it’s important for aging individuals to continue feeling needed: “If a person feels their contribution is over and that they cannot help their relatives anymore, they feel their ‘mission’ is complete and can lose their will to live. Instead, we should always show them that they are needed and important to us.”

Dr. Jane Mahakian, the founder of Alzheimer’s Care Armenia and a gerontologist, says that there isn’t a single clear formula for healthy aging, as everyone is different. Each person’s brain, circumstances, and life are different. Nonetheless, one of the main components for aging well is having a purpose and reason for living. 

“Not only in Armenia, but throughout the world, the elderly are often undervalued. This leads to isolation and a decrease in mobility,” says Mahakian. “In reality, they are a valuable resource.” She emphasizes that socialization, physical exercise, and inclusion have a significant and positive impact on the elderly. “When they wake up in the morning, they should have a plan for the day. This means that they should have a purpose and know that they have important tasks to accomplish.”

According to Mahakian, the Ministry of Health has been doing an impressive job contributing to healthy aging through various initiatives in recent years. This gives hope that the perception of aging, as well as attitudes towards human value and potential, will change in Armenia in the coming years.

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